Alma Mater S-E-W-A-N-E-E

My Sewanee Flags
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2025

I just landed on God's Holy Mountain, also known as Sewanee or The University of the South, for a special gathering as well as time in the theological library.  Hands down, the School of Theology's collection is most likely the best on the East Coast when it comes to all things Anglican and the Episcopal Church.  I've been waiting to get my hands and eyes on some rare texts for answers to many of my la Rose questions.  Yes, I am truly excited to be spending my weekend hiding out in my old seminary library--honestly cannot think of anything more rewarding at the moment.  At least I'll be wearing a tuxedo...  

I'll be certain to post pictures of the heraldic finds here on the Domain.

A Study on Banners

Heraldic processional banners
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2025
Click image to enlarge

Having seen several examples of how Pierre de Chaignon la Rose (1872-1941) designed banners for his clients, I figured it was time to try to see how I could do the same.  Some of these designs are merely doodles of mine while a few are legitimate arms. 

Heraldic processional banners
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2025
Click image to enlarge

This little study of la Rose's banner design continues to intrigue me, as he treated the entire fabric of the banner as though it was the field of a shield.  Depending on the ordinary and/or field division this framework gets rather tricky for me.

So, I suppose that's why we practice.

Recent Finds VIII

Recent finds of arms for parishes in the Episcopal Church
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2025

More finds from the internet of coats of arms for parishes in the Episcopal Church that I recently emblazoned.  I found these arms to be well designed and meaningful symbols of identification for these faith communities.

The coat of arms of St. Paul's Episcopal Church, Henderson, KY
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2025

St. Paul's Episcopal Church in Henderson, KY managed to successfully difference the attributed arms of St. Paul with the addition of waves in chief.  The Ohio River runs next to Henderson and the waves in chief become a fitting symbol for geographical identification.

The coat of arms of St. Christopher's Episcopal Church, League City, TX
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2025

The lighthouse is another Christian symbol for St. Christopher, and when placed on the blue canton of the base arms of the Episcopal Church, these arms make for a perspicuous design.  Well done.

The coat of arms of St. Bartholomew's Episcopal Church, Cambridge, MA
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2025

The arms of St. Bartholomew's Episcopal Church in Cambridge, MA incorporated the knifes from the saint's attributed arms in a clever way making a unique coat for the parish. 

The coat of arms of St. John's Episcopal Church, Youngstown, OH
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2025

St. John's Episcopal Church in Youngstown, OH, while using the attributed symbol for St. John, managed to difference their arms by placing St. John's symbol on an inescutcheon on top of a cross formy with the addition of a compony bordure.  Quite unique parish identification.

The coat of arms of St. James Episcopal Church Eufala, AL
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2025

St. James Episcopal Church in Eufala, Alabama took the attributed coat of arms for St. James and added a sword in pale to difference the arms.  Clever!

The coat of arms of St. Martin's Episcopal Church, Providence, RI
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2025

The coat of arms of St. Martin's Episcopal Church in Providence, RI incorporate several elements--anchor for the state and the crozier and tower for St. Martin of Tours--in a beautiful and harmonious design.

The coat of arms of St. Mark's (Episcopal) in Philadelphia, PA
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2025

St. Mark's parish on Locust Street in Philadelphia bear arms following a popular design with the red cross of St. George in base and using the chief for differencing.  Dialing in the winged lion was a fun challenge.

The coat of arms of St. Stephen's Episcopal Church, Houston, TX
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2025

Placing stones between the fretty design in the coat of arms of St. Stephen's Episcopal Church in Houston, TX was pure genius.  I believe the open books on the bend must represent the Bible, and in triplicate, the Holy Trinity.  This design was clearly created by someone who knew what they were doing.  A beautiful and meaningful design.

Recent Finds VII

I had this vision in my head for a lion bishop
Created and rendered by Chad Krouse, 2025

A lion bishop?  Well, of course!  Anything is possible in the world of heraldry!  I had this vision in my head with the lion wearing a mitre and cope and bedazzled in all the episcopal finery possible.  Voila!

