Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-08-25
Citizens Of Miniature Municipality
Holding an Election.
JUNIOR REPUBLIC FOR COLORED BOYS
Institution Founded in Maryland
by w. H. H. Hart.
FORM OF GOV ERN NJ E N T


is being held today in Prince Georges
county, Md, at place about twelve miles
below this city. The successful candidate
will be inaugurated with appropriate cere-
mony in a few days, and, during the term
for which he is chosen, will have under
proper supervision the affairs of the Junior
Republic for Colored Boys at the Hart
Farm
There has just been started near this city
what Is probably the most unique institu-
ton of the kind in the world-a Junior Re
public for Colored Boys between the ages
of nine and sixteen years. The republic is
modelled to a certain extent on the lines of
the Henry George Junior Republic at
Farmville, N. Y, and the Washington and
Baltimore Junior Republic on the Willie
Newbold farm, about half way between the
cities named; but the constitution has been
framed with the view of meeting the condi-
tons of those boys for whose benefit the
new republic Is especially intended.
This republic is the outgrowth of the
Hart Farm School, which has become
great institution from a very small begin
ming of but few years since. The consti-
tuition of the new republic guarantees to
each of its citizens full equality with all
others, such as to vote at every election of
officers, the right to secure and retain en-
ployment at the rate of wages justified by
his skill and efficiency, to purchase all
common necessities of life at reasonable
cost, to acquire and own personal property
free from liability of seizure and depriva-
tion except for debts and taxes; to hold
seat in the general assembly of citizens to
express his views freely concerning all pro-
posed laws for the government of the peo-
pie of the republic, and to vote for or
against the adoption of all such laws the
right to worship God according to the die
tates of his own conscience and with other
citizens peaceably to assemble and petition
the government for the redress of gricy-
ances, and that none of these rights shall
be denied or abridged to any citizen except
for violation of law
Duty of Citizens.
Great stress is laid in the organic law
upon the fact that 1t is the Indispensable
duty of every citizen to support for cleo
ton to the various offices under the repub-
lie only those who will discharge all the
duties of such offices In a fair, just and
lawful manner; that every citizen should
do all in his power to hold every public Of
fcer responsible for the faithful discharge
of every official duty without regard to
party or personal friendship for anyone
1t Is further declared that the object in
forming the republic is the desire of the
citizens to learn by actual experience and
under proper guidance, what are the rights
privileges and duties of citizens in the great
republic, the United States of America:
how those rights and privileges NAV be ex-
ercised and enjoyed in a manly and order
ly manner, and how those duties NAV be
Tor the best interest of the greater repub-
lie in the affairs of which they will be par
uclpants when they shall have reached
the age and station of men
The government of the Junior republic is
of three departments legislative executive
and judicial. The executive authority of
the republic is vested in president and
chief of police, who are elected by a ma
Jority of the votes of all the citizens. and
police officers to be appointed by the chief
OF police with the consent of the president.
Prominent Persons Interested.
Among the many persons who have inter-
ested themselves in the Hart Farm School
are Representative John Allen of Missis-
sippi, Representative Grout of Vermont,
Rev. DIR. j. E Rankin, president of How
ard University; Mr.. H. B. f. mcfarland Of
the board of District Commissioners and
many others. The latter says he regards
Mr.. Hart, the founder Of the school. as a
great philanthropist and asks: And after
this great negro philanthropist has laid an
imperishabie bridge over crime, when these
outcasts nave been taught the beauty OF O
CONSCIENTIOUS. useful life-they cannot live
on and On a the farm school-what then?
AS rapidly as their training fits them for
1t, the duration of which training will vary
according to the individual needs and ca
pacities of the boys. they will be taken
from the school and placed in homes in the
north and west that have been investigated
and approved by the board of children's
Prof. Hart has given his lands. his build.
inss, his farming Implements all of his
equIipments. ana his talents and his perso-
nal supervision. free The amount allowed
by Congress per capita is too small. and
Prof. Hart makes UP the difference out OF
his own pocket. The land is there-7O0
acres-its generous proportions stretching
Tor mile up and down the Potomac and a
mile and half back over rich fields and
loo boys could be trained as easily as
fifty q"
Original and Unique Effort,
The estimation in which the institution IL
stated in the following:
"A very original and unique effort tn helm
his race is a recent one of w. H. H. Hart.
professor in the law department and t. ach-
er of agriculture in Howard University. Mr.
Hart came up from Alabama a barefooted
ragged boy, without friend or helper and
entered the normal department of Howard
University He worked his way through all
the departments, graduating with honor:
finally, from the law school, where he has
since been professor, ten years or more He
is an enthusiast In his devotion to his alma
mater. to whose claims he is always ready
to respond. 1t was in his study of the SUBJ
1ect of university extension that his pres
ent project began to take shape. He saw
hundreds OF colored boys. of from eight to
eighteen years Of age. in the streets of
Washington They were idle, unemployed
likely TO become criminals. What could
Howard University do for them? The mat
ter was laid before the trustees of the uni
versity. The trustees saw no way in which
they could reach the difficulty Meantime
Mr.. Hart, whose anxiety was urgent laid
the subject before the board Of children's
guardians, especially before the superin-
tendent of charities for the District of CO.
lumbia, offering his farm and his services
to them, as they had been offered to the
university. Here he was successful.
Mr.. Harris farm is down on the Mary
land shore of the Potomac, some twelve
miles below Washington city. Side by side
with this farm is one owned by the eminent
William NJ Evarts. to whom Mr.. Hart was
for three years private secretary. OF this
second farm. making in all a tract of land
extending mile UP and down the river and
mile and a half back into the state of
Maryland, Mr.. Hart secured from Mr.
Evarts a gratuitous grant, so long as used
foe the purpose then contemplated. There
were but two dwellings on the place-one
which had been used by the farmer, and
the other. an elegant cabin used by Mr.
Evarts and household for summer outings
In this latter building the farm school was
opened in 1897. Mr.. Hart has solicited
money enough since to erect wooden
structure, two stories high, which is used
for school room and sleeping ROOM 1t is
named Barrows Hall, after Mr.. Samuel j.
Barrows."
HA