Muddy Waves for Brookline: A Case Study in Unification of Arms by la Rose

Ex Libris of Brookline Public Library located in Brookline, Massachusetts.  Image is from the Author's private collection.

Several years ago, I happened upon a most unusual find created by Pierre de Chaignon la Rose (1872-1941) for Brookline Public Library in Brookline, Massachusetts.  While la Rose is widely known for his ecclesiastical heraldic work, finding artifacts relating to his civic heraldry is quite rare.  La Rose designed the seal for the library working with Richard Clipston Sturgis (1860-1951) who was the architect for building.  Completed in 1910, Sturgis incorporated into the eastern facade of the building la Rose's seal for the library (Trustees of Brookline Public Library, 1911, 363).  For additional background and context relating to the arms of Brookline Public Library, please click here.    

A close up image of the arms from the ex libris.

Recently, I purchased an ex libris containing la Rose's design for the library--I was thrilled to have a clear image of this simple coat.  Based on the heraldic hatching of the arms, the blazon for the arms of Brookline Public Library is: Gules, an open book edged with three clasps Or inscribed Sapientia Legendo and in base barry wavy Argent and Sable.  

After I wrote my analysis back in 2020, I believed that was all that could be mentioned about these arms.  Until now.

A Muddy River

We know, based on collected data, that la Rose maintained a strict adherence to design schemes for those charges and layouts for arms.  In other words, once he determined how a charge should be rendered, generally speaking, he kept to the design.  Moreover, once he settled on how he would geographically identify a given coat of arms, he would maintain that design in order to illustrate unification with those coats.

La Rose never referred to himself as a herald, per se, likely knowing full well the title carried more than simply designing coats of arms.  Rather, la Rose saw himself as an "archeologist," and embraced this title through his heraldic work by incorporating critical elements from the past in new corporate arms for unique identification.  Brookline is no exception to his keen sense of that calling.

Prior to its official incorporation in 1705, the town of Brookline was known as "Muddy River."  It is highly likely the black and white lines of barry wavy are la Rose's method of referencing Brookline's history.  In the absence of any correspondence or rationale for Brookline Public Library, the design reference matches scores of examples in my data of how the designer would illustrate local history in corporate arms.  For example, the City of Boston was once known as "Tremontinensis," and from this la Rose used the trimount as a symbolic reference for geographical identification (la Rose, 1911, 5). 

Two Newly Discovered Arms

As my research progressed, I discovered two additional coats of arms for corporate bodies located in Brookline and these findings simply astounded me.  Ironically, I found these arms on my birthday, and I quietly said "thank you," to both la Rose and the heraldic gods up above!  Just when I believed to have la Rose figured out, something new emerges keeping me alert and on my toes. 

From a careful review of yearbooks from Roman Catholic schools in Massachusetts, I randomly stumbled on St. Mary of the Assumption High School located in Brookline.  Yearbooks are a rich source for scanning academic seals and coats of arms.  Inside the school's 1941 yearbook Assumpta, I found two seals containing arms for the school and its sponsoring parish.  In both sets, the black and white lines of barry wavy are present along with additional charges for identification and unification.

A disclaimer.  As is usually the case with these artifacts, very little evidence exists to corroborate the designer, the blazon, or even the date of creation.  For this reason alone, I constructed what I call the "Krouse Method," for using existing data to inform my attribution to la Rose.  To learn more about the Krouse Method for data informed attribution, please click here. 

The seal and arms of the Parish of St. Mary Assumption Roman Catholic Church located in Brookline, Massachusetts.  Image is from St. Mary of the Assumption High School (1941), p.7.

Here we find a very rare example of la Rose designing arms for a parish church, as I have but only a couple in my data of more than 250 designs for corporate arms.  

The seal and arms for the Parish of St. Mary of the Assumption are striking, simple, and clear.  Based on the heraldic hatching in the image above, the arms can be blazoned:  Azure, a six pointed mulllet Argent ensigned by an ancient coronet Or and issuing from base barry wavy Argent and Sable a trimount Or. 

Each design component within the parish's arms provides important symbolism for identifying the church.  The blue field, star, and ancient coronet represent the Queen of Heaven, the Blessed Virgin Mary.  The trimount in base identifies the parish as one within the Archdiocese of Boston, and the black and white barry wavy geographically places the community within Brookline.  Finally, the arms are set within la Rose's classic gothic quatrefoil seal wafer surrounded with the legend in Latin using Lombardic font.  Who else, I dare ask, could render in such a simple and clear manner arms bursting with meaning and identification? 

The seal and arms of St. Mary of the Assumption High School located
in Brookline, Massachusetts.  Image is from St. Mary of the Assumption
High School (1941), page 20.   

