Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute

 
Michael Swanson
 
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Michael Swanson
Total Posts:  2462
Joined  26-02-2005
 
 
 
18 October 2006 22:31
 

http://www.lib.rpi.edu/Archives/gallery/symbols/index.html

http://www.lib.rpi.edu/Archives/gallery/symbols/van_rensselaer_coat_of_arms.gif


Quote:

Elements of Killaen Van Rensselaer’s coat of arms were used in the design of the Institute coat of arms when it was created in 1904.


http://www.lib.rpi.edu/Archives/gallery/symbols/institute_coat_of_arms.gif

Anyone want to blazon this!?


Quote:

The first official emblem of Rensselaer was created by architect R.C. Sturgis in 1904 upon the request of Institute Director Palmer C. Ricketts. Sturgis’s design was based on motifs from the coat of arms of Killaen Van Rensselaer, who was the great, great grandfather of RPI founder Stephen Van Rensselaer. The Institute coat of arms includes a surveyor’s target, symbolizing the school’s focus on civil engineering, and the words "Knowledge and Thoroughness" on a banner below the shield.

This decorative crest was created in the early 1900s and was based on the newly designed Institute coat-of-arms. The following is an excerpt from Palmer C. Ricketts’s History of the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Third Edition, 1934 (pp. 184-185):

 

"Inquiries having been made, from time to time, for the coat-of-arms of the Institute for the use in the decoration of rooms in university clubs in various cities, one was originated in 1904. It was designed by R.C. Sturgis, architect, of Boston. He squeezed up the coat of arms of Stephen Van Rensselaer vertically, to the top of the shield, and below it placed the three vertical strips using the Institute colors cherry and white. As at that time, the civil was the only engineering course given, the surveyor’s target was used on the white middle trip. The legend "Knowledge and Thoroughness" was used by the director because these words seemed to cover two characteristics developed by the Institute course.

 

"Some time afterward J.J. Albright, of Buffalo, a graduate, wanted a crest for the decoration of a room in a Buffalo club. For this purpose two concentric circles were put around the shield and "Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, 1824" placed between them. In 1905 enameled pins were made of the shield, and these have since been worn by many graduates. Undergraduates are not supposed to wear them. They use the button resembling a level rod target. Some years afterwards it was thought that we should have a distinctive flag and the Director originated the one now used: a rectangle divided by a diagonal into two triangles, one cherry and one white, with the letters R. P. I. crossing the diagonal, the parts of the letters on the white background being cherry and the parts on the cherry background being white."


http://www.lib.rpi.edu/Archives/gallery/symbols/rpi_seal.gif

 
Michael Swanson
 
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Michael Swanson
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Joined  26-02-2005
 
 
 
18 October 2006 22:43
 

Not the worst example…..at least there is contrast.

http://www.irchs.org/about/images/quote.gif

 
Michael Swanson
 
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Michael Swanson
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Joined  26-02-2005
 
 
 
18 October 2006 22:51
 

Another high school….

http://www.sjscf.org/_borders/crest4.gif

 

SAINT JOSEPH CATHOLIC SCHOOL

1200 EAST 10TH STREET

STUART, FLORIDA 34996

 
Donnchadh
 
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Donnchadh
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19 October 2006 00:52
 

it’s better than some i’d say. in fact i like it, but i’d have no idea how to blazon the lower half of the shield.

 
Joseph McMillan
 
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Joseph McMillan
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19 October 2006 09:17
 

"Gules on a pale Argent a surveyor’s target palewise proper…" no?  That’s what the explanation of the arms says the charge is supposed to be.  Apparently this device is more commonly called a target rod or leveling rod.  See http://www.uzes.net/greatdad/PDFs/Rodsxxfinal.pdf.

"... a chief quarterly, 1st Gules a cross moline Or, 2nd Argent a fess embattled counter-embattled Gules between three mullets of six points Or, 3rd Argent three crowns Or, 4th Argent three chevronels Or."

 

(Tinctures as shown on the RPI arms, not on those of Rensselaer himself.)

 
Michael Swanson
 
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Michael Swanson
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Joined  26-02-2005
 
 
 
19 October 2006 09:20
 

Joseph McMillan wrote:

"Gules on a pale Argent a surveyor’s target palewise proper…" no?  That’s what the explanation of the arms says the charge is supposed to be.  Apparently this device is more commonly called a target rod or leveling rod.  See http://www.uzes.net/greatdad/PDFs/Rodsxxfinal.pdf.

"... a chief quarterly, 1st Gules a cross moline Or, 2nd Argent a fess embattled counter-embattled Gules between three mullets of six points Or, 3rd Argent three crowns Or, 4th Argent three chevronels Or."

 

(Tinctures as shown on the RPI arms, not on those of Rensselaer himself.)


Here is a rod:

http://www.abccatalog.com/store/images/products/5283702133.jpg

 

The view of the rod through the serveyor telescope’s eyepiece with cross is what I was struggling with.