REMEMBERING A GEM SOME 200 TURN OUT FOR PEARL MEMORIAL.

Byline: Mariel Garza Staff Writer

VAN NUYS - About 200 people gathered Sunday for a public memorial service at Birmingham High School to remember slain Wall Street Journal reporter Daniel Pearl.

Current and former Birmingham students gathered with their teachers, Pearl's parents and sister, government leaders and residents from throughout the San Fernando Valley in the auditorium where Pearl, known as Danny, graduated 21 years before.

Judea Pearl said that in the months since the kidnapping he has met many people whose lives were touched by his son.

``For us, Danny is very much alive,'' he said. ``Not only alive, but his memory keeps growing stronger and richer as the days go by.''

Pearl, 38, was kidnapped on Jan. 23 and killed in Pakistan, where he went to research an article about a possible link between the al-Qaida terrorist network and shoe-bomb suspect Richard Reid.

A key suspect, Ahmed Omar Saeed Sheikh, known as Sheikh Omar, is awaiting trial in Pakistan or possible extradition to the United States.

Pearl's death was confirmed by the U.S. government on Feb. 21, and the Birmingham memorial was originally scheduled for March 9, but postponed to allow more people to attend.

``There was a groundswell of support from former classmates and the community in general,'' Birmingham Principal Doris Lasiter said. ``Hundreds of people asked us to do something as a tribute to his life and work.''

A private memorial service was held March 10 and attended by some 500 relatives, friends and dignitaries at the Skirball Center in Bel-Air. Sunday's service was open to the community at large.

Lasiter said the office of Los Angeles City Councilman Dennis Zine, who represents the area that includes Birmingham, played an important role in organizing Sunday's memorial.

``We wanted to do as much as we could to ensure there was a proper tribute in his memory at Birmingham High School,'' Zine said Sunday. ``With world terrorism as it is today, it's important to pay tribute to Daniel Pearl, whose life was so savagely taken in the pursuit of truth.''

The public service gave former classmates and teachers the chance to reflect on how Pearl touched their lives and give their condolences to the family, including Pearl's wife, Mariane, who is expecting their first child in May.

Robert Massing, who first met Pearl in the fourth grade at Lanai Road Elementary School, shared a story from their English class exam during senior year.

After Massing was done with his neat essay exam well before the end of class, he folded his hands at his desk and looked over two seats to see how his friend was doing.

``He had sheets and sheets and sheets of paper written on both sides and with ink stains, and he was still writing right up until the bell,'' Massing recalled. ``It was times like this that I wanted to be Danny Pearl more than anyone else in the world. He had so much depth. There was so much he had to say.''

Councilman Zine, county Supervisor Zev Yaroslavsky, and state Sen. Richard Alarcon also spoke at the service. Gov. Gray Davis sent a representative to read a letter of condolence to Pearl's friends and family.

Alarcon asked the Pearl family to forgive him and the rest of the country for intruding upon their grief.

``But know that it is important for America to understand what happened,'' he said. ``It is also important for the San Fernando Valley to know the caliber of people we're building here.''

Pearl graduated with honors from the school and was known for his involvement on campus and interest in the world. He attended Stanford University and joined the Wall Street Journal in 1990.

``I don't ever recall Danny being in my office for physical confrontation,'' said Larry Marquardt, who was principal of Lanai when Pearl attended in the 1970s. ``As I have gleaned, he was one to work out differences with persuasion and compromise rather than with his fists.''

Massing said Pearl made the choice every day to strive to make the world a better place.

``All of us have the ability to be Danny Pearl,'' he said. ``We all have the ability to ask that question: What can I do to make the world a better place?''

Pearl was a classically trained violinist who enjoyed performing and composing music throughout his life.

Lanai Road Elementary Principal John Bowes said the school will start a scholarship fund in Pearl's name for students at the school who couldn't otherwise afford violins. Zine's office will also donate violins to the school.

CAPTION(S):

2 photos

Photo:

(1) Leslie Contreras, a senior at Birmingham High School, looks at a program for Daniel Pearl's memorial service on Sunday.

(2) A choir of Birmingham High students called the Patriot Singers performs at Daniel Pearl's memorial service at the school.

Evan Yee/Staff Photographer