The Washington times. (Washington [D.C.]) 1901-1902, 1902-02-27
Miss Mary Remington's EX-
pose of One at Buffalo.
JUNIOR REPUBLICS DISCUSSED
James Struthers Heferling, Superintend-
ent of the One at Redington, Penn
sylvania, Speaks From a Workers
Standpoint.

James Struthers Heferling, superinten
Redington, Pa. Mr.. Heferling said il
part:
so much has been said and writer
concerning the Junior Republic that il
really detrimental to the work that
consider it a privilege TO speak to you
this evening, from the workers stand
point, and to prove to you that the re.
justified the Efforts
He then spoke of the Junior Republic
at Freeville, n. Y, and of the work which
Mr. George has been doing. From this
republic have sprung others in different
parts of the country, and the system of
SELF government in force there has been
adopted in part by many schools.
Mr.. Heferling said that it was Unfair to
the mother republic to judge it by the
failures made by its iInitators. Men OF
small faith achieved small results. 1t wa:
his purpose to prove that the bold expert
ment of Mr.. George had passed its expert
mental stage and was an assured sue
cess. Hundreds of applications have tc
be refused every year.
Criticised Largely by Theorists.
The criticisms on the work, he thought
CAM largely from theorists who had
never observed it closely, and who would
not themselves make an effort to solve
the problems encountered in a practical
way. The recent report of the impartial
committee appointed by the State OF New
York to Investigate the George Junior Re
public was the best testimonial to its sue
cess. The committee considered the re-
public to have realized more than the
promise of its inception. The graduates
of the republics are filling responsible po-
sitions in all lines of work. The failures
are mainly those who were most urprom-
Using when admitted.
THE work speaks for itself" said Mr..
Heferling and l take pleasure in re-
counting some of my personal observa-
tions of it.
lone of the most VIGOROUSLY bad boys
in Philadelphia was admitted into the re-
public He learned that his standing de-
pended on labor. This is the foundation
OF the republic. Jacob S. Riis speaks OF
the Junior Republic as a great force in
favor of the law-abiding spirit, and this
our Philadelphia boy learned. He learned
to pay taxes and then became a capital
ist After one years residence he went
home for visit. While there he was
offered some spending money, which he
refused, saying he would rather earn it.
Last fall he left the Republic to enter
Baldwin's Locomotive Works in Philadel-
phia, and is now self-supporting and at
tends night school for the study of math-
ematics and mechanics.
Well-Invested Capitaia Benefit.
1T is well invested capital that bene-
fits the community at large. 1t is a
great mistake to rate every wrong act of
a child as a crime, and brand it as de-
generate, criminal, and helpless. Jap
plau.e.l
One child in the republic built a
bonfire in her stepmother's attic, and was
set down as having a mania for arson.
She said she did it to see the firemen run.
She has now been in the republic two
years, and is one of the brightest in her
classes, showing no indications Of her
supposed mania.
"a boy who was arrested for stealing
came of good family, and his mother
could not understand why he should do
such a thing. 1t was found that she had
allowed the boy frequently to take money
from her purse. on condition that he told
mamma afterward.
1T was also found that his father had
been in the habit of decoiving his mother
and using the boy as tool.
There are more incorrigible parents
than incorrigible children.
y ms r break 4 promise made to
child. ii necessary, / ask him to release
NE from the promise.
We believe in Christian citizenship.
The Carter Junior Republic aims TO train
Inc child for this
Remington Gospel Settlement.
Miss Mary Remington. of Buffalo, was
the next speaker. Miss Remington is the
head Of the Remington Gospel Settlement
in that city. The Settlement is a large
tenement house. which Miss Remington
took as her headquarters, living there
herself ana letting the rest of the build
ing to the people whom she desired to
benefit. IN this way the building was
made to pay for itself, and the cost of
rent was saved.
4 great difficulty at first was the lack
Of funds, for a large deposit was re-
luired before The owners would let the
building TO her on such terms, but she
finally got the money together and moved
IN. There were a, that time in the build
ing LOAD people. Five families occupied
Ia HI
now has for her work room. This in
caused a gasp of establishment
from the audience, and. indeed. the sue
lessiye statements OF the speaker acted
as so many electric shocks, for they we're
perhaps the most surprising which some
IF the hearers had ever encountered.
1t didn't cost any more to live there
and work than it would 10 live and not
work she said. and a lady whom |
5ncw told me that if l was really willing
10 go down in that awful place and live
she would give me enough TO live on.
When we finally got the building We be-
gan 10 get 1t into decent order, and that
ook some time. OF course ii was dirty
how could the people help it, living as
hick as they were2 And when they
LEANED up, as they did take notion 10
10 once in a while, they would take six
" eight pals OF water and pour them
IN the floor and then scrape the dirt off
Ind scoop the water up and pour il all
tut OF the window; and il you happened
o be passing under the window you didn't
are for the water.
How the Mothers Were Taught.
well. we began by teaching the chill
rem When we had taught them how to
eep clean they would tell their mothers, {
4 their childish way. something about it,
nd then we began to get hold Of the /,
lothers. And when the complaints be- .
an to come in. why thar helped. A /
oman came TO me one day with long /
tory about the woman in the room over
e~s She had iust bought a nice bed /