The arms of the school carry forward several design elements from those found in the parish's coat.  First, the color of the field and the ancient coronet show unification with the parish as well as symbolizing the Blessed Virgin Mary.  The black and white barry wavy lines geographically locate the school in Brookline.  While I cannot find the citation at the moment, I did read the parish's territory was dedicated to St. Joseph, thus both the chevron rendered as a carpenter's square and three Madonna lilies provide additional geographical identification.  

Based on the heraldic hatching for St. Mary of the Assumption High School, the blazon is:  Azure, issuing from base barry wavy Argent and Sable three Madonna lilies conjoined and seeded Argent enfiled by an ancient coronet and overall a chevron rendered as a carpenter's square Or.

Two Religious Congregations 

Diving deeper into the background surrounding the arms of the high school reveals a bit of a mystery in terms of la Rose's possible referencing within his design.  We find two religious congregations involved at the school.  In the beginning, the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur were invited to run--what I believe the history shows--the elementary school in Brookline.  According to Oates (1978), this congregation was not terribly keen on teaching boys, and so it appears the elementary school was strictly for girls (p. 662).

In 1924, however, things changed.  The parish decided to open a co-educational high school and needed new teachers willing and able to help, and the Sisters of St. Joseph from the Boston Congregation filled the void (Oates, 1978, 664).  If 1924 was the year in which St. Mary of the Assumption High School opened, then it's likely la Rose's use of the conjoined Madonna lilies and chevron as a carpenter's square was referencing the Boston Congregation of the Sisters of St. Joseph.  Since it appears that the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur had no involvement with the high school, then, the reference to the Boston Congregation makes perfect sense.  

The supporting evidence for this theory can be found three years prior to the school's opening.  In 1921, la Rose designed the Boston Congregation's arms and blazoned them: Azure, issuing from a vase Or in base three flowering lilies Argent, overall a chevron rendered as a carpenter's square Or and on a chief Sable three crowns composed of alternate crosses patty and fleurs-de-lis Or.  I still struggle to rationalize the ancient coronet in the school's arms, perhaps a nod to the crowns in chief from the Sisters' arms, or a charge for unification from the parish's arms?  My take:  the coronet is referencing the parish given la Rose's prominent placement in both arms.  However, its truly anyone's guess.

As the research stands for now, I believe it's highly possible that la Rose designed both the arms for the Parish of St. Mary of the Assumption and its high school around 1924.

After working with the archivist from the Boston Congregation of the Sisters of St. Joseph, I believe neither the school or the parish know these beautiful designs by la Rose exist.  I hope, possibly, to help bring these back to life for them.  

So, a muddy river shall unite them all.

Works Cited

La Rose, Pierre de C. (1911).  The arms of his Eminence Cardinal Gibbons. The Ecclesiastical Review, 5(45), pp. 2-11. 

Oates, M.J. (1978). Organized voluntarism: The Catholic sisters in Massachusetts, 1870-1940.  American Quarterly, 30(5), pp. 652-680.

St. Mary of the Assumption High School. (1941).  Assumpta.  St. Mary of the Assumption High School.

Trustees of Brookline Public Library. (1911).  The fifty-fourth annual report of the trustees of the public library of Brookline for the year ending December 31, 1910.  Grimes Press, 363.

For the Love of Flags

My ever-expanding collection of armorial desk flags.

Readers will recently notice that I've seriously kicked up my artwork game, namely adding armorial flags and banners to posts in an effort to break up lengthy texts.  My confession:  I am absolutely fascinated by flying heraldry and all thanks to Pierre de Chaignon la Rose (1872-1941).

I vividly recall the first time I encountered one of la Rose's flags early in my research back in 2014.  For his commission with Mundelein College in 1930, la Rose not only designed a beautiful coat for the institution, but rendered an armorial flag and "banner" as well.  Please click here to learn more about Mundelein College's arms.  I had no idea that a shield's design could be arranged in such a way, and my interest was clearly piqued. 

Armorial flag of Mundelein College designed by la Rose in 1930.
Image courtesy of the Women's and Leadership Archives, Loyola University, 2023.

Seeing la Rose's flag design set off a series of ideas running in my head regarding arms familiar to my experience.  Having admittedly poor draftsmanship, I broke out a pencil and ruler fumbling through multiple attempts to arrange the arms of Sewanee: The University of the South and its schools into flags.  Looking back now, selecting these arms with the intricate Sewanee tressure was probably not the wisest choice for my first go at this newfound interest.  Please click here to read about Sewanee's heraldry.  

Pencil drawings of armorial flags of the University of the South and its schools.
By the Author, 2014.

Dialing in the Sewanee tressure to near perfection about did me in, but I learned that it's all about straight lines and angles.  In the end, I appreciated Dr. McCrady's creativity when he designed these arms.  Below is a curated display of armorial flags commissioned so far, and there's a few more still to come.

