Evening star., 1936-04-26
v. R. GEORGE DIES,
FRIEND OF YOUTH
Originator of Juvenile Self
Government Plan
Was So.
By the Associated Press.

Was So.
By the Associated Press.
FREEVILLE, N. Y. April 25.-Wil-
liam r. George, founder of the George
Junior Republic, nationally known
institution for juvenile self-govern-
ment, died tonight.
The 69-year- r-old founder Of an ex-
pertinent in youth guidance that won
the commendation of Theodore Roose-
welt, Thomas Mott Osborne and 9TH
ers distinguished in philanthropy and
education suffered a heart attack
week ago.
Funeral services will probably be
held Tuesday, an official of the Re-
public said. Services will be con-
He is survived by his widow, Esther
George will be buried in Willow Glen
Cemetery.
Survived by widow.
He is survived by his widow, Esther
Brewster George, and three daugh-
tiers, Mrs. Eleanor Kirkland Of New
York City; Mrs. Donald P. Urquhart,
wife Of the director of the Republic
at Freevilk, and Mrs. Malcolm Free
born of Cortland.
Out of the Junior Republic which
George founded here Al years ago
have grown many similar movements.
Thomas Mott Osborne. a leader in
prison reform. interested himself early
In Geodge's work and the mutual well
fare leagues in prisons trace directly
to the self-governing principles which
George enunciated.
Led to Student Groups.
Student government in schools and
colleges also has been an indirect
outgrowth of his work.
During the last few years, George
had engaged principally in the estab-
lishment of what he called junior
municipalities. In such movements
he advocated giving young people be-
tween is and 81 civic economic re-
sponsibilities through self-government
in schools and colleges.
With only 10 cents in his pocket,
William Reuben George started out
from New York City for upstate New
York country and founded settle
ment for youth which eventually at
tracted international attention. The
settlement evolved into the George
Junior Republic and grew until it
became the heightened shadow Of a
mans ideals.
Boys club work had convinced
George the problem Of bettering the
lives of young persons who had to
look to the sidewalks of New York for
recreation or escape from the bonds
of poverty, was being merely scratched
by the old-style settlement house
methods. At first he had no very
definite idea as to how those methods
could be bettered. but as experience
ripened him, he concluded that self
control could best be fostered through
self-support in q self-governed COM
munity.
This doctrine began to take shape
in the years la90-lss4, when he took
parties of 200 or so boys and girls
to the country to share his own vaca-
tions. The New York Tribune's fresh
air fund furnished the transportation
and various churches in central New
York as well as in the metropolis
provided shelter, food and needed
clothing.
Feared Pauperixing.
But George became appalled, at the
number Of these youngsters who took
as a matter Of course the contribu-
tions of their benefactors and who
seemed intent mostly on getting some
thing for nothing. He believed the
excursions, while beneficial physically,
were really doing more harm than
good by pauperizing Of the youngsters.
Almost on the point Of abandoning
his venture, he decided to continue it
for one more year and to try the ex-
pertinent of requiring that each young.
ster should work part time for cloth
ing, "eats" and housing. So In 1895
he got together ia boys and girls
from "east side, west side and all
round the town" and took them to an
abandoned farm near his own native
town OF West Dryden.
The swarm Of city-bred youngsters
started to put the buildings into habit
able shape. Country neighbors, in.
terested in the queer venture, sent in
food, clothing and tents. At the end
of the Summer five boys elected to
stay on the farm with George through
the Winter. The next Summer 200
youths Of both sexes came back to the
place.
Republic" Becomes Village.
Thus was born the George Junior
Republic. It's motto from the start
was Nothing Without Labor" and
that has been the keynote OF the en-.
terprise ever since.
The republic" has become, in fact,
the village of Freeville, almost exactly
the same as any other in the country,
embodying the same social, civic and
economic conditions. The essential
difference Is that its citizens reach
voting age at 16 instead Of 81.
The citizens now are boys and girls
OF all conditions and classes of society.
Young people can learn q trade there
or prepare for college and ultimate
professional life.
The idea soon spread to other States
ana at least seven other junior re-
publics were started In various parts
OF the country. The Junior Common.
wealth Of England was based upon the
Freeville idea. In France and South
America, too, many Of Georges ideas
were put into effect and the basic
principles OF self.government and self.
Improvement through rewarded labor
have been adapted to many penal and
reform institutions,