...and the finds keep coming!  Here's a quick post with some interesting US corporate heraldry found online recently and then rendered by me.  

The coat of arms of St. James Episcopal Church Prouts Neck, ME
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2025

The coat of arms of St. James Episcopal Church Prouts Neck in Maine successfully avoided the old "2 and 1" with escallops.  In the absence of any known blazon, I'm guessing the escallop here would be proper.  Green is an entirely appropriate tincture for the State of Maine. 

The coat of arms of St. Gabriel's Episcopal Church Hollis, NY
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2025

"Hail Mary, full of grace the LORD is with you," proclaimed the angel Gabriel.  The coat of arms of St. Gabriel's Episcopal Church in Hollis, New York successfully ties together the herald's trumpet with the angel's wings.  I'm still trying to track down, however, if this coat is the attributed and undifferenced version for St. Gabriel.  Regardless, the design works.  My only question is why is there no geographic reference--which leads me to believe these are the attributed arms.  

The coat of arms of the Episcopal Church of the Good Shepherd in Barre, Vermont
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2025 

Vermont continues to keep things interesting and the coat of arms of the Episcopal Church of the Good Shepherd in Barre, VT are quite lovely if not unique to say the least.  These arms were a fun puzzle to solve.

The coat of arms of The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary (left) and Anderson University (right)
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2025

In 2021, Anderson University in South Carolina officially adopted a coat of arms as seen above.  The university is affiliated with the Southern Baptist Convention and I wonder if the bordure was intentional--matching Southern Baptist Theological Seminary's arms.  Either way, I appreciate this thematic approach by our Protestant sisters and brothers.

The coat of arms of St. Paul Seminary (Roman Catholic) in St. Paul, MN
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2025

The coat of arms of St. Paul Seminary in St. Paul, Minnesota carries forward the barry wavy in base which is featured in the arms of the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis along with its cathedral, the Basilica of the St. Mary.  Additionally, the seminary's arms avoid the undifferenced and attributed version of arms while providing unique geographic identification as well as unification.  Score!

Imagined: The Presiding Bishop's Insignia

The seal of the Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2025

Adopted during its 1946 General Convention, the Episcopal Church incorporated its arms (adopted in 1940) into a vesica seal shape for the sole use of the Presiding Bishop.  Rendering this design was quite the challenge, but fun nonetheless.

Imagined arms for the Presiding Bishop in a traditional arrangement
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2025

Naturally, I went one step further.  Earlier in his renderings of arms for Roman Catholic bishops, Pierre de Chaignon la Rose (1872-1941) placed a miter on the right and crozier on left immediately above the shield.

The pastoral staff of the Presiding Bishop
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2025

Additionally, what if the two bar metropolitan's staff was recreated and used in place of a crozier?

An imagined version of arms for the Presiding Bishop
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2025

Another imagined version of arms for the Presiding Bishop
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2025

I thought each had their merits, but my favorite one has the key and pastoral staff in saltire behind the arms.   Either way, it's fun to play around and try out new ideas--even if they're just imaginary.  

Against 'Armorial Amnesia'

Heraldic abstraction of the Milwaukee Pierhead Lighthouse
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2025

Armorial amnesia /noun/: institutional forgetfulness or rejection of their armorial insignia for corporate identification often at the expense of modern branding.

Example:  St. Bart's has the worst case of armorial amnesia I've seen in my life, the new logo approved by the vestry gives a solidly corporate and benign feeling as opposed to the parish's coat of arms used for so long.  

+

Everything has its own cycle of life.  Trees.  Ants.  And us humans, of course.  Organizations, believe it or not, also have their own life cycle--a never-ending merry go 'round of death and resurrection.  I find that organizational cycles have variable speeds when it comes to most non-profits.  Volunteer-led groups, perhaps, are the most susceptible to painful downs when leaders depart and experience dramatic highs when fresh faces appear at the table.  

One casualty of the organizational life cycle is the slow and steady decline of institutional memory.  What do I mean by institutional memory?  It is quite simply the collective experiences of the organization through multiple life cycles, bearing scars and all. 

