If ever there was a motto thought up by a cynical teacher then it is this one, in spe laboramus, which means: we work in hope. It is the motto of North London Collegiate School, a private day school for girls, which was founded in London in 1850 and now has associated schools in several other countries.
Spe is the ablative singular of spes, spei a fifth declension noun. The ablative singular is used to agree with the preposition in.
spes, spei f 5th declension noun - hope
