Allegory/Coat of Arms

[sdbeta1]

Omega @ Berkeley



Alpha Beta @ Iowa

[DoctorThursday]

Thanks for posting these. Someone asked (was that you?) about one on ebay, and I looked, but did not recognize it - my first guess would be Vanderbilt because of the "mark-of-difference" - but I cannot put my hand on a ref just now.

Anyway, to your posting:

Wow, a lot of very interesting items to ponder there... Cool trick with that Omega at the bottom, and the weapons.

The two things I find most especially interesting are (1) the dog at the top, and (2) the SEVEN repeats of the three Greek capitals. Gee I wonder what that might signify.

But I cannot guess why they wrote alpha omega CHI theta - maybe a defect in the photo. I wonder - does anyone read that kind of thing any more? If Beta was founded today - this year, what would we do? Any guess?

For some reason the AB one wouldn't load, or I would comment on that too.

[sdbeta1]

It turns out the allegory on ebay is that of the Nu Chapter at Union College. The seller who happens to be a Beta provided me with a picture of Omega's allegory as well.
In reference to Omega, at first look I thought it was a cub bear, since the school mascot is the Golden Bears. The AB is the Beta Coat of Arms with a hawkeye in the upper left quadrant and the AB motto "Ever Watchful" in the scroll.

[sdbeta1]

[a.e.B.O.T.]

thats the centre allegory isnt it?

[DoctorThursday]

Oh - yes, good old Epsilon... Lots of really deep stuff to see there, and to think about. Lots of fun to ask pledges "hey, just what is going on here?" Of course you already know all about it. (See Beta Lore for Chandler's explanation.)

And though it is an exciting and motivating thing to see, I feel just a little sad sometimes when I look at it, becaue it makes me think of the Clubhouse...

What I wonder is: why hasn't anyone, in over 100 years, made another window like that one?

[Oldest_Pledge]

What is the pattern for the new chapters/colonies and filling the four sections the Coat of Arms?

I have heard various things from the founding fathers chose to there is a list at the GF of the "Next" thing to use.

Just curious.

[sdbeta1]

Originally posted by Oldest_Pledge
What is the pattern for the new chapters/colonies and filling the four sections the Coat of Arms?

I have heard various things from the founding fathers chose to there is a list at the GF of the "Next" thing to use.

Just curious.

I've heard that the two white quadrants are available for symbols.

[DoctorThursday]

Thankfully, in this case it is not for Oxford to decide - nor for the convention or chapter either! The rules of heraldry require that sch special "marks of difference" be placed in the "dexter chief" of the arms, except for the ten already specified by other rules, such as Cincinnati (which uses the "label" in chief as oldest son) etc.

Note that (as I recall) the Board must approve the symbol, once tha chapter makes its selection - the symbol itself is to be chosen by the chapter - with consultation - as I said, I think there is something in the Code about this, but I do not have one available to consult. In any case, the mark is to be something of "local" significance, to the state, city, college, or local society (if any) - look over the others, especially the OLDER ones picked by Hanna & Chandler - and you will get a good idea of what is appropriate. Simpler is better. Generally something from the school arms works well. Heraldry also indicates that it should not be white or silver, but there are ways of handling that if it proves necessary.

[DoctorThursday]

Sorry I forgot to say that "dexter chief" means the upper left quadrant. The others are not available.

If you are wondering why the "left" side is called "dexter" you have to remember that this is a SHIELD and when you hold it, that "left" quadrant is on YOUR RIGHT. That's why the dragon faces that way, too - all heraldic beasts face "left", unless there is some special meaning to be suggested by having it go "backwards".

The technical details of heraldry are quite interesting (even to computer scientists, for they form a very elegant graphical description language!) and we ought to be most grateful to G. M. Chandler for his hard work for us... As I understand, some parts of the US Armed Forces are still making use the arms he worked out for them - I do not have details, however, it is worth looking into.

[Betarulz!]

If I remember correctly, without looking it up, the charge of the first 10 chapters after Alpha follow traditional heraldry rules for the ten "sons" under one coat.

After that, the charge is supposed to be something significant to institution or state/location of the chapter. So Iowa has a Hawkeye, my chapter at Nebraska has an ear of corn, and I believe that either Puget Sound or British Columbia has a whale.

[Oldest_Pledge]

Cool. Thank you for the explaination.

[ECUJacob]

This post has some significance for me now, currently, because our chapter is dealing with this.

Our orginal chapter (1980-1994) designed and submitted a coat-of-arms. Now that we are re-chartered and having an Installation ceremony this weekend, we wanted to have our coat-of-arms back. Unfortunately, our coat-of-arms was repossessed (so to speak) by the General, and now noone can find it. They can't find the original copy either.

I've now commissioned two of our brothers, who happen to be art majors, to construct an allegory for our chapter. It is my hope that it will be submitted to the Board of Trustees for approval in the near future. With any luck, it'll be framed and put in whatever house our chapter purchases in the future years.

[DoctorThursday]

You cannot "lose" your mark of difference - it's bound to the "chapter" every bit as much as the motto - I presume Epsilon Alpha??? I am away from my library at present and cannot check, but your mark is somewhere in the records and ANY herald can draw it if it was correctly blazoned. (Indeed, as a general rule, I would wonder if it is at all appropriate to attempt a substitute; there may not be "rules" but there certainly are "traditions".)

Also, there used to be MASTER COPIES of all chapter arms, I well remember looking at them when I visited Oxford long ago - they were kept in very large black carrying portfolios in the fireproof "Archives Room" in the old office. I do not expect that you will get a new chapter name; you ought not have to deal with getting a new mark of difference. It HAS to be somewhere.

As far back as I can recall (including back to the amazing Charles Seaman!) there was no "approval" required or expected for allegories - though he did a number of the old ones, they were strictly on chapter terms, so you're on your own there.

[ECUJacob]

^ precisely my point, they can't locate our Master Copy anywhere...None of our alumni can remember what it looks like or what the mark of distinction was.

I don't think we need an approved allegory either, but I feel that having the General support it would be a good gesture.