Endangered No More: The Arms of St. Edward's Seminary

St. Edward's Seminary in Kenmore, WA.
Photo:  Wikipedia.

When my research on Pierre de Chaignon la Rose (1872-1941) commenced in 2014, an internet search uncovered a blog post on the arms of St. Edward's Seminary located in Kenmore, WA.  I was so intrigued that I wrote my own blog post.  To read an early article on the arms of St. Edward's Seminary, please click this link.  The brief article by the Friends of St. Edward State Park detailed important information regarding the coat of arms la Rose designed for the seminary in 1931, along with his line drawing of the arms.

Jointly operated in 1930 by the Archdiocese of Seattle (then it was a diocese) and the Society of the Priests of St. Sulpice, the seminary trained clergy until its doors closed in 1976.  The property is now a state park and the physical building is now something of a resort destination.  The Lodge occupies the former seminary offering luxury amenities.  If only those walls could talk...

Line drawing of the new arms for St. Edward's Seminary by la Rose in 1931.  I've spent time cleaning up the image as the original was quite bad.

During the passage of time, the Friends blog has since been replaced and the article lost.  I am so thankful that I captured the data when I did.  The blog article from August 31, 2013 shares a letter from la Rose detailing his rationale for the seminary's new design along with a line drawing of the arms as seen above.  Usually, la Rose sends these letters directly to corporate sole, and in this case it would have been Bishop Edward John O'Dea (1856-1932): 

"Saint Edward himself has a very beautiful coat ascribed him by the medieval heralds-apocryphal, of course, as he lived before the rise of personal heraldry, but still, an actual emblem which he used on his coinage: a cross with five martlets.  This in conjunction with the Sulpician emblem, I shall make the basis of a carefully studied design.

"The arms ascribed to Saint Edward by the early heralds consist of a gold cross and five gold 'martlets' on a blue field.  The shapes and arrangement are the same as in my own drawing.  We may not use this coat unaltered, for to do so would imply, heraldically, that St. Edward was the Founder of the Seminary, instead of being simply its Patron.  I have therefore changed the coloring from blue and gold to red and silver - the colors of the diocesan arms. As for St. Edward's cross and martlets, they appear, as I think I told you, on his coins.  The significance of the birds I do not know, nor does anyone else.  In heraldry they are always shown as having no feet visible. 

"On the Sulpician 'inescutcheon' you will note the crescent (of the Immaculate Conception) which distinguishes the American house of the society from the French" (La Rose letter to Bishop Edward O'Dea, February 13, 1931).

And that's all the information we have regarding these arms.  There's no blazon, much less any colored emblazonments to be found--I know.  The archives of the Archdiocese of Seattle and the Associated Sulpicians of the United States Archives have the letter and line drawing but nothing else.  

La Rose never referred to himself as a herald per se, but he did identify as an architect and even an archeologist.  It does seem a bit strange given his educational background in English, regardless his designs were informed by human history, the past.  To dig up the past in order to create present-day identification--the sole purpose of heraldry--was la Rose's calling in a sense and his letters to clients reflect the seriousness he approached this task.  

Comparing the seminary's arms with those attributed to St. Edward the Confessor.
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2024.

In every design, la Rose meticulously researched the corporate body, or the individual's familial background, taking into consideration all known data to render clear and perspicuous coats of arms.  St. Edward's Seminary is no exception to his keen sense of creatively bringing the past into the present through the abstract language of heraldry.   

The coat of arms of St. Edward's Seminary designed by la Rose.
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2024.

As a heraldic researcher, I see my task as preserving la Rose's legacy through sharing and education.  I was deeply concerned that his design of arms for St. Edward's Seminary was endangered of being erased, and I wanted to ensure that would not happen.  Thus I've taken liberties to digitally render these arms myself, however elementary the emblazonments may appear, to ensure posterity of the design. 

The armorial flag or banner of arms for the Archdiocese of Seattle.  La Rose designed the arms in 1919 and the colors of red (Gules) and silver/white (Argent) form the color scheme for the seminary's coat. Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2024.

The armorial flag or banner of arms of St. Edward's Seminary.
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2024.

As far as I know, this may well be the first time these arms have ever been seen both digitally and in color.  The blazon I give for la Rose's design is:  Gules, on a cross floury Argent an escutcheon Azure charged with the Badge of the Society of Saint Sulpice in the United States between five martlets all Argent.  This blazon makes the most logical sense given la Rose's description in the letter even though we do not know the tincture for the Sulpician shield, blue seems appropriate.