Just as the lighthouse gives advanced warning to ships at sea, organizations whose lifecycles spin continuously are at a significant risk of losing their history and/or identity.  Or, perhaps worst of all, institutions believing their identification is tied to something outdated like a coat of arms seek a more modern solution and reject their past.  

Preservation of design is my goal, especially in the absence of any other body maintaining a database of US corporate heraldry.  Recently, I was put to the test with a coat of arms from a now closed Episcopal Church.

Line art of the coat of arms of St. James' Episcopal Church (Milwaukee, WI)
Image from Dekay (1993), page 141

St. James' was established in 1867 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin and constructed in the gothic revival style.  By 2017, the parish property was sold and is now being used as a meeting venue.  All attempts to discover any information on these arms via the internet proved fruitless.  

Dekay (1993) provides a line art drawing for St. James' arms.  I am most grateful for this clue even if there was no blazon provided in the work.  Without hatch marks or any colored image of St. James' arms, speculation based on known evidence is our course in recreating these arms for preservation.

First, let's begin with the base of these arms, a trimount, lighthouse, sun, and barry wavy lines.

Milwaukee Pierhead Lighthouse in Milwaukee, WI
Photo from dnr.wisconsin.gov

Given the city's location next to Lake Michigan provides a reasonable rationale for the barry wavy lines, so I logically selected blue and white.  I began to see that the base design was most likely meant for geographical identification which led me to understand the next element, the lighthouse.

A quick internet search revealed two lighthouses in the Milwaukee area, with the closer one being the Pierhead Lighthouse in red and black--the other was all white.  Believing that the Pierhead lighthouse better conformed to heraldic rules of tincture, I selected this one to recreate.  Typically, trimounts in base are rendered as a metal and white became the logical solution working perfectly with the red and black lighthouse.

The sun placed behind the lighthouse would be rendered in its proper colors.  So, now we turn to the chief.

Attributed arms of St. James
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2025.

Dorling (1911) describes the attributed arms to St. James as: Azure, three escallops Or (p 140).  So, if the designer of the parish's coat of arms was a purist, blue might be the color of the chief and gold for shells.  However, there is another option which is equally attractive and works within our proposed scheme for the base.  

Using a red chief with white shells would provide differencing and at the same time create something unique for parish identification.  Below is an illustration to better understand what I mean here.

Comparing the color and metal of the arms' chief.
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2025

I do believe that any one of these four could work, each presenting artistic benefits for identification.  However, we have to make some sort of guess.

The coat of arms of St. James' Episcopal Church (Milwaukee, WI)
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2025

My first instinct was to believe the chief was red and the shells white so as to provide contrast against the barry wavy lines while drawing out the red from the lighthouse.

Another reasonable option for the arms of St. James' Episcopal Church
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2025

However, the more I think about the options, I'm now of mind to go with the blue chief and gold shells.  Again, without a blazon at present its truly anyone's guess.  

I'll continue to see what I can find out about these lovely arms to settle the matter of its blazon.  Which do you prefer?

Works Cited

Dekay, Ekford. (1993).  Heraldry in the Episcopal Church.  Acorn Publishing.

Dorling, E.E. (1911).  Heraldry of the church.  Mowbray Publishing.

The Unusual Arms of the Episcopal Diocese of Southeast Florida

 

Arms of the Episcopal Diocese of Southeast Florida (1), it's cathedral Trinity (2),
and Church of the Incarnation (Miami, FL)
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2025

When the Episcopal Diocese of Florida was divided into four dioceses (Florida, Southeast, Central, and Southwest) in 1969, Dekay (1993) notes that all three of the new dioceses retained various elements from the former see's seal.  Thus, the very intricate bordure that appears on the arms of both the Dioceses of Southeast and Southwest Florida.  That is all well and good, until I started to find a theme.

Diocese of Southeast Florida and Trinity Cathedral
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2025

Trinity Cathedral in Miami is the seat of the Bishop of the Diocese of Southeast Florida and incorporates a "Chief of the Diocese of Southeast Florida" to show unification.  

