The Arms of Hampden-Sydney College

L-R: Arms of Hampden, Hampden-Sydney College, and Sidney.
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2024.

I caught the heraldry bug as a student at Hampden-Sydney College.  I remember my days there very well. I recall my freshman year being enamored by the College's coat of arms, a young symbol for an old place.  They adorn the front gates to campus along with a promise etched in Latin, Huc venite iuvenes ut exeatis viri.  “Come here as youths so that you may leave as men,” it warns.  I certainly passed through those hallowed gates in the fall of 1998 as a precocious youth, only to leave its embrace as a man.  Travel down College Road, following the famous white "pipe and post" fencing, and you arrive onto the idyllic campus of Hampden-Sydney College--a.k.a. "the Hill."  

Hampden-Sydney College, founded on November 15, 1775 (the same day as the US Marine Corps) and located just outside of Farmville, Virginia, is one of a tiny cadre of men's colleges left in the US.  Proudly a liberal arts college, Hampden-Sydney's founders were Scotch-Irish Presbyterians who likely sent a message to any Tories in the colonies regarding the loyalties of this new school in Prince Edward County.  

Naming the new institution after two English patriots, John Hampden (c.1595-1643) and Algernon Sidney (1623-1683) was in stark contrast to the very Anglican College of William & Mary located down the road in Williamsburg.  The College of William & Mary, chartered in 1693, received its grant of arms from the College of Arms in London on May 16, 1694 (Godson, et. al, 1993, 23).  For Hampden-Sydney College, it would take 201-years (depending on which date you choose) to obtain its own arms, and all thanks to two gentlemen.    

Two Gentlemen and a Plan

No discussion about Hampden-Sydney College's coat of arms would be complete without acknowledging two giants--each in their own right--who came together and effectively gave generations of alumni an iconic image to revere.  As both of these men are no longer with us, I want to do justice by sharing the story as I know it.  For if institutional memory fades, we risk losing the contributions made by those great men of Hampden-Sydney who have come before us.  

  

Professor John L. Brinkley (1937-2012) at his desk in Morton Hall, Hampden-Sydney College.  Brinkley's office was famously a mess, with books and papers piled high and perfumed by the aroma of his last cigar.  Brinkley is truly Hampden-Sydney College's G.O.A.T.

Professor John Luster Brinkley (1937-2012), graduated Phi Beta Kappa and Omicron Delta Kappa from Hampden-Sydney in 1959.  Brinkley was truly a force on campus, and a widely beloved and respected professor of classics.  For every home football and lacrosse game, the professor could be spotted behind the home team bench complete with a walking stick in one hand and a cigar in the other.  Moreover, Brinkley was Hampden-Sydney College's first Rhodes Scholar, earning another bachelor's degree in 1962 and a master's degree in 1966, both from Trinity College, Oxford.  Ever the scholar, in between his two degrees from Oxford, Brinkley earned a master's degree from Princeton in 1965 (Brinkley, 1994).  Needless to say, while no student ever called him, "Doctor Brinkley," he simply did not need a doctoral degree--he was a scholar in his own right.  In addition to his teaching duties, Brinkley served as the College Historian, authoring its definitive history, On This Hill:  A Narrative History of Hampden-Sydney College 1774-1994.     

The other giant in the story of how Hampden-Sydney College received its honorary devisal of arms, is none other than James Lewis Kirby, Jr. (1923-2015).  Kirby, another Princeton graduate, sent his two sons to Hampden-Sydney College, and one of those sons signed my diploma as a trustee.  Kirby served in the 87th Infantry Division under General George Patton in the Battle of Bulge during World War II (New York Times Obituary, May 11, 2015).  Kirby resided at the historic Claremont Manor in Surry County, Virginia and was heavily involved with history, genealogy, and most important of all, heraldry.  

The arms of James Lewis Kirby, Jr. (1923-2015), granted from the College of Arms (London) on January 20, 1966, image is from Kirby (1989), plate #106.  Note the diapering in base, a heraldic form of decoration seen in argent (white or silver).  Click image to enlarge.

Kirby self-published a rather attractive, full-color armorial in 1989, titled Heraldry of the Kirkby and Kirby Families.  Kirby (1989) illustrates the evolution of the family's heraldry, and most notably, his ever-changing arms.  In 1966, Kirby received his first devisal of arms from the College of Arms in London, blazoned: "Argent, two bars and on a chief gules a cross trefly or between two roundels barry wavy or and azure" (page 48).  My belief is that Kirby sought the grant based on his genealogical work as well as his membership in the Most Venerable Order of St. John (as seen in the external medal below the shield).

All of this key background information is to demonstrate Kirby's passion for heraldry.  Kirby must have spent a small fortune on his multiple emblazonments, fully registering the Kirby pedigree with the College of Arms, etc.  I can imagine the heralds were on a close, first-name basis with their client from Claremont Manor.  With this information established, let's return to the Hill to see where the story of Hampden-Sydney College's arms picks up.  

A Bicentennial Celebration

The arms of James Lewis Kirby, Jr.
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2024.

The year 1976 would indeed be a bicentennial year for the United States as well as Hampden-Sydney College.  Since the creative process with the College of Arms takes some time, especially in the pre-internet age, preparations had to be made well in advance to be realized in time for any celebrations.   

In the fall of 1974, an "unusually generous and imaginative friend of the College made an intriguing offer" (The Record, December 1976, page 5).  What would that offer be?  If the offer is for a proper coat of arms, then it is definitely coming from Lewis Kirby.  Remember, Kirby already had ample experience working the heralds in London by this time.  And yes, the intriguing offer was for a colonial college bearing the names of English patriots to formally ask an office of the Royal Household in England for a coat of arms.

The article continues:

"This friend, an accomplished student of heraldry, proposed to sponsor— and underwrite--the considerable expense of the process of having the College of Arms, an office of the Royal Household and the only secular authority in the world (there is a corresponding office in the Vatican) empowered to assign coats of arms and other heraldic devices, devise for Hampden-Sydney what is in heraldic technical parlance called "an achievement of arms"' (The Record, December 1976, page 5).

The friend, Lewis Kirby, wished to remain anonymous concerning his involvement and thus his name does not appear in the article.  I name him and give him credit simply because we would not have our beloved arms had Mr. Kirby not stepped forward.  

Painting of the College's armorial ensigns
now residing in Bortz Library.
Click image to enlarge.

Thankfully, the College accepted the offer.  College President, Dr. W. Taylor Reveley II (1917-1992) needed a competent member of the staff to liaison with the heralds in London.

"At Dr. Reveley's request, Professor John L. Brinkley, class of 1959, undertook to study up heraldry and become the College's liaison officer with Mr. Brooke-Little and the College of Arms. Professor Brinkley and Mr. Brooke-Little agreed at once that it would be most appropriate for Hampden-Sydney not only to stay within the traditional inventory of symbols (or "devices") of British heraldry, but also to adopt symbols and colors from the arms of John Hampden and Algernon Sydney. 

