The Origin Of The Badge The badge of Alpha Chi Rho was originally designed by Revered Founder, Paul Ziegler in 1894/1895 and presented to the four undergraduate founders shortly after their founding. Paul's ideas were actually put onto paper by his son Eustace who would go on to become an accomplished artist. The first badges were created in the summer of 1895 and were available in about a dozen different styles. It is not known it an the original vartattons were ever produced, but the jeweled badge as we know it today was the top·of·the·line badge.the first being owned by William Eardeley. Despite some minor changes due to manufacturing processes over the years and the availability of jewe ls. the badge has remained the same overall design of that presented by Paul in 1895. In the 1980s as the cost of manufacturing the jeweled badges became too high, a new standard badge was designed that was plain gold colored with the basic outline of the badge's features stamped in. The earliest of these have distinctly sharp features and the more recent ones are smoother in style. There was a short lived interim badge which was flat enameled garnet and white, but was incomplete in that it was missing the lower arc which completes the monogram of AXP, a distinct feature of our badge which few other fraternities can claim. Evidence has been found that this may have been advertised as a recognition pin as opposed to a badge. In time for the Centennial in 1995, a limited production of 500 enameled badges were made as copies of Paul Ziegler's original badge. These were numbered 1-500 and were appropriately named " The Founders Badge". Due to the popularity of these badges.they continue to be available after the initial production run of 500, though these current ones are unnumbered. From the earliest days of Alpha Chi Rho.there has always been a proper way to wear the badge. It is always worn over your heart (traditionally over the left breast) and not on the outer garments. A common rule of thumb is to wear it on the outermost layer you wouldn't take off in the course of an evening:that is to say on a dress shirt, vest, or sweater, and never on the coat lapel. The basic explanation being that it is a badge, and not a lapel pin. Since the badge was sometimes out of sight, there has always been an official recognition pin available so that you can "recognize" a Brother even if he has his coat on. The design of this pin has changed over the years from the earliest form of a simple red ribbon, but it is currently a small gold labarum. An equally important emblem for Alpha Chi Rho is the coat of arms. The heraldic symbols of any fraternal organization are steeped in tradition and hearken back to the days of knighthood. This is especially relevant for us as Alpha Chi Rho was originally founded as a knighthood. This emblem as a whole is so important to our Fraternity,that an early version of the Postulant pin was the crest portion; that being the outstretched hand over the helmet. The coat of arms is an appropriate symbol to be used for plaques, stationery, and secondary jewelry; however. as with all of our emblems, usage must be approved by vote of the National Council. Due to the importance of the coat of arms, it should only be used by Brothers, including when used on approved clothing designs. It is a sign of the initiated Brotherhood as much as is the badge. As Brothers will know, the badge has a special meaning to the Fraternity (though if that existed in 1895.it wasn't recorded until 1903/1905 when many esoteric parts of AXP were reevaluated) and as such the use of the image or design of the badge is restricted. The only allowed usage of the design of the badge (beyond of that badge issued to each Brother) is in the Seal of the Fraternity, in the Chapter Hall, and for insertion in official publications such as Baird's Manual. It is not to be used on other jewelry, stationery. shields, steins. or to be engraved or represented except in the uses mentioned. Some of the other emblems include the labarum. This symbol is commonly used in Christian religions, so it is available in many generic designs. Official uses include the recognition pin. Postulant pin. and on the ensign of the Fraternity. The ensign is the official flag of the Fraternity and is officially formed as follows: a square (1 unit by 1 unit) containing a garnet labarum in the accepted proportions (as it appears on the cover of the Ritual book); the white square being bordered on both sides by a garnet section 1 unit high and 0.25 unit across so that the proportions of the entire ensign is 1 unit in height and 1.5 units in length.
The use of bailment cards did not come into practice until the early 1900s as a result of ihe upheavals of 1901 - 1902 where there is record of some of the dissenting Brothers holding their badges hostage, along with other fraternal items, in return for being allowed to leave the Fraternity peacefully. This was one of the less deplorable actions taken by Brothers during this time period, all of which led to the creation of a number of regulations still in use today. These regulations were put into use shortly after Institution when the Phi Upsilon Chapter abandoned their Charter in 1903. The most commonly recognized regulation being the bailment card which serves as a legal contract establishing the ownership of the Badge by the National Fraternity stating that the Brother is merely a bailee of the Badge for the period during which he is a member of the Fraternity. As such, only an initiated member of Alpha Chi Rho may wear or possess our badge in any form with no exceptions. The official seal of the fraternity consists of the form of the badge, with seven stars below it. surrounded by an oval of text in Greek:"The Seal of the Fraternity of Alpha Chi Rho". This emblem is used to officiate Charters, membership certificates. presidential edicts, and, at one time, was allowed to be painted on the floor of the entrance to the Chapter Hall.