ye olde sorority/fraternity pins...

[TNAndy]

The badge of Beta Theta Pi has undergone many changes over the years but nearly all of them occured before 1909. Now only three badges are available: The standard Chandler badge with a plain border, the Chandler with an etched border, and the president's badge. Each new initiate is given a Chandler badge. Only chapter presidents, district chiefs, etc. are supposed to wear president's badges. Our jeweler also sells sweetheart pins. These don't have the symbols on the back that would be required to make them true badges, but the fronts look similar.

Founder's badges are significantly different than today's badges. There is no black enamel and a crescent moon appears instead of a wreath and diamond. They are more rectangular; only the corners are concavely curved. The stars at the top have six points and the symbol on the back is a heart and arrow instead of the shaking hands of today. These badges were made from $10 gold coins.

The Paddock badge is much more like the badge of today in that it has black enamel, a diamond, and wreath. The difference is that it is completely rectangular--no notches in the corners at all. The stars have six points and shaking hands are on the back.

Reproductions of the founders' badge are given to General Fraternity Officers as they leave office. Repro Paddock badges are given to General Fraternity Employees as they leave service. (We don't say 'national' whatever since this tends to snub our Canadian brothers.)

The Kirby and Newman badges were named for the jewelers who made them. However it was common practice for members to find their own jeweler, show him a drawing of the badge, and have him make it to order. That is why there are so many unique Beta badges from the mid-to-late 1800s. You can see quite a few of these in the Beta Theta Pi museum in Oxford, OH. Reproductions of some of these unique badges--the ones with significant stories behind them--are used as badges of office for the General Fraternity President, General Secretary, and General Treasurer.

About 100 years ago, the General Fraternity Officers decided to standardize on one badge design. George Chandler, an engineer, designed it and produced a set of engineering style drawings showing exact measurements, angles, ect. and even specified the gold content. There have been at least two official jewelers since then, but except for minute details, the badges are all the same.

Of course, most of the late model badges aren't solid gold, and even fewer have a real diamond in the mounting, but at least every new member gets a badge. When I was initiated, I had to order my badge on my own. Lots of my contemporaries didn't have the cash and did without.