A NEW CITIZENSHIP Democracy Systematized For Moral and Civic Training by WILSON L. GILL, LL.B, President of the American Patriotic League Formerly General Supervisor of Moral and Civic Training In Cuba for the United States War Department and Supervisor at Large of Indian Schools for the United States Department of the Interior INTRODUCTION BY PATTERSON DU BOIS Author of "Point of Contact," "The Culture of Justice," etc. AMERICAN PATRIOTIC LEAGUE INDEPENDENCE HALL PHILADELPHIA a? Copyright, 1913, by WILSON L. GILL By the same Author "The Boys' and Girls' Republic" Civic Practices for Boys and Girls" "Civic Problems," Etc. DEC 27 1913 MONOTVPED BY ANTHONY PRINTING COMPANY HANOVER. PA. ©:i.A361351 DEDICATION This Book is dedicated to Mary Smith Wa ters Gill, a worthy descendent of William Bradford, who for more than thirty years was elected annually to steer the ship of state of the first political government in the world to adopt the Golden Rule as its sailing chart. To her I owe the possi- bility of the discovery or invention which this book is to explain, by which the principles of democracy which guided the Pilgrims is systematized for moral and civic educational purposes, for from my babyhood, she, my mother, taught me to follow this principle in all affairs, and till her ninety- second year gave me encouragement and counsel, and financial assistance when needed, in every undertaking for private and for the public welfare. INTRODUCTION The world waits long for the discovery of the obvious. It waited until the seventeenth century for Comenius to set a definite value on doing as a means of learning to do, but not until Froebel, in the nineteenth, formu- lated and applied in practice the law of creative self-activity, or learning by doing, did education, as both science and art, come into its own. When this law is applied in certain forms of training it goes by the name of the "laboratory method' ' and it takes its place among the essentials of pedagogy. Mr. Gill has made it the very fundament of moral training. It was just in the morning twilight of the twentieth century that the author of this notable book sighted the laboratory method as a school specific for the cure of much civic incompetence and infamy. Horace Mann was the great apostle of our free or common school system, but it remained for Mr. Gill to use the public school as a preparatory mode of citizenship and a practice-ground of social morals. 7 8 A New Citizenship The story of his first methodized appli- cation of the principle in a New York school of East Side immigrant children and its startling result is followed convincingly by the account of later official successes in the schools of Cuba and in our own Indian schools and elsewhere even on other continents. It seems superfluous to formally "introduce' ' any one who has been for a life time, as has Mr. Gill, in close touch with many persons of distinction in varied business and pro- fessional interests. Yet this book is meant t o acquaint a still larger public with the fact that our boys and girls can be led to grow into their civic and moral responsibilities as citizens through actual practice in the schools. This is no idle dream; it is an ideal that has been abundantly demonstrated as within easy realization when it has the sanction and support of legislation. All of Mr. Gill's early education and train- ing, together with his subsequent experiences as a lawyer and as a civil and mechanical engineer engaged as the leader in large and important enterprises, appears to have fo- cussed ultimately on moral-civic training. It is one of those cases of the convergence Introduction 9 of many interests to one that are fundamental to all progress. The whole recital or argument is projected upon our common historical background, and is vividly true to every intelligent conscience. It proceeds by gradual progression from theory to practice and from practice as prescription to the collect of specimen incidents, narra- tives, or anecdotes from school life — pictures of boys and girls undergoing magic moral transformations under the compelling power of realized personal responsibility. Although Mr. Gill has wrought his system out to a nicety of detail (much of which appears in his new manuals) it is quite elastic. It has proved to be acceptable in monarchies as well as in a republic or demo- cracy. There will be a difference of opinion on questions of age adaptations and of other details at one point or another, but the essential principle and general plan of the attainment of an end appear to be really vital to a national and municipal life that would hope to endure as "government of the people, by the people, and for the people/ ' Patterson Du Bois. PREFACE. We are expected, when we reach the voting age, to take our part in the community as responsible, independent citizens, always ready to take the initiative and to do team work for the public welfare. But we do not know how and can not do it, for at home, at school and at college we have been trained as irre- sponsible subjects of a monarchy, rather than responsbile citizens of a republic, and our irresponsibility in reference to government has been crystalized into habits before we reach the age of twenty-one. Our wits are sharpened on mathematics; we are taught to express our thoughts in correct language; we learn team