ΔΖ Insignia

New Member Pin
The standard new member pin of Delta Zeta is a diamond shape black enamel, gilt edge and bearing the Roman Lamp in gold. It does not become the property of the new member but remains the property of the chapter. This not only avoids the confusion of owning two pins, but also symbolizes the temporary duration of the pledgeship and is a custom followed by all NPC groups.

New member pins are used on some campuses from the earliest moments of pledging, while on other campuses pledge ribbons in the colors of the Sorority are worn for a few days. Both are binding.

The early pins were long stickpins and the use of the regular brooch-clasp came later. In the early days of our Sorority, it was quite proper to wear the Sorority pin some place other than over the heart and pins were often worn on a collar or in the hair. This, of course, is no longer permissible.

Crest

The Delta Zeta Crest or Coat of Arms is composed of symbols, and it conforms to the principles of heraldic devices. The Crest is limited in use to initiated members of Delta Zeta Sorority. It is not for use by new members, patronesses, recruitment guests or others.

Badge

From our founding to the present, the badge has changed very little from the original one designed by the Founders. The original badge (found in the Sorority archives) has no pearls, and the badge of a Beta Chapter charter member shows a variation in the design of the column and the size and location of the pearls. The general ideas to be incorporated in the badge were the suggestions of our Founders, but the practical assembling of their ideas into a suitable design was the work of a member of Phi Delta Theta Fraternity associated with the Newman Jewelry Company.

Aside from the early addition of the pearls as jewelling, the only other changes in the present badge are small refinements that would take place when jewelers are changed. One official jeweler suggested moving the pearls to the top of the column and this change was approved.

Our badge remains as selected by our Founders. The official jewelling is a diamond in the flame and four pearls at the base of the lamp. The lamp bears the Greek letters — in black enamel. You may choose to have the diamond either in a tiffany or flush setting.

All Delta Zeta badges are the property of the Sorority. The privilege of wearing the badge is extended to all initiated members in good standing. A badge is loaned to an initiated Delta Zeta for her own use during her lifetime. Any member lending her badge to anyone not entitled to wear it shall forfeit it. A member may be buried wearing her badge if it is the expressed wish of her family. Otherwise, the badge should be returned to National Headquarters.

A Delta Zeta legacy may wear her relative's badge at the time of her initiation, but every Delta Zeta new member is required to order an official badge for her own use. The Delta Zeta badge has been acclaimed one of the most beautiful and symbolic of all fraternal emblems by the Smithsonian Institute in Washington, DC.

Guards
Most Delta Zetas select a badge guard at the time they purchase their badge. The guard (Greek letters) identifies your chapter and helps prevent the loss of your badge. The Greek letters may be selected in either a plain or pearl engraved form, but all are worn in the same manner. The guard is attached to the badge with a small chain and worn to the left side of the badge.

The guard is the only pin (other than that of a husband's or fiance's pin) which may be linked with the Delta Zeta badge. No other pin is to be placed above our Delta Zeta badge, and no high-school pins should be worn with either the Delta Zeta badge or the new member pin.

Recognition Pins
Delta Zeta adopted the use of a recognition pin at the 1922 Convention. It consists of the staggered Greek letters in yellow gold or set with pearls. The newer small gold recognition lamp initialed with Delta Zeta is also approved. Either recognition pin is appropriately worn on collar or lapel.

Mother's Pin and Father's and Husband's Pin
In 1926, Delta Zeta gave official approval to a national Mother's pin. The pin as adopted consists of the Ionic column with Greek letters in the base and optional pearls in the crown. It may be purchased for mothers of Delta Zeta new members and initiates and, with approval, is an appropriate gift for patronesses or housemothers. The same idea was used later for tie tacs and lapel pins for fathers and husbands. These pins are smaller and use only the upper half of the Ionic column.

National President's Badge
The National President's badge is identical to that of each Delta Zeta initiate, except for the addition of diamonds in the six wings. The badge is a traveling one and is handed to the incoming President at the time of her installation. National Presidents may order this badge for their personal use, should they desire.

National Council Officer Dangles
Members of our National Council wear an additional dangle on the guard chain of their badges. Today, our National President wears the shield with a small diamond, and all other Council members wear the shield with a small pearl. In earlier years, the dangles varied with the office, and each Council member wore some part of the Coat of Arms.

Daughter-Granddaughter Pendant
At the 1962 Convention, the Daughter-Granddaughter pendant was adopted. This piece of costume jewelry is a gold Lamp in an open heart. Delta Zeta daughters and granddaughters may wear the pendant as a charm or a necklace. It may be given by any Delta Zeta in good standing to her daughter or granddaughter.

Seal
The official seal has not changed since our founding and is composed of our badge in a two-inch circle with the name, date and place of founding circumscribing the circle. It is for official use and is placed on charters, membership certificates and official documents.

National President's Plaque
Nu Chapter created a National President's Plaque in honor of Evelyn Adams Costello ?, Past National President. The original plaque is displayed at National Headquarters and a replica is given to the college chapter of the newly elected National President.