Coat of arms, Church of the Incarnation (Miami, FL)
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2025

I was very intrigued to stumbled upon the coat of arms of the Church of the Incarnation which uses the same chief for the same reason.  Believe it or not, I had no idea what the unicorn symbolized in Christianity.  Well, it's the perfect representation of the Incarnation.  

Works Cited

Dekay, Ekford. (1993).  Heraldry in the Episcopal Church.  Acorn Publishing.

Recent Finds Part IV

I will freely admit to having way too much fun hacking my way through the jungles of the Internet in search of good heraldry for US corporate arms.  So far, I've been holding strong with the Episcopal Church, and I've collected 96 designs for cathedrals, parishes, and a few schools.  It has been a welcomed break from my usual la Rose research and I am learning a lot as I attempt to emblazon many of those arms I find. 

For today's installment, I have nine arms of Episcopal parishes to share.  I'm now having a hard time deciding which ones to post--I have a lot!

Coats of arms of various Episcopal parishes in the US
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2025
Click to enlarge

Top Row (L-R):  St. Matthias (Athens, TX), Christ Church (Pelham, NY), and All Souls (Okinawa, Japan)

Middle Row (L-R):  St. Martin's (Metairie, LA), St. Mark's (Perryville, MD), and Trinity Cathedral (Little Rock, AR)

Bottom Row (L-R):  St. Margaret's (Inverness, FL), Trinity Fort Worth (TX), and St. Giles (Jefferson, ME)

Arms of St. Matthias Episcopal Church (Athens, TX)
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2025

Making this tomahawk-like hatchet was fun and these arms are based on the attributed arms of St. Matthias and differenced by the hatchet.  My guess is that the design of the axe is a geographical reference for a First Nations tribe in the Athens, Texas area.

All Souls Episcopal Church (Okinawa, Japan)
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2025

Coming all the way from Okinawa, Japan, the arms of All Souls Episcopal Church are simple and lovely.  The arrangement of the doves is the "attributed" symbol for All Souls and can be found in various arms.

Arms of St. Martin's Episcopal Church (Metairie, LA)
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2025

I've added St. Martin's in Metairie for their simplicity.  Again, based on St. Martin's attributed arms and then overlaid upon a bordure of St. George to emphasize the parish's Anglican roots.  

Arms of St. Giles' Episcopal Church (Jefferson, ME)
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2025

I could only find a line drawing for the arms of St. Giles in Jefferson, Maine, but thankfully it contained hatch marks.  These playful arms incorporate both Maine and references from the saint's attributed arms.

There's more!  I'm beginning to think about what I can do with all these arms and data.  Nothing to announce yet, but definitely the wheels are turning.

Some Arms of Episcopal Seminaries

New poster of arms from Episcopal Seminaries (past and present)
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2025
Click to Enlarge

I was recently inspired to tick off my list a few more coats of arms for seminaries of the Episcopal Church.  While there are a few others not represented here, my criteria was simply that armorial insignia needs to conform to established rules within heraldry.  So, no logos, no landscapes, etc.  Basically, when looking for the heraldry of Episcopal seminaries, this is pretty much it.  

Below are some of my renderings of a few emblazonments that can be difficult to find decent versions of on the web.

Arms of the General Theological Seminary
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2025

I was fortunate to spend some time at General in the Chelsea area of Manhattan--a lovely, beautiful campus.  These arms were designed by The Rev. Canon Edward N. West (1909-1990) who was a talented liturgist, artist, etc. on the staff at the Cathedral of St. John the Divine in New York City.  

Arms of Nashotah House 
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2025

Nashotah House has a long tradition as an Anglo-Catholic seminary within the church and reflected in their coat of arms.  The lilies are for the Blessed Virgin Mary and the two fountains are geographical references as the seminary is located between two lakes in Wisconsin.  I don't know who designed these arms but they're simple and clear!

Blazon:  Gules, on a cross throughout Or a triple blossom lily between two fountains in chief. 

