The Bemidji daily pioneer. [volume] (Bemidji, Minn.) 1904-1971, 1915-03-20
MODEL CITY OF JUVENILES.
Municipality In illinois Run by Young
People Of Both Sexes.


People Of Both Sexes.
When the Educational Club of Ridge
wood, ILL.,. confronted with the fact
that it was doing much for the minds
of adults, but was negIecting the chill
dren, decided to form Il model city OF
juveniles within the city to train the
young in practical citizenship, the idea
was Immediately popular among the
children. The city has been organized
and christened "Ridgewoodville" and
has the distinction of being the most
complete child city in the world
The children have elected municipal
officials. from mayor down. and now
have board of aldermen. police force.
street department and all other essen
tails OF the we'll modelled municipality
AS means Of interesting boys and
girls-yes. girls, too~-in the RESPONSE
bility of good citizenship and the SCI
ence of municipal government the
plan has proved great success.
After the city was declared duly or.
ganized amid the enthusiasm OF every
boy and girl it was decided to visit
the various city departments and Of
fees Of Ridgewood, Joliet and other
neighboring cities to note how the at
fairs of each were conducted. The
children, of course, were especially in
terested in the police and fire depart,
mepts. and the municipal officials glad.
~ showed them the operations of each
The chief of the Joliet fire department
went 50 far as to offer the embryo
Juvenile city some spare apparatus OF
its fire department., an offer which was
regretfully not taken advantage of be-
cause the child city had no buildings
in which to house the equipment.
When it came to organizing the po-
lice department every boy was eager
to be elected chief Of police. but Her
bert Scheik was unanimously chosen
The policemen were selected under CIV
II service. The examination was prac.
tically the same as that required by
the city of Joliet. Eight boys took the
quiz" and every one passed.
RidgewoOdville Is governed entirely
by it's juvenile officials elected at a
regular election by its Juvenile citi.
Gems No grownups hold Office. al
though they attend meetings of the Of
6cials as advisers and citizens. Their
advice the children are not bound to
accept. 1t is in every sense a city Of
the children.
The youngsters divided the city into
three wards. Two aldermen, one boy
and girl. are selected from each
ward. The children are strong for
equal suffrage, and the boys insist that
the girls shall have fair division Of
power in the government and in all
other rights and privileges.
The problem Of financing the juve.
nile city was one requiring more than
ordinary attention. The department
of parks and Fairgrounds came in for
special attention. 1t was found that
the only immediate expenditures faced
were for athletic supplies. so the chill
dren spent their first city cash for ath
!etics A baseball nine was organized
among the boys and basket ball
team among the girls.
Some of the adult advisers wanted
I'm appropriation for streets. but the
children replied that all the work
would be done by the children. thus
saving that expense.
A local bank cashier was secured to
deliver an address on the issuing of
municipal bonds. and the children were
taken on tour of one of the banks
City government in all its phases is
being taught by lecture and act