<![CDATA[Mu Phi Epsilon Library & Archives - Blog]]>Mon, 07 Jul 2025 06:46:38 -0700Weebly<![CDATA[Our Shield]]>Sat, 12 Nov 2022 00:31:58 GMThttps://www.muphiepsilonlibrary.org/blog/our-shieldPicture
 
Our Shield and Coat of Arms


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Having a fraternal “Coat of Arms” goes back to heraldic times when knights and houses of royalty would have shields and a literal coat of arms to identify themselves (especially during battles and jousts). There is always much symbolism and meaning behind what appears on one’s coat of arms. Fraternal and other ceremonial societies have adopted this totem as a point of connection and pride. Mu Phi Epsilon is no exception and adopted its shield and Coat of Arms quite early in our existence, during the June 1904 Convention to be exact! The design has remained unchanged since those first days, with the exception that when Mu Phi voted in 1977 to become a fraternity and admit men to membership, a change was desired to reflect both genders, so that now the scroll of music included the bass as well as the treble clef (the things you learn!).

For those who may not know:
  • The background is in our colors, purple and white.
  • It is divided into four division or “Cantons” by a black cross containing three gold stars: thirteen because we were founded on the thirteenth of November with thirteen members, stars because our aim is high, and gold to denote our true worth.
  • Each of the four Cantons includes a symbol repeated both in the first and fourth divisions and the second and third showing a scroll of music and our pin or badge.
  • The new Coat of Arms was adapted to be part of our Ritual Cloth in 1983 by Roberta O’Connell (Phi Mu)
  • Mu Phi Epsilon is indicated by the Greek letters: 
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]]><![CDATA[Our First Triangle]]>Thu, 13 Oct 2022 22:15:00 GMThttps://www.muphiepsilonlibrary.org/blog/our-first-triangleOur first Triangle publication!
 
As you all know, Mu Phi Epsilon was founded on November 13, 1903 (a Friday!) at the Metropolitan College of Music in Cincinnati. Our industrious founders soon followed with a publication in 1906, the Mu Phi Epsilon Year Book ’04-’05, which was to become the quarterly publication of our organization, The Triangle [past and current].
 
The Triangle features reports and updates from MPE officers and chapters and offers news of what Mu Phis are up to and the music they are offering. Also included are some of the best writings on music, pedagogy, music history and appreciation, performance, music organizations, American music, culture, biography, and much, much more… written by some of the best scholars of the time. Here is the first cover and issue of what became The Triangle:
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]]><![CDATA[Our Best Tea Service]]>Thu, 13 Oct 2022 22:12:30 GMThttps://www.muphiepsilonlibrary.org/blog/our-best-tea-serviceBack in the day….
 
Any Mu Phi Epsilon chapter meeting worth its salt would include an offering of something to nibble on (natch!) and a serving of tea – you know, like they did in all the best houses of Europe! The more industrious chapters made sure they had the proper accoutrements for such a tea service display. Below is a Mu Phi tea/coffee pot and embossed tray (for serving of all those tea-cakes, don’t you know!). Located in YOUR Library & Archive~~
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