`GLORY' FANS USHER IN SPRING ACTIVIST TELLS STUDENTS ABOUT TIME IN OAK TREE.Byline: Susan Abram Staff Writer PICO Pico (pē`kō) [Port.,=peak], island (1991 pop. 15,129), 167 sq mi (433 sq km), Horta dist., in the N Atlantic, one of the central Azores. It takes its name from the volcanic mountain, Pico Alto [high peak], which rises to 7,711 ft (2,350 m). CANYON - Children gathered around the giant oak nicknamed ``Old Glory'' for songs, stories and blessings during a celebration organized by local activists to help mark the tree's second spring after its relocation. With its branches now leafing, Old Glory's story was retold re·told v. Past tense and past participle of retell. to eighth-graders from Santa Monica's New Roads School, who made the trip Monday to the Santa Clarita Valley The Santa Clarita Valley is the valley of the Santa Clara River in Southern California. It stretches through Los Angeles County and Ventura County. Its main population center is the city of Santa Clarita. The valley was part of the 48,612-acre (19,672. as part of an ecology civics civics, branch of learning that treats of the relationship between citizens and their society and state, originally called civil government. With the large immigration into the United States in the latter half of the 19th cent. class. They stood around the fenced 400-year-old oak and helped sing Joni Mitchell's ``Big Yellow Taxi,'' then shouted the name ``Old Glory!'' three times. ``We're here today to see how the tree is surviving,'' said tree-sitter John Quigley John B. Quigley is a professor of law at the Moritz College of Law at the Ohio State University, where he is the Presidents' Club Professor of Law. In 1995 he was recipient of The Ohio State University Distinguished Scholar Award. , who camped in the trees' limbs for 10 weeks in protest of a plan to chop it down. ``From our perspective, we have a long way to go before we know if the tree will survive. I do believe in the power of this tree to survive.'' A little more than a year ago, the tree was at the center of a debate between developers and environmentalists. Now it stands as a symbol of what can be achieved when a community comes together, Quigley told the youngsters. Quigley's stay in the tree drew both local and national attention. Thousands of people showed up to see him. Children lined the road and held up signs. Ultimately, a judge ordered him to come down. Development company John Laing For John Laing, the 15th century bishop of Glasgow, see John Laing (bishop) John Laing plc is a British developer and operator of privately financed, public sector infrastructure projects such as roads, railways, hospitals and schools through Public-Private Partnership (PPP) and Homes agreed to move the tree instead of cutting it down to make room for an extension of Pico Canyon Road. Quigley and other activists still believe moving the tree could have caused trauma to its roots. After a year, the oak still stands supported by several steel cables, surrounded by a chain-link fence and guarded 24 hours a day. The land around it will become a public park. John Laing Homes has agreed to the maintenance of the tree for five years. After that, it becomes the responsibility of Los Angeles Los Angeles (lôs ăn`jələs, lŏs, ăn`jəlēz'), city (1990 pop. 3,485,398), seat of Los Angeles co., S Calif.; inc. 1850. County. Quigley told the students how he slept in the tree's highest limbs, got egged by teens, heard gunshots, went to the bathroom, and took showers. He read books that supporters brought to him, he told them. He conducted dozens of news interviews. Bands came and played around the oak's trunk. He received mail addressed to the tree. ``It seems like it would be pretty hard to stay in a tree for two months like that,'' said Tyler Ash, 13, after hearing the story. ``I can't believe people would have the audacity au·dac·i·ty n. pl. au·dac·i·ties 1. Fearless daring; intrepidity. 2. Bold or insolent heedlessness of restraints, as of those imposed by prudence, propriety, or convention. 3. to throw eggs at him while he was up there.'' The ceremony also included blessings by local spiritual leaders. Rabbi Mark Blazer from Temple Beth Ami offered a blessing of the tree, saying the oak ``symbolized growth and life and the living tradition.'' The Rev. Karen Sugerman from the Agape International Spiritual Center Agape International Spiritual Center is a New Thought megachurch with a congregation often estimated in excess of 8,000 members[1][2][3] in Culver City, California. The church was founded by Rev. also blessed the tree, saying ``the children called her Old Glory, and the children were her voice.'' The eighth graders' teacher, Anna Cummings, said she had been telling them about the story of Old Glory, but wanted them to see it for themselves. ``We've been reading about, but I wanted them to see how one person with a vision could make change,'' she said. Susan Abram, (661) 257-5255 susan.abram(at)dailynews.com CAPTION(S): photo Photo: (color) John Quigley, right, talks to kids from Santa Monica Santa Monica (săn`tə mŏn`ĭkə), city (1990 pop. 86,905), Los Angeles co., S Calif., on Santa Monica Bay; inc. 1886. Tourism and retailing are important, and the city has motion-picture, biotechnology, and software industries. about his experience up in the ``Old Glory'' oak tree. David Crane/Staff Photographer |
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