The Orange County Junior Classical League kicked off the start of a new year October 25 as new members were officially inducted into the club. The thirty minute long ceremony took place under the oak tree, sacred to Zeus, between first and second wings. As members old and new gathered at the tree, they were decked out in Carolina blue togae and golden wreaths to commemorate the official meeting of the past, present, and future. At 4:30 pm, 2nd Vice-President Grace Huskins, senior, started the ceremony by welcoming the Orange High and Cedar Ridge members and offering them a piñata in the shape of a present. “In ancient Rome, before a ceremony, priests would sacrifice an animal to verify the omens,” Huskins said. “Today, this multi-colored gift has volunteered to ensure the success of our fantastic occasion. Let us take a short moment to adore the gift.”
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1st Vice-President Katherine Kirkman followed: “With each piece of candy that falls from this offering, you receive a friend, an ally, and the nourishment of your body and mind.”
After the breaking of the piñata, five executive members stood in a pentagram and required the inductees to go on a journey of mythological proportions to learn why the Classics are important. President Sarah Vassello spoke first, educating the new members about the impact of the Classics on modern society. Kirkman spoke of literature next, reading in a verse poem to further emphasize her point. Senior Nicolas Peckman, convention chair, pointed out how the United State’s structure of government and law-making processes are attributed to the ancients. Cedar Ridge Tribunes Chris Tauer and Lucas Barrick spoke of Classically inspired art followed by Huskins’s speech about the impact of Latin on other languages.
After the speeches, members took an oath promising to “proclaim the study of Latin to be above all others be they alive or dead.” They were asked, “Do you covenant to hand on the torch of the classical civilization in the modern world?” The inductees were then asked perhaps the most important question of the night: do you accept the friendly hand of JCL? If the member said yes, a hand covered in gold paint high fived him or her, leaving the JCL mark on the inductee.
After a quick hand washing, the members and teachers had time to partake in refreshments.“I think that it went very well. I feel that everyone had a lot of fun and that it really encouraged them to work hard,” Kirkman said.
The next general meeting will be November 8 in Mr. Mauriello’s room.
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