Meaning of the Insignia

Ritual Overview, Guidelinesand Best Practices

Procul O ProculEste Profani

Our Ritual Ceremonies• Opening Ceremony• Closing Ceremony• Formal Pledging Ceremony• Initiation Ceremony• Installation of Officers Ceremony• Graduation Ceremony• Memorial Service• Burial Ceremony

Key Ritual Authors• Noble Leslie DeVotie (Founder)

• John Barratt Rudulph (Badge)

• William Leslie French (Coat-of-Arms)

• Dean Taylor (1910 Revision)

• John O. Moseley (Ceremonies)

• John Walter Wayland (“The True Gentleman”)

• Permanent Ritual Committee (Ongoing revisions)

Elements within our Ritual• Our Name• Phi Alpha• Coat-of-Arms• Sigma Alpha Epsilon Badge• Pledge Pin• Minerva and the Lion• Unwritten signs and passwords• “The True Gentleman”• Sigma Alpha Epsilon Flag• The Phoenix | The Manual of Sigma Alpha Epsilon• The Sigma Alpha Epsilon Songbook

The Initiation Ceremony

• Neophyte Entry• Original Constitution (1856)• Cleansing• Oath• Preceptor (Insignia Instruction)• Four Quarters• Purple Border Charged with 22 Fleurs-de-lis• Fimbriated Cross of Silver• Casque with Purple Plumes• Crest Surmounting the Escutcheon

Initiation Ceremony (continued)

• Inescutcheon• Our Name• Our Guiding Motto• Badge• Minerva and The Lion• Colors of Our Fraternity• Knock• Brother Grip• Salute• Mystic Circle

Meaning of the Insignia :: Part I

• Neophyte Entry

• “The True Gentleman” (Brothers only)

• Constitution (The Recorder)

• Cleansing (The Chronicler)

• Membership Oath (Eminent Archon)

• Preceptor (Insignia Instruction)

History of “The True Gentleman”Written by:

John Walter Wayland (The Baltimore Sun),

But unattributed when discovered by:Judge Walter B. Jones (Alabama Baptist Quarterly)

Sent to:John O. Moseley (Leadership School)

Then attributed back to John Walter Wayland* by:Joseph Walt (reading the U.S. Naval Academy “Blue Book”)

* Posthumously initiated at the 2001 Fraternity Convention ,Orlando , Florida

Part II :: The Coat-of-Arms

• Four Quarters• Purple Border charged with 22 Fleurs-de-lis• Fimbriated Cross of Silver• Casque with Purple Plumes• Crest surmounting the Escutcheon• Inescutcheon• Our Name• Our Guiding Motto• Sigma Alpha Epsilon Badge• Minerva and the Lion• Colors of Our Fraternity

Part II :: The First Quarter

Part II :: The Second Quarter

Part II :: The Third Quarter

Part II :: The Fourth Quarter

Part II :: Purple Border / 22 Fleurs-de-lis

Part II :: Fimbriated Cross of Silver

Part II :: Casque with Purple Plumes

Part II :: Crest surmounting the Escutcheon

Part II :: The Scroll Beneath

Part II :: Inescutcheon

Part II :: Our Name

Part II :: Our Guiding Motto

Part II :: John Barratt Rudulph’s Badge

Part II :: Minerva and the Lion

Part II :: Colors of Our Fraternity• Royal Purple

• Old Gold

• Nazarene Blue

• White Ermine

• Red

• White

• Green

• Silver

Meaning of the Insignia :: Part III

• Knock

• Brother Grip

• Salute

• Mystic Circle

Power of these Insignia

• Truth

• Purity

• Reward

Values from Our Ritual

• Character

• Commitment

• Integrity

• Truth

• Sincerity

Historical Timeline :: Key Dates

Historical Timeline :: Key Dates

March 9, 1856 :: Constitution, Article I, Section 1 read, “The name of this Fraternity shall be … .”

March 15, 1856 :: John Barrett Rudulph’s Badge design officially ratified

1883 :: First printed copy of Ritual and Constitution1892 :: Fraternity Laws added “True man and a gentleman”

qualification1894 :: Convention appointed William Leslie French

(Trinity 1893) to design a Coat-of-Arms 1896 :: Convention adopted new Coat-of-Arms, the same one

currently used today

Historical Timeline :: Key Dates1910 :: Convention adopted the revised Ritual incorporating

Coat-of-Arms written by Dean Taylor (Mt. Union 1902)1910 :: Opening and Closing Ceremonies adopted1947 :: Preceptor role introduced; Formal Pledging Ceremony and Songs officially added, although sung since the 1920s1949 :: Eminent Recorder and Eminent Chronicle parts created1959 :: Memorial Service and Burial Ceremony added1993 :: Graduation Ceremony adopted2001 :: John Walter Wayland posthumously initiated as a

Brother of Sigma Alpha Epsilon (Virginia 1899)2005 :: “The True Gentleman” officially added to Opening

and Initiation Ceremonies

Guidelines for Proper Ritual Use

Guidelines for Proper Ritual Use• The initiation ceremony should be rehearsed, and

parts should be memorized.• The initiation ceremony, as well as all ceremonies,

should be conducted with proper reverence and seriousness.

• Alumni should be invited by written invitation to formal pledging and initiation.

• The chapter should own and use all of the Ritual equipment listed on pages 68-71 in Ritual book.

Guidelines for Proper Ritual Use• Chapter Ritual books (eight copies) and equipment

should be kept in a locked closet or room, maintained by the Eminent Herald and Eminent Preceptor.

• No alcoholic beverages should be present during any Ritual ceremony.

• Coat and tie (“Badge Attire”) should be required of all members, and proper decorum observed at formal pledging and initiation.

• Installation of Officers Ceremony should be conducted within two weeks of elections.

Guidelines for Proper Ritual Use• The Ritual should be used for the opening and closing

of all chapter meetings.• A post-initiation session should be conducted to

enhance the understanding of the initiation ceremony and Fraternity’s Ritual. This PowerPoint presentation is available for download from the “Ritual” tab at www.truegentlemaninitiative.net.

• The chapter should have knowledge and make use of the Fraternity songs and song book, which may be downloaded from the “Ritual” tab at www.truegentlemaninitiative.net.

Ritual Best Practices

Ritual Best Practices• Inventory all Ritual equipment and robes once each

semester

• Acquire air/water tight plastic storage boxes for all equipment; divide Formal Pledging Ceremony items from Initiation Ceremony items, placing in separate boxes

• Obtain high-quality wooden hangers for all robes (not wire or flimsy plastic hangers)

• Hang all robes to fully “air dry” after each use (at least overnight)

• Store robes in large garment bags or garment caddies (avoid plastic dry cleaning bags)

Ritual Best Practices• Ritual books should always be officially signed out

(critical policy) and logged to maintain a clear documentation record of their constant location.

• Develop a replacement budget and cycle for each item (equipment and robes)

• Consider developing a Ritual Team within the chapter and have members memorize roles

• Consider inviting an alumnus or multiple alumni to participate in the Initiation Ceremony (for instance, administering the Oath, the closing admonition, full part or scene shifter)

Ritual Best Practices• Consider inviting a past Eminent Archon to perform

one of the two roles if an alumnus is not available

• Set Initiation and Formal Pledging dates early and invite area/chapter Sigma Alpha Epsilon alumni to attend all Ritual ceremonies

• Use all ceremonies in the Ritual book for the recommended occasion