Perth Amboy evening news., 1909-09-29
GEORGE JUNIOR
REPUBLIC HERE.
Founder is to Establish a
Colony At Pennington junc-
tior, HunterdOn Co.
GIFT OF LEHIGH VALLEY

Pennington, Sept. 29:-william R.
George, founder Of the original George
Junior Republic, at Freeville, N. Y, is
establishing similar institutions at
Pennington Junction and at Grove City,
Pa.
The Lehigh Valley Railroad Com
pany recently offered farm of eighty
six acres lying on both sides of the
South Branch Of the Raritan river, at
Pennington Junction, as site, which
has been accepted.
The school will be patterned much
after the one at Freeville, N. Y, where
there are now sixty girls and one hun
dred boys. 1t Is expected that the
Pennington Junction Republic will be
opened early in the spring Mr.. George
will select ten boys, who will be given
six months training at Freeville,
and then brought here to manage the
New Jersey Republic.
Boys and girls will be taken in who
have reached the age of fourteen years
and will be taught how to care for
themselves, how to become good citi-
zens and knowledge of government
The workings of the Republic are SIM
Besides many other advantages there
will be a high school, where they may
be trained for course in college.
The Republic at Grove City, Pa, will
be started about the same time as the
one at Pennington Junction. ~
Similar institutions in the course of
time will be operated in every state of
the union. II was Mr.. George s idea
to first await the result of the school at
Freeville. Now that it has passed the
stage, and it's success is
it is expected that many other
Republics will be operated
Sketch of George Junior Republic.
The essence Of the George Junior
Republic, great American institution
for retaining boys and girls, who
from the vlcioueness of their surround
ings, or other causes have made bad
start in their life g journey, is self-gov
ernment. 1t might well be called a
Lilliputian Republic of boys and girls,
with Mr.. George to superintend and
help them in their efforts to become in
dustrious and upright men and women
as well as good citizens Of the great re-
public Of the United States.
Mr.. William R. George, the origi-
nator Of this idea, worked for many
years among the poor of New York, es-
pecially the Hoodlums of that city,
and thereby gained knowledge of
city boys that few men possess.
The wonderful inspiration from
which the Junior Republic proceeded
flowed like a great river from small
source. Each summer, from the year
1890, Mr.. George took party Of poor
boys and girls from the city Of New
York, for fresh air in the country life
to his summer home in Freeville, which
is nine miles from Ithaca, in New York
state. This did much to benefit their
health, but Mr.. George was not salts
fed with their moral progress. They
received many gifts, but Mr.. George
thought that receiving and not giving
was bad for them, and decided that
when the lads wanted anything they
must work for it. In this way the
golden rule of the George Junior Re
public, Nothing without Labor" :"
came into existence
Self Government Is Taught.
The citizens are self fgoverning, they
make their own laws, elect their pres
IuOht, JuuBc, poiiSo anu ObHCi ouSciS.
They punish each other, passing SEN
tence in court quite independently of
Mr.. George or the superintendent, who
are, nevertheless, always present. The
citizens are boys and girls from the age
of fourteen to twenty-one years, and
are taken from evil homes and surround
ings and rescued from lives of sin. Even
rich parents send their sons and daugh-
ters to the Republic when they find
they are beyond control. Those par
ents who can afford to do so are obliged
to pay fee for any child sent to the
Republic, but there are others who
perhaps have no parents, or are too
poor to pay anything for their main
tenance.
The Republic at Ithaca covers an
area of about 900 acres. There are ten
cottages, with house mother to man
age each, two gaols, school house,
library and chapel. There are also
carpenter and joiners shops, large
bakery and laundry, and the land is
well cultivated. The education fs
good, and all the citizens are well
taught.