Order Of The Golden Rose
At our Golden Jubilee Convention in 1952, three of our Founders (Alfa Lloyd Hayes, Julia Bishop Coleman and Mary Collins Galbraith) were initiated as the Convention initiates. National Council realized that our Founders had written the Ritual, had shared our gift of sisterhood with many through this lovely service, but they had never had the initiation Ritual presented to them.

Our Golden Anniversary also marked the beginning of the Order of the Golden Rose, a ceremony which honors Delta Zetas who have been initiated members for fifty years. It was natural that the Golden Rose was created for the women who fifty years earlier had founded Delta Zeta.

Today, Delta Zetas across the country are honored for their fifty-year membership by giving them a Golden Rose pin. This pin was designed for Delta Zeta and is a full-blown rose of gold. Each rose has a pearl in the center of the bloom with the exception of the Founders pin, which had a diamond in the center of the bloom.

A member may purchase the Golden Rose pin herself, but it is often the gift of her family, a good Delta Zeta friend or relative. Occasionally, the pin is a gift from an alumnae chapter for which the member has provided extraordinary service.

Order of the Pearl
The Order of the Pearl is given to those who have been members for sixty-five years.

The Order of the Diamond
The Order of the Diamond is given to those who have been members of Delta Zeta for seventy-five years.

Protection of Delta Zeta Insignia
The Delta Zeta Greek letters are protected by registered trademark in the United States Patent Office. Members should cooperate to keep its use confined to those entitled to the privilege. Please notify National Headquarters of any instance of duplication of any part of our insignia. In order to preserve its symbolism, the Delta Zeta badge is kept uniform.

Jewelry and Badge Etiquette

1. The Delta Zeta new member pin or badge is correctly worn over the heart. It should not be used to fasten clothing, hold flowers or added to a charm bracelet.
2. Badges of honorary or professional organizations may not be linked to a Delta Zeta badge. No other pin should be worn above the Delta Zeta pin.
3. The Delta Zeta badge and new member pin may be worn with formal clothes and pantsuits.
4. The new member pin and badge are signs of Delta Zeta membership and are always to be worn in good taste. Our badge and new member pin are never worn with jeans, sweatshirts, cut-offs or any other very casual attire.
5. Our ribbons of rose and green are worn below the base of the badge to signify Founders Day or the installation of a new chapter.
6. All Delta Zetas wear their badge to pledging, initiations, chapter installations, Founders Days, National Convention and all Delta Zeta events.
7. The Golden Rose pin, for our 50-year members, is to be worn as a piece of costume jewelry. It should not be worn beside or close to the Delta Zeta badge. Neither looks good in that placing, and the Golden Rose is really too large and too heavy to be worn over the heart.

Badge Etiquette

The Delta Zeta badge has been proclaimed the most beautiful of all sorority pins. In keeping with this honor, the Delta Zeta badge is to be worn properly. The following is some useful information concerning badge etiquette for you to keep in mind as you proudly wear your badge.

The badge may be worn on clothing considered suitable for business or church attire. If a jacket or sweater is to be taken off at any time while wearing the badge, the badge is to be worn on the dress, blouse, sweater, camisole or garment under the jacket or sweater that might be removed. There is to be nothing worn above the Delta Zeta badge, which includes the Golden Rose Pin, other jewelry, corsages or nametags.

The badge may be worn on dresses, buttoned or unbuttoned jackets, blazers, dress jackets and/or vests. The Delta Zeta badge can be worn on formal dresses and evening wear. It may also be worn with dress slacks and nice pantsuits.

The Delta Zeta badge is never to be worn with jeans, T-shirts, sweatsuits, swimwear or any other casual attire.

The badge cannot be worn on a collar or lapel that is not in the heart area or on a jacket/sweater that might be removed. It may not be worn to fasten clothing or hold flowers and cannot be altered, changed or enhanced in any way to be worn as any other type of jewelry.

The ribbons of rose and green are worn below, but completely separate from, the Delta Zeta badge or new member pin to signify Founders Day, the installation of a new chapter, the anniversary of one's own chapter installation and in memory of a deceased member. New members may wear ribbons during Bid Day ceremonies and the New Member Service.

The Delta Zeta badge is correctly worn over the heart. In order to correctly place the badge: open your hand into a fan with the tops of your fingers about 3/8" apart and then, with your thumb at a 45 degree angle from your first finger, put the thumb of your right hand in the hollow of your neck and place the badge at the point just below your little finger. This should position the badge in the area over your heart. The guard, if there is one, is then fastened to the left of and below the badge.

Proper Disposal of the Badge
After initiation, all Delta Zetas sign a statement acknowledging that Delta Zeta badges are the property of the Sorority. The badge fee paid at initiation allows an initiated member in good standing the privilege of wearing our badge during her lifetime.

Any member lending her badge to anyone not entitled to wear it will forfeit it. Any member who resigns from the Sorority or whose membership is terminated by the National Council must return it, either to a representative of the Sorority or to the National Headquarters office. A member may be buried wearing her badge if it is her wish or the express wish of her family members. Otherwise, the badge should be returned to National Headquarters.

Occasionally, someone may find a lost badge at an auction/e-bay, jewelry shop or antique show. Since only our initiated members may wear the Badge, any member who sees a badge for sale should buy and return it with receipt to National Headquarters for reimbursement (up to the dollar amount of $50.00).