In addition, certain devices peculiar to Hampden-Sydney would be used in order to make the whole achievement unique to the College, scrupulously observing all the rules and usages of British heraldry" (The Record, December 1976, page 5). 

But how can a college in the US in 1974 possibly receive an honorary devisal of arms from the College of Arms in London?  That the College officially opened its doors on November 10, 1775, meant that the college was up and running during the reign of King George III.  Currently on the College of Arms website, we find the following:

"Honorary arms may be granted to U.S. citizens and to citizens of countries within the Commonwealth where King Charles III is not Head of State and where there is no national heraldic authority. They must meet the same criteria of eligibility for a grant as subjects of the Crown, and in addition they must record in the official registers of the College of Arms a pedigree showing their descent from a subject of the British Crown. 

This may be a recent forebear such as a parent or grandparent who lived in the same country under the British Crown; an emigrant from Britain, Ireland or anywhere else where the British monarch was Head of State; or a more distant ancestor such as inhabitant of the north American colonies before the recognition of American independence in 1783" (College of Arms website, August 21, 2023).  

With a generous grant from the F.M. Kirby Foundation, the College was able to obtain an honorary devisal of arms from the College of Arms.  It would serve as a proud moment during the College's bicentennial celebrations in 1976.  The grant, written most unusually in Latin, was dated with a touch of irony, July 4, 1976. Then Richmond Herald, John P. Brooke-Little (1927-2006), came to campus--dressed in the herald's tabard--and presented the letters patent on October 19, 1976 before the college community.  

The application of heraldry is endless, one concept using the College's arms as a seal.  The official seal of the College is non-heraldic.
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2024.

In front of the gathered assembly inside Johns Auditorium on campus, Professor Brinkley offered remarks for the celebration, which he titled "Heroes, Names, and Symbols."

"The event which we are assembled to witness this evening well illustrates the truth of Emerson's line, "We are symbols and we inhabit symbols." Each of us has surely had his private thoughts that confute the cynic who sees only the irony, and not the compelling symbolism of the welcome visit in this, our nation's Bicentennial year, of the sovereign of Great Britain to our nation's capital — and to this Commonwealth, and now of an officer of Her Royal Household to this campus on, of all days, 19 October, the 195th anniversary of the Lord Cornwallis's surrender at Yorktown. 

It is reported that King George III, upon hearing of the surrender exclaimed, "My God! Lord God! It's all over"— an altogether pardonable overstatement of the result of what we can choose to regard as an unfortunate, if inevitable, family squabble. After the manner of such things, the passage of generations has made a difference" (The Record, December 1976, page 7). 

A family squabble...the professor had style and whit!  Let's examine the design and rationale for the College's coat of arms.  

Unpacking the College's Arms

Several elements in the College's arms provide clear reference to her eponyms.  The white/silver field, red cross saltire, and the blue displayed eagles identify Hampden.  In heraldry, it should be noted, the color Argent can be rendered in silver or white depending on the artist's preference.  Referencing Sidney in the new arms is accomplished by incorporating both the gold field and blue pheons. 

L-R: Arms of Hampden, Hampden-Sydney College, and Sidney.
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2024.

The blazon, or heraldic description, for the arms of Hampden-Sydney College is:  Per saltire Argent and Or, on a cross saltire Gules an open book proper inscribed ΓΝΩΣΕΣΘΕ ΤΗΝ ΑΛΗΘΕΙΑΝ between two pheons and as many eagles displayed Azure.  The blazon is fixed and thus recorded at the herald's college in London, and any future coat of arms must be careful in order to avoid infringing on the College's arms.  Aside from US copyright protection, there is no government regulation for arms in this country. 

The main focal point for the College's arms is the open and inscribed book.  As a charge in heraldry, the book can be open or left closed, contain claps on the covers, and if opened, the pages can be inscribed with a motto or simply left blank.  Heraldry has given the charge of the book to mean scholarship, wisdom, and knowledge.  As a charge, books can be found on arms of many scholastic institutions world-wide.  

The seal and arms of Boston College
illustrating another example of a 
Greek inscription.  Image
from la Rose (1918).

The arms of Oxford bear an inscribed open book, while the arms of Cambridge contain a closed book.  The University of St. Andrews in Scotland simply has an open book without an inscription.  Here in the US, the arms of Harvard, Yale, Brown, Princeton, University of Pennsylvania, University of Chicago, Notre Dame, and The Catholic University of America--to name but a few--all have the book (open or closed) as a heraldic charge in their arms.  

Usually, but not always, the inscriptions on open books in scholastic arms tend to be rendered in Latin.  Within the US, both Yale and Emmanuel College use Hebrew.  Boston College, so far as I know at present, is the only other scholastic coat in the US that bears a Greek inscription on their open book.

For Hampden-Sydney College's arms, the inscription that was selected is from the Authorized Version of the Gospel according to St. John 8:32, "ye shall know the truth."  Here again we encounter Professor Brinkley of the Classics Department.  Greek was selected, rather than Latin, to emphasis the importance placed on the classics at Hampden-Sydney College.  Perhaps there was some bias, as Professor Brinkley was deputized by the college to work with the College of Arms.

Ex libris of Michael Maclagan.
Author's private collection.

Professor Brinkley leaned on an old classmate from his days at Trinity College, Oxford to help translate the letters patent into Latin.  

"Fortunately, Mr. Michael Maclagan, a mediaeval history don at Professor Brinkley 's second alma mater, Trinity College, Oxford, is an expert at heraldry and heraldic Latin (which is unlike anything Cicero ever encountered or uttered), and he generously collaborated in producing the text, which in first draft showed a distinctly puckish Tory bias: e.g., Virginia was referred to as a prouincia and Governor Godwin was styled a proconsul; but we were not amused, and these tendentious designations were firmly corrected to res publica and rector, respectively" (The Record, December 1976, page 6). 

Michael Maclagan (1914-2003) served as Portcullis Pursuivant of Arms in Ordinary at the College of Arms and later promoted to Richmond Herald.

Letters patent are legal instruments which, in this case, assign arms to individuals or corporate bodies.  The document bears wax seal impressions as the signatures that authenticate its legal status--this is why the "President and Trustees" of the College were named as assignees.  

An example from a grant of arms illustrating the arms of the Earl Marshal (Duke of Norfolk), the Sovereign, and the College of Arms.  Click image to enlarge.

On letters patent for devisals, emblazonments of arms for both the Sovereign and the College of Arms are omitted as a sign of respect to the state outside the realm of the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth.  In the case of Hampden-Sydney's letters patent, the arms of the offices of the heralds signing the document are emblazoned--Clarenceux King of Arms (top left), Garter King of Arms (center), and Norroy and Ulster King of Arms (top right).

