From Ashes to Ashes: Mistaken Identity and the Arms of the University of Chicago

 

The final version, or "restudy" of the arms for the University of Chicago designed by Sir Henry Farnham Burke (1859-1930) of the College of Arms between 1910-1912.  Image is courtesy of the Hanna Holborn Gray Special Collections, The Library of the University of Chicago, September 2023.

For years, history has inaccurately attributed the design of the coat of arms for the University of Chicago to Pierre de Chaignon la Rose (1872-1941).  Most readily accept the abundance of references available as to the designer through the internet, even I will admit to falling victim to this ruse until recently.  As I continue to mine through my data on la Rose's heraldic work, I have been digging deeper into the multitude of archives across the country in order to see correspondence and original images for accurate references.  This additional step, I assure the reader, has proven vital. 

The First Clue

Several weeks ago, I came across an old reference in my files from Robertson (1916), in which the author notes:

"In the first form of the coat-of-arms the book was placed upon the breast of the phoenix. It is so carved in many places in Harper Memorial Library. Further study of the design resulted in the decision to separate the book and the phoenix. 

"The coat-of-arms of the University of Chicago is, therefore : argent, a phoenix displayed gules, langued azure, in flame proper. On a chief gules, a book expanded proper, edged and bound or.  On dexter page of book the words, Crescat Scientia, inscribed, 3 lines in pesse sable. On sinister page the words, Vita Excolatur, inscribed, 3 lines in pesse sable" (124).

Immediately, alarm bells went off.  How on earth did I miss this reference to another version of the arms years ago?  I'm reminded of the proverb used by US President Ronald W. Reagan (1911-2004), "trust but verify."  A research request to the university's archives ensued and I was intrigued by the data supplied to me by the university.  

According to the webpage concerning such matters from the Office of the Secretary at the University of Chicago, we find the following description:

"The University Coat of Arms, a shield displaying the phoenix below and the book and motto above, was adopted by the Board of Trustees on August 16, 1910. The University motto Crescat scientia; vita excolatur was adopted by the Board on January 17, 1911 and added to the Coat of Arms on the pages of the open book.

"The Coat of Arms was designed by Pierre de Chaignon la Rose, a heraldic specialist in Boston working under contract to the Board of Trustees. No surviving documents make clear precisely why the phoenix was adopted as the central element on the Coat of Arms, but the most probable assumption is that the phoenix can be seen as a symbol of the city of Chicago, which was seriously damaged by the great Chicago Fire of 1871 and then was successfully rebuilt, or reborn, within just a few years" (Office of the Secretary, 2023 September 9).

 La Rose Submits Three Designs 

Heraldic carvings containing la Rose's initial design for arms (located in upper left corner) above the entry portico to Harper Memorial Library at the University of Chicago.  Image is from the University of Chicago website.

Here is the story of the University of Chicago's arms based on my review of data from their archives.  The story begins, as most do involving la Rose, with an architect and a need for heraldic decoration.  Charles A. Coolidge (1858-1936) was selected as the architect to build Harper Memorial Library in the collegiate-gothic style and would request from la Rose designs for heraldic decoration (La Rose, 1912). 

On July 29, 1910, la Rose would submit a total of three designs to the university for consideration as a decoration for the new library.  

"In devising a seal for the University of Chicago, I am informed that it shall be heraldic, in accordance with ancient English, Continental, and American precedent. It will be necessary, then, before considering a seal as such, to establish heraldic bearings for the University, which will later be incorporated in the seal" (La Rose, 1910, 1).  

La Rose was led to believe that his design would be officially adopted and used as the basis for the legal corporate seal.  The instruction given to la Rose was to incorporate a depiction of the Founder's Tower at the University somehow into the arms.  Clearly, la Rose was not terribly thrilled about the desires of the university's board.

"It should be clearly understood that the purpose of heraldry has never been to depict, by its charges, a specific object, but merely to typify in the most conventional manner possible, a class of objects.  

"If it is desired to indicate the Founder’s Tower, the most scholarly way would be by means of the usual heraldic abstract convention—the chess form of tower.  If, however, the authorities cannot bring themselves to this level of detachment, a kind of precedent for the Founder’s Tower can be found in the seals of several English municipal corporations (see the Book of Public Arms, by A.C. Fox-Davies), where in some cases are shown representations of presumably actual medieval structures" (La Rose, 1910, 1).

 

A close up view of la Rose's University of Chicago design #1 carved above the entrance portico of Harper Memorial Library, The University of Chicago.  Image is from the University of Chicago website.  

The Phoenix Rises 

La Rose (1910) offers this rationale for his preference to use the phoenix as the main charge in the university's arms.  Contrary to the lack of any information concerning the rationale for using the phoenix, as published on the website of the Office of the Secretary, la Rose clearly outlines his rationale:

"The heraldic charge, however, which in my opinion, will most clearly identify the arms of the University of Chicago, is the 'phoenix'--an eagle shaped bird rising from flames.  And as the fundamental purpose of a coat of arms is simply to identify its owner ('Arma sunt distinguendi Causa'), and not, as is vulgary supposed, to symbolize his origin, history, achievements, aspirations, etc., any charge that can be regarded as peculiarly appropriate from this point of view, has the highest value" (2). 

With the phoenix firmly established in la Rose's mind, for the University of Chicago design #1, la Rose provides this blazon:

"In my first sketch (argent on a phoenix gules an open book of the first, edged and bound or), I have represented the University of Chicago in the simplest form, and therefore--to the herald--the best" (La Rose, 1910, 2).

La Rose clearly states his preference for this version of the arms, but note the open book is left uninscribed.  At that time, the university had not settled on a motto, and the archives contains several letters from faculty and others proposing various mottos.  In Goodspeed (1916), we learn the origins of the final motto:

"The University owed the motto of the coat-of-arms and the seal to Professor Paul Shorey. Mr. Shorey was thinking one day of that phrase in Tennyson's In Memoriam: 'Let knowledge grow from more to more,' and it impressed him as expressing one purpose of a university. He thereupon put it into Latin-Scientia crescat. 

"Casting about for some phrase that would express the University's ideal of service, as Mr. Robertson of the Department of English wrote in the University of Chicago Magazine for June, 1912 , he was minded of the passage in the sixth book of the Aeneid, in which Vergil tells of seeing in the happy fields those who on earth enriched or adorned human life. [Inventas aut qui vitam excoluere per artes.] And so he got his second verb and subject. In putting the two parts together he related them in English by 'and so.' 

"Hence Dr. Shorey offered as a motto for the University: Crescat scientia; vita excolatur.  'Let knowledge grow from more to more; And so be human life enriched.'  The motto was welcomed and adopted" (467-468).  

Dr. Shorey's motto that would be inscribed on the open book is truly unique for the university's identification, for these arms would avoid the abundance of vertas in all its variations scattered about on other US scholastic arms.  

Of Towers and Shields

For the University of Chicago design #2, la Rose bowed to the desires of the university's board to incorporate the Founder's Tower.  For this sketch, la Rose provides the following blazon:  "argent on phoenix gules as [sic] ineschuteon of the field, thereon the Founder's Tower of the University of Chicago" (La Rose, 1910, 3).  Thankfully, we do have an image of this design.

University of Chicago design #2 by la Rose in 1910.  Image is courtesy of the Hanna Holborn Gray Special Collections, the University of Chicago Library, September 2023.

