INFORMATION

We are committed to the proposition that, "Society has an obligation to educate all of its people" --not just to provide an opportunity to the young; not just to promote the unprepared; and not to blame those who then drop out because they are lost. There should be an easy means for motivated adults who lack a GED or high school diploma (or who do not function at a high school level) to become educated. Larson Training Centers is such a school.

We are proud to be part of theObligation.us

Our Name: Gladius means sword in Latin. A gladiator is a swordsman. The gladius was the tool (i.e. weapon) relied on most heavily by Rome as they rose to dominate the world. Like the Romans, our goal is to master the use of a simple, but highly effective, tool so that our graduates may achieve financial security through stable and meaningful employment. The gladius represents effectiveness and the discipline that is needed to use it effectively.

The Shield -- A tradition for schools is to have a coat-of-arms. Ours is simple: a gladius on a gold shield with SPQR on it and the Roman virtues: Virtus, Fides and Gravitas at the top. Our school, our vision and the means that we attempt to instill so that our students achieve financial security through stable and meaningful employment is through discipline, hardwork and integrity. We take education seriously: our goal is to become recognized as the #1 or #2 vocational school in each market that we operate a campus. The shield represents our ambition to be thought of as a highly respected school.

Virtus -- Virtus was a specific virtue in Rome. It carries connotations of valor, manliness, excellence, courage, character, and worth, perceived as masculine strengths (from Latin vir, "man"). It was thus a frequently stated virtue of Roman emperors, and was personified as a deity. Like the Romans, we value these virtues and strive to instill them in our students on a daily basis.

Fides -- For the Romans, Fides was an essential element in the character of an honorable person, and a necessary constituent element of all social and political transactions (perhaps = 'good faith'). Fides meant 'reliablilty', a sense of trust between two parties if a relationship between them was to exist. Fides was always reciprocal and mutual, and implied both privileges and responsibilities on both sides. In both public and private life the violation of Fides was considered a serious matter, with both legal and religious consequences and was considered a deity. For us, "doing the right thing" and "having the courage of one's convictions" is an essential part of being an honorable person; real success is not possible without these traits.

Gravitas -- Gravitas was one of the Roman virtues. It may be translated as seriousness, dignity, or importance, and connotes a certain substance or depth of personality. We strive to instill in our students a sense of responsibility to the communities to which they belong; that is, each of us has a duty to help the other members of our communities to become the best they can and to not squander the opportunities we receive.

SPQR: Senatus Populusque Romanus ("The Senate and People of Rome"). The traditional date for the founding of Rome is 753 BC. By about 500 BC the Romans became free of the Etruscan kings and formed a Republic which lasted until about 50 BC when Julius Caesar engaged Pompey in the civil war. The symbol represents the city of Rome to this day. The Republic was the foundation for Rome becoming the premier civilization in the history of the world. Roman roads, laws and customs brought prosperity and peace and enabled culture to flourish. After the fall of Rome it took Europe almost 1,000 years to reach the same level of sophistication and prosperity enjoyed by Romans.

The Gladius: The gladius is a tough, well-crafted short sword (about 2' long) with a very sharp point. The gladius, unlike swords that we generally picture when we hear the word "sword", was used for thrusting, not slashing. Imagine a row of Roman infantryman lined-up such that their large rectangular shields covered half of themselves and half of the man to their left. Imagine that wall of men marching forward with their gladii ready to puncture the chest, head, waist and/or legs of the opponents once within range. Discipline, hardwork, mastery of the gladius (and other weapons of war) enabled Rome to believe that resistance is futile. With the gladius in the hands of a professional soldier few things were not possible. For us, the level of instruction that we strive to implement is equivalent to a gladius in the hands of a well-trained Roman infantryman.