The University of the South. 
Rendered by Lucas Hofmann, 2024.

College of Arts & Sciences, the University of the South.
Rendered by Lucas Hofmann, 2024.

The School of Theology, the University of the South.
Rendered by Lucas Hofmann, 2024.

Hampden-Sydney College.
Rendered by Lucas Hofmann, 2024.

The American Heraldry Society.
Rendered by Lucas Hofmann, 2023.

My attributed design for an armorial flag for Fuqua School.
Rendered by Lucas Hofmann, 2023.

The Medieval Academy of America.  The arms were originally designed by la Rose.
Rendered by Lucas Hofmann, 2024.

Lenox School.  The arms were originally designed by la Rose.
Rendered by Lucas Hofmann, 2024.

I've taken my passion for armorial flags to the next level by attempting to digitally emblazon some of my favorite arms designed by la Rose.  Below are several flags I recently rendered as part of a study of la Rose's methods for translating arms from shield to flag.  While not perfect, as I am by no means a digital heraldic artist, I thoroughly enjoyed the challenge.  Honestly, I was slightly impressed after my first go at things.  I started with Harvard's arms and the next thing I knew I created over 20 flags.  

While la Rose did not create the arms for Harvard University, he was the first to translate its shield into a banner of arms which the Harvard Corporation officially adopted in 1918.  Please click here to read more about la Rose's design for an armorial flag for Harvard.  

The second flag rendering attempted was local--the arms of the Diocese of Richmond which are simple and lovely.  To learn more about la Rose's design for the Diocese of Richmond, please click here.  Finally, if the reader is mesmerized--like I am--by the arms la Rose created for St. George's School, click here for my analysis on these stunning arms.  The portion of the lozengy field covered by the red cross of St. George creates a visual delight drawing the eyes immediately to the arms.  

On the heels of three successful armorial flag emblazonments, I went full throttle without looking back.  So enjoy these flags, image if the reader had nothing to look at other than my humble pencil sketches...   

Harvard University based on la Rose's design.
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2024.

Kirkland House, Harvard.  The arms were originally designed by la Rose and have since changed. Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2024.

Harvard Law School.  The arms were originally designed by la Rose and have since changed.
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2024.

Harvard Divinity School.  The arms were originally designed by la Rose.
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2024.

Diocese of Richmond (Virginia).  The arms were originally designed by la Rose.  Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2024.

Archdiocese of Seattle.  The arms were originally designed by la Rose.
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2024.

St. George's School (RI).  These arms were originally designed by la Rose.
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2024.

Brooks School (MA).  Most likely designed by la Rose.
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2024.

Berkeley Divinity School at Yale.  These arms were redesigned by la Rose.
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2024.

Pierson College at Yale.  These arms were originally designed by la Rose.
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2024.

Rice University.  These arms were originally designed by la Rose.
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2024.

Two quick projects in the pipeline include digital art for my armorial flag and one for my brother.  Below are my final pencil drawings for Hofmann.

Armorial flag of my brother's arms.

Layout of my assumed arms as an armorial flag.

Armorial flags continue to fascinate me as visual identification flying high on a pole.  The applications for heraldry are truly endless.  More to come.

Behind the Scenes II: Restoring the Dignified Arms of Lenox School

The seal and arms of Lenox School as designed by la Rose.
I was fortunate to find a decent image which cleaned up rather nicely.

I've come to serve, not to be served, a simplification of Matthew 20:28, truly is my goal regarding the heraldic research of Pierre de Chaignon la Rose (1872-1941).  This passage from Matthew 20:28 was also the motto selected for the arms of Lenox School which was located in Lenox, Massachusetts.  Lenox School, affiliated with The Episcopal Church, opened its doors in 1926 to embody among many things, this Gospel passage from Matthew.  While the school closed in 1972, today an active alumni association continues to work assiduously to preserve the school's legacy.  Please click here to visit the Lenox School Alumni Association's website.  

La Rose's library painting of the arms of Lenox School. 
Image courtesy of the Lenox School Alumni Association.

Sometime between 1930-1931, la Rose was commissioned to design arms for the school and you can read more on his design in a previously written article.  Please click here to read "A Case Study of la Rose's Designs for Episcopal Preparatory Schools."

The blazon la Rose created for the arms of Lenox School: Sable, on a cross saltire an open book edged and inscribed Non ministrari Sed ministrare between three roses and in chief a martin all Or.

When I began researching la Rose's work back in 2014, Lenox School was among the first I discovered.  I immediately found the alumni association's online presence and sent my inquiry to them regarding their beautiful arms.  Much to my delight, I received a lot of information due largely to the group's work in documenting the history of Lenox School.  

