In 1996, LGRC created a Club
Logo to establish its identity on paper, signage, clothing, etc.
The insignia, shown here,
was developed by a small team of Club members including Lynn Robinson who chaired
the committee and Erik Anslinger who helped greatly to bring the historical
perspective of the Club to the team.
The execution of the graphic work was done by Ian Giblin.
The logo comprises a number of elements, which have
significance to our history, our sport, and the vision we have of the future
for our Club. Theser elements are:
A Club motto, which is clearly shown on the banner across
the shield -- "Per Ardua Ad Meta", which is the Latin for “Through adversity
to the goal.” In fact, the word “meta”
literally defines the marker post or turning point at the end of a race
course. The concept of a turning
post in the sport of rowing dates back to the early 1900’s when many small boat
races were conducted by rowing out to a stake, turning, and then rowing back so
the crowd could see both the start and the finish. One of the most famous paintings by Thomas Eakins, who was
an oarsman and an accomplished painter of the time, is called “Turning at the
Stake” and depicts two oarsmen in a pair turning their craft half way through a
race of this kind.
Clearly the motto has additional meaning for a Club, which
is struggling ahead to overcome the adversity of a disastrous fire. We also think of the adversity of training
that our Juniors and Masters undergo to reach the goal of being winners on the
water and for the Juniors being winners in their lives after they move on to
college and their careers.
The rays of the rising sun evoke images of those early
morning rows on still waters as the sun creeps over the horizon. Much heraldic significance is accorded
to this image as it appears regularly upon shields of old to signify power and
the source of energy and strength.
The shield emblazoned with rippling waters says a lot about
our water-oriented sport in which the waters are not always flat. With waves shown in blue on white and
reversed into white on blue we have the fundamental concept that perception is
all in the eyes of the beholder.
The rough waters can be seen as either something we have to overcome or
as an advantage for us that others will have a tough time dealing with. We of
course are proud to note we are moving into our seventeenth year by indicating
for all time that we were established in 1979.
The committee judiciously decided to have properly scaled
Macon blade oars incorporated into the logo to reflect back on rowing tradition
as we move forward with new technologies.
Note that they are situated left over right as is the style for rigging
single sculls in North America.
The shield itself stands for the indivisibility of the
Club. We are one Club with
complementary programs that benefit the diverse cross-section of our
membership. Having said all of this about its components, the logo is in fact
greater than the sum of its parts.
It comes to stand for the perseverance and tenacity of the Club to
succeed against all challenges. On
a personal level the logo will take on a significance to each member, which is
unique and which evokes many fond memories of active involvement.
Art Monk , President, 1996