The letters patent assigned to the President and Trustees of Hampden-Sydney College and rendered most unusually in Latin.  The framed 30"x 30" vellum document resides inside Atkinson Museum. Click image to enlarge.

These documents are meticulously hand decorated by court painters who are approved and contracted through the College of Arms.  The client pays the cost for the creation of the document, and these works of art are not cheap.  In concert with both the client and the heralds, artists can add certain decorations and related elements around the document.  Each time I've shared the photo of the College's letters patent within various heraldry forums, I frequently hear from others how odd it is to see these letters patent in Latin.  Brinkley's influence over the final document secured a rather special place in the history books for these arms and the letters patent.

Identification Through Heraldry

The primary purpose of heraldry is identification.  Born on the medieval battlefields of Europe, heraldry served as early expression of branding by providing fully clad knights with specifically designed symbols for easy identification.  Simple and clear designs rendered onto a shield--revealing friend or foe--could make all the difference in a life-or-death fight.  Heraldry is a language of abstraction, crafting specific meaning through its canon of imagery.  The design philosophy handed down from those 13th century shields today translates into creating coats of arms that are simple and perspicuous.  

In the modern era, corporate bodies such as colleges and universities have embraced armorial bearings for much the same purpose to provide clear and meaningful identification of their mission, values, and history.  However, not every academic institution in the US knows how to transform a coat of arms into a readily identifiable marketing symbol.  

Once received by the College, the Publications Office had to do something with this newfound shield.   

A current digital emblazonment in use today by the College alumni association which illustrates Dr. McClintock's "ribbons" containing the College's name, along with the slight reworking of the pheons and shield.

Enter Dr. Richard McClintock.  In keeping with the theme of the classics, Dr. McClintock holds all three of his degrees in the study of Latin.  Moreover, the recently retired doctor, served his long career at the helm of the College's Office of Publications.  His mini-bio on the Department of Classics, University of Virginia's website shares:

"A one-year replacement job at Hampden-Sydney College accidentally led to a thirty-seven year career as the director of the College's publications office. His fifteen minutes of classical fame (including an interview on NPR's 'All Things Considered') came as a result of his discovery that the printer's dummy text know as "Lorem ipsum" derives from the Loeb edition of Cicero's De Finibus" (University of Virginia website, August 21, 2023).

Dr. McClintock is another Hampden-Sydney legend whom I've been privileged to work with over the years--a true gem.  With the new arms in the hands of a creative, discerning scholar, McClintock needed to tweak the design as it was emblazoned.  He shared with me what happened. 

"I tweaked the coat of arms, callously, to make it a better branding symbol. That involved not only adding the ribbons (for which I had no specific model, but pursued a logical solution to my needs – basically making four chunks of a circular ribbon of the right lengths). 

"I also, even more callously, changed the shape of the shield, so that it was more square; the original was very tall and skinny and did not fit nicely into my circle of ribbons or, for that matter, look very stable without Hampden and Sidney to hold it up" (R. McClintock, personal communication, June 22, 2014).  

McClintock refers to the two supporters (images of the likeness of Hampden and Sydney) as found on the letters patent and armorial ensigns.  From the image below, you can see the shield's shape is tall and somewhat skinny, owing to the artist's desire for the cross saltire and open book to be at the "fess point," or directly on center.  By reshaping the shield, the cross saltire and open book drops below the fess point somewhat.  While he claims to have reshaped things "callously," I believe McClintock's careful eye for design was exactly what the arms needed in order to be more useful as a marketing insignia.

While the blazon, or the Anglo-Norman description of the arms' composition and arrangement, for a given coat remains fixed for all time, each emblazonment is solely in the hands of the heraldic artist.  In other words, the draftsmanship of the arms is left to the artist, and Dr. McClintock was firmly within his rights as an artist to tweak things 

Finally, the College also received a heraldic badge, which places two batons in saltire, topped with red liberty caps behind the open, inscribed book.  "The batons and Liberty Caps are Roman symbols of manumission and are only incidentally reminiscent of the French Revolution" (The Record, December 1976, page 6).  According to Fox-Davies (1978), heraldic badges came into use during the early 14th century during the reign of Edward III and never followed any prescriptive formula.  "In fact, the use of a badge, in the days when everybody who was anybody possessed arms, was quite subsidiary to the arms, and very much akin to the manner in which nowadays monograms are made use of" (Fox-Davies, 1978, page 454).  

The College's badge.
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2024.

The heraldic badge of Hampden-Sydney College is blazoned: behind an open book proper inscribed ΓΝΩΣΕΣΘΕ ΤΗΝ ΑΛΗΘΕΙΑΝ two batons in saltire proper topped with liberty caps Gules.  

If you think of the College's badge as its signature monogram, the references are striking.  In other words, through the pursuit of knowledge and truth, students can find freedom and liberty to create a better world--"forming good men and good citizens in an atmosphere of sound learning."  I find this a fitting message and indeed the signature of Hampden-Sydney College.  Sadly, however, the badge is rarely used as the arms enjoy much greater popularity on campus.  I do recall seeing the badge adorning the bookstore's plastic totes, which somehow always managed to bear the weight of so many expensive textbooks--manumission indeed! 

Ex Libris of Hampden-Sydney College designed by Dr. McClintock using the artwork from the letters patent.  Dr. McClintock shares that this bookplate is most likely the only work from the Publications Office that used the original artwork, as future designs of the arms would be modified as described above.  Click image to enlarge.

Following Professor Brinkley's death in 2012, I wanted to do something to honor the late professor at Trinity College, Oxford.  Working with Dr. McClintock, we created a special bookplate bearing the arms of both Hampden-Sydney College and Trinity College and pasted within Brinkley's (1994) book.  Hampden-Sydney's President Dr. Christopher B. Howard (b. 1969), another Rhodes Scholar, sent Brinkley's book to the principal at Trinity College as a commemorative addition to their library.  I never heard what the response was from Trinity College, but I was glad we did something for our late, great professor. 

Designing a Banner of Arms

As I began my journey in the world of heraldry back in 2014, I quickly became attracted to what I simply call flying heraldry.  Sometimes called a "banner of arms," a flag can hoist skyward any coat of arms in a dignified manner.  By taking the design inside the shield and arranging in 2:3 ratio, an armorial flag (or banner of arms) offers another use for arms.  

The College has, for as long as I remember, used a flag bearing the name of the College.  While certainly acceptable as a flag, I believed we could do better, especially with our coat of arms in mind.  

My sketch for the College's armorial flag back in 2014.  Drawing by the Author.

While I was thrilled with my humble pencil drawing, I had few options back then to digitize the design.  Digital heraldic artists were few and far between, and those practicing had prices out of my reach; however, as technology rapidly changed the field of heraldry, a new crop of artists with competitive offerings have emerged making digital emblazonments affordable.  

