The Washington herald., 1912-03-16

years. They assemble the first Saturday
night of each month. Here ali the laws
are made. There is a president and cab
met, a Judge, a states attorny, and a
police force. all of whom hold ofice for
six months. All offenses are tried by
jury, except in police court cases, when a
jury may be paneled upon request
There is a bar association, and in order
TO be admitted to the bar the aspiring boy
must pass IN examination before the
members of the association. The main
Industries OF the Republic at present are
the laundry, farming. carpentering, and
the printing office. Here a monthly organ
called the Republic News Is published.
The Republic Farm
The republic farm consists OF about IA
acres. not including the space Of the
buildings, with a herd of twelve cattle,
five teams of horse. a prize-winning pig
gerry Of thoroughbred Berkshires, and a
blue ribbon poultry plant Of Plymouth
Rocks and White Orpingtons
The boys may choose the kind of work
they like, but IL they would eat they must
work. The workers in the various indus
tries receive from $3.50 to $40. plus extra
jobs, per week for half a days work
The other half Is spent in school. The
sum is paid in aluminium money. redeem
able at the Republic bank in United
States currency.
The citizens live in cottages which are
presided over by house mother. The
house mother has no extra privileges or
fare, and the boys under her are treated
Es a family.
There is a piano in every cottage, and
most of the living rooms are adorned
with banners, pictures. and books. With
Ihe accomplished help of our piano ge-
-
I'VE spend many pleasant evenings.
Beside the cottages are the ''HoteT' de
Jail, the Schocl House. the gymnasium,
Rnd the chapel The pupils of the School
House range in rank from the fourth
grade of grammar school TO the sopho-
more year OF college. All creeds are ac-
oeptsbIe at the republic.
But all of the citizens are not happy.
1t must needs be that there are black
sheep" among the boys. These are found
out sooner or later and are quickly dealt
with and sent to jail. The prison uniform
consists of a blue jumper and overalls.
AS the spirit of the place is fairness and
q square deal for the boy" 1t is no won
der that they are quickly rounded up.
However, no prisoner is debarred from
the school privileges.
Republics are situated in Maryland,
New York, Pennsylvania, and many other
States. Boys who are really bad are
most acceptable as citizens, for. in Dad
dy' Georges words: "A boy who is very
bad can be taught TO use his misspent
energy in something worth while"
Those who have heard of the republic
through hearsay sometimes have an er-
roneous opinion Of the place. 1t is not a
reform school, for many boys fathers are
glad to pay that their sons may have
the advantage Of a training for future
citizens.
Before closing, wish to tell how a re-
public from my point of view is run. The
management starts Il and the boys run
Il. OF course. over the boy officials we
have a board Of trustees. The trustees
hold the property in trust, secure fnan-
cial backing and make necessary rules
and regulations that stand to the repub-
Tic as the laws of the big republic stand
10 the state.
The scheme of establishing a boys
community wherein he makes his own
laws, governs himself. and learns the
Universal. JULIUS BUcKNER.
Written by "Republic" Boy.
The National Junior Republic is a place
full Of boys and girls. 1t is not a reform
school, as so many people think. but q
place where boys and girls learn to con-
tIbl anu 6cI a SldEt IN lie.
The farm of the republic is in the
hands of a capable farmer, who shows
the boys the best way of doing the work
and tells us why IL is done that way.
a farm boy works for the farmer, and
II he does not work well the farmer can
fire him without a Recommendation II
re cannot get Il Recommendation he has
TO work for two weeks without pay and
one week on half pay. Therefore. we do
not quit every time we feel like IL, but
work on all the time till We are sure we
can chuck our job and get. a recommen-
dation.
The republics chicken yards are well
equipped for raising chickens and con-
tain every convenience for laying hens,
and all we need now is one or two hum
dred more hens TO make II a peach of a
Place. The incubator room Is of great
interest 10 most people, as even in this
day of scientific marvels people still won
der at mans mind conceiving ma
chino which does the hens work better
than the hen herself. and with fewer
SPOILED eggs There are two large In
cuhators. and. during the summer. We
have eggs set all the time. The chickens
IRE Matched and taken out TO be put in
brooder eoops. where they are protected
from the elements. When half grown
they are separated into the different