work when we play ball. All of these are tools of citi- zenship, but they are equally the tools of boss rule and of graft. Is it not evident that if we are to be fitted to live the lives of persons who will habitually defend their own and the people's rights and will gain every good for themselves individ- ually and for the whole people, that all the 11 12 A New Citizenship training which is given in the schools against such results or is only neutral, shall be made positive for the good results which we desire? The School Republic is a method by which the oldest students in a university and the youngest children in the kindergarten may be trained positively to develop independence and every other feature of character that is necessary for the highest personal and com- munity welfare. It furnishes the spirit and the practice of citizenship and suggests forms of organization, such as those of village, town, county, city, state and federal govern- ment, which are elastic and may be adapted to the circumstances of any school, club or association of young or older people, where there is some chance of instruction and prac- tice in citizenship. It is not in competition but in co-operation with the academic teaching of morals, manners and citizenship, the Boy Scouts, Campfire Girls, the Red Cross, the American Institute of Child Life, the George Junior Republic, etc. As perfect citizenship must necessarily be founded upon justice and the spirit expressed in the Golden Rule, the use of a method that will tend toward such citizenship, in the Preface 13 public schools of all countries, will just as certainly tend toward international peace and co-operation, rather than competition, of all nations for the prosperity and happiness of the whole human race. The object of this book is to show how these thoughts have been developed and success- fully applied and how the work which has already become both national and interna- tional may be further developed. To this end I ask the co-operation of every man and woman, boy and girl in our own and every land. Wilson L. Gill. Mt. Airy, Pa., 'December, 1913. CONTENTS chapter i The Historic Situation 17 chapter ii The Problem Stated 32 chapter iii The Problem Solved 46 chapter iv The Method Systematized 53 chapter v General Supervision Necessary 67 chapter vi Elements Old and New 76 chapter vii Objections and Misconceptions 91 chapter viii Experiences and Conclusions 105 chapter ix A Long Chapter of Short Stories ... 117 chapter x Appeal to Citizens and Legislators . . 171 chapter XI General Summary 178 Appendix 193 y C vi > 0) 3 ^ rcl crt ^ bn 3 13 * t» (h fl U o ffi *- £ o o> o £ M „ T! o c co * O 01 X 3 UU 1 ca 3 s ^ cc o o c Boy and girl health officers inspecting for cleanliness, as citizens enter school. Any great improvement in civilization must depend upon better habits of the whole people. The habits of a large mass of adults can not be changed. Children can be led to form good habits. There has been no means for training children in large numbers till the advent of the public school system which is now spreading throughout the world and no efficient method for this purpose till the invention of the school republic which is the laboratory method of moral and civic training. The Problem Stated 33 is the development of the sense of re- sponsibility of that citizenship into which the pupils are coming through the application to their daily child-life, of the methods of gov- ernment of which government, as adult citi- zens, they are to be a part. It must be kept in mind, however, that while this mode of in- struction is cast in the forms of citizenship, the whole content and result are of that broader morality and personal independence which is the structure of enduring character and necessarily includes citizenship. Let us get the elements of the problem be- fore us, for generally it is but a short step from a fully understood statement of a prob- lem to its correct solution. In this case, which has been waiting for solution from the dawn of civilization to the present time, the step is so short that it can be expressed in one brief clause of four words — Teach morals by Practice. Loyola is credited with having expressed his conviction that if he had the training of a child till he was seven, the character of his life would be so established that adverse influences could not change it. Humboldt is quoted in the following extract 34 A New Citizenship from an editorial in the Philadelphia North American : "Ina tragic hour of the great German peo- ple, when Prussia was doggedly staggering up from the earth to which she had been crushed by the conquering Napoleon, the sovereign called upon a famous philosopher to aid him in reorganizing the stricken king- dom. "It was then that Humboldt said: 'What- ever you would put into the state, you must first put into the schools.' " Goethe wrote: "With a mature generation there is never much to be done, neither in things material nor spiritual, neither in matters of taste nor of character. Be ye wise and begin in the schools, and then it will go." Froebel showed the fundamental necessity of "learning by doing" or of creative self activity and of our beginning with very little children. How strange it seems that the Christian era had to wait more than eight- een hundred years for the revelation and demonstration