Education: The Phantom of the Schoolhouse

Brooklyn's Public School No. 12 first became aware of him when a fire ax came flying out of the principal's office. After the ax came a boy about 5 ft. tall, a stranger in P.S. 12. He wore a peaked cap, a black leather jacket, and yellow trousers with blue stripes down the seams. When a crowd began to gather, the boy took to his heels, led a chase through the corridors, turned a corner and vanished.

One day last week the school janitor went down to the basement to rinse his mop, found windows smashed, wastepaper containers upset, paper scattered everywhere. Catching a flash of yellow disappearing up the stairway, he gave chase. Just as the boy was about to be trapped, he pulled a handful of stones out of his pocket, let fly a barrage. Dodging, the janitor slipped and fell on the wet floor. The boy disappeared.

Next day, the janitor smelled smoke, rushed down to the basement to find a pile of paper blazing. Yellow Pants went bounding up the stairs. Quickly dousing the fire, the janitor followed. Several boys were already in hot pursuit. Through the first floor and up to the second, more & more pupils joined the chase until the whole school was in an uproar. This time they thought they had him. But almost before their eyes he vanished again.

Certain that the Phantom of P.S. 12 was still in the building, the principal posted sentries at all the doors, called the police. A detective, six patrolmen, and a posse of teachers searched the whole building. All they found was splattered ink and taunts chalked on the walls. Once again the Phantom of P.S. 12 had dropped into the void of Superman and Captain Midnight from which he sprang.