Arms of Bexley Hall 
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2025

Lots to note here on arms of Bexley Hall designed in 1907-08 by The Rev. Canon Orville E. Watson (1857-1951), a professor at the seminary in Gambier, Ohio.  For a full analysis on the heraldry of Kenyon College and Bexley Hall, please click here.

Arms of the Episcopal Theological Seminary in Kentucky
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2025

The Episcopal Theological Seminary in Kentucky operated from 1834-1990 as a diocesan seminary and used as the basis for their coat of arms those from the Episcopal Diocese of Lexington.  Pierre de Chaignon la Rose (1872-1941) designed the arms for the diocese around 1908.  The differencing mark for the seminary's arms was the addition of the lamp above the clasped hands.

Arms of Philadelphia Divinity School
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2025

The Philadelphia Divinity School (PDS) was established in 1857 and merged with Episcopal Theological School in Cambridge, Massachusetts in 1974 to create Episcopal Divinity School.  Simple and clear in design.  

Blazon:  Argent, a cross throughout Gules on a chief Azure three open books edged with four clasps Or. 

Arms of Episcopal Theological School
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2025

Established in Cambridge, Massachusetts in 1867, ETS was the predecessor school for Episcopal Divinity School (EDS).  In 1974, ETS merged with Philadelphia Divinity School to form EDS.  Another clear and simple coat of arms.

Blazon:  Argent, on a cross throughout Gules an open book edged Or inscribed Veritas et Vita.

Arms of Episcopal Divinity School in Cambridge, MA
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2025

Created by a merger of two seminaries in 1974, Episcopal Divinity School in Cambridge harmoniously reflects their foundation in the seminary's coat of arms.  The parted/frety cross ties together the two found in the arms of PDS and ETS.  Since books were incorporated as well in the arms of the two former institutions, four open books balance out the ordinary.  From a symbolic point of view, I'd say, the arms of EDS successfully visualize their foundation.

Blazon:  Gules, a cross parted fretty throughout Argent between four open books edged Or.

Of Bordures & Plates: Ecclesiastical Heraldry from Pennsylvania

A theme emerges from the Diocese of Pennsylvania!
Top: Diocese of PA, Washington Memorial Chapel
Bottom: St. Paul's Episcopal Church Chestnut Hill, St. George's Ardmore
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2025
Click to enlarge

Once I began to see this bordure theme emerging from several coat of arms that I've discovered recently, I had to share.  Of course, it all began with Pierre de Chaignon la Rose (1872-1941) and his commission for a seal and coat of arms for the Episcopal Diocese of Pennsylvania.

In 1906, the Diocese of Pennsylvania officially adopted its coat of arms designed by la Rose and blazoned: Argent, on a cross Gules three open crowns in pale Or a bordure Sable charged with eight plates.  These were early days for the up-and-coming designer and quite a coup to land such a commission.  The preceding year helped forge a heraldic path forward in the Episcopal Church after designing arms for the Diocese of Quincy, its cathedral of St. John, and the Diocese of Massachusetts.  By now, la Rose was certainly making a name for himself in the world of American ecclesiastical heraldry.

From the 1906 convention journal we learn the following:

"It was deemed wise to represent (1) England, of whose national Church our own is the offspring, and especially as the Episcopate derived from the English Church was first found in America in the person of Bishop White, the first Diocesan of Pennsylvania. (2) Sweden, whose people founded a number of parishes that are now the monuments of the early history of the Anglican Church in this State.  (3) William Penn, the founder of this Commonwealth, who guaranteed its religious freedom, and from whose followers many of the most devoted of the Church's supporters of later generations were, and are, descended.

"The Committee, therefore, presents for your considera­tion what, in the terms of Heraldry, would be described as 'Argent, on a cross gules, three open crowns in pale or; a bordure sable charged with eight plates. The shield ensigned with a mitre, and resting upon a key and crosier in saltire.' This means, as may be seen by reference to the drawing, a white shield, bearing a red cross, upon which appear three golden crowns; the whole surrounded by a black border with eight white (or silver) discs upon it.  

"Its significance may be described thus: The white shield, with its red cross, is the shield of Saint George, and stands for England and her Church. It is also distinctly ecclesiastical, and symbolic of the Christian faith.  