of this fact ! Washington wrote: "The education of our youth in the science of government— in a republic, what species of knowledge can be The Problem Stated 35 equally important? What duty is more pressing than to patronize a plan for com- municating it [the science and art of citizen- ship] to those who are to be the future guardi- ans of our liberty?" Lincoln goes further in the same direction in his Gettysburg address, when he proclaims it as a fact that it was then, as it is today, a question whether any nation, conceived as ours, "in liberty and dedicated to the propo- sition that all men are created equal, can long endure." He called for a new dedication to the task then before us. The same task is still before us. If the educational part of that task had been performed at that time, it would have saved to our country millions upon millions of dollars and an untold aggre- gate of human life and welfare. "Eternal vigilance is the price of liberty" and our people have not paid the price, but they have paid the penalty a thousand times more in tribute to boss rule. "It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us, that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom, and that gov- ernment of the people, by the people and for the people shall not perish from the earth." 36 A New Citizenship Probably the most important element of that task is to make provision that every American child shall have such a moral and civic training as will insure his loyalty and efficient service in building and defending the institutions of true democracy. Who can speak with more intimate knowl- edge of our universities than our President Wilson? Yet see what he has to say in the following declaration, not only of their lack of democratic spirit, but of their positive influ- ence against it. These are his words : "The great voice of America does not come from the seats of learning. It comes in a murmur from the hills and woods and farms and factories and the mills, rolling and gaining volume until it comes to us from the homes of common men. Do these murmurs echo in the corridors of the universities? I have not heard them. The universities would make men forget their common origins, forget their universal sympathies, and join a class — and no class can ever serve America. I have dedicated every power there is in me to bring the colleges that I have anything to do with to an absolutely democratic regeneration in spirit, and I shall not be satisfied until America shall know that the men in the colleges are saturated with the same thought, the same sympathy, that pulses through the whole great body politic." So much for our colleges and universities, The Problem Stated 37 but what of our common schools that train daily in subjection to a government in which the governed have no responsibility except to subject themselves absolutely to autocracy? This monarchy, in a large number of cases, possibly the great majority, is a beneficent tyranny; but the more beneficent, the more civic harm does it do, and the greater damage to character, in making the young people satisfied with being irresponsible subjects of government rather than responsible citizens. It tends to reduce them to a state of irrespon- sibility that amounts to moral idiocy, so far as civic duty is concerned. That this wholesale training away from democracy by means of our immense public school system, reaching practically our entire population, could go on from decade to decade through a century, without recognition by the people, seems incredible. At the same time, how could we expect anything else, since we have been brought up in the public schools and have been taught in them and by our parents, that they are the bulwark of our liberty and are all right, and to be worshiped, as we do our flag or any other fetish? Let us now consider the present civic con- 38 A New Citizenship dition and then look at the problem as one to be solved by the laboratory method. This is the problem of making good, efficient citi- zens at the start of life, without waiting for later years to undertake the almost impos- sible task of reforming irresponsible, flabby, unthinking, or positively bad citizens, as well as those educated and otherwise good men who have been habituated in their homes and schools to subjection without participa- tion in government. A vast new population from the south and east of Europe, with no antecedants to pre- pare them for successful citizenship in a democracy, is with us and is rapidly increas- ing. The ward politician and the walking delegate have been the only means for training them for participation in our public affairs, and the results are disastrous to the spirit and paractices of true democracy. Civic conditions are not what they should be. In many, if not in most parts of our country, taxes are too high for the benefits received and are imposed in unscientific ways. As trade in opium has in times past been fos- tered in China, so among us is trade fostered in liquors, harmful drugs, and vice. Arson is The Problem Stated 39 common. The breeding of idiots and crim- inals is practically unchecked. The spirit of anarchy is showing itself in nearly every part of our country. For many years we have scarcely ever been without violent mobs of men and women in some part of our country, in open rebellion against the