Daily Los Angeles herald., 1882-05-27
TINE CLASS TREE.
Interesting Ceremony at the High
School-Musical and Literary Ex-
ercises.

ercises.
At ] o'clock yesterday afternoon q
large crowd of the relations and friends
of the graduating class of 1882, and
other citizens interested in education,
assembled at the High School, to wit
ness the planting of the annual class
tree. The exercises opened with the
quartette, days that are Gone Seem
the Brightest" This was followed by
an grafton by Robert Dominguez, as fol-
lows:
The gathering of our class to-day,
which has for its object the planting of
this laurel tree, should make deep i'm
preston on our hearts. As in years gone
by the leaves of the laurel formed the
crowns for victors' brows, when earned
by the great men of ancient Greece and
Rome, we trust that it shall likewise
provide modest chaplets for those of us
who shall in all things just and true be
triumphant; and this tree shall stand as
the emblem which shall hereafter re-
mind our teachers, and those who come
after us, of the honorable aspirations of
the class of 1882. For three long years
have the majority of this class been to-
gether; and now the time is fast ap-
preaching when we must separate. But
the remembrance of this occasion will
often bring to mind the faces Of our
classmates and the pleasant days we've
spent together. Let this tree ever re-
mind us of the instructions; let no vigor
of youth, no maturity of manhood, ever
lead us to forget that to the Los Angeles
High School we are indebted for the
germ of many worthy ambition.
As we leave school we shall meet with
train Of events which we should en-
counter only with the strongest deter
mination to conquer. Let not few un-
successful attempts discourage us; for, if
we press onward always with the idea of
success, we shall surely attain the posi-
tions which we most desire in this world.
We are all aware of the vast number of
great men who at first were unsuccess-
full, but who were subsequently crowned
with the leaves of that tree which we
to-day declare as our emblem. Of
course we must not expect that we can
wear the bays with which Emerson and
Longfellow were crowned, nor do we
hope to hold positions by the side of
Solon and Alexander; but we feel conf
dent that due rewards will be bestowed
on those who faithfully perform the du-
ties that lie nearest them, and that there
is opened to us, also, noble pursuit to
which the spirit of the times strongly
invites us, and that is improvement.
Let our conceptions be enlarged to the
circle of our duties; let us extend our
ideas over the whole of the vast field in
which we are called to act, and, with the
aid of God, we may each prove worthy
at the last of few leaves from our
laurel tree.
Miss Effic Baxter then read paper
entitled "Class History" in which she
gave a sketch of the several graduating
classes Of the High School and the
origin of planting class tree.
This was followed by the planting o.
the class tree by the members of the
graduating class in the circular plot il
front of the High School building.
Next came the proclamation of tn,
class motto Vincet, qui Sc viacet.
(He conquers who conquers himself)
"Class Prophecy, a well written ant
thoughtful essay, was then read by Mis-
Hannah Ball
The next exercise on the programme
was an address by Professor Quinn, Cit,
Superintendent of Schools. He said:
1t has grown an established custom
that each outgoing class of our Higl
School shall plant memorial tree. II
observe that beautiful custom we ar
met here to-day You are the class O
1882, soon to sever your connection wit
our school, to unloose the ties that bin
you together as q class Before biddin
adieu to your Alma Mater, it is fttin
that you leave behind you mement
that will serve to keep green in memor,
you who 60 forth from our scholasti
halls. In coming years, when, to you
life has a broader significance, when yo
have taken upon yourselves new dutie
and new responsibilities, may we nc
hope that at recurring anniversaries c
this day, reunited, your little band ma
meet beneath the sheltering branches O
this, your memorial tree, to renew tn
friendships of youth, and to strengthe
the ties formed in your school days
You have chosen fitting memento, tn
laurel, emblem of victory-to your ain,
mater, memorial. To you let it b
emblematic of your career in the busy
active world that lies before you. /
whatever vocation you find your lii
SS5fF WORK, fFak strive to excel; strive to win th
laurel wreath, the victor's crown. l
the primal days of the worlds histor
tho laurel wreath symbolized victorie
won by brute force in the gladiatori'
combat or on the field of battle. II
{ loftiest ambition of the Roman imper'
tor was to win the laurel wreath in
| triumphal procession, to be the centr
, figure in one of those mighty pageant
to enter the holy city by the gate Of tt
I.u,,b 20 ,ooe. fbrouoh ctroats sfrax.