The daily morning journal and courier., 1904-04-11
ON "JUNlOR REPUBLIC. ]"
INTERESTING LECTURE LAST
 NIGHT BY ITS FOUNDER.

United urch-Connecticut to Have Like Republic Near LftchfIeid-Tho Making of Good citizens-Hoys Con- trol Gove.nment and Business Stories of Boys.
 1 William R. George, founder of the
 George Junior Republic, at Freeville,
 N. Y. gave an interesting talk on it
 at the United church last evening. His manner os address was easy and con- versational. He speaks with absolute
 authority as the founder and present head os the republic. During his re-.
 marks he said that the republic is in
 no sense reformatory or a prison, as the boys may leave when they wish,
 though it is evident from his accounts e the changes which it has made in the lives of many boys from the 'crim- inal classes that this republic is the nearest approach to solution of the social problem" that has ever been tried. The republic is an absolute suc- Icess. many boys who had been burg lars or worse becoming useful citizens. Some such boys have brilliant records
 at colleges. The boys have the complete control of the republic, electing their
 own officials. controlling their court and prison, which latter is no farce, as
 many new arrivals in the republic find.
 As the boys become older citizens they
 become, or continue to be industrious citizens. Although they attend school
 they have regular callings, being car penters, farmers, etc, having their own hotels and houses. stores and alumin-
 um currency. Social conditions are just
 as in the outside world, the boys wealth and comforts depending on the amount they earn by industry or abili- lty. When a building is to be erected
 srms of boy contractors present bids, and the successful firm erects it by ttheir boy employees. The rich man"
 may buy better clothing and dine at better restaurants The republic has a long waiting list, but the hope is that some day there will be so many of such lrepublics that every boy and girl in the ! country may have the privilege of spending some time in such state.
 Tn the Junior Republic there are girls,
 and there are boys from every sort of family, rich and poor. good and bad,
 but this does not affect their standing | in the republic.
 I MT. George told a story of two boys of whom one, a spoiled boy came from a rich samily. He sold the clothing ! which he brought for good sum in aluminum and lived at ease until the
 money was gone. The other boy had
 been in reform schools, and when he came tried to take his living by steal 1 ing, spending most of his time in the republic jail. Then he got a contract l to run a cheap republic restaurant, was l industrious and successful in business, until he was running the best restau- rant and had monopoly of lodging | houses, and he lead an honest life. The l first job which the former of the two | boys got was os servant of the sec- ond, but he, too, became industrious
 and got better places. To-day he is out
 O. the republic, a young man of whom
 his father is proud. The other has a 1 fine position outside the republic. He is
 studying nights and will soon enter a l law school. The story of another boy was of what MT. George called "the
 bravest deed I have ever seen." The boy was at first very peculiar, conceit-
 ed, lazy and unpopular, but brainy. He
 lest the republic, but later asked to be allowed to return promising to be a.
 better citizen. He succeeded so well that he was elected the president of the lreDublic. The day after the inaugura- tion he came to MT. George in great
 sorrow. confessed that he had been in- volved in some dishonest dealings, though in reality he was not greatly to blame, The boy resigned his office and lcon.essed all. before the citizens, and
 went to their jail, refusing a pardon.
 The state wished to re-elect him, but he
 refused. The boy is to-day preparing for Cornell. and says MT. George,
 ''There never was a greater change in
 any boy" In closing Mr George an-
 nounced that a gift of 2,000 acres near
 Litchfield, Conn.,, has been made, to es-
 tahlish another such a republic for the boys of Connecticut. Work will be