La Rose (1910) writes about University of Chicago design #2:  "the design sufficiently explains itself:  it is simple and perspicuous heraldry, and has the merit of reducing the somewhat unheraldic feature of the Founder's Tower to a minimum" (3).    

For la Rose's third and final sketch, he reverses the composition.  For the University of Chicago design #3, la Rose offers the following blazon:  "argent the Founder's Tower of the U. of C.; an ineschuteon or a phoenix gules an open book argent, the edges and bindings of the field" (La Rose, 1910, 3).  At present, there are no known images in the archives for this design.    

La Rose (1910) offers the following directive to the board concerning his three proposed designs:

"In determining the merits of these designs, they should be studied at a distance, and their relative effectiveness thus determined.  The shield which is at a distance is the simplest and perspicuous--has the most 'carrying power'--is always the best heraldry.  My own judgment places them in the order named" (4).    

Here is where the story of the University of Chicago's arms becomes rather interesting.  It is evident that la Rose's University of Chicago design #1 was used for carvings on Harper Memorial Library (Robertson, 1916, 124-125).  On August 16, 1910, the board of trustees of the university would officially adopt their coat of arms.  But which one?  I believe la Rose's University of Chicago design #1 was adopted and most likely caused the ensuing "restudy."  

Finding Mister Burke

The opposite page of the final version of arms, as seen above in the introduction.  Image is courtesy of the Hanna Holborn Gray Special Collections, The University of Chicago Library, September 2023.

Enter Sir Henry Farnham Burke (1859-1930) .  In 1910, Sir Henry was an officer of the College of Arms in London, serving as Somerset Herald of Arms in Ordinary, and in 1919 would be promoted to Garter Principal King of Arms.  To track down this "Mr. Burke," a close inspection of documents from the archives yielded the final source.

Letter from Office of Counsel and Business Manager to Mr. Horace S. Fiske, dated February 8, 1912 (I am unable to make out the signature) where in the post-script we learn of Sir Henry's origin.  Click on the image to enlarge.  Image is courtesy of the Hanna Holborn Gray Special Collections, The University of Chicago Library, September 2023.  Click image to enlarge.

In University of Chicago (1912), we learn more about Burke's involvement.

"A further study of this design [University of Chicago design #1] brought forth the objection of English heralds that the position of the book [la Rose positioned the open book on the breast of the phoenix] was illogical, that although the phoenix could not be consumed by flames the book might be.  

"Mr. Burke [Sir Henry] of London suggested the division of the field and the placing of the book in chief...Mr. Burke's modification has resulted in the form as published, and as carved in the staircase of the west tower of Harper" (244-245). 

The arms were finally settled sometime between the fall of 1910 to the spring of 1912.  A chief was called forth as a logical solution to bear the university's open and inscribed book now containing two clasps--an altogether different design from those proposed by la Rose.  

The Herald Inquires 

For nearly two years following the board's adoption of la Rose's first design, all went silent.  On May 18, 1912, la Rose wrote to the Secretary of the University of Chicago with the following inquiry:

"A year or more ago, at the request of Mr. Charles Coolidge, the Architect, I designed a heraldic seal for the University of Chicago [likely University of Chicago design #1].  As I am preparing a column on corporate heraldry in America, I am curious to know whether or not the university ever adopted officially these arms.  If so I should be very grateful if you could send me a print of the seal" (Letter from Pierre de Chaignon la Rose to the Secretary of the University of Chicago).    

Clearly, la Rose was kept in the dark on such matters.  The Secretary of the University sent the following reply to the herald on May 31, 1912:

"My dear Mr. LaRose, the University of Chicago seal has at last been adopted.  The charges are those which you know, the Phoenix and book.  A restudy of the design [likey University of Chicago design #1] resulted in the shifting of the book to the position in chief.  The seal will be published the 10th of June.  At that time you will receive a copy of the magazine containing the final form.  Your own share in proposing the design is mentioned in the article which accompanies the seal" (Letter from D.A. Robertson to Pierre de Chaignon la Rose).   

The University of Chicago Magazine would be published the following month in June, and based on my reading of the article, this is the magazine Robertson refers to in his letter to la Rose.  I shudder to think of la Rose's reaction to the heralds' critique of his design--that an open book charged on the breast of the phoenix might well burn (University of Chicago, 1912).  Moreover, how chuffed would la Rose be knowing that he was being credited for a design he did not render?  

And that's where the story concludes--from la Rose's phoenix rising up from the ashes to its eventual defeat by an English herald's chief.  Yet, somehow, history has glossed over the facts and continues to credit la Rose for the final version of arms.  The heralds in London do not typically work for free, and there would likely have been payment sent from the university or one of its benefactors to cover the costs involved for the restudy.  Thus, there remains an important gap in the data:  we simply do not know who from the university contacted the College of Arms, much less the rationale behind such a request for a restudy.          

La Rose Versus Burke  

A few data points to consider.  First, Goodspeed (1916) provides the blazon of the "restudied" arms which provide more details of how to render the phoenix.  La Rose chose to render both the mythical bird and the open book in their simplest forms, and thus a shorter blazon.  

"Mr. Burke [Sir Henry], of London, made a further study of the design [presumably la Rose's University of Chicago design #1], suggested a re-arrangement of the field.  

"The resultant coat-of-arms is as follows:  'Argent, a phoenix displayed gules, langued azure, in flame proper. On a chief gules, a book expanded proper, edged and bound or. On dexter page of book the words Crescat scientia inscribed , three lines in pesse sable. On sinister page the words Vita excolatur inscribed, three lines in pesse sable'"(467).

We know from la Rose that simplicity of the form is primary, and I should have been tipped off by the thoroughly detailed blazon of the final arms which does not match la Rose's style.  Based on la Rose's design of the flames found in University of Chicago design #2, we see the herald's phoenix and flames evolving over time, as future renderings would dramatically simplify the flames as well as the beast's feathers.  Ten years after his design work for the University, la Rose uses a phoenix and flames for the arms of the Episcopal Diocese of Atlanta, showing a completely different rendering.  The herald replicated the simpler phoenix and flames in the arms of Mundelein College designed in 1930.  Historically, both Chicago and Atlanta experienced catastrophic fires, and the phoenix serves as a logical heraldic charge.

La Rose notoriously recycled rejected sketches, likely because he felt they represented those simplest forms of heraldry--good heraldry.  Burke's phoenix looks nothing like la Rose's version, and Burke goes further to blazon the color of the phoenix's tongue as well as having the flames proper--where la Rose keeps the bird and flames all red.  Furthermore, Burke's open book in chief contains two clasps, whereas la Rose blazoned the book without clasps--the final blazon published by the university ignores this critical feature.     

A modern emblazonment of the arms of the Episcopal Diocese of Atlanta set within a vesica piscis, designed by la Rose in 1920. Following his sketches for the University of Chicago, the next instance la Rose uses the phoenix would be for Atlanta, where he maintains design consistency for the bird.  We can presume from this coat la Rose's opinion of the heralds' logic--would not the cross burn?  Not in la Rose's mind.  Blazon: Argent, a pheonix rising from the flames gules, charged with a cross bottony of the first, on a canton azure a ciborium of the first (Diocese of Atlanta, 1921, 4).

La Rose would later use a very similar design scheme from University of Chicago design #1 for the arms of Mundelein College in Chicago in 1930 (N. Freeman, personal communication, July 1, 2014).  Note that no clasps are placed on the book.  Blazon: Argent, on a phoenix rising from the flames gules, an open book edged or thereon inscribed VIA VERITAS VITA, on dexter wing a roundel azure edged of the field charged with a star of the first and on sinister wing a roundel of the fourth edged of the field charged with the symbol of the Sisters of Charity of the Blessed Virgin Mary of the first.  Image is courtesy of the Women and Leadership Archives, Loyola University, July 2014.