And now in 2024, we have a fully digitized armorial flag, 
rendered by Lucas Hofmann, 2024.

Now that I've completed this project, it is my plan to share these digital files with the College community allowing anyone to fly our beloved arms.  If any reader would like the digital file for the 3ft x 5ft armorial flag of the arms of Hampden-Sydney, email me at chad(dot)m(dot)krouse(at)gmail(dot)com.  There are plenty of flag vendors nowadays that can quickly produce a custom flag.

Nearly 50 Years Strong

This is the story of how Hampden-Sydney College received its coat of arms as I know it.  I think it's a rather lovely story filled with interesting people, people who in many ways dedicated their lives to Hampden-Sydney College.  That is, partly, what makes the College so very special--her devotees.  During my four years on the Hill, I was formed into the man I am today.  I am thankful to have crossed paths with both Professor Brinkley and Dr. McClintock.  I learned many lessons there:  how to write, how to think critically, and how to embrace my values and employ them throughout my life.  While I certainly did not appreciate those lessons upon graduation, I now look back following 21-years since those student days with gratitude for having those formative experiences.  Thus, I proudly display these arms, for they are a constant reminder of those lessons and experiences never to be forgotten.

The arms of Mr. Kirby bound in appreciation.

Thank you Mr. Kirby and Professor Brinkley, we alumni owe our deepest gratitude to you both for giving us a treasured symbol for a place we love and cherish.  If not for Mr. Kirby's passion for heraldry combined with his love of Hampden-Sydney, we would simply not have our beloved coat of arms.  

Thank you Dr. McClintock, the scholar and artist who effectively turned these armorial bearings into that wildly popular symbol known by so many today.  We do, in fact, inhabit this great symbol.  

In 2026, Hampden-Sydney College, along with the United States, will mark a very special moment in its life, its Semiquincentennial celebration.  The College's coat of arms, now the identifiable symbol of Hampden-Sydney, will celebrate a very respectable 50th birthday.

Works Cited

Brinkley, J.L. (1994).  On this hill: A narrative history of Hampden-Sydney College 1774-1994.  Hampden-Sydney College.

Fox-Davies, A.C. (1978).  A complete guide to heraldry.  Bonaza Books.

Godson, S.H, Johnson, L.H., Sherman, R.B., Tate, T.W., & Walker, H.C. (1993).  The College of William & Mary: A history (vol. 1).  King and Queen Press. 

Hampden-Sydney College (1976).  College receives coat of arms.  The Record of the Hampden-Sydney Alumni Association, 53(4), 5-7.

La Rose, Pierre de C. (1918).  Some examples of corporate Catholic heraldry.  The Ecclesiastical Review, 55(February), 189-198.

Lewis, J.L., Jr. (1989).  Heraldry of the Kirkby and Kirby families.  The author.   

New York Times (2015). Paid notice: Deaths Kirby, James Lewis Jr, May 15. https://archive.nytimes.com/query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage-9C07E2DD113AF932A25756C0A9639D8B63.html 

Blog Overhaul and More

 

The arms of Chad Krouse, assumed in 2014, and rendered by Dimitri Prica, August 18, 2023.

I recently commissioned a digital heraldic artist through Discord's Heraldry Server to emblazon several shields so that I could update my blog's masthead.  Click here to read more about this community of heraldic enthusiasts.  As this blog has evolved since its earlier days of random thoughts to now focusing on heraldic research, I thought it was time to get a proper masthead to reflect where I am in life--we're still refining it.  The digital artist, Dimiri Prica, did an amazing job with these coats, a link to his portfolio can be found to the reader's left under "websites of interest."  Prica is a young digital heraldic artist in France.  I first commissioned Prica during the summer of 2020 to render the attributed arms I designed for the Black Lives Matter movement--my one and only viral moment in history.  Click here to read more about the attributed arms of the Black Lives Matter movement.  Following that design, Aemdal rendered both an ex libris and my heraldic badge.  I appreciate and enjoy the artist's style, which feels fresh and young.   

The attributed arms of the Black Lives Matter movement, designed by Chad Krouse on June 10, 2020 and rendered by Dimitri Prica.

The artist's style is unique, employing darker colors with various shading techniques to accent certain elements.  The rendering of my arms as seen above exemplifies the artist's careful eye.  Prica's style, in my opinion, gives a respectably modern feel.  While the blazon remains static for all coats of arms, the heraldic artist does enjoy certain freedoms, such as how to actually draw the charges, etc.  

My research muse Pierre de Chaignon La Rose (1872-1941) would likely have a strong opinion on the use of darker colors in heraldry.  La Rose was interviewed in 1933 regarding the newly adopted arms for the University of Pennsylvania, where he adds:   

"Gules in heraldry is bright red--heraldry knows nothing about crimson, cherry, etc. which is purely a livery detail.  In one's liveries (and athletic colours and academic hoods come under that head) one may establish any shade or tone of colour one chooses, but not so in heraldry...One may fixe a 'blazon' for all time...(in this case the principal symbols of the Penn and Franklin Arms)...but every subsequent painter, carver, or die-cutter is wholly at liberty to carry out the blazon in his own manner... 

In other words, the actual draughtsmanship of heraldry is a very flexible thing, and an heraldic composition is good or bad according the disposition and colouring of its charges, not their draughtsmanship" (The Pennsylvania Gazette, 1933, 2-4).  

As someone once said, there is no accounting for taste.  And who knows, perhaps la Rose would have embraced the digital age.    

Ex libris for Chad Krouse and rendered by Dimitri Prica, June 4, 2020.

I am absolutely giddy for now having full color digital emblazonments of all the arms of my two alma maters that bear arms--Sewanee: The University of the South and Hampden-Sydney College.  One day I plan to devise arms for my third.   

Previously, there were no digital renderings in the public domain for any of Sewanee's heraldry.  So to have these digital emblazonments today makes me happy, as they are lovely arms.  To that end, I've updated my post on the heraldry of Sewanee: The University of the South.  Click here to read more about the Heraldry of Sewanee.  That this previous post has been viewed more than 1,400 times since writing it in 2014 illustrates the interest in Sewanee's heraldry.    

Some unique design elements rendered by Aemdal for Sewanee's heraldry include the shading points within the university's pall cross.  I also love how the crossed fleam in the School of Theology's coat is rendered.  Finally, Prica simply did full justice to McCrady's "Sewanee Tressure," as I have seen versions where this gets butchered--the counter-changed crosses tend to be larger in size when compared to the other crosses within the tressure.    

I'm also adopting several "style standards" in order to be consistent with posts:

• I will continue using APA 7th Edition for all citations and references.  While I learned MLA during undergraduate studies followed by The Chicago Manual of Style with my master's work (still miss this style), I was sufficiently indoctrinated with APA for my doctoral research.  It's easier and faster

• Blazons will be in bold.  When Latin is used within a blazon, I will capitalize all letters and provide a translation in parenthesis

• The first time a person's name is mentioned, I will use bold to off-set it.  If the person is no longer alive, I will add their dates in parenthesis.