Fast forward to 2023.  This past December, the alumni association kindly asked if they could publish my case study article, resuming a rich correspondence that began back in 2014.  No matter that those school doors closed so many years ago, I remain thankful for the association's dedication to sharing the school's story and this got me thinking.  How could I repay the association's kindness while also contributing towards their preservation efforts?  Well, since I was able to assist the Medieval Academy of America with their exquisite arms designed by la Rose, I figured I could do the same for Lenox School.  Please click here to read, "Behind the Scenes: The Heraldic Identity of the Medieval Academy of America."

I contacted my colleague Lucas Hofmann with my ideas, as he expertly recreated the arms for the Medieval Academy of America and I knew we could accomplish the same finished product for the alumni association.

Click image to enlarge.

From la Rose's library painting above, I was able to use his original version of the arms for restoration.  While the image was clearly distorted due to age, I knew we could work with this asset.  I wanted everything to match exactly as la Rose painted these arms--using the font which best matched la Rose's lettering, Stempel Schneidler, for the inscription on the open book and adding the two crosses pattee as well.  

In addition to the shield, I wanted to create an armorial flag and banner for Lenox School to showcase la Rose's masterful design for the school.  Based on my studies of how la Rose created armorial flags for those schools commissioning such pieces, I was able to carefully layout for Hofmann how Lenox School's arms would appear in this format.  What is the difference between an armorial flag and an armorial banner?  While there is a lot of history surrounding both, here is my simplified explanation.  

Click image to enlarge.

Armorial flags are heraldic ensigns appropriated for outdoor use and typically used by corporate bodies.  Rectangular in shape, the armorial flag often uses a ratio of 2:3; however, the flag of the corporate sole is rendered longer in length to show its importance in relation to any other flags.  

Armorial banner of arms for Lenox School, rendered by Lucas Hofmann.

In the modern era, armorial banners are usually square in shape and may include fringe around the border--which does not have to match livery colors.  Nowadays, armorial banners are typically flown indoors.  The banners displayed inside Westminster Abbey identifying Knights and Dames of the Order of the Bath, and those inside St. George's Chapel at Windsor Castle for members of the Order of the Garter, are just two examples of how armorial banners are used today.  

I was thrilled with Hofmann's work, per usual, and plan to send all my digital files to the alumni association with the hopes that they will use to celebrate la Rose's design for their beloved alma mater.  That the alumni association continues to use Lenox School's arms created between 1930-1931 proves the carrying power of clear, perspicuous heraldry to provide meaningful corporate identification even in 2024.  The arms of Lenox School are nearly 93-years old today, and I hope that by digitally rendering these arms they will be preserved and cherished for many more years to come.  

36th International Congress of Genealogical and Heraldic Sciences

The logo for the 36th Congress created by the talented Matthew Alderman.

For the first time in its history, the International Congress of Genealogical and Heraldic Sciences (ICGHS) will be held in the United States this September.  Established by the Académie Internationale d’Héraldique, the first congress convened in Madrid during 1929 and quickly became an essential gathering for genealogical and heraldic scholars from around the world.  The 36th Congress will take place in Boston and being generously hosted by American Ancestors and its Committee on Heraldry.  Click here to view the full program and registration information for the 36th Congress.

The theme for the 36th Congress, "origins, journeys, destinations," informs the programs and presentations this year, while perfectly embodying the American spirit and history at the same time.  Genealogy and heraldry are equally balanced within the programming, forming the two core subjects.  In terms of heraldry, proposals were requested to address questions such as how does heraldry create, preserve, or reinforce group identity and proposals were to align with this theme.

This past Fall, I submitted a proposal to the Congress' Scientific Committee on la Rose's heraldic work for numerous Roman Catholic religious communities and their corresponding academic institutions they established.  My tailored focus on these particular communities thematically worked well, as they shared European origins and moved throughout the US in the early 20th century as a result of their missionary work.  In my mind, no proceedings on heraldry occurring in Boston would be complete without examining la Rose's work.    

I labored over the title and abstract, knowing I had but one shot at giving la Rose his proper place in the annals of the Congress.  Ultimately, I chose, "The Heraldic Carpenter:  Pierre de Chaignon la Rose Fashioning New American Identity," honoring la Rose's role as a heraldic carpenter of sorts, effectively constructing designs that honored the origins of these communities while identifying their destinations at the same time.  A certain reader will happily note that I no longer refer to la Rose as a "herald," acquiescing to reason and sound argument.  My thinking continues to evolve on the use of this particular noun.  

With a 300 word limit, I submitted the following abstract (in 290 words, no less):

"Corporate heraldry in the United States experienced a significant revival during the early 20th Century, fueled in part by the missionary work of several Roman Catholic religious communities and their need to authentic diplomas for newly established educational institutions. These religious communities, founded in Europe, required a new American identity and placed their faith in the capable hands of Pierre de Chaignon la Rose (1872-1941) of Harvard.