laws of the state, endangering the very foundations of our republic. These men and women, who, on slight prov- ocation, are ever ready when a leader shows himself, to defy the law and even the army, have several millions of children. These children are getting no more practical train- ing in the public schools than their parents had, to make them understand the spirit of American liberty and institutions, and to lead them to accept and defend them. Our general government and the separate states spend a vast sum of money annually to keep an army in readiness to put down anarchy and rebellion after overt acts have been com- mitted, but nothing to eradicate the steadily increasing disease of tens and hundreds of thousands of men annually dropping their work and enforcing idleness on others who wish to work, committing unlawful depreda- 40 A New Citizenship tions, defying the police and military powers of the government and causing great losses and distress to their own families and the entire nation. Powder, balls and bayonets are used as a medicine, but they are not radical, they do not go to the roots of the disease. They check it temporarily at enor- mous cost, but the sores soon break out again in other spots. It is a disease of moral and civic ignorance, and a lack of moral and civic training. We have a vast army of tramps. One au- thority, considered reliable, estimates it to be above five hundred thousand. Some of these men are college graduates. The descendants of the colonists have their memories stored with a great variety of in- formation, and their wits whetted on mathe- matics, but generally, after they have left the university, they will not more than once or twice attend primary meetings and local elections. They are out of reach of the heeler, but are eliminated from local politics. They are victims and not to blame for this, but the system of education to which they have been subjected is to blame, or, more exactly, they are the blame-worthy ones who are respon- The Problem Stated 41 sible for the curriculum and government of the schools and colleges. These conditions make "machine govern- ment" inevitable. It is not intended here to complain of our public servants, be they good or bad, nor to find fault with our citizens who will not vote, nor do we complain of "machine government' ' and "bosses." These are but necessary re- sults, not causes — they are but symptoms of the wrong. The root of the matter is what concerns us. Our people are trained in the schools and colleges to be the subjects of a government in which they have no part except to obey. Their habits and character in rela- tion to government are by this means estab- lished and they are not responsible for it. They are, however, responsible for the train- ing of the children of the present time. Children's time is too much absorbed in aca- demic work in the schools, regardless of moral, civic and industrial training. School govern- ment is monarchical (a continuation of home government) and pupils are trained to sub- jection without participation in the responsi- bilities of government. Some social conditions in grammar and high schools need to be corrected. 42 A New Citizenship Hazing, a most ungentlemanly and coward- ly form of bullying, has not been stamped out from our schools and colleges — not even from West Point and Annapolis. As the great majority of our young people, fully 90 per cent, desire decent and right con- ditions, and despise bullying and the bully, they would make a quick end of hazing, had the majority an honorable and efficient means for expressing itself. There is such a means, and it should be given to them. This is not only a means of suppression, but it is con- structive, by means of a permanent social service commission of the young people's own democratic government, that sees that every new pupil or student is protected from every discourtesy and that all is done that can be done to enlist every pupil to contribute his whole share of effort for the welfare and happiness of all the rest. For many years, time and energy were wasted because of the false theory that chem- istry could be taught academically, by means of text books, lectures, and illustrative ex- periments made by the teacher. Now stu- dents learn chemistry while working with chemicals in a laboratory. Even at the present • The Problem Stated 43 time, school boards and the faculties of colleges and universities have failed to awake to the fact that citizenship cannot be taught academically any more than chemistry can. Text book civics without the practice of real, unfeigned, responsible citizenship, is worse than useless, as it serves to blind those who are interested in the matter to the astound- ing fact that for 90 and possibly 99 per cent, of all students, our educational institutions are doing absolutely nothing that will ever contribute to the cause of citizenship or the defense of our American institutions in time of peace. That this charge of neglect can be justly made is bad — it is exceedingly bad — but what is immensely worse is the fact that our schools and colleges in general, with criminal ignorance or indifference, train posi- tively and definitely away from responsible citizenship. The educational institutions ac- tually fasten on individuals the habit and character of subjection to government for