Recognition Badge

Recognition Badge

Phi Gamma Delta's recognition badge reflects the black diamond and white star of the Founder's badge worn by initiates. It was originally adopted in 1910 as a tiny lapel pin for graduates to wear when the actual badge was not appropriate.

The Official Seal

The Official Seal

The Fraternity's Official Seal dates to the 1860s and reflects the badge, plus a handshake and book. Prior to 1925, when this was adopted, Phi Gamma Delta used the early representation of the seal: a closed book, upon which were two clasped hands, and above which were the Greek letters, Phi Gamma Delta, respectively perioded, and emanating from such in every direction were sunrays, or rays of light. The open motto of the Fraternity was inscribed there under the Latin words, "Fortiter, Fideliter, Feliciter."

The Heraldic Insignia

The Heraldic Insignia

Phi Gamma Delta's heraldic insignia dates from the year 1879. Prior to that, the Fraternity used the original seal pictured above. The coat of arms includes a gold shield with three red American Roses, a purple chevron, and three silver stars. The crest is our mascot, the Snowy White Owl. The Fraternity's open motto graces the scroll. 

More History of Heraldic Insignia and Phi Gamma Delta

Heraldic insignia in the Fraternity of Phi Gamma Delta date from the year 1879. Prior to that time the Fraternity used the early representation of the seal: a closed book, upon which were two clasped hands, and above which were the Greek letters, Phi Gamma Delta, respectively perioded, and emanating from such in every direction were sunrays, or rays of light. The open motto of the Fraternity was inscribed there under in the Latin words, "Fortiter, Fideliter, Feliciter."

The 1878 convention appointed J. S. Battell, T. W. Weeks, and Frank Keck to recommend heraldic insignia for Phi Gamma Delta. The 1879 convention in Cleveland adopted a Coat of Arms and an open motto to accompany same:

Arms: A shield, gold, bearing three roses red, crossed by a chevron purple, bearing three stars silver.

Crest: An owl.

Motto: (in Greek letters) - "Philotes, Glukutate, Dunasteia."

The helmet and mantlings in heraldry originally denoted nobility. However, in representing the Coat of Arms today, the helmet and mantlings are never used.

The heraldic insignia of the Fraternity was extended further through the initiative of Grand Chapter member Frank Keck. In the 1880s he created secondary shields, with purple field, for use by individual chapters of the Fraternity. Each chapter selected for its own distinctive mark an individual chapter charge for their shield, and also an individual chapter motto, the initial letter of the motto following the letter of each individual chapter's name. It is fully exemplified in Keck's "Uncompleted Catalog of Phi Gamma Delta," published in 1895, and in The History of Phi Gamma Delta, Tomos Beta. When the current form of government replaced the Grand Chapter in 1898, the extension of this secondary heraldry to new chapters was neglected, so that at present our younger chapters possess no chapter heraldry.

Some confusion developed in these years about the coat of arms. In 1883 the Grand Chapter voted to adopt a coat of arms designed by the Dreka company of Philadelphia. It is unclear why they did this after the convention adopted different arms in 1879. The arms were displayed in college yearbooks and even The Phi Gamma Delta magazine for a time.

In 1901 the 53rd Ekklesia appointed Dandridge Spotswood (Hampden Sydney 1893) and William S. Wadsworth to determine exactly the proper coat of arms. The following year the 54th Ekklesia adopted their report: ". . . the coat of arms as adopted at the Cleveland convention in 1879 was correct heraldry and we deem it advisable to re-adopt these arms."

These actions resulted in some difficulties. Confusion remained over the appearance of the stars: silver stars as noted in 1879, or gold mullets (pierced stars) as indicated in the 1902 report? And how should the owl look, brown as in 1879, or snowy white like the mascot? Brothers also debated what precisely constituted "proper" heraldry. As a result, the 55th Ekklesia passed a resolution endorsing "the proper coat of arms, when the helmet is stricken there from." So for a few years three or four representations of the arms circulated, like the version depicted at the right.