"As the nation’s leading expert in ecclesiastical heraldry, la Rose assiduously built his reputation within the Roman Catholic Church following his landmark commission for arms in 1910 for the Archdioceses of Baltimore and Boston.

"Through a thematic analysis of 250 designs of corporate arms by la Rose, this paper will examine how the designer constructed a framework without any precedence in the US to illustrate the ancestral origins of several Roman Catholic religious communities while accomplishing unification and differencing in their arms at the same time. 

"Void of any heraldic authority in the US, la Rose built his methods based on the ancient rules and customs of heraldry, while forging a new pathway for corporate arms in America. La Rose fashioned new identity for these communities by employing unique charges representing their European foundations for unification, while differencing their arms based on their destinations, such as new colleges or branches of the community. 

"La Rose filled a critical need in the US and was the first herald to employ these methods to create and preserve group identity while setting a high standard for best practices in designing corporate arms.

"Through the brilliance of la Rose’s designs for these communities, he would render clear and perspicuous heraldry and many are still used today for identification."

The result?  I'm going to Boston!  

When I received the official notification, I nearly fell down.  I was filled with lots of emotions.  It's rather quite difficult to render words that do justice to my long and winding journey researching la Rose.  I never imaged 10 years ago where I would be standing today.  

All in all, I'm feeling the magnitude of what this opportunity means for me, and I promise to not let la Rose down. 

Behind The Scenes: The Heraldic Identity of The Medieval Academy of America

The arms of the Medieval Academy of America.
Rendered by Lucas Hofmann, 2024.

Just as I began winding down data collection on the heraldic work of Pierre de Chaignon la Rose (1872-1941), I came across a special discovery.  This discovery appeared highly suspicious and needed to be qualified for la Rose's possible involvement--I sighed, admittedly, as sometimes finding hard evidence regarding the designer is not ordinarily an artifact most organizations readily have in their archives.  Following 10 years of this work, I was skeptical about learning anything about the designer behind my newfound discovery.

  

The Medieval Academy of America was established in Boston during the later part of December 1925, and their adopted arms bore all the la Rosian hallmarks--especially given the design was based on another in my data.  I was intrigued.  After sending a detailed email to the Academy hoping to learn something, I waited.  Much to my delight, I received a response from the director within an hour, and on a Sunday evening to boot.  My suspicion was confirmed, la Rose had indeed designed these arms.  Moreover, I learned from the archival documents that none other than Ralph Adams Cram (1863-1942), one of the founders of the new academical enterprise, recruited la Rose.  I've said before, whenever Cram is involved and there's a need for heraldry, la Rose is surely close behind.

Unfortunately the Academy could not find a colored emblazonment of their arms, as seemingly all  publications used a black and white line drawing.  La Rose's blazon for these arms was discovered in the archives and offered the final piece to this puzzle.  Something, I believed, needed to be done for the Academy, and the solution sparked an idea to celebrate the end of data collection.

I quickly contacted my colleague Lucas Hofmann, a talented digital artist in Europe, with my ideas.  Essentially, we would recreate an exact emblazonment of the Academy's arms in full color and provide a variety of applications for their exclusive use.  

Process flow for rendering a modern emblazonment.

I selected a rather blurry image of the shield found inside the cover page from a 1929 Academy publication, believing this early line art represented the original from la Rose.  From the images above, you can see how Hofmann took the blurred image and transformed it using color and shading.

It was important to capture every minute detail from the 1929 image, the lines for the rose, the rays from the sun, and so forth.  I believe Hofmann pulled everything together beautifully, embodying exactly la Rose's creative design for the Academy.  As far as we knew, the renderings provided to the Academy represented the first time in modern history that members could see their arms in full color--a major victory for la Rose.

Designing the armorial flag.  Left is a pencil sketch by the author, and the digital emblazonment on the right is by Lucas Hofmann.

Additionally, I wanted to give the Academy two applications of how they could use their arms as an armorial flag and a banner.  Since the Academy hosts large academic conferences across the US, I felt it might be nice to have physical assets on display at gatherings to give members a sense of pride.  While no such design existed in the archives, likely because the Academy did not commission a flag at that time, I was able to render the design based on collected data from la Rose which provides his technique for armorial flags.

From the image above, I made a pencil sketch illustrating how I believe la Rose would have rendered the arms as a flag--extending both cardinal and ordinal points of the sun to the edges of the border.  We know one important aspect of la Rose's design philosophy was to "fill the field," and I wanted my sketch to honor that point.

The end result blew me away and exceeded my expectations.  The Academy was truly appreciative of this unexpected gesture of gratitude, and my mission was accomplished.  

From the beginning in 2014, I set out to not only collect la Rose's designs, but to help provide those organizations bearing his work with information about the designer and the rationale of their arms.  My ultimate goal is to give the heraldic designer his proper place in history and nothing more.  In the case of the Medieval Academy of America, bringing their arms to life in full color was exciting while honoring that goal at the same time.