Because I love armorial flags, I've laid out la Rose's design in this format.  I rather prefer the flag to the shield, as the martlets present so many challenges within the confines of the shield's shape for balance and symmetry.

I know of several additional designs by la Rose that equally face eradication.  As so many of those institutions bearing arms by la Rose closed towards the end of the 20th century, their muniments have been scattered or simply disappeared altogether.  I know of one such case for a college where literally everything has vanished!  So, I have my work cut out; I love the thrill of hunting down his designs as I know there must be hundreds buried and in need of some digging.  

It's my sincere hope that the arms of St. Edward's Seminary can now be shared and la Rose's design appreciated more widely.  It's a lovely design with clear identification and meaning created by the master.

Some Recent Ecclesiastical Flags

In honor of the today being the Feast of the Resurrection, I'm sharing a few emblazonments that I recently completed from Pierre de Chaignon la Rose's (1872-1941) portfolio.  I was working on a study of armorial flags, or banners of arms.  I find that I learn best when actively practicing something--getting one's hands dirty, so to speak.

While I am no means a digital heraldic artist, it is rewarding to see these flags come to life.  I dare say many of these arms la Rose designed never became armorial flags, and I relish the challenge to create something new from something old.  Rendering the arms of the Archdiocese of Seattle was rather interesting and I learned a few new tricks.  Enjoy!

The Episcopal Church.
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2024.

Diocese of Richmond (Virginia).
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2024.

Archdiocese of Cincinnati (OH).
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2024.

Archdiocese of Philadelphia.
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2024.

Archdiocese of Seattle.
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2024.

St. Mary's Abbey (Benedictine), Morristown, NJ.
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2024.

St. Vincent's Archabbey (Benedictine), Latrobe, PA.
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2024.

Diocese of Springfield (IL).
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2024.

Diocese of Portland (OR).
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2024.

Diocese of Lincoln (NE).
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2024.

Archdiocese of Omaha (NE).
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2024.

Diocese of Lead (now Rapid City).
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2024.

Bookplates and Flags: la Rose's Harvard

Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2024.

Given all my research regarding the heraldic work of Pierre de Chaignon la Rose (1872-1941), I knew at some point I would need to examine and understand the heraldry of Harvard and la Rose's involvement.  One can hardly mention la Rose's name and not dive into his work for the university's tercentenary celebration.  For this article, however, I will focus on some of the origins of Harvard's arms while highlighting a few artifacts from la Rose's work with the university.     

Blue for Harvard?

Like most folks, I simply had no idea that Harvard's livery colors came so late in university's history.  Allow me to share my findings.

On December 27, 1643, the Overseers of Harvard College formally adopted a seal with a coat of arms for the young college in Cambridge, Massachusetts.  The arms within the seal would bear three open books inscribed with the motto, veritas.  The tinctures, or colors for the arms, were never codified.  Why?  Likely because the seal would have been engraved, and I can only image how expensive a colored painting of the seal and arms would have been at the time.    

According to Hammond (1981), the first instance when red was used in the arms occurred in 1753 for a diploma case bearing Benjamin Franklin's honorary degree.  Somehow, then, red disappeared.  When the university celebrated its bicentennial in 1836, a flag with a blue field along with those open and inscribed books appeared on the scene (Hammond, 1981, 262).  Blue?  

Rendering of Harvard's Bicentennial Flag of 1836,
by Chad Krouse, 2024.

Fast forward 22 years.

An auspicious event occurred on the riverbanks of the Charles River in 1858 requiring clear identification for Harvard's crew team.  Red handkerchiefs were purchased for the team to tie around their heads in order to help spectators spot their boys on the water (Hammond, 1981, 262).  The handkerchiefs clearly worked.  

On June 8, 1858, the Harvard Corporation codified the blazon for the university's arms and the field was officially red (Hammond, 1981, 262).  Thus, the primary purpose of heraldry won the day, clear identification of the bearer remains paramount.  The blazon for the arms of Harvard University:  Gules, three open books edged with two clasps Or thereon inscribed Veritas.  

Red is Red

When the Corporation of the University of Pennsylvania officially adopted arms on June 20, 1932--to become effective on July 1, 1933--la Rose was consulted and provided a few observations for the committee responsible for the final design.

"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 a colour one chooses, but not so in heraldry...One may fixe a 'blazon' for all time...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 to the disposition and colouring of its charges, not their draughtsmanship" (The Pennsylvania Gazette, 1933, 2-4). 

It's likely the crimson reference was aimed at Harvard which insists on using crimson within its coat of arms.  