• Whenever I add a reference to a previous blog post, I will clearly define the link by writing, "Click here to read..." so as to avoid any confusion that the link is spam or sending the reader into the ether

• I will endeavor to cite anything that is not either my own work or work that is well-known to the general public.  As a scholar-researcher, it is critical to show where I find things.  This principle lends more credibility to any work

• I've gone through and revised all "tags" for my posts in order to give the reader an easier tool to search posts based on a given topic--Scholastic Heraldry, Ecclesiastical Heraldry, etc. 

I've also added my personal email address to my profile so that readers who wish to correspond may do so.  Sometimes, simply throwing my research out into the void feels rather lonely.  Thus, I strongly encourage readers to comment on anything!  Feedback is critical to growth, and I do appreciate feedback--good or bad.  

Works Cited

Anonymous. (1933).  The coat-of-arms and flag.  The Pennsylvania Gazette, vol 32(1), 2-4.

La Rose On The Primary Purpose of Heraldry

The arms of Trinity Washington University located in Washington, DC.
The seal and arms were designed by la Rose in 1935.
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2024. 

Earlier this week, I received some letters from the archives of Trinity Washington University in which Pierre de Chaignon la Rose (1872-1941) writes to the "Reverend Sister Superior" regarding his designs for new arms for the college.  Click here for some background information on la Rose.  According to the university's website, "founded in 1897 as Trinity College in Washington, D.C. by the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur, Trinity was the nation’s first Catholic liberal arts college for women."  Thus, we know that this Reverend Sister Superior hails from the Congregation of Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur.  

Image is from Trinity Washington University Archives, Record Group 15.3 Art and Music, folder la Rose, seal/coat of arms, 1935

The seal is classically la Rose.  The matrix contains gothic tracery, the simple and well-proportioned shield is set within a quatrefoil, the lettering is rendered in Lombardic, and the name of the corporation in Latin, Sigillum Collegii Trinitatis Washingtoniae.  I translate this to be "Seal of the College of Trinity Washington."  I remain in awe of la Rose's exacting hand, as all of this was rendered without computers--truly la Rose had the gift.  Click here to read my analysis of several of la Rose's seals.

My blazon for these arms is:  Gules, on a triangle inverted and void of the field an open book with three clasps all or inscribed SCIENTA ANCILLA FIDEI ("knowledge the handmaid of faith"), on a chief azure three stars argent.

One quick funny aside.  In my correspondence with another institutional archives, the archivist remarked that while they had several of la Rose's handwritten letters in their collection, those letters resembled "medieval manuscripts!"  Yes, la Rose's penmanship can be insufferable to transcribe.  

La Rose's handwritten letter to the Revered Sister Superior at Trinity Washington College, 10 February 1935.  From Trinity Washington University Archives, Record Group 15.3 Art and Music, folder la Rose, seal/coat of arms, 1935

Here is one quotation that stood out for me, and I probably spent 15 minutes trying to transcribe this from his handwriting:

“The sole purpose of heraldry it should be remembered, is to identify its owner, nothing more.  And good heraldry always endeavors to do this in the simplest forms possible—bearing out the old heraldic maxim: simplicitas formae antiquitatis nota” (La Rose letter to Reverend Sister Superior, February 10, 1935). 

The maxim that la Rose cites is taken from John Guillim's (c.1565-1621) landmark work, A Display of Heraldry, published in the early 17th Century.  I simply translate this to mean, keep your designs and forms within heraldry simple and straightforward.    

The unmistakable signature.

La Rose would follow this canon in every design that he produced during his long heraldic career.  Perhaps this is why so many of his coats are still in use today.

Works Cited

La Rose, Pierre de C. (1935 February 10).  Letter from Pierre de Chaignon la Rose to the Reverend Sister Superior of Trinity Washington College.  Unpublished letter.

The Heraldic Genius of Orville Watson and the Heraldry of Kenyon College

The arms of Kenyon College and Bexley Hall Seminary.
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2024.

I've long been fascinated with the arms of Kenyon College, a historic Episcopal Church-related institution located in Gambier, Ohio.  Initially, I was drawn to these arms during my earlier research on Pierre de Chaignon la Rose (1872-1941), suspecting that he may have designed these attractive arms.  For some background information on la Rose, please click here.  I was wrong.  The search for the designer of Kenyon's arms, however, led me down a rather deep and interesting rabbit hole, ultimately to discover the heraldic genius of The Rev. Canon Orville E. Watson (1857-1951).  

 The Rev. Canon Orville Ernest Watson (1857-1951)
at his desk in Kenyon College, Gambier, Ohio. 
Photograph from Lockert (1955). 

I am especially indebted to Mr. Alex J. Gilkey, a 2021 graduate of Kenyon College, for his assistance in correcting several data points and pointing me towards a new reference regarding Bexley Hall's arms.  

While it is true that American heraldry has a twisted reputation within the wider world of heraldry--we have no central granting authority, anyone can essentially do whatever they want with their personal arms, etc.  There stands one unique aspect of American scholastic heraldry that is truly a gift to the world of heraldry, something that we students of American heraldry should be rather proud to claim.  What, then, is that special gift?  The gift to the world of heraldry is what I call (in this instance) the "unifying chief."  As sometimes might be the case, this design method for showing unification in scholastic heraldry would be created out of simple necessity.     

The arms of Kenyon College as used by the college today.  This modern emblazonment eliminated the engrailed chevron and diluted both the crozier in chief as well as the crosses flory.  Image is from Kenyon College's website.

Corporate Unification

Based on my data, I can safely assert that through the arms of both Kenyon College and its subordinate theological seminary Bexley Hall, we have the first instance in US scholastic heraldry of showing clear ownership and surrogacy through a "unifying chief."  This distinctly American methodology for showing corporate allegiance to another institution by means of a unique charge, or in some cases, a unique chief, is simply the heraldic genius of Canon Watson employed in 1907-1908.  For further context on our English academic ancestors, I recommend Brooke-Little (1951) and Scott-Giles (1952) for background on the heraldic developments at Oxford and Cambridge.  I also commend Lumbley's (2021) article which updates Booke-Little's (1951).  Click on the embedded hyperlinks to read these three articles.

The arms of Calhoun College at Yale (now retired by the university)
designed by la Rose in 1931.
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2024

La Rose would, of course, create the "Chief of Yale" in the arms of Calhoun College in 1931 (Lohmann, 1948).  Theodore Sizer (1892-1967), named Yale's first Pursiviant of Arms in 1963, would later follow suit with his devisal of arms for Yale College (Sizer, 1963, notes).  The arms of Calhoun College show the first instance of la Rose employing unification with a chief in a scholastic coat.  

