Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1892-12-08

The mystery attaching to the flag at No.
II school, Sixteenth and Claymont streets
has been solved, and the people of that
neighborhood need have no further CON
cern about il not floating from the pole
which surmounts the schoulhouse.
A representative of The GAZETTE in
vestigated Thursday afternoon the COM
plants which for almost Il month have
been coming from the lower end of the
Ninth ward. The first thing which at
eracted his attention, after crossing the
Brandywine at Eleventh street. was the
flag which proudly lloatGd from the colored
school. Next he glanced in the direction
of No. II school, expecting To catch a
glimpse of its flag, but the emblem was in
visible,
Many citizens of the locality were asked
when they last saw the flag floating from
the latter school. Some could not
tell and others stated that they had
not beheld i for n long time; None
knew exactly why it had been
taken down and all seemed anxious
to ascertain the reason. There were rum
Ors that the teachers of the school are Re
publicans in sympathy, and that they had
refused to allow the lag to be put out since
the recent election, but few could be found
who believed the gossip.
None of the parties called on wanted
their names mentioned All said that
they had made inquiries about the flag not
being exhibited. but they had not inquired
at the school. Some had instructed their
children to ask the teachers, but only one
individual could be found whose child had
complied. This child told her father that
the principal had explained that the flag
was kept hidden because of Harrison S
defeat.
One citizen declared that he had not seen
the flag since "the day after il showed. -
Another said he had not seen it since the
Monday following the election. A woman
asserted that she had seen it three times
since election day.
Councilman Kirby, who is ianitor at the
school, could not tell positively when the
flag was last out, but he thought it was
about two weeks ago. On that occasion it
had been whipped out by the wind and he
had been advised by the principal to not
put it up until after it had been repaired.
One of the persons interviewed severely
criticised one of the complainants for not
exhibiting at half-mast his flag when Mrs.
Harrison died. All the other flags in the
locality, he said, were at half-mast then.
1t was Intimated that some of the COM
plainants are angry because they cannot
obtain the position Of janitor and it was
stated that there is in contemplation a
plan for the enlargement of No. IL school
to make room for the children attending O
school on Glaymont street near -Four.
teenth, and that the complaints might be
caused by the ill feeling arising from the
consequent vacating of the latter school.
When told that it was said she had for
hidden the exhibition of the flag because
Mr.. Harrison had been defeated Miss
Loney, the principal, pronounced the
story ridiculous and laughed. She denied
that she had said any such thing. The
flag is not exhibited, she explained, be
cause il is torn. 1t has not been out since
the Thursday preceding Thanksgiving
when it was damaged. Soon after tht
election the roof began to leak and tn,
man engaged to repair ii expressed tn,
opinion that the leak might have beer
caused by the flag pole, but when h,
examined the roof he discovered tina
the leak was caused by the slate
being too far apart. She and thu
other teachers contemplated announcing
through the papers at that time that tn
flag would be put ont when the roof hat
been repaired, but did not do so. She hat
thought of getting some cheese cloth witt
which TO mend the flag, but had delaye,
its purchase. Even If the flag was in goo
condition the wind is too severe at prcsen
for the flag to be displayed. she had con
suited the chairman OF the visiting com
1nittee and he had told her She could HAY
the tlag pat out when she chose. There
no rule governing the exhibition of flag
and she thought it would he good ide
for the Board Of Education to make arult
Miss louey did not say when the fla
would be repaired. Meanwhile it will nc
be ioated until the repairs are made, an
even after that it will be carefully house
on such days as the wind is SO high as t
threaten damage to the ilimsy but hiEhl
protected bunting, Of which it is col
etructpl