which they have no responsibility and in which they have no part except to obey or to act as spies and informers. I wish to repeat, and to impress the fact, that students have had no part in their own 44 A New Citizenship government except to obey, and, as a conse- quence of this, educated men, with compara- tively few exceptions, will not perform their most simple and important local civic duties, such as attending primary elections and serv- ing on juries. Because of this, democracy in America is not so great a success as it ought to be, and such failure of "government for the people and by the people* ' as has been illustrated in recent years by the political scandals in many of our cities is altogether too common. Without disparagement to the good inten- tions or good character of a majority of our teachers of both sexes, it is not to be ex- pected that with all their class-room difficul- ties (generally no provision for it in the curric- ulum) and with an inadequate method or no method at all, they shall be competent or entirely ready to become trainers of the young of all social grades, in morality or even in good citizenship. There is this further diffi- culty in the way: they themselves have had no systematic practical training in this direc- tion. But it is possible, as has been abundant- ly proved in practice, to put into their hands an instrument or a method which goes very The Problem Stated 45 far toward rectifying these difficulties. What the nature of this instrument is will appear as we proceed. Our nation's safety and welfare demand the correction of these evils. Thus has been made the statement of our problem and the solu- tion of it may be epitomized in the following words: Train children in the PRACTICE of morality. How this can be done, and has been done, is told in the next chapter. CHAPTER III The Probldm Solved The Laboratory Method of Teaching Morality Invented MOST of the elements of the School Re- public method of moral and civic training were recognized at and be- fore the beginning of the Christian era. Some of these have been used, one element here and another there, in schools in the last half- century. My part has been to bring together these elements, scattered through the ages, and make a practical, scientific, efficient work- ing plan, by which all ordinary schools for children may be made reasonably efficient for the purpose for which they exist. At this point it may be well to consider for what the schools do really exist. It would seem to be quite obvious that the purpose of the schools is to help each individ- ual child to live healthfully and happily and to so develop his own physical, mental, and 46 The Problem Solved 47 moral self as to enable him to live, not only in the future, but in the present, the most efficient life for his own welfare and happi- ness and that of all persons, however remote, who may be affected in any way by the kind of a life he leads. That is, he must learn to be considerate of his own and others' rights and happiness, and acquire the habit of pro- tecting them lawfully; he must be clean and healthy in every respect; he must, as far as practicable, be self-supporting and independ- ent; he must contribute his share to the general welfare. In brief, the true object of the schools is to teach each individual to live right, and the only efficient way to teach this is by having the child live as nearly as possible as it is needful that he shall live when the schooling is past. Is this the motive and practice of our schools? Far from it. The motive and practice of the high schools have usually been to prepare not for life, but to enter college ; of a grammar school, to get into the high school; of a pri- mary school, to get into the grammar school. Much has been said and published in regard to this condition, many manual training schools have been established, and cooking, 48 A New Citizenship drawing and sewing are taught in many schools, but for the most part, and even in the manual training schools, the old spirit of academic grind under despotic masters still remains. This old way must and will give way to the new and better — but when? In twenty- five, fifty, or a hundred years? It is your business and mine to bring the old way to an end at the earliest possible hour, for it is inefficient, wasteful of time, energy, and money, and destructive of health, character, independ- ence and democracy. How can this be accomplished? I have worked long on this problem. The greater part of the work was in the process which led to a realization of what the problem really is, and of getting it stated. Then the solution was easily seen. The correctness of the solu- tion has been proved by an extensive appli- cation of the system which is the result of the solution. This will be explained quite fully, but as the explanation will be better understood by a knowledge of the circum- stances which led up to the final solution, they are here related in brief. For a number of years, I was general manager of a large railroad car and car-wheel The Problem Solved 49 manufacturing establishment at Columbus, Ohio. I improved my opportunity to so systematize the work of a number of laboring boys, that in the course of from three to four years after entering the establishment any honest, industrious, and ambitious boy would have a trade and be both