However, if showing unification was a design method created by la Rose (as I originally believed), then why not use the "Chief of Yale" for the arms he devised for Pierson College (Sizer, 1963)?  La Rose did not employ the chief for Pierson because la Rose created attributed arms for Abraham Pierson (1646-1707) and followed the English custom--the arms simply did not require differencing.  

The arms of Harvard Law School in use between 1936-2016.  La Rose used the undifferenced arms that Isaac Royall, Jr. purportedly used as the basis for his design, thus needing the "Chief of Harvard" as a way to difference the design.  The 1936-2016 arms of Harvard Law School are blazoned:  Azure three garbs or two and one, a chief of Harvard University.  Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2024.

La Rose would continue to employ an institutional chief design in his best known work with Harvard's schools.  Perhaps the most well know application of this distinctive method of showing unification comes by way of la Rose's work for the schools of Harvard in preparation for the Tercentenary celebrations in 1936.  I recommend Janet Halley's (2022) excellent article on the rise and fall of Isaac Royall, Jr.'s (1719-1781) arms that were incorporated by la Rose into the arms of Harvard Law School.  Moreover, la Rose created the "Chief of Harvard," as I call it, based on necessity and a clear mandate from Harvard's Office of The Governing Boards of Harvard University to restrict the use of Harvard's shield as a decoration, because the shield was in fact the legal corporate mark of the university (Halley, 2022).   

The arms of Stanford University designed by Dr. Hutchinson.
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2024.

Stanford Chemistry Professor, Dr. Eric Hutchinson (1920-2005) would create the "red frond" for Stanford University's heraldry in 1967 to serve as the unifying charge for all of the arms of the schools (Doty, 1996).  Click here to view Doty's (1996) article on the heraldry of Stanford.  

Finally, Sewanee French Professor, Dr. James Waring McCrady (b. 1938) would create the "Sewanee Tressure" in 1981 as a unifying symbol for the arms of The University of the South and its schools (McCrady, 2009; McCrady, 1983).  Click here to view my post on Sewanee's heraldry.  Knowingly, or unknowingly, all these great designers would follow in the footsteps of Canon Watson.  

Allow me to defend my thesis.  

A quick review of data for US schools, colleges, and universities bearing arms and ordered chronologically based on the institutional adoption (or creation) date for their arms, we find:*

1. Harvard University adopted in 1643
2. College of William & Mary granted in 1694
3. Yale University adopted in 1740
4. Brown University adopted in 1833
5. Princeton University adopted in 1896
6. Washington University in St. Louis adopted in 1897
7. Washington & Lee University adopted in 1901
8. Groton School adopted in 1904
9. Bryn Mawr College adopted in 1904
10. Kenyon College and Bexley Hall Seminary designed in 1907-1908, adopted in 1937

*As always, if there is an error in my data, kindly let me know and I will promptly update this post.

Let's return to Gambier, Ohio where the story picks up.

Cover of The Reveille (1909), the yearbook illustrating the new coat of arms of Kenyon College.  Note the ornate crozier in chief.  Source:  Kenyon College Archives.

Kenyon College

Founded in 1824 and located in Gambier, Ohio, Kenyon College was the dream of The Rt. Rev. Philander Chase (1775-1852), the first Episcopal bishop of the Diocese of Ohio.  The college had an attached seminary, Bexley Hall, which was the name of the actual building in addition to the seminary itself.  Like many young Episcopal institutions in the US at that time, Bishop Chase sailed to England in search of funding his academical dream only to befriend the Lords Kenyon and Gambier (Smythe, 1924).

Orville Watson, an Episcopal priest and later a canon of Trinity Episcopal Cathedral in Cleveland, Ohio, graduated Phi Betta Kappa from Ohio Wesleyan University in 1882.  Following his time at Ohio Wesleyan, Watson went on to attend seminary at Bexley Hall and graduated in 1892 (Revielle, 1909).  Interestingly enough, Watson spent his first year of theological studies at The General Theological Seminary in New York City before transferring to Bexley Hall (Spielmann, 1974).  

By 1904, Watson received an appointment at Bexley Hall to become the professor of New Testament, teaching there until he was 90 years old (Spielmann, 1974).  He was a beloved teacher and embraced by the college community, so much so that in 1955, a new residence hall would be named Canon Orville E. Watson Memorial Hall (Greenslade, 1975, 134).  The University of Michigan and Kenyon College house his archives of letters and postcards.  Watson was somewhat of amateur doodler, and Michigan's archives has several examples of his drawings and sketches.   

The coat of arms of Kenyon College.
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2024.

According to Kenyon College Archives, Watson designed the arms for both the college and seminary in approximately 1908 (A. Hafeez, personal communication, August 14, 2023).  The first published instance of the Kenyon College arms appeared in the 1909 yearbook which was in fact published in 1908 (L. Shahan, personal communication, September 22, 2014).  Given the time lag between design work and engraving, etc., it is possible that Watson designed both arms as early as 1907.  While the arms were in general use on campus, Kenyon's board of trustees did not officially adopt the arms until 1937 (Greenslade, 1975, 55).    

Watson created the unifying chief a full 23 years before la Rose would employ the same technique for the arms of Calhoun College at Yale.  However, it must be noted that both Watson and la Rose used the undifferenced arms of both Lord Kenyon and Calhoun as the basis of their designs.  No respected herald would move forward with these two designs without suitably differencing them in order to avoid infringement.  

Finally, we know the underlying reason why the unifying chief was created, it was created out of necessity for differcing arms when an otherwise undifferenced coat forms the basis of the design.  To be fair to la Rose, he may have arrived at the same conclusion as Watson all on his own. 

The arms of the Lord Kenyon blazoned: Sable, between a chevron engrailed Or as many crosses flory argent.  Watson used the undifferenced arms of Kenyon as the basis of his design for the college.  Image source Wikipedia.     

There is, however, one important data point to consider.  In 1917, The American College Catalog would publish a full-color rendering of the arms of Kenyon College, its blazon, and the design rationale:

"The Arms of Kenyon College.  Sable, a chevron engrailed or, between three crosses flory argent, on a chief purpure a pastoral crook of the second, thereon an open book proper bearing the motto 'Magnanimiter crucem sustine."

The arms of Kenyon College are derived from the arms of Lord Kenyon from whom the college takes its name.  The field with its chevron and crosses and the motto in chief come from the Lord Kenyon's arms.  The chief contains local symbols, suggesting the origin and aim of the college.  The bishop's staff commemorates the founder, Bishop Chase.  The book is a conventional collegiate charge and the motto across its open pages approximately expresses the spirit and purpose with which the college was founded" (Ward, 1917, 242).   

