The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1878-03-30
BALTIMORE CITY SCHOOL BOARD IN
VESTIGATION.
Erom The R0Ltimorean.

From the BoLtmore0n.
The School Board investigation, which was ush-
cred in with all the gloom of frst-cass tragedy,
has been concluded with roaring farce. The ex-
animation of Mr.. Paskitt, which took place on last
Saturday. must have cow nced the committee and
the public that the dreadful charges against the
School Board had almost as little foundation in
fact as the "baseless fabric of vision"
In regard to colored school No. l, where it was
charged a light had been at those witching
hours of night, when honest folk should be abed,
Mr.. Plaslctt's testimony served to clear up the
dreadful mystery. No fair Juliet was there hold
ing an interview with some Romeo of the School
Board, as people were led to suppose, but only
poor old janitress of the school-house to whom
permission had been granted to an upper room
in the building at night. After thus satisfactorily
wiping away this stain from the fair fame of col
ored school No. l, Mr.. Plaskitt took occasion to
express himself the subject of education in gen
eral and of colored education in particular.
Mr.. Plaskitt said he took an interest in colored
school No. |, and believed in giving the "little
niggers" an education. He proposed to leave the
colored population at his death his library and
collections of coins and pictures, and did not know
but that he would enlarge this donation by an
amount of money. Mr.. Plaskitt deemed it neces-
sary to add, by way Of vindicaton of his political
principles and lest his generous interest in cOlOred
school No. l should lead people to suspect the
purity of his political faith, that he was an can
drew Jackson Democrat" which must be an in
terestng announcement to the public generally,
and source of deep qualification to the shade of
the great departed. Mr.. Plask;tt concluded his
testimony by reference to the subject of history, in
which he was gracious enough to avow himself
fayOrably towards that branch of study, and to
express his kind appreciation of the efforts that
have been made to introduce it in the public
schools. He added however, by way of limita-
ton, that Gas far as history was concerned he
could write one himself better than any of those
submitted to the Board, but he found that it was
too much bother"
We have no doubt Mr. Plaskitt could do so, b.,
if he should change his mind at any time and un-
dertake the 'sbother" of writing a history, we
would suggest to him not to waste its sweetness
on the desert air by trying to introduce it in the
schools, but to leave it precious legacy, with
the rest of his library and his old coins, to"the
colored popula,. m, by whom doubtless it will be
| fully appreciated.
| Had we more such generous and public spirited
men as NJ. Joshua Plaskitt, posterity would be
| greatly beneftted-especially the little colored
| pcaninnies.
| Referring to the action of the committee APP
pointed to investigate the charges made by Prof.
Tonry, the Ecening Bulletin says:
"Prof. Tonrys charges against the School Board
| have been completely disproved, and we hope
there is an end of accusations loosely preferred
and so feebly bottomed They injurious to
the schools and dscreditable to their author The
community is too well acquainted with the at
tainments and character of the leading members
of the School Board to suppose for moment that
such things as Prof. TOnry alleged could 60 on
| in the board either with or without their knowl-
edge, and consequently such things nothing
but of irritation which it is proper to
avoid in the future much more carefully than has
| been done heretofore"