Labor omnia vincit

Labor omnia vincit or Labor omnia vincit improbus is a Latin phrase meaning "Work conquers all". The phrase is adapted from Virgil's Georgics, Book I, lines 145–6: ...Labor omnia vicit / improbus ("Steady work overcame all things"). The poem was written in support of Augustus Caesar's "Back to the land" policy, aimed at encouraging more Romans to become farmers.^{[citation needed]}

Labor omnia vincit inscribed on a floor tile showing the UBC Emblem.^[1]

Labor Omnia Vincit 1657, Glasgow Cathedral

Seal of Storer College, Harpers Ferry, West Virginia, United States

Labor movement

A frequent motto within the U.S labor movement, the phrase is a historically significant slogan. Used by the earliest U.S labor unions such as the American Federation of Labor and other precursors to the modern AFL-CIO, the motto continues to be a traditional and defining statement of purpose on contemporary labor union emblems including the International Union of Operating Engineers and the United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners of America. The motto also appears on the original 1925 flag of the Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters, the labor union of African-American Pullman Company porters founded by civil rights leader A. Philip Randolph. The College of Engineering, Guindy in Chennai, India and founded in the year 1794 has the phrase "Labor Omnia Vincit" in its logo. This may be the earliest adoption of the phrase by any organization.

 

Inscription on the Kroch High-rise, Leipzig, Germany

The motto is used by the Geelong Trades Hall Council in Australia. It is also put up on the facade of the Kroch High-rise in Leipzig, Germany.^[2]

Cities, states, and recreation

The phrase is also a frequent motto across many townships, cities, and states. Currently the state motto of the State of Oklahoma and incorporated into its state seal in 1907, the slogan originally appeared on the territorial seal of Oklahoma Territory. In addition, it has been known to be the motto of the city of El Eulma, Algeria as shown on its coat of arms, of the towns and cities of Bradford, West Yorkshire, West Bromwich, and Ilkeston in England, the motto of Wrexham County Borough Council in Wales and the state motto of Zacatecas granted by King Phillip II in 1588 and the city of León, State of Guanajuato, Mexico, and in the city of Presidente Prudente, Brazil as well as the city of Polokwane, formerly known as Pietersburg in South Africa. It is the motto of Carlton Cricket Club in Barbados. It is also the motto of Kajang High School and St Jago High School (Jamaica), St Paul's Secondary School, Kabwe Zambia, as well as Mitchell High School in Durban, South Africa. It is a slogan of the football clubs Rasta IL in Norway and Luton Borough Youth in England. The phrase can be seen written in the golden letters on the so-called Kroch-Hochhaus in the center of German city Leipzig. It is also the motto of West Bromwich Albion FC • In cinema this slogan was used in a landmark French picture "Le Voyage dans la lune" or "A Trip To The Moon" a silent film brought to life in 1902 by director Georges Méliès. This is a classic vision about a group of men venturing to the moon and back. The scene in which the slogan is depicted comes at the end when they return to earth. Celebrating the triumph, a statue is brought forth with a scholar pointing to the heavens with the word SCIENCE surrounded by olive branches on the base, above this states the term LABOR • OMNIA • VINCIT

Educational institutions

Many educational institutions have adopted the phrase as a motto, including:

Africa

• Bhujoharry College (Boys), Port Louis, Mauritius
• Flintstone Engineering, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
• Universidade A Politecnica, Maputo, Mozambique

Angola

• Moçâmedes, est. 1840, Angola

South Africa

• H. T. S. Loiue Botha, Bloemfontein, South Africa
• High School Westonaria, Westonaria, Gauteng, South Africa

Mitchell High School, Durban, South Africa

Ghana (West Africa)

• St. Augustine's College (Cape Coast), Ghana

Kenya ( Eastern Africa)

• Menengai High School, Nakuru Kenya
• Mombasa Technical Training Institute, Mombasa Kenya
• Olkejuado High School, Kajiado Kenya

Lesotho (Southern Africa)

• Mamathe High School, Teya-teyaneng, Berea, Lesotho

Nigeria (West Africa)

• Offa Grammar School, Offa, Kwara State, Nigeria

South Africa

• Robert Carruthers Primary School, Witbank, Mpumalanga, South Africa
• Tshepagalang High School Northwest [Brit]

Zambia (Southern Africa)

• St Paul's Mulungushi Secondary School, Kabwe, Zambia, founded in 1960 by Marist Brothers.