earning and receiv- ing the pay of a journeyman. The good accomplished was so great that it led me to endeavor to get industrial training grafted on the public school system. This project was defeated at the polls by the vote of ignorant men, under the direction of ward heelers. That the men whose families would be the chief beneficiaries of such a work in the schools should defeat the movement was a sore disappointment. Hoping to produce an organ- ized force available for use in any such case to help bring the public schools abreast of the times in spite of such ignorant opposition, I helped to organize the national societies of the Sons and of the Daughters of the American Revolution, and it fell to my lot to write the original constitutions for both societies, though Major General Alexander S. Webb and Judge William H. Arnoux were also members of the committee on consti- tution of the former society. 50 A New Citizenship Before many months had passed, however, I recognized the truth of Judge William H. Arnoux's remark that it would be impossible to accomplish such an educational purpose by means of any society founded on such a basis of membership as were these societies. How- ever, both of these societies have shown some interest in present patriotic duty beyond erecting monuments to the past and glorying in the fact that the members are related to persons who cared nothing for monuments but everything for the welfare of mankind. Because of this, we may have some reason to hope that some day, these great societies may do still more service for the living present. Following Judge Arnoux's suggestion, I asked a number of men and women to join me in organizing a society for immediate service in solving some social and civic prob- lems which have arisen in our country be- cause of the failure of our schools and colleges to keep up with the rapidly changing indus- trial, social, and civic conditions. The result of this endeavor was the organizing of the American Patriotic League, which was char- tered under the laws of Congress in 1891. For list of officers and advisors, see Appendix. We organized a large number of chapters The Problem Solved 51 for civic study, and wrote and published the lessons in citizenship for their use. These chapters were composed of men and women, many of them in connection with patriotic and social societies and with churches, and some of them of enlisted men in the army and navy. There were also chapters of children. The latter were generally in connection with public schools and Sunday-schools and grew in numbers with great rapidity. This work was all academic, but it furnished the circumstances which led to the laboratory method of teaching citizenship, that is, of having the individual assume the responsi- bility of making or helping to make the con- ditions around him right, as to cleanliness, health, honesty, justice, kindness, and inde- pendence of character and of keeping them right. These circumstances were as follows. A teacher in a New York public school was president of one of the chapters of young people of the American Patriotic League, studying citizenship and meeting every Satur- day evening, in Amity Chapel's social work building. He was sent from a down-town school, where all went like clock work, to take charge of the discipline in the West Farms School, where the pupils were so unruly 52 A New Citizenship that the Police Department, while Col. Roosevelt was police commissioner, detailed a policeman to be present in the boys' school yard at the opening and closing of every session and at recess. After two weeks' experience at the West Farms School, he was somewhat discouraged. I told him to try the experiment of showing the pupils how to make some laws for them- selves, to elect some officers to carry these laws into execution, and others to adjudicate these laws. He followed my suggestion. It worked like a charm. His problem of disci- pline was solved. In less than a week there was no further need of a policeman at the school. I realized that we had made a most important discovery from the standpoint of pedagogy, of citizenship, and of morality. In fact a great part of the one great problem of moral and civic training which had been waiting through the ages was solved in that apparently unimportant experiment. Now that the circumstances have been re- lated which led up to the solution of this problem as a fundamental principle, we may proceed to tell how the plan has worked out as a system for general use in all schools. CHAPTER IV The Method Systematized THE principle of democracy in school having been demonstrated to be val- uable and of great importance, the next step was to formulate a plan which might be practicable for use in all schools. This I did, taking for my model an ideal American city, in which the three powers of government, legislative, executive and judicial, were kept reasonably separate. At the same time I published several other plans, based on village, town, county, state, and federal government. The next thing was to "try out" one of these plans. By great good fortune, the opportunity came immediately. Mr. R. Ful- ton Cutting, a member of the advisory board of the American Patriotic League, was presi- dent of the Society for Improving the Con- dition of the Poor, that was maintaining the New York City vacation