Concluding Thoughts

So now what?  The real question remains how to convince the University of Chicago, a storied research university in America, that their attribution of la Rose is incorrect.  I will kindly share my analysis with the university in hopes of clearing things up--there is no blame here.  As for me, I thoroughly enjoyed digging into this rich data; for only a heraldic researcher would likely recognize the innocence of this error.    

While the sole intention with my research on la Rose, from the very beginning, was to give him credit for the work he did, I endeavor to provide evidence-based analyses.  In other words, you go where data tells you to go. Yes, la Rose provided the basis for the design scheme, and yes, the university did use la Rose's first sketch for architectural carvings.  The final adopted version of the university's arms, however, is simply not a design or rendering by la Rose.    

For the University of Chicago, their adopted arms--an equally lovely design--came from the hands of an English herald, and this is a most peculiar fact in US scholastic heraldry.  From my review, the university did not receive any official grant of sorts from London, but rather a "suggestion" from Mr. Burke.  

Ultimately, in my opinion, the incorrect attribution was likely caused by only naming, "Mr. Burke of London," a quaint style to achieve simplicity in writing.  Save those brief descriptions of Mr. Burke in University of Chicago (1912) and in Goodspeed (1916), nothing would clearly identify Burke as an officer of the College of Arms.  Quaint writing muddied the waters for just about everyone, myself included.  I am grateful for the wisdom of the university to archive an otherwise internal, innocuous letter regarding its arms.  The letter from the Office of Counsel and Business Manager to Mr. Horace S. Fiske was the key to unlocking the identity of our Mr. Burke (Office of Counsel and Business Manager, 1912).  

A modern emblazonment of the arms of the University of Chicago
after Sir Henry's 1910-1912 "restudy."  
Image is from the University of Chicago website.

Now in 2023, the University of Chicago's coat of arms designed by Sir Henry between 1910-1912, has celebrated a very respectable 113th birthday.  The university's arms are most assuredly a highly treasured symbol of pride for countless alumni around the world.  Regardless of the attribution of its designer, the University of Chicago's coat of arms bears the weight of all those human experiences who have lived out Dr. Shorey's motto: "let knowledge grow from more to more; and so be human life enriched."  

The endurance of the university's arms, furthermore, proves the "carrying power" of good--or to use la Rose, perspicuous-- heraldry to function as a true and lasting expression of the institution's storied brand.  I have often wondered la Rose's view on this matter, heraldry as an expression of corporate identity, if he had the benefit of seeing his work surviving 100 years or better.  I hope he would agree with me.      

Based on my data for US schools bearing arms, the College of William & Mary was the first and only academic institution to receive a formal grant of arms from London on May 16, 1694 (Godson, et. al, 1993, 23).  I have nothing further concerning the involvement of the College of Arms for any other US-based academic institution until the 1960s, when honorary devisals were permitted for US-based organizations.  

That the University of Chicago proudly displays these attractive arms tied so closely to the heralds of London, and for this reason alone, the story of the university's coat of arms needs be shared widely and thus attributed correctly.

_________________

Epilogue

After writing this article, I found something interesting which simply puzzles me and continues to muddy the waters regarding the attribution of the designer for the arms for the University of Chicago.  On April 1, 1929, the University of Chicago formally received copyright protection for both the coat of arms and university seal.  For the coat of arms, the entry reads:

Chicago.  Chicago, University, 4800, 4801.  

La Rose (Pierre DeChignon) designs:  

Crescat Scientia, vita excolatur.  [Coat of arms: shield with open book in band across top: spread-winged eagle below with flower] copyright 1 c.  April 1, 1929:  G538" (Library of Congress Copyright Office, 1929, 4809).

What does this mean?  Based on my very limited knowledge of copyright laws, the image of the coat of arms as seen above in the introduction was formally copyrighted and attributed to la Rose--even though his middle name is misspelled and the flames are cited as a flower.  Given the gap in the archive's holding regarding any response from la Rose to the Office of Secretary of the University, I wonder if any legal action was taken by la Rose or a mediated agreement reached between the two parties.  Needless to say, those documents would not be released to the public--private universities are not subject to requests under the Freedom of Information Act unlike their public counterparts.  

In a letter I came upon previously in the archives, but disregarded simply because it felt innocuous, dated July 11, 1911 from Office of Counsel and Business Manager to David A. Robertson, the Secretary of the University, we find:

"In regard to the publication of the Coat of Arms and Seal of the University in the July magazine, I want to call your attention to the fact that it has been our wish to have this copyrighted before it goes out.  That action has been postponed pending approval of both by Mr. Ryerson.  I will speak to Mr. Ryerson in regard to the matter and ascertain if it is still his wish to take that course" (Letter from Office of Counsel and Business Manager to David A. Robertson).  

Now, however, this letter appears much more interesting and relevant.  It seems the university had plans to copyright the arms as early as 1911--why wait until 1929 to formally submit materials for legal protection?  Moreover, it would appear based on this letter, the magazine article announcing the new coat of arms would be delayed by one year, possibly caused by the restudy.  We simply do not know the reason for these delays.  I also begin to wonder why la Rose changed up his version of the phoenix and flames in 1920 for the Episcopal Diocese of Atlanta, was this change to avoid infringement or his growing appreciation of simple heraldry?

La Rose was proud of the work he did as a herald.  I have several examples in my data of letters he penned to various editors in order to defend errant statements made regarding his work.  Below is one timely example published in The Living Church, a month following the University of Chicago's magazine article announcing the new coat of arms:

To the Editor of The Living Church:  A recent lecture of mine at St. John's Theological School, Cambridge, on Ecclesiastical Heraldry, has been variously reported in Church papers.  Amateur reporting of so technical a subject is, of course, bound to be inaccurate.  I find now that I am being credited with an attack on the coat of arms of the Diocese of Kansas City.  As a matter of fact, I did not mention these arms in my discourse, for the reason that I myself designed them for the diocese!  Obviously, then, I would be unwilling to attack them as unsound heraldry, and equally obviously am I prepared to defend them." 

[The error referred to does not appear in the report of Mr. la Rose's address printed in The Living Church, in which Kansas City is not mentioned--Editor L.C.] (La Rose, 1912 July 13, 385).  

La Rose is writing in reference to an article which appeared in the May 25, 1912 edition of The Living Church, and the editor's note is correct--I checked (The Living Church, 1912 May 25, 139).  Was la Rose so incensed by how he was treated in Chicago that he fired off a letter to the editor but aimed at the wrong target?  Again, we do not know.  

From this example by la Rose, the reader will adduce the sharpness of his pen.  My guess is that la Rose was still fuming from the university's magazine article that he would have received in June.  La Rose would not relent on matters of heraldry, likely because had the utmost confidence in his sound methods for devising new corporate arms.  There seems little doubt that la Rose would not have responded to the university's final version of arms as printed in University of Chicago (1912).

As of now, there is no data to fill in this rather interesting gap.  Perhaps the reader can render a guess.

Works Cited

Diocese of Atlanta (1921).  Journal of the 14th annual meeting of the council.  The Episcopal Diocese of Atlanta.  

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. 

Goodspeed, T.W. (1916).  A history of the University of Chicago: The first quarter century.  University of Chicago Press.