"The three golden crowns are the principal charge on the Arms of Sweden, and so proclaim the existence of the Old Swedes' Parishes that are scattered throughout the Diocese.  Finally, the black border, with its white discs, is taken from the Arms of the Penn family. In this instance it has been used as a border. not only for the purpose of decoration, but to distinguish it from the coats recent]y adopted by the Dioceses of Pittsburgh and Harrisburg, where the Penn charge is used in its original form.  

"The whole Coat of Arms, as thus proposed, is heraldic­ally correct, and seems to be satisfactory from a decorative standpoint, while, at the same time. to a trained herald, it tells its story without confusion" (Diocese of Pennsylvania, 1906, 144).

Arms of the Episcopal Diocese of Pennsylvania 
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2025

Through the see's arms, la Rose refined his ability to combine multiple meanings into one clear design--a skill he would master in time.

So, we now have bordures and plates galore!

Comparing the arms of Washington with Washington Memorial Chapel
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2025

In Valley Forge, we find a lovely coat of arms for the Washington Memorial Chapel which manages to really shake things up a bit with those old two bars and three stars.  Literally, just invert everything!  Blazon for the arms of the Washington Memorial Chapel:  Gules, two bars and in chief three mullets Argent a bordure Argent charged with eight pellets.

Arms of St. George Episcopal Church in Ardmore, PA
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2025

Another excellent example of our bordure theme with fantastic differencing can be found in the arms of St. George's in Ardmore.  Blazon for the arms of St. George Episcopal Church in Ardmore, PA:  Argent, on a cross throughout Gules a dragon fess ways armed and langued Vert pierced in the breast with the spear of St. Michael Or on a bordure Sable eight torteau edged of the field charged with a cross saltire Argent.  I would love to know the designer of these arms!

Arms of St. Paul's Episcopal Church Chestnut Hill
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2025

One late comer, but equally worthy, are the arms of St. Paul's in Chestnut Hill.  Again, excellent differencing and completely avoiding the use of Paul's attributed (undifferenced) arms.  Well done.  Blazon:  Azure, a sword in pale with point to chief Argent hilt and pommeled Or surmounted by an open book edged with three clasps Or thereon inscribed Spiritus Gladius on a canton Gules a lamb Argent a bordure Sable charged with eight plates.

Arms of Church of the Good Shepherd, Rosemont
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2025

Working on securing a blazon for the arms of Good Shepherd in Rosemont, a lovely coat of arms and a lovely parish!

Arms of the Philadelphia Divinity School
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2025

Lastly, I stumbled upon a nearly extinct coat of arms, those of the Philadelphia Divinity School (PDS) which merged with Episcopal Divinity School in Cambridge, Massachusetts.  Lovely and simple arms, very similar to those Ralph Adams Cram designed for the Groton School earlier in the 1900s.

Blazon for the arms of the Philadelphia Divinity School:  Argent, a cross Gules on a chief Azure three open books edged with three clasps Or.

Comparing designs, L-R: Groton School, PDS, and Hodgson Hall (Sewanee)
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2025

Comparing the arms of PDS with two other known designs reveal similarities with nuanced differences.  The tincture of the chief, along with edging and number of clasps for the books, distinguish all three.  Groton's arms have a sword and crown on the cross.

The arms of Groton School (seen above on left) were designed in 1902 by Ralph Adams Cram (1863-1942) and  blazoned:  Argent, on a cross Gules a sword in pale with point to base hilt enfiling a crown Argent on a chief Sable three open books edged with two clasps Argent.

The arms of Hodgson Hall at the University of the South were designed by Dr. J. Waring McCrady in 2018 when he designed armorial flags for all the undergraduate residence halls at Sewanee.  While no official blazon can be found at present, here is our working one:  Argent, a cross Gules on a chief Purpure three open books edged with two clasps Argent.

Works Cited

Diocese of Pennsylvania (1907). Journal of the convention of the Protestant Episcopal Church in the Diocese of Pennsylvania. [Philadelphia]: Published by order of the convention. 144.