Praeses sash
A Praeses sash, also called Senior sash, is a wide band worn by the Praeses or Senior of a student association.
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Horizontal Band (1903 - ca. 1960)
In 1902 the 5 Leuven guilds federated themselves in the Vlaamsch Verbond. In photos of the board we see praeses sashes appearing from 1903 onwards. This band consisted of a piece of cloth, whether or not embroidered, and was worn horizontally across the chest by means of strings under the jacket.
This type of band would remain in use until after the Second World War, and would then slowly be replaced by the wide sash.
Sash (1929 - present)
In 1929 the Seniorenkonvent Leuven (SK Leuven) is founded. In the Besluiten van het Seniorenkonvent (tr.: Decrees of the Seniors Convent), which in 1931 was included in the Songbook of the KVHV, and in 1935 in the Clubcodex, the form and dimensions of club- and praeses bands are determined for the first time. Originally, the horizontal Senior Band remained in use. Only after World War II did the Senior Band as a wide sash gradually come into use.
The Senior Band, also called Praeses Band, is according to the Clubcodex standard 2.10 metres long and has a width of 12 centimetres. It is held together at the bottom with a gold or silver cord and has gold or silver fringes at the ends. On the Senior Band, the club shield can be embroidered at will, which should be 10.5 by 9 centimetres and located 23 centimetres from the shoulder seam, in the direction of the stripes.
At some clubs and faculty circles, all board members wear a wide sash; a so-called Board sash.
Pro-Senior Band
A variant is the Pro-Senior Band; this is a copy of the Senior Band, with 1 centimetre above the shield the year (academic year) of the presidency of the pro-senior embroidered, usually in the same colours as the piping of the band.
Ere-Praeseslint
The Honorary Praeses Band is a copy of the Pro-Senior Band, but with a shoulder patch in gold or silver.
Praesesband Mercurius Hasselt (1978)
Pro-Senior BandProminos Hasselt(2014)
Pro-Seniorband Gaudia(2017)
Use
In most clubs, the Praeses Band is owned by the club and is passed on to the next praeses each year. The retiring praeses can then purchase a Pro-Senior Band with the year of his/her presidency on it.
However, there are exceptions to this. At Prominos Hasselt, for example, a Pro-Senior is elected on the basis of exceptional merit; a retiring praeses may therefore not automatically wear a Pro-Senior Band.
In societies where Board sashes are also in use, there is often no passed-on band, but the Praeses band is often personal property of the praeses and thus also personalized with name and year.
