MAA Centennial Conference Presentation

Indulging in some fun: impaling the arms of Harvard with
the Medieval Academy of America
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2025

Next week, some 500 scholars from across the globe will be converging on Harvard's campus for the Centennial conference of The Medieval Academy of America.  The Academy was established in Boston in 1925, and of course Ralph Adams Cram (1863-1942) was among the founders.  I've covered the arms of the Academy previously so please click here for background information regarding Pierre de Chaignon la Rose's (1872-1941) design produced in 1927.

If you're counting, the Academy took 2 years to study and consider what emblem(s) best represented the new scholarly enterprise.  Cram chaired the committee that commissioned la Rose for the design.  Thus, the Academy turns 100 this year, but its coat of arms must wait two more years.  Given the youthful history of heraldry in the United States when compared to those European countries of origin, celebrating a centennial milestone for the Academy's coat of arms becomes rather significant.

The carrying power, as la Rose stated, best describes those simple and clear designs which endure.  In other words, these cherished symbols somehow cement the human experience for those communities whose identities are branded in sound heraldry. 

Another artifact proving this theory can simply be found in the arms of Harvard, adopted through armorial assumption by the Corporation in 1643.  To have the brand, the essence, and the whole corporate identity wrapped in abstract symbols--onto a 13th century implement of war, no less--surviving and widely known throughout the world for 382 years reveals the true carrying power of heraldry in the modern era. 

Flyer for shameless promotion - click image to enlarge
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2025

Frankly, it was one of my heraldic projects from February 2024 that began my interest in the Academy which led to a research proposal, "From Battlefields to Beer Steins: Devising Heraldic Identity for Select US Academic Institutions."  The paper will explore how 13th century designs painted onto shields for identification in the chaos of battle, evolved to serve as modern day branding for those US academic institutions receiving coats of arms from the College of Arms in London.

To date, there are 2 institutions holding actual grants of arms while 9 others received devisals of arms.  While this distinction between grants and devisals appear innocuous, in the subject area concerning the law of arms these terms matter.  So, we'll definitely dig into that area as well.

Hampden-Sydney College's iconic coat of arms will be front and center as an eminent example of how an institution successfully embraced arms creating its brand identity.  Of those 11 academic institutions in the US, I argue that HSC was one of the few that got it right.  

The creative genius of Richard McClintock played a significant role in figuring out ways to incorporate Hampden-Sydney's arms in publications, admissions materials, etc. ultimately leading creating the College brand which persists to this day.  His work provides the College community with an enduring symbol that has now cemented the Hampden-Sydney experience for several generations of students and faculty.  Click here to learn about Hampden-Sydney College's coat of arms.

Riffing on the classic American film capturing campus life,
Animal House
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2025

While brainstorming digital assets to create for my presentation, I had the idea of riffing on the ubiquitous "college" tee shirt worn in the film Animal House.  Since my doctorate was in the social sciences and I'll be wading through a sea of humanities scholars, I'm leaning on a few tricks to win acceptance!  Thus, I wanted to use Latin as my audience will be extremely well versed in the language par excellence, and may appreciate the playfulness while engaging more with this subject.  I'm planing to ask a lot of questions in hopes of sparking dialogue for the art and science of heraldry, as I want to understand its historic absence from such scholarly gatherings.  As far as I know, there will be no other papers on the subject of heraldry!  

Another fun doodle
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2025

All are welcome to the conference and program details can be found by clicking this link to go to Harvard's site.  I certainly plan to share a recap shortly thereafter with hopes of submitting the presentation as a journal article.