La Rose, Pierre de C. (1912 July 13).  Mr. La Rose on heraldry [Letter to the editor].  The Living Church, vol 47(10), 385.  

La Rose, Pierre de C. (1912 May 8).  Letter from Pierre de Chaignon la Rose to the Secretary of the University of Chicago.  Unpublished letter.  

La Rose, Pierre de C. (1910 July 29).  Arms for the University of Chicago.  Unpublished document.  

Library of Congress Copyright Office (1929).  Catalogue of copyright entries: Part 4 works of art (volume 24, number 2).  United States Government Printing Office, 4809.

Office of Counsel and Business Manager (1912 February 8).  Letter from the Office of Counsel and Business Manager of the University of Chicago to Horace S. Fiske.  Unpublished letter.

Office of Counsel and Business Manager (1911 July 11).  Letter from the Office of Counsel and Business Manager of the University of Chicago to David A. Robertson.  Unpublished letter.

Office of the Secretary (2023 September 9).  University emblems.  Office of the Secretary, the University of Chicago.  https://secretary.uchicago.edu/university-emblems/

Robertson, D.A. (1916).  The University of Chicago:  An official guide.  University of Chicago Press, 124-125.

Robertson, D.A. (1912 May 31).  Letter from D.A. Robertson to Pierre de Chaignon la Rose.  Unpublished letter.

The Living Church (1912 May 25).  American ecclesiastical heraldry.  The Living Church, vol 47(4), 139.

University of Chicago (1912).  The phoenix and book.  The University of Chicago Magazine, vol 4(7), 243-248.

Scholastic Heraldry Nearing 1.6K

 

The updated masthead for the FB Group.

The Scholastic Heraldry Group on Facebook has reached a new milestone, and nearly has 1,600 members from across the globe.  Huzzah!  

Click here to join the Scholastic Heraldry Facebook Group

I even learned today of a recent honorary devisal of arms to a US college through our group.  Ralston College, located in Savannah, Georgia, received such a devisal in 2022.  So, just when you think all your data is current, you learn something new.

Letters patent assigned to Ralston College Inc.

The Heraldry of the University of the South

Founded in 1858, the University of the South, more commonly called Sewanee, is a gothic paradise located high atop the Cumberland Plateau in the town of Sewanee, Tennessee.  Legally owned by 28 dioceses of The Episcopal Church (a peculiar only in America), Sewanee is wholly an Episcopal university comprised of the College of Arts & Sciences (the undergraduate college), the School of Theology (the seminary), and the newcomer on the block, the School of Letters, which awards graduate degrees in creative writing.  

"The Domain," as campus is called, encompasses nearly 13,000 acres of natural beauty, where university buildings in Tennessee limestone blend seamlessly into the landscape.  Described once to me as an "Episcopal theme park," the Domain is filled with academic buildings designed in gothic architecture, with one of the main campus' central towers, Breslin Tower, modeled on Magdalene College, Oxford--pronounced properly "Maudlin."  The professors wear their academic gowns to class, and the whole place is a haven of the best of the Episcopal Church.   

My three years as a seminarian at Sewanee were among the best in my life so far.  I am very proud to have earned a master of divinity degree from this university and to call Sewanee my alma mater.  Perhaps no place else provides the perfect backdrop to showcase scholastic heraldry quite like the neo-gothic campus of the University of the South.  

Sewanee's heraldry, in many ways, is a model of best practice for US schools when employing heraldry in a dignified way in order to express the values of the institutional brand.  To be clear, heraldry is not branding but can be used as an expression thereof.  While it may have taken 123 years for the university to embrace heraldry, the outcomes are transformational.  Generations of alumni, families, and faculty have symbols they can cherish and embrace.   

To Seal or Not to Seal  

The story of Sewanee's heraldry begins with the popular use of the university's seal.  By definition, a legal corporate seal serves as the institutional authenticating signature on official documents; for colleges and universities the seal is appropriately used on diplomas, for example, attesting to the graduate's completion of requirements for the degree earned.  Corporate seals do not have to be heraldic in nature, though some are.  The seal of the University of the South, as seen above, was settled as late as 1977 but evolved over time since its first inception in 1872 (McCrady, 2009b; McCrady, 1981).  

"Do not step here."  The seal of the university emblazoned
in the floor of All Saints' Chapel at The University of the South.

The seal takes pride of place everywhere across the Domain, including a bronze emblazonment in the floor of the vestibule inside All Saints' Chapel--new students are warned to not step a single foot upon that sacred image, ensuring that they see their future graduation.  Using the legal corporate seal for decoration on souvenirs can be problematic for any college or university and only serves to muddle the distinction and reservation of seals for official use by the institution. 

In 1956, we see the first impulse for heraldry at Sewanee.  The Rt. Rev. Richard Bland Mitchell (1887-1961), the Episcopal Bishop of Arkansas, pressured the university to stop using the legal corporate seal to, "validate souvenir china," for this very reason (McCrady, 1982, page 29).  

The bishop was successful in rallying the university's governing board to his cause and stated that the board, "objected to the Holy Ghost descending into beer mugs" (McCrady, 1982, page 29).  The bishop's argument is the perfect reason to introduce heraldry as a means of creating dignified decorations for souvenirs.   

 

An Increasing Need for Heraldry

The 1951 U.S. Air Force shield 
for Sewanee's R.O.T.C, program.
Image is from McCrady (2009a).

McCrady (2009a) notes that in 1951, the first real instance of heraldry in use on campus came by way of the U.S. Air Force R.O.T.C. program which required a heraldic shield for use as uniform insignia.  It was the Air Force that brought heraldry in whatever form, finally, to campus.  Following these two impulses for heraldry, the university would mark its centennial celebration in 1957, and, "it was decided, following rather hastily the dictum of visual simplicity for the best heraldry, that the most obvious and simple shield for Sewanee would be the time-honored tiger" (McCrady, 2009a, 550).

The provisional arms of the university prominently featured the heraldic tiger, as opposed to the Bengal tiger, with the body of a lion, the mane of a horse, and whose ears and beak were drawn to resemble a wolf (McCrady, 2009a, 550).  The blazon for the provisional arms:  Purpure, a tiger rampant or.  

The provisional arms featuring the    
heraldic tiger.  Image is from
McCrady (2009a).

From a letter in the University's Archives, dated August 1, 1957 from then Vice Chancellor Dr. Edward "Ned" McCrady (1906-1981) to the University's Board of Regents, McCrady provides a clear design rationale for the new arms along with the steps taken to ensure their correctness.  Moreover, we learn in the announcement of the new provisional coat of arms that, "accordingly I have had my son Waring, make a drawing, a print of which is shown on the accompanying proof-sheet" (Letter from Vice Chancellor Edward McCrady to the University Board of Regents).  Thus, we now know that Sewanee's first and proper coat of arms was rendered by none other than the future herald of Sewanee, Dr. James Waring McCrady (b. 1938).  It is interesting to note that McCrady does not name himself--or anyone else for that matter--as the designer of these arms.

Sewanee's heraldry would finally reach its zenith in 1981.  Designed by Sewanee alumnus and French professor Dr. James Waring McCrady, the arms for the university and its subordinate schools are simply genius, reflecting through the abstraction of heraldry, the mission and values of this storied institution.

