The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1901-03-10
THE JUVENILE REPUBLIC
\ Miniature of the National Gov
eminent at Washington.
Boys and Girls From the SIums
Taught What American Institu-
lions Are IndustriaIIy and PoIiti-
caIIy-Mnling Desirable Citizens.

Washington has just passed through
the ceremonies incidental to the inaugu-
ration of a President. Congress has
posed for the benefit and awe of the as
sembled multitude and put on an air of
august greatness and dignity calculated
to take away the breath of obscure citi-
zens. The President, looking wise and
distinguished, has told the multitude
what he is going to do to make the coun-
try great and prosperous.
The military has paraded its tinsel and
gold lace with pomp and flare of trum-
pet and drum. The visitor goes home
fun Of patriotism and national pride, not
Knowing. perhaps, that within the Dor
ders Of this great lard is a little Juve-
nile Republic, the exact prototype in min
! iature Of the Government at Washing
! ton.
| The Junior Republic has its seat Of gov
| eminent on farm in Freevine, N Y.
! The citizens Of this republic are boys and
girls taken from the slums OF the great
/ cities and there they learn how govern
ment is conducted; how laws are made.
ana why and how benefits are acquired
and enjoyed by the citizen.
The government consists of a legisla-
! tive body ana an executive-that is. a
Senate and a House of Representatives
President and his Cabinet The man
dates OF the Government are enforc d 10.
| by navy and an army, but by a well
/ organized and efficient police force The
( main difference between the national an
{ juvenile Republican Government is that
/ there has been but one President since
the foundation Of the juvenile Go,ern-
mcnt, some years ago, and he is its
. IL
! the founder of the Republic
The aim of this miniature Republic is to
teach the children of the poorer classes
about American institutions. political and
industrial, their functions ana the penal
/ ties resulting from the Infringement of
the laws which underlie these institu-
I tions
The methods employed At Freeyille arr
such that a boy or girl is likely to pass
! from the lowest rank in the little Repub
] lies society to the highest social and
| official status; that is. f.Cm the Jail 10
+-the SpeaEership of the House of Repre-
/ sentatives.
| The sources from which the children are
| drawn are the lower strata of society.
and may be divided into three general
/ classes. These are the hOodlum the Dau-
/ per- and the improvident The hoo blum
/ is known everywhere and needs no de
scription. The pauper boy is one who ex-
/ poets TO go through life assisted by the
/ humanitarian of others. His highest am
i bitiOn is to lean upon somebody for his
/ support. The idea OF his becomins, ali
. solutely self-supporting never occurs TO
him. or. If it does, he is too lazy or too
demoralized to put forth the requisite eff
fort in his own behalf.
The improvident boy or girl does not
come from pauper stock, but from parents
who do not spend their earnings judi
/ ciousy. They live for today and have no
thought of the morrow. With unimpor-
tlnt exceptions all the children of the
Junior Republic can easily be placed il
one Of these three classes.
Before the boys and girls are taken to
Frceylllc, Mr.. George secures absolute
/ control of them for sixty days and takes
their parents plHce completely. After
/ the expiration of the sixty days the chil
dien are returned % their homes. some
with enough provisions, The result OF their
I earnings, to Keep the family supplied fpf
a whole season Others return jus. as
they LETT their homes with nothing eX-
CCDt the clothes they brought viii them
The Freevile farm is OF forty acres ana
contains number Of buildings The first
things the children see when they enter.
the buildings are numerous signs posted
over the doors. one sign reads Bank
iIEOtnef tOuulillb ILbDIl, ana Otntrs
Senate" House Of Representatives.
Court House" etc.
Down in a dark and dingy passageway
is 4 sign which reads jail"
The boys are shown the workshops
abundantiy supplied with tools and thr
girls are conducted through the kitchen
dressmaking, and millinery rooms. They
are told that they must work for all they
get. They can make their own selection
as to tie kind of work they prefer Most
of the girls would rather do millinery ana
dress-making than kitchen work Com
petent instructors stand ready to teach