The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1915-03-05

4
MODEL CITY OF JUVENILES.
Municipality In illinois Run by Young
People Of Both Sexes.
When the Educational Club of Ridge
wood, Ill. confronted with the fact
that 1t was doing much for the minds
of adults. but was neglecting the chill
dren. decided to form u model city ut
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 q board of aldermen. police force.
street department and all other essen
tials OF the we'll modelled municipality.
As a means Of interesting boys aud
girls-yes. girls. tou-in the RESPONSE
biity of good citizenship and the. sci
eDce Of municipal government the
plan has proved a great success.
After the city WAS declared duly or
ganized amid the enthusiasm OF every
boy and girl 1t al decided to visit
the various city departments and Of
fees Of Ridgewood. Joliet and other
ne%ighbOring cities to note how the at
fairs Of each were conducted. The
children. Of course. were especially In
terested IN the police and dre depart.
ments. and the municipal officials glad.
" showed them the operations of each.
The chief of the Joliet fire department
went so 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 t. 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'
ttcally the same as that required by
the city Of Joliet Eight boys took the
quiz" and every n passed.
.Ridgewoodvil vile Is governed entirely
by its juvenile officials elected at d
regular election by its Juvenile ctti'
Gems. No grownups hold Office. al
though they attend meetings of the of.
fcials US advisers and citizens. Their
advice the children are not bound to
accept. 1t is In every sense Il city Ut
the children.
The youngsters divided the city tntu
three wards. Two aldermen. one boy
and a girl. are selected from each
ward. The children are strong for
equal suffrage. and the boys insist that
the girls shall have u 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. It was found that
the only immediate expenditures faced
were for athletic supplies. 50 the chill
drensspent their drst city cash for ath'
ietics. A baseball nine was organized
among the boys and a basket bail
team among the girls. 4
Some Of the adult advisers wanted
an appropriation for streets. but the
children replied that all the work
would be done by the children. thus
saving that expense.
A locai bank cashier was secured to
deliver an address ON the issuing OF
municipal bonds. and the children were
taken on a tour Of one Of the banks.
City government In all it's phases u
being mught BY lecture and c
Sanitation In the South.
A remarkable instance Of what q
rural township ran do In sanitation Il
Il makes up tts mind to be progressive
N, given In an article Just published by
the United States public health serv
ice. Cape Fear township, In New
Hanover county, n. c.. started out last
summer on a sanitary campaign under
the combined leadership Of the county
board Of health. the state board of
health aud the United States public
health service In Wilmington. N. q