The 125th Anniversary and New Arms

In 1983, the university celebrated its 125th anniversary since its founding in 1858.  In preparation for this milestone occasion, Dr. McCrady designed the arms for the university, the seminary, and the undergraduate college in 1981 (McCrady, 2009a).  Away went the heraldic tiger, as he was moved outside of the shield to become a ferocious "supporter."  Following in the footsteps of other great American heralds of scholastic heraldry--Orville Watson, Pierre de Chaignon la Rose, and Eric Hutchinson--McCrady developed a unique design for the "Sewanee tressure" to show unification within Sewanee's heraldry.  

Until the 1980s, most US scholastic heraldry would employ either unifying chiefs or unique charges--such as the "chief of Kenyon College," the three open and inscribed books of Harvard, or the red frond of Stanford--as a means of illustrating corporate unification (Doty, 1996; Hammond, 1981; Krouse, 2023).  McCrady's tressure, "a double tressure long-crossed and counter long-crossed counterchanged," as found in the main coat of the university, was his creation that incorporated many elements into a singularly dignified design. 

By creating new arms without the use of established coats, McCrady would avoid unnecessary controversy regarding designs that might allude to any founders of the university, which present day social and cultural issues could otherwise force uncovering baggage from the past.  Halley (2022) covers precisely the arguments surrounding la Rose's 1936 design of arms for Harvard Law School which incorporated the undifferenced arms of Isaac Royall, Jr. (1719-1781) in the design.  Harvard Law School dropped la Rose's design in 2016 and unveiled a new coat of arms for the school in 2021.

McCrady's tressure carried over the unbroken circular chain found in the university seal and transformed it into a tressure.  Perhaps the most well known tressure can be found on the royal arms of Scotland which features the red double tressure with fleurs-de-lis.  

By changing the fleurs-de-lis to "long crosses," McCrady visually shows the owning dioceses of the university linked together in harmony (McCrady, 2009a).  As a scholar, McCrady likely appreciated the peer review process in order to have other experts from the field examine and critique his work.  McCrady would submit his designs to both the College of Arms in London and to the Court of Lord Lyon in Scotland for advice and consent (McCrady, 2009a; McCrady, 1983).  

McCrady (2009a) provides this detailed account:

"At last, it was decided to get serious for the 125th anniversary of the school.  A set of arms for the Seminary, the College, and the University were drawn up, and in 1981 the designs were approved personally both by the Norroy and Ulster King of Arms, at the College of Heralds in London, and by the Lord Lyon King of Arms in Edinburgh... 

"Since the precedent for this design [the Sewanee tressure] comes from the double tressures of Scotland...it was thought to seek Scotland's approval.  The Lord Lyon granted it most cheerfully and suggested that the design be known as a 'Sewanee tressure'" (551-552).

The Sewanee tressure would be applied to the arms of the seminary and the undergraduate college to show their allegiance to the university.   

The full "achievement" of the arms of the University of the South, including supporters, crest, and motto.  Image is from McCrady (2009a).  

The blazon for the university's arms:  Purpure a cross pall or overall a double tressure long-crossed and counter long-crossed counterchanged (further referred to as the "Sewanee tressure");

For the university's crest:  Out of the coronet of a vidame, a dove holding in its beak an olive branch all proper;

The Supporters:  Dexter, a mountain goat argent; sinister, a heraldic tiger or.

Motto:  Ecce Quam Bonum.  Translated as "behold how good!" from Psalm 133: 1.  From the Vulgate:  Ecce Quam Bonum Et Quam Iucundum Habitare Fratres In Unum, or "behold how good and joyful a thing it is for brethren to dwell together in unity." 

The arms of The University of South, designed by Dr. McCrady in 1981 and emblazoned by Lucas Hofmann, September 2023.

The use of the pall cross, or the Y-shaped cross, was employed by McCrady because the cross is, "specifically symbolic of authority within a province of the church (and Sewanee stands as the center of the Sewanee Province, or Province IV [of the Episcopal Church])" (McCrady, 2009a, 554).  Moreover, it is a nice play on the arms of the archiepiscopal see of Canterbury, which prominently features the  pallium, a material symbol of metropolitan authority within the church--the pallium mimics the cross pall.

From the university's full achievement, I am most drawn to the crest, or the portion of the achievement which rests on top of the shield.  Most wrongfully confuse the crest for the shield, and this is incorrect.  According to Fox-Davies (1978), the first known crest appeared in 1198, and the fanciful stories describing the history of the crest are both numerous and incorrect (page 326).    

The heraldic coronet of a French Vidame. 
McCrady's design for the university's crest is rendered without the fussy jewels. 
Image is from Wikipedia.

In particular, I admire the use of a vidame's coronet in the crest.  The office of a vidame is an old relic from France where the title is derived from the Latin, vicedominus, or literally vice ("instead of") and dominus (lord or master).  In feudal times, a prelate would designate a member of the laity to attend to certain judicial or other matters.  

As a professor of French, McCrady would have likely known quite a lot about the office of the vidame and its symbolism.  For McCrady, the use of the coronet in the university's crest makes a clear reference to the power of the laity within the church, "in a coronet symbolizing lay authority over church property stands the dove as proposed in 1870" (McCrady, 2009a, 554).  The dove of peace was taken from the popular seal of the university and clinches in its beak an olive branch.          

The Arms of the School of Theology

The University of the South

The arms of the School of Theology, The University of the South designed in 1981 by Dr. McCrady and emblazoned by Lucas Hofmann, September 2023.

The blazon for the arms of the School of Theology:  Gules on a cross or surmounted by a Sewanee tressure counter-changed a crossed fleam sable.   

According to McCrady (1983), the colors gules (red) and or (gold) come from the arms of The Rev. William Porcher DuBose (1836-1918), who served as the second dean of the seminary.  The crossed fleam in the center represents the patron saint of the seminary community, Saint Luke. Saint Luke was also the name of the seminary's first building on campus as well as the name of one of the chapels which can all be seen today.  The Gospel writer is attributed as a physician, hence the use of the fleam which was a physician's implement for bleeding.  

McCrady added the cross bar to the fleam in a most unusual way that gives dignity and significance to the design--typically in heraldry, the fleam is a stand-alone charge and McCrady's differencing of that symbol is purely masterful.  To render the crossed-fleam in sable (black) not only alludes to the clerical color, but also to the Manigault arms, "the widow upon whose benefaction the seminary originally depended" (McCrady, 1983, page 30).  I've dug deeper into these arms in another post.  Please click here to read my analysis of the School of Theology's arms.

In 2024, the American Heraldry Society selected the seminary's arms to receive its annual Pierre de Chaignon la Rose Design Award.  Click here to read the press announcement from the School of Theology.   

The Arms of the College of Arts & Sciences 

The University of the South

The arms of the College of Arts & Sciences, The University of the South designed in 1981 by Dr. McCrady and emblazoned by Lucas Hofmann, September 2023.

The blazon for the arms of the College of Arts & Sciences:  Azure, within a Sewanee tressure three celestial crowns all Or.

For the arms of the College of Arts & Sciences, McCrady incorporated three celestial crowns within the Sewanee tressure rendering a rather dignified design.  The celestial crowns were borrowed from the previously established coat of arms for All Saints' Chapel, and their arrangement based on the arms of Oxford University.

McCrady's simple and straightforward design for the undergraduate college underscores the primal canon of heraldry, simplicitas formae antiquitatis nota.  The simplicity of the form as its known in antiquity should clearly identify the individual (or in this case, corporation) bearing arms.  McCrady honored this maxim to the letter with all of his heraldic designs for the university.

The Arms of All Saints' Chapel 

The University of the South

The arms of All Saints' Chapel, The University of the South emblazoned by Lucas Hofmann, September 2023.

