I applaud Georgetown College for continuing to use a coat of arms as an identifier when it seems so many colleges and universities are opting instead to trade in these "relics" for modern logos. If I’ve worked out the blazon correctly, though, it’s a mouthful.
Purpure a Chevron Sable between in chief two Tigers rampant combatant proper and in base three Celtic Crosses Sable embellished Or two and one a Chief chequy Sable and Or in honor point an Inescutcheon Gules surmounted by a lit Torch Or that surmounted by an open Book Argent thereupon inscribed the motto "VIM PROMOVET INSITAM" all within a Bordure Sable fimbriated Argent charged with eight Mullets of eight points Or.
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Just proves that good intentions aren’t everything.
Joseph McMillan;77772 wrote:
Just proves that good intentions aren’t everything.
Are you saying you won’t be nominating Georgetown College for the AHS design award?
IMO, the arms look alittle like a dog’s breakfast and it violates the tincture rules.
Is there an equivalent to the ASPCA in Thailand? I need to report some animal abuse if you’d feed that to your dog.
This was taken form the college’s website:
Quote:
The Georgetown College Crest, introduced in the spring of 1997, incorporates symbols that represent the purpose, foundation and beliefs of the institution.
The Crosses are indicative of Christ and the college’s Christian foundation.
The Torch symbolizes the enlightenment of learning.
The Book represents the search for knowledge.
The Tigers are a symbol of strength and the college mascot.
The Eight Suns represent the school’s aspirations for the future.
The Sun’s Eight Points stand for Georgetown’s eight guiding principles.
The Latin Inscription is translated as “Learning Promotes One’s Innate Power."
Available here, http://www.georgetowncollege.edu/About/crest.htm
Kenneth Mansfield;77788 wrote:
Is there an equivalent to the ASPCA in Thailand? I need to report some animal abuse if you’d feed that to your dog.
Yes. Haha!
Alex, thanks for the symbolism.
Personally, I think the design can be simplified. Perhaps one cross is enough and make it in Argent or Or. The chevron should be a medal or fur. Personally, I would also get rid of the chief as it does not seem to symbolize anything at least according to the listing provided.
Of course Georgetown College could care less what I think as they seem happy with the design. Have these arms been recorded with the US Heraldic Register?
It looks like they crammed everything onto the shield. Put the torch and book as the crest, move the tigers to be supporters and remove the red shield and chief altogether. Then make it so the chevron is between the three crosses (and changing them from sable to or). Voila
arriano;77797 wrote:
It looks like they crammed everything onto the shield. Put the torch and book as the crest, move the tigers to be supporters and remove the red shield and chief altogether. Then make it so the chevron is between the three crosses (and changing them from sable to or). Voila
Your removals from the arms are a start, but besides being an awkward crest, the torch and book are cliched, trite and over-used (and no doubt other redundant terms). I’m also not thrilled with supporters or the brodure.
The shield is far too crowded and part of the cause is probably the desire to make it [overly] symbolic. The trouble with trying to include everything you stand for is that you inevitably miss something that someone thinks is equally or more important than was included. What about the school’s respect for democratic principles, patriotism, yearning for justice, protection of freedom of thought/guardianship of religious orthodoxy?
(Sometimes the explanation of the virtues desired to be represented by a coat of arms reminds me of Garrison Keiler’s comment that in Lake Woebegone all the children are above average.)
I would hesitate to suggest changes. In my experience overzealous heraldic advice can be quite unsettling for any institution. More often than we care to admit it paves the way for a logo that does not call for all these well meaning comments.
xanderliptak;77790 wrote:
This was taken form the college’s website:
Quote:The Georgetown College Crest, introduced in the spring of 1997, [snip]
[snip]
Eee gad. I didn’t find that page on their website. I gave them the benefit of the doubt having thought perhaps they had misinterpreted some older coat of arms or combined several, or something. If this was created anew that recently,... well .... yuck.
Kenneth Mansfield;77820 wrote:
Eee gad. I didn’t find that page on their website. I gave them the benefit of the doubt having thought perhaps they had misinterpreted some older coat of arms or combined several, or something. If this was created anew that recently,... well .... yuck.
It does look like it were the child of several arms compiled and placed on one shield, which is seen occasionally with colleges and universities. While far from being anything good, especially since there seems to be no reason for several of the elements on the shield, it is also far from the worst attempt we have seen.
This was likely the compromise that resulted from numerous committees and groups at the college that each had their own agenda and opinion. Rather than make a stand, they simply just glued it all together. A good first stab at it, as they say, but some clean up would be in order.
xanderliptak;77855 wrote:
A good first stab at it, as they say, but some clean up would be in order.
The group should do a design makeover just for fun. I’m sure the College is happy with its current arms.
I’m struck by the contrast between these arms, and the arms of the University of Saskatchewan (or of Saskatoon—I focused on the image to the exclusion of the name)—Vert an open book proper between three wheatsheaves Or—beautifully and simply drawn. Unfortunately I don’t have an image to post, but they are among the best academic arms I’ve seen.
Rather than ragging on Georgetown—seldom effective in inspiring positive change—perhaps a better approach might be to show these arms along with some of their better academic counterparts, such as Harvard & Sask. The contrast would be stark & should speak for itself.
Here you are Mr. McCartney, for the visual.
http://www.geoide.ulaval.ca/upload/image/Logo Universite/University of Saskatchewan.gif
