Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-06-12
Two Meetings Held in Interest Of
Junior Republic.
TEE ORIGIN or ME INSTITUTION
Vice Presidents Named for the
Local Organization.
SUBSCRIPTIONS TO FUND

EaSton, pastor, began at 20 PM, and the
other was held at Foundry NJ. E. Church,
Rev. DR.. Clark, pastor, commencing at
pm.
AT the former DR.. Easton conducted the
devotional exercises and the address was
by Rev. Lawrence Hunt, who. in part, said:
America has given many good things to
the world. The problem has ever been what
to do with the children who are living in
the alleys and slums of our cities, who are
being educated in crime. At the close Of
the century the solution has been found in
the organization of the Junior republic. pat
termed after the great American republic"
Mr. Hunt told the story Of the founding OF
the Junior republic near Freeville, N. y.
by William r. George, who about twelve
years ago began the work which has grown
to the proportions 1t has already assumed:
I'm the beginning" he continued. MI.
George conducted his enterprise as cnar-
ity, but experience soon taught him that 80
far from benefiting the 200 boys whom he
entertained for about two months each
year at his farm. there were many VINO
were getting to believe they had right TO
demand that he should take care OF them
for a time. During these times ne had
great difficulty in governing MS unruiy
wards, and there were occasions when he
had to whip as many as fifty or sixty IN
day.
THE junior republic as it exists today"
and it now has about seventy members,
the youngest of whom was admitted three
years ago at the age of nine years. me
rule. however, is to take none under WE'VE
years old. This boy was admitted as
special favor, and because he was SO pad
that while in his native town he committed
crimes for which but for his tender years
he would have been sent to the pehl'e '1I
He is now one of the most orderly citizens
Of the junior republic and pios 1alr 10 oe
useful man"
Benefits Derived.
Mr. Hunt related number of instances
showing the great benefit the junior re-
public has been to the boys who have hVeo
there One was that of g. lad VINO was
taken out of the New York Sums. he
was, he said, one of family OF eignt
children, who, with their parents, lived IN
one room After being in the republic tor
a while he persuaded Mr.. George to take
one of his brothers as a member of the
community and some time since ne man
aged to secure for his parents small
farm not far from the school, where MS
parents and the remaining children now
live. The father has been given employ
ment by Mr.. George as night Waterman.
The boy referred to is now preparing to go
to Cornell University, and he has recently
spoken from the same platform in Ply
mouth Church, Brooklyn. where Henry
Ward Beecher preached for SO many years.
The morning after one meeting at Whlch
the boy spoke a New York paper SAID:
"Chauncey NJ. Depew and the boy men
toned were rival orators last night, with
the honors on the side of the boy"
"One of the boys,' Mr.. Hunt stated, has
been engaged by wealthy lady of Phila-
delphia, Mrs. VT Carter. who has deter
mined to have branch of the junior re-
public near that city, and who will furnish
the money to organize athe institution.
The object in educating the boys" the
speaker said, has in view the preparation
needed to fit them to properly fill the
sphere they expect to occupy when they
become men. The work is divided that
1t is trades school, and the one that Is to
be established between Washington and
Baltimore will be great national trades
school,
The Lesson Taught.
zone reason why there is such good be-
havior among the members of the junior
republic" Mr.. Hunt stated, sis that the
boys soon learn that it does not pay them
to be bad. There is a code of laws mod
eled after those Of the state Of New York.
which are rigidly carried out by the boys
themselves. Offenders are sent to prison
or are fined. If they go to prison they are
compelled to wear striped clothing and are
known by a number, instead of their name
IN the Junior republic" said Mr.. Hunt,
swearing. smoking cigarettes and resist
Ing police officer are among the acts for
hidden. The latter is a very serious offense
and conviction means a long term Of i'm
prisonme.lt. 1t frequently happens that
boy policeman, aged not more than twelve
or thirteen years, will arrest a boy of sew
entean or eighteen. The big fellow may
feel like not going with the little officer,
but the sentiment of the community Is such
that there Is rarely any actual resistance.
Should there be any trouble however the
officer has authority to call for help either
from a brother officer or from a citizen"
In reply to question Mr.. Hunt said there
was sometimes trouble at the junior re-
public which was caused by complaints re-
ceived from the parents of unruly boys,
who, because they were disciplined, wrote
letters home finding fault with the manner
in which they were treated by the author
tiles.
At the conclusion of his address Mr.. Hunt
ives given vote Of thanks by the audi
ence.
Address by Prof. Thomas.
The evening service was in charge of Rev.
Dr. Clark pastor of Foundry Church, who
conducted the devotional exercises. The in
vocation was offered by Rev. Lawrence
Hunt.
Prof Thomas OF the Woman's College,
Baltimore. was the principal speaker. In
part he said:
ing a certain class of children. One Of them
is employed in the junior republic. The sec
end Is the institutional method. The former
has for it's idea Christian individualism, to
prepare them for seh-management, which
can only be gained by experience, and this
can only come from freedom and RESPONSE
bility The principle of the junior repub-
lie is that every meHbar must manage him
self and take the consequences.
Outside of the church there are no nobler
people on earth than those who are in
charge of institutions In a minority of
institutions there ID a development of indi-.
yiduality The majority Of institutions are
charitable despotGns,nand often when a
child goes out he comes back because he
has simply been helped ito become helpless
1t is better to train upsa child in the way
he should go and Aotarhain up a child In
the way he should goa e...,-.
Among the nuImros.. lessons learned in
the junior republicApeahe value of an ed,l.
cation, the value e g1Dd government and
civic citizenship; d self-control and obedi-
ence to law; expeslense and self-support."
From PrisOD to Prominence.
DR.. Thomas told abolt one boy who made
up his mind while - TIN Junior republic Jail
to do better. and eseneaaily became speak
er of the house Of representatives there,
1.-THE penalty for likeness In the Junior
republic, theoretically" DR.. Thomas said,
rs death but the starving one manages to
get a job about forfy-eight hours before
the time to expire. A boy learns to be
thrifty. from the consequences Of being