Sierra Leone (West Africa)

• St Helena A.M.E. Secondary school

Asia

• The Elite's Co-Ed School, Kathmandu, Nepal
• Greenwich University, Karachi, Pakistan

Hong Kong

• Queen's College, Hong Kong
• St. Simon's Lui Ming Choi Secondary Technical School

India

• Albany Hall Public School, Kolkata, India
• College of Engineering, Guindy, Chennai, India
• Government Aizawl College, Aizawl, India
• Grant Medical College, Mumbai, India
• Indus Academy, Hyderabad, India
• Kohima Science College, Jotsoma, India
• St. John's Senior Secondary School, Meerut, India
• St. Joseph's Higher Secondary School, Cuddalore, India
• St. Jude's School, Amritsar, India
• St. Kabir Public School, Chandigarh, India
• St. Mary's Convent High School, Nainital, India
• St. Sebastian Goan High School, Mumbai, India
• Sydenham College, Mumbai, India

Malaysia

• Gajah Berang Secondary English School, Malacca, Malaysia^{[citation needed]}
• Kajang High School, Kajang, Selangor, Malaysia
• Sekolah Menengah Gajah Berang,^[3] Melaka, Malaysia
• St. Xavier's Institution, Penang, Malaysia

Singapore

• Montfort Secondary School^[4]
• Outram Secondary School^[5]
• St. Gabriel's Secondary School

Sri Lanka

• Royal College Colombo
• Royal College Wayamba, Kurunegala

Thailand

• Assumption College Lampang, Thailand
• Assumption College Nakhon Ratchasima, Thailand
• Assumption College Rayong, Thailand
• Assumption College Samutprakarn, Thailand
• Assumption College Sriracha, Thailand
• Assumption College, Thailand
• Assumption College Thonburi, Thailand
• Assumption College Ubon Ratchathani, Thailand
• Assumption Commercial College, Thailand
• Assumption Technical School Nakhon Phanom, Thailand
• Assumption University of Thailand, Thailand
• Montfort College, Chiang Mai Thailand
• Saint Gabriel's College, Thailand
• St. Louis College Chachoengsao, Thailand

Europe

Finland

• Hämeenlinnan Lyseo, Hämeenlinna, Finland
• Iisalmen Lyseo, Iisalmi, Finland

Romania

• Carol Davila University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Bucharest, Romania
• Nicolae Kretzulescu Superior Economic School (College), Bucharest, Romania
• Mihai Eminescu National College, Constanța, Romania

Spain

• Academia Cots, Alicante, Spain
• Academia Cots, Barcelona, Spain
• Academia Cots, Lleida, Spain
• Academia Cots, Valencia, Spain
• Universidad a distancia de Madrid [es], (UDIMA), Madrid, Spain

United Kingdom

• Altrincham Grammar School for Boys, Altrincham, Greater Manchester
• Barnardiston Hall Preparatory School, Nr Haverhill, Suffolk
• Cheltenham College, Cheltenham, Gloucestershire
• Collingwood School, Wallington, London Borough of Sutton, South London
• Elmfield College (1863–1932), Heworth, York
• Hamilton Academy, Hamilton, Lanarkshire
• Ilkeston Grammar School, Ilkeston, Derbyshire
• Kettlethorpe High School, Maths And Computing College, Wakefield, West Yorkshire.
• Midhurst Grammar School, Midhurst, West Sussex
• Northgate Grammar School for Girls, Ipswich 1931–1977
• Strathallan School, Forgandenny, Perthshire
• Strathaven Academy, Strathaven, Lanarkshire
• The Eastwood School, Leigh On sea, Essex
• Tredworth Junior School,^[6] Tredworth, Gloucester, Gloucestershire
• Villiers High School, Southall, London Borough of Ealing, West London
• Ysgol Bro Gwaun, Fishguard, Pembrokeshire

Turkey

• American Collegiate Institute Debate Club, Izmir

North America

Canada

• Ashton College,^[7] Vancouver, BC
• Barrie Central Collegiate Institute, Barrie, Ontario
• Brockville Collegiate Institute, Brockville, Ontario
• Brooks Composite High School,^[8] Brooks, AB
• Elliot Lake Secondary School - ELSS, Elliot Lake, Ontario
• Gloucester High School, Ottawa, Ontario
• Hamiota Collegiate Institute,^[9] Hamiota, MB
• Hants East Rural High School,^[10] Milford, NS
• Hartland High School,^[11] Hartland, New Brunswick
• Huntsville High School, Huntsville, ON
• Liverpool Regional High School, Liverpool, Nova Scotia
• Naicam High School, Naicam, Saskatchewan
• Newmarket High School, Newmarket, Ontario
• North Toronto Collegiate Institute, Toronto, Ontario
• Paris District High School, Paris, Ontario
• Queen Elizabeth Junior and Senior High School (Calgary), Alberta
• Rosemount High School, Montreal, Quebec
• Saugeen District Secondary School,^[12] Port Elgin, Ontario
• St. Catharines Collegiate, Ontario
• St. John's School,^[13] St. Jean-sur-Richelieu, Quebec
• Whitehorse High School, Whitehorse, Yukon (closed in 1962)
• W.L. Seaton Secondary School,^[14] Vernon, BC

Caribbean and Central America

• Bahamas Baptist Community College, Nassau, Bahamas
• Escuela Agrìcola Panamericana Zamorano, Honduras
• Zamorano Pan-American Agricultural School
• Merl Grove High School Kingston, Jamaica
• Rusea's High School, Lucea, Jamaica
• Saltus Grammar School, Pembroke, Bermuda
• San Juan Senior Comprehensive, Trinidad
• St. Jago High School, Spanish Town, Jamaica
• The Convent High School, Roseau, Commonwealth of Dominica
• Zeta Mu Gamma Fraternity, Mayagüez, Puerto Rico
• Fajardo Academy, Fajardo, Puerto Rico