The blazon for the arms of All Saints' Chapel:  Azure, a semmé of celestial crowns Or.

While technically not officially defined by the university's heraldry, the arms for All Saints' Chapel have been in use since the early 1960s.  While no designer is named in McCrady (2009a), I fully suspect Dr. McCrady created these arms if we consider his humble omission of the designer behind the 1957 provisional arms.  

There is one additional data point, however, that I cannot make sense of regarding these arms.  In an undated document titled, "The Festival Banners Described," found in the University Archives, there is a description for a banner noted as the "Banner of All Saints'" which reads as follows:

"The Banner of All Saints'.  Some years ago, Thad Holt, alumnus, had designed by the College of Heralds a flag for All Saints' Chapel.  This banner is based on that design and depicts the crowns of the royal priesthood, the Communion of All the Saints, past, present, and future" (All Saints Chapel, n.d.). 

It is remarkable that the College of Arms in London was engaged at some point in the 1960s for a design. Moreover, I believe "Thad Holt" referenced in the document above is Thaddeus Goode Holt, Jr. (1930-2019), who graduated from Sewanee in 1952 and was a Rhodes Scholar.  Given Holt's exposure to heraldry during his time at Oxford--and later at Harvard Law School--the design referral to the heralds in London fits nicely.  

Processional banner with eight
celestial crowns inside All Saints' Chapel.

Presently, there is a processional banner in use at All Saints' Chapel which has eight celestial crowns emblazoned on three strips of fabric. The number three either represents the Holy Trinity or perhaps the "communion of all the saints past, present, and future."  Employing the number eight for the crowns is likely a reference to the "Eighth Day," or time-out-of-time which is the day reserved for the Resurrection.  Baptismal fonts, including the one inside All Saints' Chapel, are octagonal for this very reason.  I cannot confirm if this banner is the one referred to in the aforementioned document.

It is likely that we owe the use of celestial crowns as heraldic charges to represent the university's chapel to English heralds.  

My view is that Holt's referral to the College of Arms gave the university precedence for employing celestial crowns, and McCrady created the chapel's arms by sewing the field with them--the semmé technique has French influence which we have previously encountered with the vidame's coronet in the university crest.  Regardless, the arms of All Saints' Chapel illustrate the early history of heraldry at Sewanee and are thus included.

Celestial crowns are crowns with stars, an illusion McCrady employed for the undergraduate college to show reference to All Saints' Chapel.  The chapel is prominently situated at the very heart of the main academic campus and cannot be missed.  These celestial stars, moreover, embody that ever-expansive constellation of heaven where all the Christian saints guide believers to the salvific glory of Jesus Christ.  

The Arms of the University Choir

The University of the South

The arms of the University Choir, The University of the South emblazoned by Lucas Hofmann, October 2023.

The arms of the University Choir:  Impaled, (dexter) Azure, a cross throughout Argent, (sinister) Argent, the Blessed Virgin Mary aureoled Or holding in sinister arms the infant Jesus aureoled Or.  

The University Choir with banner.  Image source: University of the South.

Here again, as with the arms of All Saints' Chapel, the armorial bearings for the University Choir would be considered unofficial but featured prominently on the choir's banner carried during services at All Saints' Chapel.  

The arms of the University Choir as appearing on the choir's banner.  My guess is the design was rendered in the 1940s to early 1950s.  Image is from the University Choir's Facebook page.

On the banner of the University Choir, the arms are supported by two Bengal tigers, a bishop's mitre is placed above the shield, and the arrangement sits on top of a scroll of ribbons containing the Greek letters found in the University's seal:  the Alpha and Omega and IH XP for the name of Jesus.  Taken as a whole, this heraldic arrangement suggests an earlier unadopted design for either the university itself or the chapel--perhaps a discarded sketch from an architect working on All Saints' Chapel.  This arrangement of supporters and the bishop's mitre, in my opinion, is simply too elaborate for a minor foundation of the university.      

I was unable to locate any documentation of sources for these arms other than the choir's banner as a point of reference.  By using known data, we can render a guess regarding the rationale for these arms.  

The arms of Canterbury Cathedral.
Image Source: The King's School
Canterbury website.

Inside All Saints' Chapel there is a stone from Canterbury Cathedral embedded into one of the walls of the chapel, forming a connection to the mother church of the Anglican Communion.  This cathedral stone may likely serve as the source of inspiration for the dexter (left) portion of the choir's arms, as the cathedral bears the same coat but with the addition of Roman letters "I" and "X" upon the white cross.  By omitting the Roman letters in the choir's arms, there is adequate differencing of Canterbury's coat and thus avoiding any infringement.   

For the sinister (right) side of the choir's arms, there is precedence found in the arms of the Church of England's Diocese of Salisbury which features the Blessed Virgin Mary holding the infant Jesus on a blue field.  However, in Salisbury's coat the Madonna holds the infant Jesus in her dexter (right) arms, wears a golden crown upon her head, and holds a scepter ending in a lily.  The Madonna in the choir's arms holds the infant Jesus in her sinister (left) arms, and does not wear a crown or hold a lily scepter.  Additionally, the choir's arms are suitably differenced by having the color of the field rendered as white/silver.

The arms of the Diocese of Salisbury,
Church of England.
Image Source: Clergy of the Church
of England Database.

This rationale is my educated guess for the design of the choir's coat of arms.  While it is unusual, in this case anyways, for corporate arms to be impaled with two coats lacking any clear identification of the University Choir, it is very likely that the design pre-dates McCrady's heraldic work placing a date range prior to the late 1950s.  The Bengal tigers used as supporters on the choir's banner--as opposed the heraldic wolf version designed by McCrady in 1957--supports this theory.  

If this early dating is the case, changing the design now risks diminishing a treasured symbol for many past and present choristers.  While I am unable to attribute the designer of these arms, my guess in dating the creation of the choir's armorial bearings as seen in the line drawing above would likely fall between the 1940s to early 1950s.  If the date range is true, then, the choir's arms would be the oldest continually used coat at the university and likely appropriated to the choir from an earlier design for arms to be used for the chapel.  More research will be needed to better understand the history behind these arms.        

Nonetheless, I have never encountered a fully colored emblazonment of these arms before, and it was a delight to get the University Choir's arms emblazoned.  I include these arms within Sewanee's heraldry simply because they are used by the University Choir and displayed during each service.  Given the generations, now, of alumni choristers who have beautifully given their talents to enrich the worshipping life of the university, it is clear that the University Choir's coat of arms is a cherished symbol of pride. 

Sewanee's Heraldry Today

In recent years, the heraldry of the university has finally been embraced as evidenced by a few events.  In 2014, I wanted to see how Sewanee's heraldry would look displayed as armorial flags.  Given all the pomp and circumstance of university ceremonies, I believed there had to be a way to increase the visibility of McCrady's heraldry.  I posted several line drawings of how the arms would be laid out as flags on this blog back in September 2014, knowing full well no one in the world would take notice.  I was wrong. 

The Rev. Robertson "Rob" C. Donehue T'16, a seminarian at the time at the School of Theology, saw my post and sparked several conversations about Sewanee's heraldry.  Rob's passion for Sewanee's heraldry, along with his savy leadership, brought my humble sketches into reality.  My dream of seeing Sewanee's heraldry come alive and "fly," was simply made possible by Rob.  By the university's Easter 2015 commencement, all three flags were up and flying (Steele, 2016 April 16).  Please click here to read The Sewanee Purple's article.  I am incredibly thankful for Father Rob and the work he did as a seminarian, and we still correspond about these very topics. 