Finally, I provided the Academy with a complete write up regarding the arms which they recently published.  Please click here to read my article and learn about the arms of the Medieval Academy of America.

Heraldry was meant to be seen in full color to provide clear identification of its owner.  The arms of the Academy have become a cherished symbol of scholarly excellence widely recognized in the field of medieval studies.  La Rose's design which is still used today will celebrate a highly respectable 100th birthday in 2027, proof that well designed armorial bearings convey powerful recognition and identity well into the 21st century.

The American Heraldry Society Selects Design Award Recipient

Armorial banners of the American Heraldry Society
and the School of Theology rendered by Lucas Hofmann.

The American Heraldry Society recently announced the 2024 winner of its design award, and this year's recipient is the School of Theology at the University of the South in Sewanee, Tennessee.  Established in 2006, the award is named in honor of Pierre de Chaignon la Rose (1872-1941), the great American heraldic designer responsible for reviving heraldry in the US during the early 20th Century.  Click here to read the full press announcement.

Arms of the School of Theology,
rendered by Lucas Hofmann.

The award has a unique purpose, to encourage and support excellence in American heraldry by recognizing coat of arms that provide the bearer with a strong public identity embodying the best heraldic design of the highest form, function, and aesthetic.  Society members may nominate any US corporate body from academic, military, civic, religious, or social organizations whose arms exemplify the best in heraldic design. There is one additional requirement for the nominee:  the arms must have been designed in the United States. 

The Society's mission is, "to promote the study and proper use of heraldry in America," and one way it advances that mission is through the design award.  In other words, the award is a celebration of the best in American heraldry.

I was proud to nominate the arms of my alma mater and honor the important contributions its designer made to field of American heraldry.  Designed in 1981 by Sewanee alumnus and professor Dr. James Warring McCrady, the arms of the seminary incorporated the colors red and gold from the arms used by The Rev. William Porcher DuBose (1836-1918).  DuBose served as the seminary’s second dean and widely known throughout the Episcopal Church as a scholar and theologian.  

Armorial flag of the arms of the School of Theology,
rendered by Lucas Hofmann.

The fleam represents the dedication of the student body to St. Luke and the seminary's original chapel on campus--history has attributed the saint as a surgeon. McCrady added the bar on the surgical device to create a unique crossed charge to clearly identify the school’s mission of priestly formation for the church. One important contribution to American heraldry made by McCrady was his creation of the “Sewanee tressure.” The tressure was a creative way to show corporate unification within all three arms he designed, and its name was suggested by the Lord Lyon in 1981 as McCrady submitted his designs for peer review to the authority in Scotland. 

Blazon:  Gules, on a cross Or surmounted by a Sewanee Tressure counter-changed a crossed fleam Sable. 

Having spent three formative years on the Domain of the University of the South as a seminarian, I had a lot of time to "inhabit" and own these arms.  For me, at least, they represent far more than a great design, they hold precious memories and important life lessons learned.  Click here to read a deeper analysis on the arms of the School of Theology. 

Reflections On A Year Like No Other

An impromptu December gathering of members of the
American Heraldry Society in Alexandria, Virginia.

The year 2023 marked a decided turn for me in my heraldic journey.  After putting off what seemed inevitable, I finally embraced a 10-year challenge to finish researching the heraldic work of Pierre de Chaignon la Rose (1872-1941).  Frankly, this resolution and goal changed everything for me.  Towards the end of late summer, motivation crashed upon me like gigantic tidal waves pushing me deeper into la Rose's world.  A virtual explosion of articles seemingly sprang up from my finger tips.  With sharper research skills and the benefit of being very close to my data, I was making new connections and analyses at a startling pace.  

Furthermore, I learned to follow my intuition when identifying whether or not a given coat was worth tracking down evidence--with sufficiently trained eyes, I can now spot a la Rose design fairly easily.  Finding new arms for my data, however, has proven frustratingly painful given that many of these corporate arms are from closed institutions with scare evidence.  Thus, I made the ultimate decision to set a timer on data collection, and begin moving forward with analysis and writing.  I knew I could either spend the rest of my life tracking down la Rose's work, or move ahead with data in hand.  I truly hope that others will be capable of following my methods and add to the body of la Rose's heraldic work in time.  

My goal from the very beginning is to give the herald his proper place in history.  This past year has given me a renewed vigor in seeing this mission through.   

Research Highlights

Among the many breakthroughs I experienced this year regarding my research on la Rose, I can only write one word, CHICAGO.  

