U.S. Heraldic Registry
Registration of contemporary and historical American heraldry
Lowell House, Harvard University
Registration number 20060927I
This certifies that the heraldic arms of Lowell House, Harvard University in honor of the Lowell family are registered and described by the blazon below
Arms: Sable three arrows points to base held in a dexter hand couped Argent.
Crest: A stag’s head caboshed Argent a pheon Azure between its antlers.
Motto: Occasionem cognosce (Catch the opportunity)
Source
Joo-Hee Chung, "What are the meanings of the house and graduate school shields?", Harvard Crimson 11/01/2001
Design rationale
The Lowell House shield is the only one with a motto in common use. It is a quote from a poem by Macchiavelli, and it means “recognize opportunity”: in other words, the familiar saying “Seize the Day.” There is no motto on the earlier arms of the Lowell family; most likely, Reverend John Lowell of Newburyport, the first one of the Lowell family to use arms in the United States, added the motto as a part of the family seal.
Registered by
Michael Swanson
Categories
Roll of Arms
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