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NORTH SHORE BREEZE 9 
A Gale of Heraldry 
The Coat of cArms 
in cAmerica 
BY REV. LOUIS H. RUGE 
[Copyrighted 1912 by Louis H. Ruge] 
N THE study of the coat-of-arms in America we 
find that the class hierarchy in this democracy 
has developed certain geographical and racial 
eccentricities that are disconcerting to the for- 
eign hierarchy and a little confusing to Ameri- 
eans themselves. And there being no American College 
of Arms as yet to standardize distinctions it has become 
a matter of agonizing moment at times to really know 
who is who and what is what. 
Boston’s assumption and dignity in this respect is 
so well assumed and lotty that it merits a distinction 
all its own, so that America might do worse than 
establishing its college of arms on Beacon Hill. 
To balance the etfect of Boston’s Brahmin dignity, 
other sections have set up certain standards of their 
own. Let us here assume, simply for the sake of illus- 
tration and not to draw invideous comparisons, that 
New York’s millionaires must first be thoroughly dis- 
infected by ‘‘works meet for repentance’’; that their 
geneology and descent from the Dutch does not merit 
the exalted insignia as that which Mayflower descen- 
dants may display. In Europe distinctions are easily 
drawn—it is not so in this case. Therefore New York, 
or rather Manhattan Island to be correct, hires more 
menials from old world courts, and dresses them in 
liveries that lend themselves to gorgeous coat-of-arms 
embroidered on blue plush and white silk stockings that 
even the lofty gaze of a Bostonian cannot avert in 
running the gauntlet from lmousine to reception hall. 
But it would seem that the boundaries of the 
Brahmin class are somewhat flexible still, admitting 
certain few from the sacred precincts of Philadelphia, 
Baltimore and the level of the common plains of 
Chicago, even if sufficiently removed from the atmo- 
sphere of the stock-yards. A real, genuine democracy, 
you see, cannot be too absolutely particular. 
It has been said, and a protest is raised at times, 
and many deplore the fact, that the self-assumed Amer- 
s 
rey 
r@ 
Or 
ican hierarchy insists too severely at times upon a rig- 
ar - 
orous scrutiny of credentials to distinctions and local- 
ity; but on the other hand a line must be drawn some- 
where. Of course anyone having the proper ancestors 
end a coat-of-arms duly authenticated may reasonably 
live anywhere without injury to rank, but others must 
remain within certain prescribed social bounds and 
metropolitan precincts, or suffer for it. 
With true characteristic, Americans, a people who 
do things spontaneously and enthusiastically, mean bus- 
iness in this matter; so that now seeing the artistic 
effect of heraldic devices, and having made up their 
minds for this display, the coat-of-arms is seen every- 
where. 
Linens, silverware, china, plate, bed canopies, sta- 
tionery, liveries, carriages, automobiles, articles of do- 
mestic use to the gold clasps of the psalter and book 
of liturgy, everything that lends itself to heraldic 
devices, is exploited by this blazonry of the family coat- 
of-arms. 
The industries involved in this have departments 
employing the skill and genius of the finest artisans 
and artists on account of the growing demands of the 
Americans for this badge of gentility. 
There is a great deal of humor and snobbery about 
this, but to display a coat-of-arms in America is not 
entirely an unworthy display. The possession of a duly 
authenticated coat-of-arms, as an insignia of a distinct 
claim to honorable descent, is a priceless inheritance 
when it was won in an honorable and worthy cause. 
Such an inheritance should not be neglected and is 
worthy of both display and safe-guarding from the 
shoddy imitations that in gorgeous and often grotesque 
farms put this gentle and noble art to shame by asso- 
ciation. The mark, however, must be subordinate to 
merit as merit itself is always and absolutely superior 
to the mark. 
Let us remain loyal to a democracy that demands 
equality and brotherhood for all, but at the same time 
be insistent upon the precedence of every great soul and 
every great achievement that lifts an individual or a 
race higher in its unfolding. Anyone that has this 
mark upon him is the peer of all mere arbitrary peer- 
age, often peerless. It does not matter whether your 
rank is blazoned on a shield in Herald’s College or not, 
a man erowned by high character and achievement is 
often far superior to his origin as this origin may be 
superior to the man. 
The fluctuating waves of evolution can never be 
standardized so as to become fixed, but may lft or 
sink a man or a race as the case may be, and the souls 
on the top wave of character are forever the crested 
ones. Therefore let no one, however honorably des- 
eended they may be, ‘‘think more highly of themselves 
than they ought to think.’’ 
Let the quest for these fancied and fanciful tro- 
plies of the past go on. It is an interesting realm to 
explore. It is a vast realm of intricate paths and gene- 
ological labyrinths, a field for infinite discoveries in 
whieh many become hopelessly lost. The sources of in- 
vestigation are almost infinite with colleges dedicated 
to the art, with great lbraries in our cities constantly 
adding to their treasures, all at the explorers’ service. 
Hundreds and thousands of volumes are searched 
daily in the great city libraries, often for a single clue, 
a single name that persists in evading the search, and 
one has but to watch to see how eager is the search 
by the absorbed and strained investigation. 
If not found there the archives of Europe are ran- 
cacked for data. Americans are constantly found la- 
boriously searching ruins for traces where vandals 
robbed posterity of records of honorable lineage, evi- 
dences destroyed now valued beyond all price. 
In this search the records of old churches are found 
of great value, and demonstrates how universal is this 
divine institution in its service and application to the 
needs of man; for all our ancestral roots pass through 
this institution. 
It is said in Europe that the fees coming from 
America today to Herald’s College, England, and others 
keep these institutions furnished with all the funds 
needed. Some are successful; many spend time and 
money in vain. 
But the fact of one’s armorial bearings being thus 
unauthenticated by Herald’s College should be no bar 
to the ambitions in that line. As each of the continental 
nations differ in system and authority, no absolute uni- 
formity existing in establishing a claim, the search may 
be earried on indefinitely wherever a possible clue may 
be found; and that may lead to others and so the chain, 
link by link, may finally be perfected, 