For a number of years, I kept having a gnawing feeling regarding several arms located in Chicago, arms that I believed were designed by la Rose but could not prove his work.  All that changed thanks in large part to the archivists from the Women and Leadership Archives of Loyola University Chicago who held a letter from la Rose dated July 19, 1930 giving answers to my long-held questions.  To read an analysis of these corporate arms, please click here.

The arms of Kenyon College (Gambier, OH) designed by Canon Watson between 1907-1908
appearing in the 1917 yearbook, The Reveille.  Watson was the first in the US to create the "unifying chief" for scholastic heraldry.  Source:  Kenyon College Archives. 

Furthermore, Chicago presented a rather interesting plot twist regarding the arms of the University of Chicago.  Following an analysis I completed on the arms of Kenyon College and the work of The Rev. Canon Orville E. Watson (1857-1951), I began revisiting all arms in my data devised between 1900-1915 that employed chiefs--I wanted to determine whether or not Canon Watson was indeed the first herald to use this technique in US scholastic arms.  To read about Canon Watson and the heraldry of Kenyon College, please click here.  This led me back to Chicago.  After stumbling upon some printed material in my files, I realized something was off regarding la Rose's attribution as the designer of the university's coat and off I went.  It turns out that la Rose did not in fact design the final version of arms used presently by the university, and the evidence blew my mind.  To read about the arms of the University of Chicago, please click here.      

Simply put, analyzing all that rich data was absolutely fascinating in my mind and represented some significant breakthroughs for our field.  While I have thankfully experienced other such breakthroughs, I've decided to save those for the book.  

Finally, I remain indebted to countless archivists across the US and Canada for their generous time and research assistance.  I received a lot of artifacts, correspondence, and data which helped fill in so many gaps in my research on la Rose.  After so many discoveries I had to share and used this blog to selectively post my findings.

Sharing My Research

The arms of the
University of the South (Sewanee, TN),
rendered by Dimitri Prica.

La Rose research aside, I had two lingering issues that I needed to address and overhaul--articles regarding the heraldry of my alma maters.  Readers might be interested to know that, by far, the two most visited articles share the stories of the armorial bearings of Hampden-Sydney College and the University of the South.  Knowing this, I wanted to overhaul those articles with updated data and emblazonments.  To read the story of how Hampden-Sydney College received its arms, please click here.  Finding digital emblazonments of Sewanee's heraldry was virtually impossible, so I commissioned two digital heraldic artists for complete sets in order to make these beautiful arms more accessible.  Please click here to learn about the heraldry of Sewanee.  It was important to me to do justice to both of my schools, and I hopefully accomplished that through my work. 

I was deeply honored to have several opportunities to present on US heraldry this past year.  Co-presenting with Paul Campbell from the College of Arms Foundation on the heraldry of the Ivy League was a bright moment this past fall.  I especially enjoyed the challenge to present at my daughter's high school earlier this month, sharing facts and my love of this subject with those students was definitely a personal highlight.

As I continued to fire up my laptop and post more regularly, I quickly began to build an audience of heraldry enthusiasts and this led to my final highlight.   

Building Community

A significant highlight for me this past year was being elected to serve on the American Heraldry Society's Board of Governors, a community that I've been a part of since 2014.  Additionally, I was appointed to lead our membership committee and we've already been hard at work, recently completing the Society's first member survey.  

The data we collected is both rich and revealing for the Board.  I thoroughly enjoy mixing my research background and professional non-profit experience to help advance the work of the Society.  I'm enjoying my new volunteer leadership role and hope to make meaningful contributions.      

The pandemic clearly changed our human experience and the methods in which we connect and communicate with others.  While Zoom has its benefits, there is nothing that could ever replace live human interaction.  Earlier this month, I had the great fortune to finally meet several members from the American Heraldry Society in-person for the first time.  While I've spoken on the phone and exchanged numerous emails with several, I had never actually met these heraldry enthusiasts before.

What's Next

The coming year promises to hold many exciting developments which I hope to share in time.  With many exciting developments in the pipeline for the American Heraldry Society, the International Congress of Genealogical and Heraldic Sciences coming to Boston in September, and more research breakthroughs on the horizon, the new year will keep me busier and engaged like no other.   For now, I want to thank all my readers for your support and encouragement to keep moving forward.  Onwards!

Myth-Busting Heraldry: Fables, Facts, and the American Way

Newly emblazoned arms for my daughter.
Rendered by Allen Crawford, December 2023.

Several days ago, I received a text message from my daughter detailing a rather intriguing assignment for a high school history class.  What was the assignment?  You guessed it, students were asked to design their own coat of arms.  I contacted the instructor with an offer to deliver an age-appropriate presentation on heraldry with a specific focus on US-based heraldry.  "Myth-busting heraldry: Fables, facts, and the American way," quickly became the perfect presentation title.  

Having way too much fun building this slide deck.

