Evening star., 1924-10-12
Boys Elected Own
President and Cabi-
net Officers, as Well
as Legislators and
Court, Made Their
O wn L a VS., and
l. e arne d to Take
Action on Many I'm
portant Community
Questions.


with Christian principles was also
recognized, and therefore on Sunday
mornings all citizens attended re-
iiglous services, alternately conduct
ed In the republics fine chapel by
clergymen of half dozen different
denominations who journeyed for
this purpose from both Washington
and Baltimore Voluntary prayer
meetings. Largely attended, were also
held once d week
sports of all kinds were engaged in
ana athletics warmly encouraged. Not
only did the citizens contest among
themselves, but they frequently en-
gagged outside teams in games of base
oall, loot ball, basket bali wrestling,
etc. outdoor games were played on d
nne athletic field; the indoor games
and exercise taking place in a large
gymnasium atop the school building
here, too, were given shows, dances
and other socials. Through the orch
ard and down a well beaten path. dol-
ted here and there with bright-eyed
Wild flowers, the boys trekked to the
ole swimmin' hole" where they
frollcked n swan, or iceskated n
oeilywopped, according to the season
of the year.
In this multiform manner of sports
the boys were kept in excellent health
and physical trim, although they un-
derWent frequent medical examina-
tions at the hands of visiting doctors
OF the United States Public Health
Service.
Their spirits were kept up by 20
piece band, which inspired them 70
greater effort during contests reouir-
Ing courage as well as skill. Many
a notable--in fact-whole delegations
from the National Capital was sere-
naded or given rousing welcome BIZ
these young but ambitious musicians.
only an outline suggestive of how
boys, drifting toward unambitious.
uneducated, emaciated manhood were
plcked up and given splendid start
along the right road to success
through the instrumentality of the
National Junior Republic has been
possible here. For the same reason
1t would be impossible at this point TO
recount even a few of tho many spe-
chic incidents and anecdotes inter
esting though they were, which con-
tributed largely to bring about this
great change in the lives of these
boys. We can speak merely in gen
eral terms.
A FACT not lightly to be scoffed a.
is that mankind itself is erega-
rIous and that had our seven friends
been real. instead of ina aginary boys,
at least five of them would have run.
back in Washington, with the gang"
Too. they would doubtless have
looked upon a policeman as some
thinn unnecessary. as their natural
enenN upon judge as their un-
reaclAOle oppressor; upon mere laws
as something made by men who just
weren't "ver boys" as something
purposely created by mysterious, un-
known ene.Ties for the affiiction of all
boys, and therefore something to be
defied and broken at this. their Eek
uberant, age, when all fresh fancies
are feVerS."
Furthermore. the lad who first de-
fed and then outran a cop" was
probably looked upon by other mem
bers of the gang" as a hero of the
hour. SO that their first reaction to
their new surroundings was quite
likely to have been real or assumed
contempt for the idea of it aIl-fo-
the spurious aluminium money, for the
laws, the lawmakers, policemen, gov
ernment officers. etc.
When they found out that this
money bought all that could be OBJ
tanned; that the boy who would not
work still must eat and the only way
to get anything to eat was to work
for it, voluntarily or under compul-
sion; when they found that the laws
were simple rules laid down by their
fellow citizens, that the judge who
enforced them was a fellow citizen.
and that the policeman was one of
themselves, striving to uphold the
laws of their own making, then IL
was they began to think, to get a
new insight into the makeup of So
ciety, to realize they were parts of
the lawmaking force. to have such
new respect for law and order as to
entertain feeling of contempt for
the law breaker. They perceived il
was much pleasanter to be a trusted
member OF the commonwealth, com
ing and going without question. pos
sessing means to buy things, having
an education and a trade and, finally.
the hope of being elected 10 son o
office, with all the honor and priv
ilege that this implied
Il love the soul that dares treal
the temptations of his years beneath
his youthful feet" So sang the reli.
gious poet, DR.. Watts, two hundred
years ago.
Girls" as Goethe put it, I'VE love
for what they are; young men for
what they promise to be-" And citi-
zens at the National Junior Republic
were promising. II is a lar cry DaCk
to Aristippus, the ancient Greek phi
losopher, yet when asked what were
the most necessary things for boys to
learn, he replied they were those
things which they will put in practice
when they become men," Those things
they learned herei Said the cele-
hrated Samuel Smiles, author Of Self
Help" and other inspirational works
for boys: Childhood is like a mirror,
which reflects in after life the images
first presented to it." And these
images were worth while,
But no longer are certain boys en-
abled to reap the benefits of this
unique institution. Where yesterday
it flourished, rendering genuine serv-
ice. it lies today abandoned, almost
entirely forgotten. Only two souls
remain in this tiny nation-Mr and
Mrs. Claude Arnold, who live in the
Baldwin Cottage"' and who farm
about 20 of the 144 acres. Strangely
enough, the one is a former assistant
superintendent, the other one-time
housemother-teache of the boys.
Some valuable articles, gifts to the
republic, were abserved lying idle or
in the last stages of decay. including
about 40 stacks (at least $500 pieces)
of imported French china, donated by
the New Willard Hotel, and school
desks and chairs, sent direct from
the District Of Columbia.
sErected a memorial to Miss Juliet G.
Baldwin. a rich woman socially prominent in
Washington and Baltimore. who devoted her