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The Armorial Flag and Banner

What is the difference between an armorial flag and an armorial banner?  The term banner can be tricky when describing either one, loosely speaking it's not an incorrect descriptor.  While there is a lot of history surrounding both, here is my simplified explanation.

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.  The armorial flag often uses a ratio 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.

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 though historically were carried on the battlefield to identify the otherwise unknown knight hidden beneath his armor.  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.  

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Unfurled and flying, the heraldic flags at Sewanee inspired further developments for the campus.  During the Fall of 2018, Dr. McCrady unveiled his designs of armorial flags for all the undergraduate residence halls on campus (Prior, 2018 October 16).  Click here to read about the new flags in The Sewanee Purple.  Here again, McCrady's simplicity for design is carried over from the university heraldry into the arms of the residence halls, and giving residents cherished symbols of community.  

The armorial flags of the undergraduate residence halls flying prominently inside McClurg dining hall.  Image source, The Sewanee Purple.

Moreover, it is important to note that the Sewanee tressure was not used for any of the arms of the residence halls.  Why?  It is likely McCrady reserved that unifying symbol for the accredited colleges and schools of the university, which gives an altogether dignified distinction within all of Sewanee's heraldry.  For what it's worth, I think McCrady's reservation of the tressure was spot on.    

Embracing Cherished Symbols

When colleges and universities use heraldry correctly, the outcomes can be transformational for the community.  Sewanee's heraldry, a remarkable gift from Dr. McCrady, inspires and dignifies the mission and values of The University of the South.  The Sewanee heraldic tradition, furthermore, should represent a model of best practice for schools in the US.  In the end, I believe, Sewanee got it right.

Heraldry was never intended to serve as a corporate or institutional brand, as the business literature defines such a term.  When heraldry is done right, such as seen through the work of Dr. McCrady, these shields become true and lasting expressions of the brand, illustrating through abstraction institutional identity, values, and mission.  Establishing heraldry for any academic institution allows the human experiences of those students and alumni to pile their memories onto that shield.  While this phenomenon is not unique to heraldry, for it was never intended to bear such weight, institutional arms serve as a symbol of pride for generations of alumni.      

Thank you Dr. McCrady for the extraordinary gifts that you have given all of us in the Sewanee community.  Indeed, the Sewanee tressure is truly a treasured tressure.   

Yeah, Sewanee's Right!

Works Cited

All Saints' Chapel. (n.d.).  The festival banners described.  Unpublished document.

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

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

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.

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

Krouse, C.M. (16 August 2023).  The heraldic genius of Orville Watson and the heraldry of Kenyon College.  Walsingham Wanderings. https://walsinghamwanderings.blogspot.com/2023/08/the-heraldic-genius-of-orville-watson.html 

McCrady, E. (1957 August 1).  Letter from Vice Chancellor Edward McCrady to the University Board of Regents.  Unpublished letter.

McCrady, J.W. (1981).  The changing seal:  Nexus in university history.  The Sewanee News, 47(1), pp. 15-17.

McCrady, J. W. (1983).  After 125 years completing the university's heraldry. The Sewanee News, 49(1), pp. 29-30.

McCrady, J.W. (2009a).  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, 549-554. 

McCrady, J.W. (2009b).  Evolution of the university seal.  In G.L. Smith & S.R. Williamson (Eds.), Sewanee perspectives:  On the history of the University of the South.  The University of the South, pp. 555-560. 

Pryor, M. (2018 October 16).  Heraldry brings Sewanee a sense of “community” for residence halls. The Sewanee Purple, https://thesewaneepurple.org/2018/10/16/heraldry-brings-sewanee-a-sense-of-community-for-residence-halls/

Steele, T. (2016 April 6).  Second founding honors past and welcomes future. The Sewanee Purple, https://thesewaneepurple.org/2016/04/06/second-founding-honors-past-and-welcomes-future-2/

The Man and His Arms: An Origin Story

The arms of Chad M. Krouse emblazoned in a Spanish-style by Dr. Antonio Salmeron (ES).

In light of several posts regarding the arms of two of my alma maters, I thought it appropriate to share my journey into the world of heraldry.  I used to be somewhat embarrassed about my passion for heraldry.  It's an arcane subject that most Americans wrongly associate with aristocratic impulses.  I feared that others might interpret my interest as a way to portray myself as something that I am not.  Over the years, thankfully, I was able to shed those unfounded fears.   

I am a visual learner.  I lean on my confluence skills, sifting for patterns and common themes in data--it's a gift I have and one I certainly didn't ask for.  Add to this my love of symbology and extracting meaning and identification through otherwise abstract ideas and images.  Perhaps this is why I was drawn to heraldry.

It all began as a freshman at Hampden-Sydney College back in 1998.  I was enamoured by the college's coat of arms, and I literally spent all of my high school graduation gift money in the College Bookstore on just about everything emblazoned with those arms.  Yes, I'll even admit to ordering my college ring as a freshman simply because I wanted to proudly wear those beautiful arms--fortunately my investment was proven upon graduation.  Click here to learn about Hampden-Sydney College's coat of arms.  

Following my undergraduate studies, I started to take a keen interest in the study of heraldry, purchasing loads of books on the subject.  My first work was to design arms within a vesica piscis for my local parish, Johns Memorial Episcopal Church.  Because the parish already had an existing banner containing an otherwise generic coat of arms, I had no choice but to run with that design in order to get the seal approved by the Rector and Vestry.  The blazon for the arms of Johns Memorial Episcopal Church:  gules an agnus dei carrying a resurrection banner proper.  Admittedly, there are some issues with this coat, but nonetheless, you have to begin your heraldic journey somewhere.  I learned a lot about proposing such things before committees, and yes, it's a dangerous thing.

The seal of Johns Memorial Episcopal Church in Farmville, Virginia.  Designed by the author in 2006 and emblazoned by Dr. Richard McClintock, Hampden-Sydney College.

I was extremely fortunate to attend the School of Theology at the University of the South for seminary, where I earned a master of divinity degree.  Sewanee, as it's simply called, is an Episcopal university high atop the Cumberland Plateau in Tennessee.  Gothic architecture dominates the landscape and serves as the perfect backdrop for heraldry.  While Sewanee's heraldry was cleverly designed in 1981 by French Professor Dr. James Waring McCrady (b.1938), the shields were not in use, bowing to the popularity of the university's seal (also set within a vesica piscis) prominently emblazoned on the floor inside the vestibule of All Saints' Chapel.  I would have to say that my time at Sewanee truly catapulted my heraldic interest to the next level.  Click here to read about the arms of the School of Theology, The University of the South.

A non-heraldic seal for the Sewanee Society of Our Lady of Walsingham, a short-lived student group at the seminary, designed by the author 2009.

In a small way, I was able to give something back to Sewanee by way of heraldry.  As my interest grew in the subject, I wanted to see how Sewanee's heraldry would look displayed as banners.  Given all the pomp and circumstance of university ceremonies, I felt deep in my gut that there was a way to increase the visibility of McCrady's work.  I posted several line drawings of banners here in September 2014, knowing full well no one in the world would take notice.  I was wrong.  

A line drawing correctly displaying McCrady's 1981 design for the arms of the University of the South, designed by the author, Sept. 19, 2014.