The main goal with this presentation is to dispel many of the common American myths regarding the subject--every family has a coat of arms, armorial devices for nobility only, etc.--and provide accurate context and facts regarding heraldry and its use in this country.  I also wish to emphasize armorial assumption (a.k.a. "the American way") as this country's method in the absence of any heraldic authority.  I continue to believe there is nothing more American than armorial assumption.  

Using my own achievement for illustration.

To engage the students with this subject, I created (what I hope will be) a fun and engaging quiz, "Name That Shield," to underscore how coat armor creates identity.  For example, I'll share the arms of Harvard, the Episcopal Church, the arms of the sovereign of the United Kingdom, and so forth to see which arms are immediately recognizable.  Like any good teacher, following the exercise we will unpack the reasons pertaining to how and why the students were able to name the bearer of those shields.  My hope is students will begin to understand that simple and perspicuously designed arms hold power in our memories, serving as timeless abstract symbols of identity.

Perhaps the most exciting portion of the presentation, at least for me, will be guiding the students through the design and creation process.  To help bring this exercise to life, I created a coat of arms for the school itself to keep everything close to home in the minds of the students.

Fuqua School is a private, K-12 school located in Prince Edward County, Virginia.  The school is named after its benefactor, Mr. J.B. Fuqua (1918-2006) whose generous philanthropy helped propel the school to live out its mission to provide excellence in rural education.

Proposed arms for Fuqua School
designed by the Author and rendered
by Lucas Hofmann, November 2023.

Since the school's benefactor and namesake did not bear arms, I opted to use the school's mascot as the basis for the design.  The black falcon displayed, an unusual attitude for this heraldic bird, was fun to render.  The school's livery colors are black and red, and I knew those colors needed to be incorporated somehow as well.  The school does not have a motto, and thus I selected to charge the breast of the bird with a closed book to represent learning and scholarship.  Using the book--open or closed--is a well-known charge in scholastic heraldry.  

Given several limitations, I wanted to incorporate in these armorial bearings a geographical reference for further customization.  Formed in 1754, Prince Edward County is named for Prince Edward, the Duke of York and Albany (1739-1767).  To reference the county's namesake, I selected a simple ancient coronet for clear identification.

For additional reference, I selected three sheaves of wheat to identify the location of both Farmville and Prince Edward County.  The county's seal contains wheat, but also Mr. Fuqua's origins of farming and agriculture fits nicely as well.  

Roundel showing identification in the proposed arms for Fuqua School.
Rendered by Lucas Hofmann, November 2023.

Having three sheaves of wheat enfiled by the ancient coronet contained in a roundel using red and gold provided a logical solution for using red while also locating the school geographically--a design scheme Pierre de Chaignon la Rose (1872-1941) created for his devisal of arms for Mundelein College in 1930.  For the college, la Rose used two roundels on the wings of a phoenix rising from the flames to reference the religious community's foundation as well as the corporate sole.  I believe this arrangement was perfect for this new design.  

The armorial flag of Fuqua School, rendered by Lucas Hofmann,
November 2023.

Through the American Heraldry Society, I received helpful feedback regarding my design.  One critical learning outcome:  falcons in heraldry are typically "belled and jessed," and this blazon was new to me. Adding bells tied with strings on the legs helps identify the bird as a falcon, while referencing the ancient practice of falconry at the same time. 

I was most impressed with how the designed turned out in full color--especially when seen as an armorial flag.  I can simply see this flag unfurled and flying on the school's flagpole any day now.

Why should schools consider adopting arms?  While it's my belief that heraldry was never intended to serve as a corporate brand as defined in the business literature, institutional heraldry serves as a distinctive expression of the mission and values of that brand.  In an age when schools, colleges, and universities (especially private ones) are constantly rebranding in order to own marketshare for enrollment needs, schools using arms provide a static symbol for countless generations of alumni and friends of their institutions.  A well designed shield creates a dignified emblem for the entire community to embrace and inhabit.  Additionally, arms provide decoration for school memorabilia, especially when otherwise using the legal corporate seal should be reserved for authentication.  Heraldry also elevates any school or academic ceremony with dignity while creating new traditions at the same time.  Ultimately, a school's coat of arms becomes a timeless symbol of pride for the entire community, a testament to the carrying power of an idea birthed in the 12th Century.  I believe these are among the best reasons for academic institutions to adopt and use arms. 

Sharing my love of heraldry, and how arms provide unique identification, is work I'll never grow tired of doing; I'm excited for next week.  While it remains to be seen if the school likes, much less adopts this design of arms, I enjoyed the process and the creative stimulation.  I'll certainly post any updates in the future.

Blazon of proposed arms for Fuqua School: Argent, on the breast of a falcon displayed sable belled and jessed proper, a closed book with two clasps Or, on each wing a torteau edged Or charged with three sheafs of wheat enfiled by an ancient coronet all Or.