Mexico

• Benemérita Escuela Normal Federalizada de Tamaulipas (BENFT), Ciudad Victoria, Tamaulipas
• Instituto Salvatierra, A.C., Mexicali, Baja California

United States

• Alpha Phi Tau Fraternity, Heidelberg College, Tiffin, Ohio
• Beverly High School Lacrosse Team, Beverly, Massachusetts
• Centenary College of Louisiana, Shreveport, Louisiana
• Columbia City High School, Columbia City, Indiana
• Fessenden School, West Newton, Massachusetts
• Gardner High School,^[15] Gardner, Massachusetts
• Loudon High School, Loudon, Tennessee
• Mount Saint Joseph Academy, Brighton, Massachusetts
• Peter Donahue Mechanics Monument, San Francisco, California
• The Potomac School, McLean, Virginia
• Prosser Career Academy, Chicago, Illinois
• Puyallup High School, Puyallup, Washington
• Storer College, Harpers Ferry, West Virginia (closed in 1965)
• Sumter High School, Sumter, South Carolina

Oceania

• Suva Sangam College, Suva, Fiji Islands

Australia

• Birdwood High School, SA Australia
• Bourke High School, Australia
• Captains Flat Public School, NSW Australia
• Dubbo Public School,^[16] NSW, Australia
• Glenunga International High School, Australia
• Hagley Farm Primary School, Tasmania, Australia
• Hampton Senior High School, Morley, Western Australia
• Kapunda High School, Kapunda, SA, Australia
• Liverpool Boys High School, NSW Australia
• Liverpool Girls High School, NSW Australia
• Maitland Grossmann High School, Australia
• Malanda State High, QLD Australia
• Maleny State School, QLD Australia
• Chinchilla State High, QLD Australia
• Muswellbrook High School, New South Wales, Australia
• Paddington Public School, Sydney, Australia.
• Panania Public School, Sydney, Australia
• Peterborough High School,^[17] Peterborough, SA - Australia
• Princes Street Primary School, Hobart, Tasmania, Australia
• Roseville College, Sydney, Australia
• Shepparton High School, Victoria, Australia
• Sydney Girls High School, Australia
• Wellington High School,^[18] Wellington, NSW - Australia
• Windellama Public School, New South Wales, Australia

New Zealand

• Geraldine High School

South America

• The Bishops' High School, Guyana

Argentina

• Balmoral College, Buenos Aires, Argentina
• Escuela Nº 1 Dalmacio Vélez Sarsfield, Concordia, Argentina
• Instituto San José de Morón, Buenos Aires, Argentina

Brazil

• Instituto Mairiporã - Thomaz Cruz, Mairiporã, Brazil
• Macarani, Brasília, Brazil

Chile

• City of Punta Arenas
• Chilean Gendarmerie
• Instituto Nacional General José Miguel Carrera, Santiago, Chile
• Liceo de Hombres Manuel Montt, Puerto Montt, Chile
• Primera Compañia de Bomberos, Concepción, Chile (A firefighters company)
• Saint Peter's School, Viña del Mar, Chile

Ecuador

• Academia Naval Illingworth, Guayaquil, Ecuador

Peru

• Peruvian Northamerican Abraham Lincoln School, Lima, Peru

See also

• List of Latin phrases
• Alexia: Labor Omnia Vincit

References

1. . United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners of America. Archived from the original on 2010-03-07. Retrieved 2009-09-12.
2. Hocquél, Wolfgang (2023). Architekturführer Leipzig. Von der Romanik bis zur Gegenwart (in German). Leipzig: Passage Verlag. pp. 120–122. ISBN 978-3-95415-128-8.
3. . September 29, 2007. Archived from the original on September 29, 2007.
4. "Home". montfortsec.moe.edu.sg.
5. "School Philosophy, Motto & Badge". outramsec.moe.edu.sg.
6. "Home | Tredworth Junior School". www.tredworth-jun.gloucs.sch.uk.
7. Archived from the original on 2007-11-13. Retrieved 2007-11-21.
8. "Homepage | Brooks Composite High School". bchs.grasslands.ab.ca.
9. "Hamiota Collegiate". www.hamiotacollegiate.ca.
10. . Archived from the original on 2009-02-25. Retrieved 2008-11-05.
11. "Pages - Home". secure1.nbed.nb.ca.
12. . Archived from the original on 2007-04-27. Retrieved 2008-06-10.
13. . February 22, 2009. Archived from the original on February 22, 2009.
14. . Archived from the original on 2008-12-22. Retrieved 2008-11-30.
15. . Archived from the original on 2016-11-29. Retrieved 2017-05-26.
16. "Home - Dubbo Public School". dubbo-p.schools.nsw.gov.au.
17. Australia, Department for Education and Child Development South. "Department for Education and Child Development". www.phs.sa.edu.au.
18. "Home - Wellington High School". wellington-h.schools.nsw.gov.au.

External links

  Media related to Labor omnia vincit at Wikimedia Commons