Los Angeles herald., 1907-02-04
GIVES INSIGHT
INTO REPUBLIC
WILLIAM P. GEORGE TELLS OF
HIS PROJECT
Some Of the Members Of Boys Govern
ment Are College Graduates,
and All Who Stayed
Have Done Well

An interesting service was held at
the First CONGREGATIONAL church last
night when William p. George, founder
of the George Junior republic gave a
graphic address on the workings of the
republic. Judge Curtis ID. Wilbur of
the juvenile court and DIR. S. Hecht,
rabbi of the B'nai Birth temple, as
sisted in the service.
Mr.. George outlined the inception of
the work which has achieved so marked
success. He spoke In glowing terms
of California and especially the climate,
having left the east but a week ago in
freezing weather. He said in part:
THE boys and girls are our citizens
and there is no play about It, l assure
you. Some of you may think that 1t
is gigantic plaything at self govern
ment, that there was some one to
manipulate things. That Is not true.
It is not a play house. When good
sized boy goes without his dinner, or
when some young gentleman endeav-
ors to defy the authorities is ar
rested by the boy cop and lands in
prison. duly locked up, he will assure
you that there is no play in it.
Interested in Boys
II lived in the country until 1 was
IA years old and then moved to New
later engaged in business. 1 became
interested in the boys and girls, par
| tiCularly the small boys on the streets.
Each summer l spent my vacation in
the old home and | thought it would be
great fun to take the boys and girls
to Freeville, a little railroad station.
We had great sport that summer, the
time being given entirely to recreation.
| The good people provided food and
10 n6 l.
vanced, so did the donations. But one
day it dawned on me that there was a
screw loose somewhere. That in ac-
cepting these gifts we were teaching
the children to accept charity as a
right and l felt very much inclined to
give 1t up. But the next year we tried
a new scheme, demanding the equiva-
lent in labor for food and clothing.
Il thought l was a great law maker
in the regulations 1 had formed, but
when the children went to work there
came in suggestions for new rules
principally regarding the protection
of property. That was the beginning
Then we tried the law breakers and
we had a self-government before we
knew it, and strange to say, the chill
dren spent their happiest year.
Sympathy from Jacob Riis
Then the boys and girls had a legis-
lature and measures were voted on
| Next came the lawbreakers and the
police force, trials and the courts
When we added the banks and post
office we had the three powers of gov
ernment, Legislative, judiciary and ex-
| ecutive, and underneath it all the al
mighty dollar, the economic system
| the same as in the big republic-we had
a junior republic.
"Some said it was crazy-a beautiful
idea but not practical But there was
one man who encouraged us from the
start-Jacob Riis.
1--WE took the children the next sum-
mer with the idea of starting a minia-
ture republic for the summer. AS soon
as we arrived at the farm where we
were to stay one boy wanted to start
a Tammany hall at once. We turned
the old barn into rooms, which we la
beled the court house bank and postof-
| flee. 1t was necessary for the children
to work for their food and clothing
Then we asked for volunteers for the
police force, and every boy in the
crowd raised his hand and some of the
girls, too. They We're told that they
would be required to take a civil SER
vice examination and many of them,
thinking this meant a test of strength,
| Immediately began to show their mus
cles. They We're told to go before the
commission, and Immediately stam-
! peded for that room. But you should
| have seen the faces when they came
out JTp to that time they had had a