The Junior Republic Its History And Ideals PDF Download

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1910 edition. Excerpt: ... CHAPTER XIII THE CITIZEN GOVERNMENT LEAVING the hotels, a walk of a few rods in a diagonal direction takes the visitor to a building whose architecture brings forth the inquiry as to whether it was not the Chapel. The guide assures the enquirer that it is not the Chapel, but, with a comical look in his eye, adds: "It is the jail." It is the jail but it is useful for other public service as well. It is also the Government building. The reader has now visited the homes, and he has visited the shops, and he has seen the economic life of the Republic in which adults as well as citizens have performed a part, but the purposes for which this building exists embody prominently the real heart of the Junior Republic, its Citizen Government, in all the affairs of which, excepting the Supreme Court, the young citizens are supreme. It will be learned that the source of power in government matters is the Town Meeting. The pure democracy of the Town Meeting was installed in the Junior Republic Government, after several years of representative government, which had been established when the Junior Republic was founded. In those early days elections were held every fortnight, in order that the summer citizens might have a part in the government. After the summer feature of the work had been abandoned the citizens struggled along, holding frequent elections and delegating their powers to a legislative body with which they were constantly quarrelling. Sometimes their representatives were able fellows, at other times they seemed to be careless of their responsibilities. Finally, a leading citizen came to the front with the idea of substituting the Town Meeting for the legislature; this suggestion at once seized the popular mind and was carried unanimously....