In 1913, the Ekklesia sought to clarify the picture. They confirmed the coat of arms adopted in 1879 and re-adopted in 1902. The 1903 ban on the helmet remained. The snow white owl, our mascot, would grace the crest, as depicted in a 1913 representation, and today's interpretation to the left.

Cussans, in his Handbook of Heraldry, page 301, shows a facsimile of the Arms of the family of Baldington of Oxford, which has some characteristics of our own coat of arms. The arms of the City of Leeds, England also has similarities, although they were designed in the 1920s.

The Official Flower

The Official Flower

The Purple Clematis, which was selected by the 1924-1925 Ekklesia, replaced the purple heliotrope as Phi Gamma Delta's official flower. The royal purple color and the start-like shape of the flowers, characters which are symbolic and significant to all loyal Fijis, make it the fraternity flower par excellence.

Our Official Flower: The Purple Clematis

The purple clematis, known technically as clematis jackmanii, was selected by the 1924-1925 Ekklesia as the official flower of Phi Gamma Delta. It replaced the purple heliotrope.

The royal purple color and the star-like shape of the flowers, characters which are symbolic and significant to all loyal Fijis, make it the fraternity flower par excellence.

Clematis is the genus name of the group of plants commonly known as virgin's bower and belongs to the crowfoot (ranunculaceae) family of plants. About 20 species are native to North America. Clematis jackmanii is a hybrid species which was introduced in 1862 and still remains the most popular and the most valuable purple-flowered clematis known. It climbs to a height of five or more feet and has leaves which vary from simple to trifoliate. The blades of the leaves and leaflets are heart-shaped with elongated tips and have epidermal hairs so as to make them more or less wooly underneath. The flowers are flat and vary from five to six inches diameter.

Clematises grow best in a rich soil of a light, loamy character which contains some lime. The soil must be well-drained and must be kept highly fertile by annual applications of horse-manure or cow-manure. Cow-manure is preferable in dry, hot soils, while a good dressing of leaf mold is best in heavy soils. The general vigor of the plant and the size of the flowers are increased by mulching the plants with half-rotted manure on the approach of winter. The plants are benefited by spraying during the growing period in dry seasons.

Clematis vines should be pruned in November by cutting away all weak, straggling and over-crowded branches. Flowers appear on the new shoots which grow out in the spring, so that proper pruning is of exceedingly great importance. Clematis jackmanii may be grown over walls, root-fences, mounds, arbors, balconies, trellises, small buildings and lawn swings which are big enough for one and strong enough for two. It is important that the vines have a firm wooden or metal support to prevent them from being whipped about by the wind and broken off at the ground. If the vines are not properly supported the bark is apt to be cracked and the plants are thus open to the attacks of insects and fungous diseases. Clematis may also be grown in greenhouses.

Clematis jackmanii may be propagated by grafting scions on stocks of clematis flammula or clematis viticella. Scions are best taken from plants that have been grown under glass, and should be used before the wood is entirely matured. Also cuttings of nearly matured wood, taken from plants grown under glass, placed in sand in May or June, are recommended. When old stocks are available, new plants may be produced by layering. The stem should be twisted until the bark cracks longitudinally. Every second node should be thus twisted, pegged down, and covered with ground and left until the following spring. Clematis jackmanii cannot be propagated by seed, as it is sterile, due, no doubt, to its hybrid origin.

The Mascot

The Mascot

Perched atop the wooden fencepost is the official mascot of Phi Gamma Delta: Gamma, a Snowy White Owl looking particularly fierce. The Phi Gamma Delta Educational Foundation commissioned noted wildlife artist John A. Ruthven to create this lithograph.

The Official Flag

The Official Flag

The Official Flag is of royal purple background, with the fraternity's Greek initials in the center, and a star in the upper right-hand corner. Both the initials and the star are white. Each chapter may place in the upper left-hand corner the Greek letter or letters which designate it in the Fraternity.

The Official Jeweler