Fraternity and Sorority Arms, Seals, Flags and other Insignia

[SWTXBelle]

. . but I thought I'd cut and paste from our website.

Sorority Symbols

Founded November 11, 1874
Syracuse University, Syracuse, New York
Flower: Pink Carnation
The carnation was named our official flower at Convention 1888. In 1950, members affirmed the color. Carnations have been revered for more than 2,000 years as one of the most longlasting flowers. Many varieties produce a clove-like scent, and the aroma is said to be both uplifting and motivating. The legend of pink carnations says they first appeared on earth from the Virgin Mary’s tears – making them the symbol of a mother’s undying love.
Colors: Brown and Mode (dark and light brown)
The Founders first selected dark and light blue, but after only a few months, they agreed to change the colors in honor of one of their mentors. Dr. John J. Brown allowed the women to utilize his study at Syracuse University for meetings. At Convention 1887, the decision was affirmed.
Symbol: Crescent Moon
Founder Mary A. Bingham contributed the idea of a crescent as part of the badge design. The crescent stands for growth of the Sorority and its individual members.
"We . . . must show growth in knowledge, wisdom, power, womanliness year by year or we are not living up to our chosen symbol." Sara Preston Finley (University of Minnesota-Twin Cities, 1912)

Open Motto: Founded Upon a Rock
"Since the rock is the firmest and most enduring substance, able to withstand the ravages of time, and offering the strongest protection, it seemed fitting that Gamma Phi Beta should be thus founded." Founder E. Adeline Curtis


Crest
Our crest, or shield, was envisioned by Gertrude Comfort Morrow (University of California-Berkeley), the winner of a Sorority-wide design contest in 1915. The meaning behind its individual components, including the lamp, book, crescent, Greek letters and carnations, is revealed to members during the initiation ceremony. At Convention 1927, delegates affirmed that the crest could only be worn by initiated members who were able to understand and appreciate the ideals within.


eta - and I love, love, love our badge - A monogram badge? A symbol badge? It's two, two, two types of badges in one! Our beautiful crescent in black enamel with the Hebrew word - revealed during initiation or if you are a Hebrew scholar - and a gorgeous monogram in the center.

[Gusteau]

Ok Part 2!

As I mentioned earlier, Delta Chi did not have a Coat of Arms until 1899, nine years after our founding. The Coat of Arms was designed by Fraser Brown and Roy V. Rhodes. Brown and Rhodes were fellow heraldry nerds and roommates in the Cornell Chapter House. They designed the Coat of Arms one day over Easter Break when everyone else in the house had left Ithaca for the holiday. They made and discarded several designs before retrieving the Ritual Book and using it as a guide. This is an early version, and as close as I can get to the arms designed by Brown and Rhodes in 1899:

The design we have today has a few modification, but maintains the same principles that Brown and Rhodes intended. Our Coat of Arms is meant to be a "marriage" or union of two "families." That of our spiritual founder Sir Edward Coke, and that of the knight errant, the feudal predecessor to law enforcing justice. Sir Edward Coke is represented by the martlets, peculiar heraldic birds depicted without feet. They fly to the left like the Pegasus on the arms of the Inner Temple where Coke studied law, and are black denoting their secret meaning to the fraternity. The knight errant is represented by his weapons, the battle-ax and scimitar.

Above is a version of the Coat of Arms from an 1930s Quarterly. It is my favorite depiction because of the graceful lines of the shield - it is still used today, mostly on stationary. Below is the modern, standard version of the Coat of Arms. In "heraldry speak" our Coat of Arms would be described "Quarterly, first and fourth or, three martlets volant sable, 2 and 1, second and third gules, a battle ax bendwise crossing a scimitar blade pointing upward, saltirewise proper. Crest: On a wreath of the colors the badge of Delta Chi proper. Motto: LEGES."

Some of the changes were made after Brown and Rhodes, and Rhodes at least was not a big fan. "One of these changes was the addition of a lot of what appear to be rivets around the edges of the shield and which do not, in my opinion, improve the appearance." he said in a 1930 letter.

In the same letter Rhodes makes a statement regarding our legal heritage which I think at least other Delta Chis will appreciate. "It is at once apparent that the arms are largely significant of the tradition of the law. This is natural inasmuch as Delta Chi was organized as a law fraternity and continued as such until a few years ago. I see no reason, however, why there should be any desire to change any of the symbols, for they are all well adapted to the uses of a general fraternity. Without law there can be no civilization and the fraternity may well feel proud of its early ideals and
foundation."

Brevity is clearly not my forte.

[DEVODUDE]

ZBT's Coat-of-Arms (National Insigna) was designed in 1910. Two years later, the COA was modified by adding the 20 Pearls around the diamond which represented the 20 active chapters ZBT had in operation when they received formal recognition into the NIC in March 1912. The 4 points of the diamond represented the chapters of the North, South, East and West.


3D Version.

ZBT:"Honoring the Past, Celebrating the Present & Impacting the Future."

[nittanygirl]

Originally Posted by DEVODUDE

the COA was modified by adding the 20 Pearls around the diamond which represented the 20 active chapters ZBT had in operation when they received formal recognition into the NIC in March 1912.

That is really cool!!! I love little bits of history like this!

[MysticCat]

Originally Posted by SWTXBelle

Symbol: Crescent Moon
Founder Mary A. Bingham contributed the idea of a crescent as part of the badge design. The crescent stands for growth of the Sorority and its individual members.
"We . . . must show growth in knowledge, wisdom, power, womanliness year by year or we are not living up to our chosen symbol." Sara Preston Finley (University of Minnesota-Twin Cities, 1912)

. . .

Crest
Our crest, or shield, was envisioned by Gertrude Comfort Morrow (University of California-Berkeley), the winner of a Sorority-wide design contest in 1915. The meaning behind its individual components, including the lamp, book, crescent, Greek letters and carnations, is revealed to members during the initiation ceremony. At Convention 1927, delegates affirmed that the crest could only be worn by initiated members who were able to understand and appreciate the ideals within.


eta - and I love, love, love our badge - A monogram badge? A symbol badge? It's two, two, two types of badges in one! Our beautiful crescent in black enamel with the Hebrew word - revealed during initiation or if you are a Hebrew scholar - and a gorgeous monogram in the center.

And here's where posting badges in this thread can be helpful. We get to see how the crescent symbol is carried through on the coat of arms and badge.

Question: Has there ever been another rendering of the coat of arms, of have you always used this version? (I'm talking about the specific way it is presented, where it looks sort of painted, not the design itself.)

Originally Posted by Drolefille

Here's a monochrome version of our coat of arms, often also seen in lavender. I couldn't find a good, full color version so I'll go with this one.

I'm always fascinated that Sigma Kappa and Kappa Sigma both have 5 stars on a bend (diagonal bar), or bend sinister (from the left from the wearer's perspective) in the case of Kappa Sigma. Cool coincidence.

Keep 'em coming, and it would be great if along with pictures, we could get information on things like when they were adopted. That way, trends (if any) might be a little more evident.