| The Emblem
The emblem of the Fraternity changed greatly in the early years. At one time it was a rock wall with  on a scroll in the center and the hand of humanity reaching for the key of knowledge above the wall. This was adopted prior to the NYU installation. Founder Alphonse Derwin Stillman was probably responsible for the battle-ax and scimitar that were included in an early design. The rock wall design was submitted by Founder Peter Schermerhorn Johnson. Being the earliest known emblem of the Fraternity it is now worn at official functions on a special medallion by past and present international officers as well as members of the Order of the White Carnation. In a March 19, 1907 letter to Founder Barnes, Founder Johnson wrote: "Regarding the hand and key, it was presented by me as a substitute for one of the wishy washy designs furnished by the engraving companies who we called on to furnish designs for a cust (sic) to represent the society in the Cornellian in 1891. The original is on the Alhambra at Grenada, Spain, and signifies the grasping of the race for knowledge, for God, for eternity. The key unlocking the gates to all. The hand reaching to attain its end.
The hand of humanity reaching for the key of knowledge.
In looking over the old papers I find a little poem I wrote at the time I was getting up the data. It does not amount to much but I put it in
| In the city of Grenada, In that quaint old Moorish town, Where Alhambra's noble palace, From the lofty height looks down; O'er the portal to the courtyard, Where each passerby may see: Graved by subtle Moorish sculptor, Are the mystic hand and key. |
On that symbol rests a legend, Brought from far Araby's sands, By the Saracenic warriors. When they conquered Gothic lands: And the meaning of that emblem. As has oft been told to me: Is that wisdom's rarest treasures, Fill the hand that grasps the key. |
We have placed that ancient emblem on the banner that we love. Golden key of golden promise, with the open hand above: Aid our Maters' strength, my brother, that our own fraternity: In the coming years yet distant, have the hand that grasps the key.
The owl, interlocking Delta and Chi, and the Oil lamp, which appeared on some of the early charters, may have been the work of the committee on charters that was formed in the spring of 1891.
It wasn't until the Easter vacation of 1899 that Fraser Brown and Roy V. Rhodes decided to design a coat of arms for the young fraternity. The design they developed involved the "marriage" or union of two "families" : that of Sir Edward Coke, one of the towering figures in the establishment of law as the instrument of justice; and that of the knight-errant, the feudal predecessor of law in enforcing justice, as symbolized by his weapons. In regard to the alterations made on their original design, Roy V. Rhodes had this to say:
"Some slight changes were made a few years later by whom I do not know. I had nothing to do with it and I don't think Fraser Brown had either. One of these changes was the addition of a lot of what appear no be rivets around the edges of the shield and which do not, in my opinion, improve the appearance. Another change was the placing of the martlets in profile instead of from a front view in flight. I believe we adopted the front view because that is the way they are shown on the arms of Sir Edward. For practical reasons we omitted the usual helmet and united the crest and helmet in one great insignia of the fraternity - the Greek letters, Delta and Chi, with the torso between the shield and the crest instead of in its usual position above the helmet."
An early version of the coat of arms |
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The coat of arms involves the "marriage" or union of two "families"; that of Sir Edward Coke and that of the knight-errant.
Click here to read a 1930 letter from Roy V. Rhodes, Cornell '01 concerning the coat-of-arms
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