ΛXA
LAMBDA CHI ALPHA - KAPPA GAMMA ZETA
FRANKLIN COLLEGE - FRANKLIN, IN
Fraternity Symbols
Fraternity Crest
Coat of arms were originally family emblems. Then cities, societies, and institutions adopted them. All college fraternities have them, but few have created their design with such faithful adherence to the laws of the ancient art of heraldry as has Lambda Chi Alpha.
“Here is where nine out of ten farternities run up against a snag. They either make their design out of their own heads, without consulting the rules of heraldry or else they put the whole business in the charge of an engraver, who doesn’t care a rat about approriateness or anything else, so long as he gets his money. In either case there is always some blunder or other, often many. …… To corredt these blunders we looked up a number of textbooks on heraldry, and went through them very carefull. …… We took the cross and crescent, the book, the lamp, balance, the crossed swords, the clasped hands, the ‘delta’, the olive branch, the motto and the pin, and did our best to make a consistent design which should embody them all. …… The design is one of the richest and most elaborate that any fraternity has ever turned out; and I really think it is one to be proud of.”
–Letter from Jack Mason to Warren Cole, January, 6th 1913
Each part of the Lambda Chi Alpha Coat of Arms has a special meaning, the details of which are explained during the Initiation Ritual. The crest of the coat of arms consists of the cross and crescent, the two primary symbols of Lambda Chi Alpha. The basic section of the shield is quartered and consists of a greek lamp, a balance, a book, and clasped hands with three stars. Upon the shield is an inescutcheon, or small shield placed in the center of the shield. It was added to signify the union of Lambda Chi Alpha and Theta Kappa Nu; it contains the primary symbols of Theta Kappa Nu- the lion bearing a white rose. Another unique feature of our coat of arms is the presence of the badge. A most appropriate design element, Lambda Chi Alpha is the only college fraternity to include its badge on the coat of arms.
Mottos on early coats of arms were battle cries. Today, they serve to challange all members of Lambda Chi Alpha.
Per Crucem Cresvens – Growth through the Cross.
Vir Quisque Vir – Every man a man.
χαλεπα τα καλα – (Kah-lay’ -pah Tah Kal-lah’) Naught Without Labor
Fraternity Badge of Brotherhood
The badge is a pearl-set crescent with horns turned toward the left, enclosing a monogram of the Greek letters Lambda, Chi, and Alpha. The center of the crescent bears the Greek letters Delta and Pi in gold on black enamel.
Probably no fraternity badge has a deeper meaning than that of Lambda Chi Alpha. Not meerly the pearls and the Greek letters and the crescent have their symbolism, but each line of the crescent and the relationship of the emblems to each other add still greater signicance
The wearing of badges or other symbols of allegiance, authority, or rank is a I custom which we know dates from antiquity. From an early period in the history of Greece,every freeman,it appears, wore a signet ring. In the story of the prodigal son, a signet ring is placed upon his finger emblematic of the renewal of the family tie. The order of knighthood developed badges of more complex design than the devices of allegiance such as the white and red roses of York and Lancaster and the falcon of Elizabeth.
The general social fraternities followed the lead of the earlier literary societies in making a badge one of the central symbols. Kappa Alpha Society, the oldest of the present fraternities, adopted the “key” worn upon the watch chain. It literally was a key…used for winding the large pocket watches of the day. Today, all other contemporary groups display the badge as a pin, which has migrated from the jacket lapel to the area over the heart on the vest or sweater (if worn) or shirt. At one period of heavy persecution of fraternities, several groups specified the left armpit region of the shirt as the location. About one-third of today’s badges are some form of shield or slab with the fraternity initials and significant symbols displayed. Another third consists of a symbolic shape (some form of cross, diamond, or triangle…such as the four triangles of Theta Kappa Nu) also often containing additional symbols as well as the Greek letters. Almost one-third use a monogram of the letters composing the name. Lambda Chi Alpha shared only with Alpha Chi Rho, Theta Chi, and Triangle the use of both monogram and symbol in the basic shape of the badge. Many .badges are set with stones, with pearls being the most frequently stipulated.
Associate Member Pin
In 1939 the Theta Kappa Nu Fraternity Merged with Lambda Chi Alpha. The Associate Member Ceremony is actually a condensed version of Theta Kappa Nu’s ritual. And, the Associate Member Pin is a combination of the early Lambda Chi Alpha pledge button and the Theta Kappa Nu Badge. The four equilateral triangles standing for learning, morality, friendship (fraternity), and patriotism.
The Cross and the Crescent
According to the History of Lambda Chi Alpha, we are the seventh order espousing knightly ideals to use the crescent as a symbol. It signifies eternity, purity, fertility and growth, and submision to divine law; it was the symbol adopted by the legendary founder of Lambda Chi Alpha, Rene of Anjou. Warren A. Cole writes, “For a further symbol we took the Cross of St. George" who might almost be called the patron saint of brotherhoods… As Brother Wurster (who is something of a poet) remarked, ‘There you have aspiration and sacrifice together, which follows out our motto.’”
Fraternity Flag
The flag consists of a purple field, in the center is placed the cross and crescent with a shild upon which is placed the letters ΛXA. three gold stars surround the cross and crescent.The Lambda Chi Alpha flag may be flown on appropriate occasions or placed on a wall. Chapters may place their Zeta letters in the upper right corner to identify their flags.