The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1909-07-09

prise SO boys and two girls, with res
ident adult superintendents, matronl
and teachers who have supervision
over them.
These three large buildings and {
number Of smaller ones are all de
voted to the youthful citizens. These
buildings provide school rooms, car
\ penter shop, gymnasium, blacksmith
shop, play room, wash room, laundry
library, reception room, government
officers room, dormitories, dining
j room and kitchens. A jail for the
4 confinement of the more serious Of,
i tenders stands In the rear of the 9th.
| er buildings.
| And who are the citizens OF these
unique institutions? This Is the most
interesting point in the whole scheme
They are all children, and they are
/ not "the very good children either.
! They have been carefully brought up
here, and have been made honor-lov-
Ing and God-fearing for all their
lives. These children are the ones
that an ever critical society might
have been willing to pronounce fall
ures. They are the children whom
parents have found .unmanage-
able" whom juvenile courts have
found In need OF better training be-
fore the parole may be lifted, and
whom the boards Of children's guard
ians have decided to remove from Inn
proper surroundings.
The National Junior Republic pro-
yides home for unruly boys be-
tween the ages of 13 and 10 years.
That class of children who are usu-
ally termed "incorrigible,' and who
would otherwise be sent to jail or to
the house of correction, are here CIV
en- citizenship"
Many OF the boys come from com
Portable homes where they were
found to be ungovernable. Very many
parents and guardians are glad to
avail themselves of an opportunity
OF paying for the course at the re-
public, and at the end welcoming
home a self-suporting, self-respecting
youth, who has learned how to earn
a dollar and how to make use of it.
The republic reforms boys with
criminal tendencies and also pro-
vides school for truant boys
such as are beyond the control of
their parents. The republic is not
alone for the young boy with a Grim
lnal leaning. Such boy, If sent to
the usual reformatory institution,
would become more versed in crime,
and, having no keener interest than
that Of evading rules and detection,
would become more uncomfortable
than before being sent there. The
boys are sent to the republic by the
courts OF Washington, D. c., Balti-
more, Md, and of other cities and
states and by their guardians and
parents, So there's wholesome les
ION IN 1t for every city and town in
'ur nation.
When boy comes to the repub- !
&c, he Is thrown entirely upon his !
wn resources. After being given /
wo or three days to get familiar with /
ne system he is given position, be-
lg allowed to choose his own work |
'om such positions as wood cutter,
rect cleaner, dishwasher, farmer, '
ltchen boy, scrubber, bedmaker, i
'achman, blacksmith. laundryman, a
'rpenter, gardener stockboy, engi- h
ser driver, librarian, office secre- i,
ry, policeman, etc. 4
He is paid a weekly salary in alum H
UNI currency, which Is the only fl
gal tender of the republic, and with 1t
is he has to pay his board and ii
xes--and also the court fines to his to
vn government-and to buy all his Sc
vn clothes. Salaries range from So b,
$4.40 per week. ii
IN these republics certain boys
ase the hotels, employ help and h,
ard the others. Usually there are !.
rec grades of these hotels, and am -,
ton makes a fellow want to work !,
I'd enough to eat at the best. The Il
erchants are citizens, and there has Ia
en- little chance of monopoly of n,
y one industry so far; for, as in -
e case OF the juvenile Rockefeller /,
10 cornered the market in black a.
3 and charged 25 cents a shine, the 4,
yislature promptly put prohibi- n,
e tariff on backing, and the citi- "a
MS Of the republic went with un- ~
med shoes until the youthful mon Il,
olist came to terms. ~,
me governing power, or legislative
W /. the republic, is known as the So
neral assembly and ia. as the co