Though some city school employees (and a certain reporter who worked the late police shift Friday night) grumbled about getting up early on a Saturday to attend the 10 a.m. party announcing the system's enrollment increase, it was a high-class affair over at M&T Bank Stadium. The Ravens allowed the system to use one of the club lounges, where purple flourescent lights hung over the bar, the Dunbar band played, and a brunch of eggs, meats, pastries and fruit was served. (No, I didn't have any myself, but it looked good.) When the big announcement was made, there was a toast with sparkling apple juice, followed by a vanilla sheetcake.

The fashion accessory of the morning was the system's new "Great Kids, Great Schools" pin, donned by several administrators and community activists. The system recently had 2,000 of the pins made for $1 apiece. It's selling them for $3 each. The $2 markup will fund a college scholarship for a senior.

But the day's ultimate fashion statement was made by (who else?) school board chairman Brian Morris. Over jeans and a light orange T-shirt, he wore his 1986 City College football championship jacket, which by now is more than a little too small. His school spirit didn't help his alma mater in the annual City-Poly game that followed the party. Poly won 16-13.