The graphic above illustrates two variations of the arms using bright red (Gules) and a darker shade for crimson.  La Rose's observation regarding how the color red differs in one's coat of arms from athletic colors is a critical point often missed by academic institutions insisting on color conformity.  

Bookplate Designs

La Rose was famous within Harvard Yard for his "decorations" and design capabilities.  In fact, his earliest know heraldic work can be found among Harvard's social clubs.  

The bookplate of the Digamma Club, nicknamed the Fox Club, designed by la Rose.  Image is from Ward (1915) page 122.

La Rose was something of keen designer of heraldic bookplates.  In 1902, la Rose designed the bookplate for the Digamma Club, nicknamed the Fox Club.  Based on the hatching in the above image, the arms la Rose designed for the club are blazoned:  Vert, a fox rampant Or holding in dexter paw the letter F Or.  These arms are truly fascinating and the only instance that I can think of where an actual letter is used as a heraldic charge.  

The Fox Club's bookplate is but one example of la Rose's early work for many of the social clubs at  Harvard. 

Ex Libris of Harvard College Library, designed by la Rose in 1913.  Image courtesy of the Special Collections Department, University of Delaware Library.

La Rose designed several bookplates for Harvard's library, using various shield shapes and arrangements in his work.  The above image is one example of la Rose's work for the library executed in 1913.  Harold Wilmerding Bell (1885-1947) and la Rose were close friends, and I could image this bookplate was somewhat special for la Rose to design.   I am particularly drawn to la Rose's arrangement of Harvard's arms and how he placed Bell's arms above in the cartouche.  

Based on the hatching seen in this bookplate, the arms of Harold Wilmerding Bell are blazoned:  Sable, three bells two and one Argent and three mullets of six points one and two Or.  Bell's bookplate is but one example of a number of designs la Rose created for Harvard's library. 

An Official University Flag

By 1918 we see something new and unusual from la Rose in relation to any of his heraldic work for Harvard--an armorial flag.  What is an armorial flag?  Armorial flags are heraldic ensigns appropriated for outdoor use and typically used by corporate bodies.  Sometimes called "banner of arms," the design from within the shield is merely laid out in a rectangular form with a ration of 2:3.  However, the flag of the corporate sole--and its foundations--are rendered longer in length to show its importance in relation to any other flags.  Thus, I prefer the term armorial flag to describe this method of flying heraldry--it is by far my favorite.

Image from Harvard Alumni Bulletin (1918, March, 17) page 428.  Click image to enlarge.

The Harvard Alumni Bulletin published on March 7, 1918 la Rose’s design for a new flag which the Harvard Corporation adopted.  Based on my research to date, Harvard's design for a banner of arms is la Rose's first known work in this area of heraldry. I am quite positive more examples exist, buried deep within institutional archives.  However, la Rose's flag design in 1918 marks a beginning (as we know now) of a new offering to his clients and numerous academic institutions would purchase his designs for armorial flags.

Emblazonments showing the layout of an
armorial flag for Harvard.  Rendered by the author.

The graphic above illustrates the process of designing an armorial flag or banner of arms.  It's quite simple, especially in the case of Harvard, for translating the design.  I will note that when arms include chiefs, chevrons, or more complex designs, rendering the ratio and scale can present some challenges.  At the beginning of this article, I included my take on the armorial flag of Harvard using their "crimson" hex colors.  Harvard's arms are simple and beautiful, my favorite design from the Ivies.

Harvard University.
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2024.

Below are several armorial flags related to Harvard that I rendered recently--all designed by la Rose.  

Harvard Law School.  These arms have been retired as the school adopted a new design.
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2024.

Harvard College.
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2024.

Harvard Divinity School.
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2024.

Kirkland House, Harvard.  These arms have been retired as the house adopted a new design,
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2024.

Harvard Graduate School.
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2024.

Adams House, Harvard.
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2024. 

Lowell House, Harvard.
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2024.

For now, we'll pause here regarding la Rose and Harvard--there's still much more to unpack and analyze.

Works Cited

Hammond, M. (1981, July). A Harvard armory: Part 1. Harvard Library Bulletin, 29(3), pp. 261-297.

Harvard Alumni Bulletin. (1918, March, 17).  Drawing of the new Harvard banner.  Harvard Alumni Bulletin, 20(23), 428.

Ward, H.P. (1915).  Some American college bookplates.  Champlin Printing.

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

Arms of Brookline Public Library in Brookline, MA
designed by Pierre de Chaignon la Rose.
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2024.

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.    

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

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.

Banner of arms, Brookline Public Library.
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2024.

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.  

Coat of arms for the Parish of St. Mary Assumption Roman Catholic Church.
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2024.

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.