Through this national publication, I believe, it is likely that la Rose would have been alerted to these arms and possibly see how Watson differenced an established coat of arms through a chief.  Again, I cannot speak for the dead, and I know only what the data suggests.  Yet, we know la Rose was deeply interested in these matters.  

Another version of the arms of Kenyon College in vector format.
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2024.

In a letter dated July 23, 1930 from la Rose to the President of the University of Notre Dame in South Bend, Indiana, la Rose writes, "only a week ago I was looking over the catalogues of eight Jesuit Colleges.  Each had on its cover what purported to be the arms of St. Ignatius Loyola: all eight were different" (La Rose, 1930).  La Rose would later design the arms for the University of Notre Dame in 1930.  

The arms appearing for the first time on Kenyon College's academic catalogue for the 1916-1917 academic year.  It appears that by 1917, the arms were in popular use.  The lag time of nearly eight years feels appropriate within higher education, where nothing moves quickly.  Source:  Kenyon College Archives.

It is clear that Watson followed the English custom of incorporating elements from either a founder or namesake into new corporate arms.  Everything below the chief in Kenyon College's arms is taken directly from Lord Kenyon's arms, and only differenced by means of the unifying chief.  Furthermore, Watson adhered to one of John Guillim's (c.1565-1621) maxims for heraldry, simplicitas formae antiquitatis nota.  In other words, keep the designs for arms simple and clear.

One final point on Kenyon's arms.  Bishop Chase did, apparently, use the "Chase" arms which prominently features the cross flory, or at least his granddaughter thought the arms made the title page look more attractive, see below.

     Title page from Smith (1903) illustrating the "Chase" arms.    

With a sufficient description for the design rationale of Kenyon's arms, let's turn to those of Bexley Hall.  This coat is where we encounter Watson's unifying chief.  For these arms, Watson pulled together elements from the Lord Bexley's arms to create something meaningful for the young institution.  

Bexley Hall Seminary

The coat of arms of Bexley Hall Seminary designed by Canon Watson.
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2024.

Both the seminary building and the school itself was named for the Lord Bexley by The Rt. Rev. Charles P. McIlvane (1799-1873), the second Episcopal Bishop of Ohio, because, "Lord Bexley has been an hospitable and munificent benefactor, first for Chase and especially for McIlvane" (Spielmann, 1974, 21).  

The first published illustration of the arms of Bexley Hall Seminary, appearing in The Reveille (1925), page 13.  This emblazonment is very likely Watson's original design for the seminary's arms.  Source:  Kenyon College Archives.

Because Bexley Hall's arms are extremely difficult to find, save the odd tippet seal of the arms sewn onto black preaching scarves of the Episcopal clergy who graduated from there, I believe these arms were not widely known when compared to those of the college.  For it is only in the arms of Bexley Hall that we see the heraldic genius of Watson.  Case in point:  while Bexley Hall's arms appear on the cover of Spielmann's (1974) history of the seminary, there is no mention of the seminary's arms within.  Moreover, it is clear that the arms of Bexley Hall Seminary evolved over time.

Based on the 1925 emblazonment above, the blazon for Watson's initial design: Ermine, an eagle displayed argent, on a chief gules a crozier Or in fess behind an open book proper with two clasps inscribed "Magnanimiter crucem sustine."  

As a reference, the Lord Bexley's arms are blazoned: Ermine, an eagle displayed sable, on a chief gules a ducal coronet or between two crosses patée argent.  Note that in the blazon "ermine," which is emblazoned as a white field with black ermine spots.

Armorial flag or banner of arms of Bexley Hall Seminary designed by Watson.
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2024.

In the 1925 emblazonment above, we see Watson using the same methodology for the undergraduate college's arms, albeit with a twist.  For the seminary's coat, Watson undoubtedly turned to the Lord Bexley's arms for the "emine" (white field with black spots) and displayed eagle in base, along with using gules (red) for the "Chief of Kenyon College."  Here's the twist:  while Watson used the undifferenced coat of the Lord Kenyon for the college, he made one differencing element with the seminary's arms--changing the displayed eagle from black to be rendered in silver/white.  Why?  We simply do not have enough data.  

To difference the seminary's arms by switching the coloring of the displayed eagle from black to silver/white is loosely suitable enough in the tradition of heraldry to difference the arms of the seminary from those of Lord Bexley.  The addition of the "Chief of Kenyon College," was therefore a necessity to render the seminary's arms in accordance with the canons of heraldry.  Employing the color gules (red) is also a nice play on the faculty color for divinity (scarlet) which lines the trim of the academic hood for US colleges and universities. Nonetheless, the unifying, "Chief of Kenyon College," remains.

By the time these arms were officially adopted in 1937, I wonder if Watson was pressured to change the seminary's arms--replacing the displayed eagle with the celtic cross, and change the ermine to ermines--for a more straightforward reference to the school's theological mission.  At best, it's an educated guess. 

The arms of Bexley Hall Seminary as presently known today.  Image is from the Kenyon College Archives.

A description of Bexley Hall's arms as found on the program for "An Order for Installation of the Eleventh Dean of Bexley Hall" on September 13, 1984.  Program leaflet from Kenyon College Archives.  

The arms clearly evolved over time and the base was completely changed--the displayed eagle along with the emine (white with black spots) were removed.  The version of Bexley Hall's arms as we know them today are blazoned:  Emines, a celtic cross argent, on a chief gules a crozier Or in fess behind an open book proper with two clasps inscribed "Magnanimiter crucem sustine" (DeKay, 1993).   

Another version of the arms of Bexley Hall Seminary in vector format.
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2024.

The celtic cross in base, which replaced the displayed eagle, is most likely a clear reference to the large marble celtic cross given by the Class of 1902 to honor the place where Bishop Chase held the first worship service in Gambier in 1826 (Spielmann, 1974).  A photo of the cross is below.    

According to Smythe (1924), the senior class of seminarians from Bexley Hall erected the celtic prayer cross to commemorate the spot at Kenyon where Bishop Chase held his first liturgy (page 259).

The other change made to Bexley Hall's arms was to invert the emine to ermines, or black with white spots.  This change highlights the celtic cross in base, giving a clearer reference to the seminary's mission and focus on priestly formation.  

From Kenyon College Archives.

Bexley Hall separated from Kenyon College and moved to Rochester, New York during the summer of 1968 to join forces with The Colgate Rochester Divinity School (Spielmann, 1974).  

I began writing this post during the pandemic, and frankly, it was killing me to not share the story of Watson's heraldic work at Kenyon.  I am so thankful that I went down this rabbit-hole to learn about Watson and how he created a "unifying chief," out of necessity.   We students of US heraldry need to share Watson's work more widely, showing unification through unique heraldic charges, tinctures/metals, and/or through a institutional chief was truly a gift to world of heraldry.  

