Below is the text of a typewritten description of the Youth Triumphant fountain. It is from the News Bureau and is undated (1935?). A copy is located in University Archives.
University of Southern California
News Bureau-Baxter
University Park - Los Angeles"Youth Triumphant," a fountain group proclaimed to be the outstanding work of Frederick William Schweigardt, noted sculptor, has just been completed on the campus of the University of Southern California
Set in the center of Alumni Memorial park, the fountain was presented to U.S.C. by Mr. and Mrs. Carman-Ryles in memory of their son, Edward L. Prentiss, a former student.
A replica of the fountain is now in the Hall of Youth in the Palace of Education at the San Diego exposition.
"Youth Triumphant," is purely classic in design, but a noble and chaste romanticism in the most modern manner has been achieved in the execution, capturing in the lines of perfect grace the drama of today.
Facing the primary points of the compass are four half-kneeling figures over which rises the bronze figure of aspiring youth--"Youth Triumphant". The four figures, or cornerstones of American Democracy, represent in beautiful young womanhood the home, the church, the schools, and the community.
On their delicate but enduring young shoulders rests the world, on which is poised on one foot which scarcely touches, the full undraped figure of youth. Jets of water arising from a pool at the foot of the poised figure cascade into a large pool at the base of the group.
The figure picturizing "Home" depicts a young mother holding a smiling babe to her breast. To the right of "Home" is the "Church" -- religion -- symbolized by a virgin with full hands crossed together in prayer, obeisant, as are all the figures, on one knee.
On the left of the patient mother there is the "School," the teacher, on whose lap is an open book, the book of knowledge. With upraised hand, she impresses the lessons of life.
The fourth cornerstone is the "Community," modeled in virile and dynamic style giving fitting expression to the spirit of responsibility, protection and cooperation. Community is the secular protector, justice, as well as the mistress of the forum and the goddess of amusement. The character of democracy rests upon the shoulders of Community.
Sculptor Schweigardt has won wide aclaim for his study in bronze of the head of Franklin D. Roosevelt, his bust of Goethe, and his six models of animal and human figures showing the development of the plow which constitute a permanent asset of the New York Museum of Science and Industry.
Schweigardt, a resident of southern California, is a firm believer that the Southland is destined to become a world center of art. "This is the art frontier of the nation," he said, and as such the best creative work will be done here."