Evening star., 1912-11-17

Republic at Annapolis Junction.
Md. is well known indeed. But
81 there are many phases of the
actual management and opera
ton of the boy colony that prove amaz-
ingly interesting to the uninitiated. Es-
pecially is the matter of preserving DIS
cipline one that affords unusual oppor-
tunity for looking into "the workings. 1
SO to speak, of the boy mind.
=
AS "a matter of fact, discipline. in the
popular sense of that word, is almost an
unknown quantity at the republic-eXcept
as enforced by the juvenile citizens them
selves. who feel the responsibilities In
trusted to. them to a degree that many a
citizen of the country might well envy.
That the boys do uphold the laws Of
their republic-and compel others among
them who at first are not so minded TO do
so-is strikingly illustrated by several
cases that have occurred at the repub-
lie in the past.
Not long ago a very wealthy man
brought his son to the republic. The
boy, he said, was utterly unmanageable
He wanted to see what they could make
out of him. The boy told his father that
he would not stay, but intended to run
away at the first opportunity. The father
warned the superintendent who. in turn.
passed the warning on to the boy police
of the republic. and they kept their eyes
open.
Before the father had been gone half
hour they saw the boy making for the
woods and started in pursuit. Soon the
runaway was overtaken. He faced his
pursuers and angrily demanded what they
had to do with him.. declaring that he
would not be bossed by any boys. Pretty
soon there was a first-class fight in
progress. But there We're several Of the
policemen. and they got him down, hand
cuffed him, carried him back and lodged
him in the republic jail. Before locking
him up they searched him, as they
always do prisoner. \ five-dollar bill
was found in the toe of his shoe. hidden
there in preparation for his escape.
He was tried for running away, sem
fenced and kept in Jail for a short time
The afternoon tina, his sentence expired
he was invited to join a ball game and
became so interested that he stayed over
until the next day instead of running
away again as he had planned. A close
watch was kept by the police for a few
days longer but no opportunity was given
him for escape. 1t was not long before
he quieted down, quit trying to run away
and learned respect for the republics
law. He became before he left val
liable citizen. This reformation was ac-
complished entirely by the boys them
selves without help from adults. and
while working under the laws they thenl-
selves had made.
At another time one of the larger boys
ran away. The police of the city of
Baltimore notified the republic that they
had caught the boy and would hold him.
Two boy policemen from the republic
were given warrants and went after him.
The Baltimore police turned him over to
the young citizens there in the city police
station. AS soon as he was out of the
hands of the official police the runaway
tried to escape. The young policemen
grappled with their bigger opponent, and
finally overpowered him. Then they hand
cuffed him.
1t must be confessed that the city police
were at hand and We're hugely amused.
but ready to lend assistance should the
occasion require. But the two boys with
out outside aid managed to get their
handcuffed prisoner safely to the street
and accompanied by a crowd of curious
shouting Baltimore boys, made their way
TO the station and safely to the republic.
one experience like this Is enough for
most boys. 1t was the last time this one
ever tried to run away.
There is at the republic now boy who.
when he first came, gave them more
trouble than any hoy they had. He did
not want to stay in the republic, but his