I want to close this post with a quotation from one of Watson's sermons, entitled, "The Holiness of Beauty:"

"Therefore, since it is in the nature of man to respond to some appeal of beauty as naturally he breaths, it is the supreme effort of any life which endeavors nobly at all, to get some satisfying order and comeliness and grace into its material environment" (Lockert, 1955, 99).

Thank you Canon Watson for the gift of beauty and order in heraldry.  Rest well, good and faithful servant.  

Epilogue

The official flag of Kenyon College.  Source: Kenyon Collegian.

I remain fascinated by flying heraldry, and in recent years, the arms of the college have become the source of discussion concerning a new flag.  According to an article in the Kenyon Collegian, the student newspaper of Kenyon College, a new design was drawn and proposed in 2019 by Alex J. Gilkey, then a current student.  Click here to read the article from the Kenyon Collegian. 

Here, Gilkey used his knowledge and love of vexillology to create a unique design and shared this with me recently:

"I’ve been interested in the design of the arms since I was accepted to Kenyon and have been making headway with my flag redesign efforts since my sophomore year.  In high school, I joined the North American Vexillological Association (NAVA), an organization dedicated to flag studies, which fueled my love of the topic and ultimately the inspiration for my project. Over the years, I’ve spoken with teachers, administrators, and my fellow students about the importance of our communal pride through flag design. I believe this is especially the case for Kenyon, where community is a profoundly important aspect of college life. 

"I was inspired to undertake my project because I believe flags are a natural way of bringing people together. I think Kenyon is uniquely positioned for this because of the degree it considers the design and placing a strong emphasis on maintaining traditions" (A. Gilkey, personal communication, September 5, 2023).  

Mistakenly, I thought the intention was to render the college's arms as an armorial banner.  I readily admit to misunderstanding Gilkey's intentions for the flag design.  In fact, I would go so far to say that Gilkey's design is a clever play on Kenyon College's arms.  In other words, he created a symbol based on abstraction (the college's arms) as way to bring together the college community.    

The new flag design by Alex J. Gilkey, Kenyon College graduate of the Class of 2021.

Moreover, I believe that both Gilkey's flag as well as an armorial banner can work together in harmony--this is the beauty of how heraldry as a decoration can inspire dignity while giving students and alumni a treasured symbol (or symbols) to hold near and dear.  Thank you Alex for sharing this with me.  Bravo!  

The arms of Kenyon College, however, have clearly changed over the years, dropping the engrailed chevron, and muddling both the crosses flory and the crozier (the crozier looks more like a strange key as compared to the rather ornate crozier used on the cover of the 1909 Reveille).  These changes are likely the result of branding exercises aimed at modernizing the College's brand.  Marketing firms in the US that specialize in college admissions work closely with those offices in order to appeal to the widest audience of prospective students and families within a given market.  Why?  Simply because tuition remains the largest source of revenue for most US colleges and universities, especially private ones.  Therefore, admissions materials, the institutional "look and feel" has to match the market to attract "buyers." 

I would not expect any creative designer working within those firms to know or understand the arcane language of heraldry and blazonry.  Yet, these modern changes found within Kenyon College's arms underscore the importance of following its heraldic blazon in order to keep the image of those treasured arms consistent throughout the institution's history.  Blazons are the Anglo-Norman descriptors, weirdly a language of its own, guiding artists with the armorial design composition, tinctures (colors) and metals, and its arrangement.    

Heraldry was never intended to serve as a brand, as the business literature defines such a term.  When heraldry is done right, such as Watson's designs for Kenyon College and Bexley Hall, the shield becomes a true and lasting expression of that brand, illustrating through abstraction institutional identity, values, and ultimately, its mission.

When the image of an established coat of arms changes, in other words, there is a risk in diminishing the human experiences of those alumni who heaped their memories onto that shield.  While this phenomenon is not unique to heraldry, for it was never intended to bear such weight, an institution's shield serves as a symbol of pride for generations of alumni--alumni who are also most likely donors to the institution.     

The armorial flag or banner of arms for Kenyon College.
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2024.

By dropping the engrailed chevron and muddling the crosses flory, the arms no longer reflect the clear allusion to the Lord Kenyon (and even Chase)--a critical component of the arms Watson so cleverly designed.  In my line drawing seen above, I've arranged the arms of Kenyon College based on the blazon as published in Ward (1917).  Along with Mr. Gilkey's new flag, these two flying symbols would simply look stunning at any academic ceremony.   

To my friends at Kenyon College, I say courageously bear these beautiful arms designed by Watson, but let the blazon guide you.  

Works Cited

Brooke-Little, J.P. (1951).  Oxford University and its colleges. The Coat of Arms, 5-7(January-July).

DeKay, Eckford. (1993).  Heraldry in the Episcopal Church.  Acorn Press.

Doty, A. (1996).  Hutchinson's heraldry:  Bringing color to commencement.  Sandstone & Tile, vol. 20(2-3), pages 2-9.

Greenslade, Thomas B. (1975).  Kenyon College: Its third half century.  KNA Press.  

Halley, Janet (2022).  When brands go bad: The rise and fall, and re-rise and re-fall, of Isaac Royall, Jr. In M. Biagiola & M. Sunder (Eds.), Academic brands: Distinction in global education.  Cambridge University Press, pp. 160-219.

La Rose, Pierre de C. (1930 July 23).  Letter from Pierre de Chaignon la Rose to the Very Reverend President of the University of Notre Dame.  Unpublished letter.  Archives of Notre Dame, UPCO 5/88.

Lockert, Lacy (ed.). (1955).  Selected sermons of Canon Orville E. Watson.  Parthenon Press.  

Lohmann, Carl A. (1948).  The arms of Yale University and its colleges at New Haven.  Yale University Press.

Lumbley, L. (2021).  Oxford College arms.  The Coat of Arms, 4 (no. 238), 57–74.

McCrady, J.W. (2009).  Evolution of the university’s arms. In G.L. Smith & S.R. Williamson (Eds.),  Sewanee Perspectives: On the history of the University of the South.  The University of the South.

McCrady, J. W. (1983).  After 125 years completing the university's heraldry. Sewanee News, vol 49(1), March.  

Reveille (1909).  The Kenyon Reveille. Vol 97.  Kenyon College.

Scott-Giles, C.W. (1952).  Cambridge University and its colleges.  The Coat of Arms, 11-12(July-October). 

Sizer, Theodore (1963).  The arms of Yale University and its colleges at New Haven.  Yale University Press.  Revised edition.

Smith, Laura C. (1903).  The life of Philander Chase.  E.P. Dutton & Company.

Smythe, G.F. (1924).  Kenyon College: It's first century.  Yale University Press.  

Spielmann, Richard M. (1974).  Bexley Hall: 150 years a brief history.  Colgate Rochester Divinity School.

Ward, Henry P. (1917).  The American college catalog: A book of information, with suggestions for the improvement of catalogs and other publications of colleges and schools.  Champlin Press.