Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1959-03-27
White Oak Tale

March Is was Maryland
Day. 1t is nice for a citizen
Of the Free State to say to
his offspring. Son, three
hundred and twenty-five
years ago. the grand old
State of Maryland received
her charter. That was a long
time ago: many moons have
passed since then and the
old White Oak has scattered
countless acornS across
Maryland's tolerant soil.
From the very beginning on
down through the ages, with
a fey exceptions. like the
instance Of racial hate. con-
corning a colored doctors
son and his schooling at
Deal, Md. your ancestors
have kept the torch of toler-
alton burning brightly.
If Lord Baltimore and
Charles Carroll were living to-
day, their hearts would beat
with joy. for the advance
ment of the Free State
shines like a beacon light.
Wouldn't 1t be wonderful If
the old White Oak could
talk? For he knew the State
when 1t was inhabited by
Indians and wild life. Per-
haps he could tell us whether
or not Capt. John Smith
explored the wilds Of Mary
land when he was founding
Virginia. Yes, he knew John
Hanson who was elected
President of Congress in
1779. Hanson bore the title
president of the United
States in Congress Assem-
bled." He could inform the
people of Maryland that
Hanson was not. however.
the first President Of the
United States under the
Constitution. The White Oak
would also tell the good cit
liens of Maryland to drop
in Statuary Hall, when they
are in Washington, and see
the statue of John Hanson,
placed there by the State
Of Maryland.
The White Oak knew An
napolis when 1t was called
Providence. He knew that
Boston did not hold the only
Tea Party. for right there at
Annapolis the sons of the
Grand Old State burned the
Peggy Stewart with all her
taxable tea. Too, I guess.
the old White Oak is proud
of the lad who shot the
Dragging British general who
said "he would eat break
fast in hell If he did not
burn the Nations Capitol be-
fore nightfall." The Capitol
was burned, but the lad in
the tree saw to it that the
general ate his breakfast in
hell, though it cost the boy
his own life. The White Oak
could also tell us about
March IS, 1884. the origin
of Maryland Day, the land
ing Of the Ark and Dove at
Blakiston's Island. Or maybe
he could give us a picture
of Edgar Allan Poe beneath
his outStretched limbs quot
ing THE Raven" He could
tell us how beautiful and
thrilling the words of the
"Star Spangled Banner"
written within the ramparts of
Fort McHenry. and what tall
ented man Francis Scott Key
was. He would tell us about
Charles Carroll who lived to be
95 years old, and was the
last signer of the Declara-
ton of Independence to pass
into the great beyond. He
would not only tell us about
John Howard. the Maryland
hero of the American Revo-
luton, but of the countless
thousands Of Maryland boys
who so bravely served their
country in all the wars.
The old White Oak could
proudly tell us about cou-
rageous Barbara Frietchie
waving the Stars and Stripes
from her window in Fred
erick, when the rebel horde
was trying to overthrow the
Government Of the United
States.
The White Oak plays no
favoritism, he shares his
generous shade with every
one, for he believes in
tolerance, Just like the State