The Rev. Robertson "Rob" C. Donehue T'16, a seminarian at the time at the School of Theology, saw my post and sparked several conversations about Sewanee's heraldry.  Rob's passion for Sewanee's heraldry, along with his savy leadership, brought my humble sketches into reality.  My dream of seeing Sewanee's heraldry come alive and "fly," was simply made possible by Rob.  By the university's Easter 2015 commencement, all three banners were up and flying (The Sewanee Purple, April 16, 2016, website).  Please click here to read The Sewanee Purple's article.  I am incredibly thankful for Father Rob and the work he did as a seminarian.  To this day, we still correspond on occasion about these very topics.  

By 2014, I was deeply engrossed in researching my family genealogy.  My motivation was simple:  I wanted to share with my children who we are and where we come from in this wide world we inhabit.  Through my research, I joined a number of hereditary societies:  The Sons of the American Revolution, the Sons of the Revolution, the Order of First Families of Massachusetts, the Order of First Families of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, and the Military Order of the Loyal Legion of the United States.  All this research got me thinking about designing and adopting my own arms as a way to honor my newfound discoveries.

My research muse, Pierre de Chaignon la Rose (1872-1941), photograph from his Harvard Class of 1895 yearbook.  Image source Harvard Archives.  

As a researcher, I went looking for resources about how to design arms in accordance with the strict customs of heraldry.  Lo and behold, I kept running into a most unusual name, Pierre de Chaignon la Rose (1872-1941).  Throughout my seminary studies, I identified with the Anglo-Catholic movement within the Church of England--a story rife with historical "fringe figures" complete with equally colorful personalities.  It was no wonder, then, that my fascination with la Rose took off.  Now going on ten years of research, I am extremely grateful to la Rose for a number of reasons.  I learned through his work to appreciate the art and science of heraldry, and I mean good heraldry.  I credit la Rose for giving me the tools to create my own arms.

As a son of West Virginia, and now an adopted one of the Commonwealth of Virginia, I knew I wanted two key elements:  the dogwood flower and the cardinal.  As a lover of irony, the cardinal is the official bird for both states, and you can readily spot these brightly colored, majestic creatures taking flight in both areas.  Furthermore, I love "canting" arms, or using charges within a shield that play upon the arminger's name.  Thus, I knew I had to use the cross attributed to Saint Chad of Mercia (d. 672).  Saint Chad is truly my aspirational saint, a humble man who walked his diocese (refusing to ride horseback) with grace and even turned over his see in a demonstration of obedience. 

In the spirit of humility, an early draft of my arms in 2014.  Through this rather busy and unattractive design, you can see where I'm heading as I arrived at my final version.

Furthermore, I wanted my arms to be layered in a distinctly English sort of way.  The barry wavy lines of six became a logical solution, for it represents my love of water, fishing, and just about anything fun to do on lakes, rivers, and streams (ironically, I'm not a huge fan of the ocean on account of Jaws).  After multiple drafts--some decent, some horrible--I finally arrived on a design that I could live with.  

My very first digital emblazonment, rendered by Steve Cowan (CA) in 2014.

As I began joining various heraldry groups, I oozed envy over seeing all the beautiful digital emblazonments that armingers had commissioned.  While poor at the time, I wanted my own!  I connected with Steve Cowan, a heraldic artist in Canada who was so gracious and patient with me.  A link to Cowan's website and portfolio can be found under "websites of interest."  Once I received the emblazonment above, I proudly shared my arms within those groups.  And that's where I learned my first lesson:  blazons should be very specific.

The dogwood flowers in the shield above are distinctive of the species found in Canada, not the cornus florida variety which is the official state flower of Virginia.  I was incredibly embarrassed that I missed this key detail--it wasn't Cowan's fault, I simply needed to specify my blazon.  We quickly corrected this mistake and I learned the true importance of the blazon in heraldry.

The corrected cornus florida, emblazoned by Steve Cowan (CA).

And that's how I arrived at my final blazon:  Per chevron Gules and barry wavy Argent and Azure, in chief two dogwood flowers (Cornus Florida) Proper and in base a cross of Saint Chad of the first.

  

The next mistake I would make would be found within my motto.  I wanted my motto, "I make right," rendered in German to honor my fifth generation German-American ancestry.  I developed the motto to reflect my desire to "make right" all the wrongs I have (or may) done in the course of my existence.  I foolishly turned to Google where I landed with ICH MACHE RECHTE.  To this day, any German-speaking person reads this as, "I make laws."  It's imperfect, just like me.  As I would later learn the true translation, I decided to keep it for that very reason.

A rather ferocious cardinalis cardinalis. 
The crest of Chad M. Krouse, emblazoned by Steve Cowan (CA).

For my crest, I knew I wanted the cardinal and the madonna lily.  Again, I learned that the blazon must specify the type of bird lest it suggest some poor and unfortunate Roman Catholic prelate's head had been ripped off.

The blazon for my crest is: a cardinal's head (Cardinalis cardinalis) erased clutching in its beak a Madonna lily (Lilium Candidum) seeded Proper.  While the cardinal has been covered, I wanted to incorporate a symbol for the Blessed Virgin Mary as depicted in the image and vision of Our Lady of Walsingham (England).  It seemed fitting to have the bird clutch the seeding flower--a image of growth and vitality. 

The coronet of dogwood flowers (cornus florida) and fleur-de-lis along with the motto,
 emblazoned by Quentin Peacock (UK).

During the ill-timed COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, I wanted to create a heraldic badge and update my emblazonments.  I commissioned Quentin Peacock in England, who is rapidly becoming the expert artist for all things British heraldry.  With Peacock's expertise, we agreed on a coronet of dogwood flowers (cornus florida) and fleur-de-lis to encircle three madonna lilies.  I simply love my badge!  Click here to read the full details on my arms as they appear in the International Armorial Register.

The banner, arms, and badge of Chad M. Krouse, beautifully emblazoned by Quentin Peacock (UK).

 

Finally, during those dark and lonely days of lockdown, I leaned into heraldry as a way to highlight social injustice in our country.  I devised attributed arms for the Black Lives Matter Movement to visually portray the struggles many women and men of color face each day in our society.  The blazon I created: Argent a fist couped Sable flaunches Gules masoned of the field, on a chief Vert a demi dove displayed of the first auerled Or.  I was shocked that my work went viral!  Through these arms, I tried to show not only how extremely relevant heraldry is in our common human experience, but to make a contribution of hope.  I appreciated all the great feedback I received from this project.  Click here to read about the attributed arms for the Black Lives Matter Movement.

The attributed arms of the Black Lives Matter Movement, designed by Chad M. Krouse and emblazoned by Dimitri Prica, June 10, 2020.

My origin story of heraldry is uniquely my own and rather reflective of my journey in life.  While I'll continue to make mistakes as any human will, I endeavor to learn from them to make things right.  The journey led me to discover one of my passions in life, heraldry, and also gave me a research focus on the life and heraldic work of la Rose.  More importantly, I have connected and befriended so many enthusiasts of heraldry all over the world.  I cherish these friendships and connections.

My task, now, is crystal clear: to share la Rose's work with the world in order to give him the credit he truly deserves.  The goal is to publish a book, complete with my findings in the near term.  I even have an amazing research assistant now, an undergraduate student at Virginia Commonwealth University, where I earned my doctoral degree and continue to serve in a professional capacity.  

The arms of Chad M. Krouse, emblazoned in the inimitable style of Sivane Saray (BE).

In so many weird and unexpected ways, heraldry has given me a deeper sense of purpose along with a tangible goal.  I'm having the time of life.  ICH MACHE RECHTE!