schools. He per- mitted me to test the plan in one of these 53 54 A New Citizenship schools. There were eleven hundred children between five and fifteen years of age, all born in the southeastern part of Europe, most of them regufees from the massacres of several preceding years. The city form of government seemed best suited for this test, so we set up a little re- public within the school and called it the school city. But as we use other forms, sometimes several in one school, we call the method the School Republic. Mr. William L. Strong, then mayor of New York City and president of the Alpha Chap- ter of our League, of which ex-mayor Abram S. Hewitt had been president, took an active and enthusiastic interest in the experiment. Col. George E. Waring, Jr., Commissioner of Street Cleaning, a member of our Advisory Board, who had organized a large number of civic clubs among the children in the slums, and had important help from them in clean- ing the city and keeping it clean, was most enthusiastic. He organized the department of cleanliness. Mr. Wilson, president of the Board of Health, sent Dr. Alfred L. Beebe to organize the board of health in the little re- public. The Method Systematized 55 The children were told that a positively necessary element of successful citizenship is the observing of the Golden Rule, at home, on the streets, at play, in the school and every- where, and that meant, among other things, personal cleanliness, cleanliness of homes, streets, and school, of thoughts and language, and that this must be the basis of their govern- ment and laws. They accepted this doctrine eagerly and carried it into execution enthu- siastically. We gave the pupils a charter which denned their rights and duties, told what officers they might elect and what other officers might be appointed by the mayor, and informed them of the duties of the officers, etc. A brief form of a charter is given in the appendix- Under the charter they elected a mayor; president of the council; city council consist- ing of boys and girls, one of each from each room; three judges, two boys and one girl, the last being the presiding judge; sheriff; attorney; city clerk; clerk of the council, and clerk of court. The mayor appointed and the council confirmed the appointments of commissioners of health, cleanliness, public works, and police, and a body of assistants for each of these commissioners. 56 A New Citizenship The entire school was the unit of organi- zation and each room was a ward or fraction of the unit. This form of organization was satisfactory in this case and in many others, but in the course of time it has become ap- parent that teachers understand their re- sponsibility better and more easily when we consider the school room the unit of organiza- tion. Since then, we have organized each school room as a village, town, county, or city, and a group of school rooms as a state. The form of government may be changed from time to time, if desired. If the school has but one room it may have any one of these forms. If the school has several hundred children, or has a thousand or more, it is ordinarily well to construct several states, so that the children of about the same age may have a state of their own. If the school is a boarding school, in which the pupils live in several dormitories, it has been found convenient to organize the whole school as a federal government; each dormi- tory building as a state and in some cases two or three states; the academic school house as a federal district, approximately paral- lel with the District of Columbia, and each room in it a city, village, or town. The Method Systematized 57 If each pupil goes from room to room for recitations, some other plan of cleavage may- be found to divide the whole body of pupils into practical groups, each group to be a unit of organization. Each separate grade or year may be a unit, or there may be groups of thirty, forty, or fifty who have their desks, each group in a separate room. Always some line of cleavage and grouping may be found. The results of the vacation school experi- ment were so immediate, so evident, and so delightful that every person connected with it, both children and adults, rejoiced in the splendid demonstration. Not only reporters, but editors came to see with their own eyes, and gave wide publicity to what they saw and heard. This publicity extended to every civilized country. Mr. William T. Stead, editor of the British Review of Reviews, wrote it up enthusiasti- cally. Dr. Albert Shaw wrote a long article of approval for his American Review of Re- views. Mr. Daniel T. Pierce's editorial in Public Opinion was reproduced in full in several hundred newspapers, and McClure's Syndicate article by Mr. Cromwell Child appeared, well illustrated, in some Sunday paper in every large city. 58 A New Citizenship Hundreds if not thousands of teachers attempted to use the method. Those suc- ceeded who understood the very simple principles involved, (that of the Golden Rule, and the character developing force of accept- ed responsibility or in other words, of demo- cracy), and were deeply interested in the children and their work. Large numbers, lacking one or both of these elements, failed, to the apparent discredit of the method. The School Republic is not only a means of learning by doing, but also a practical ap- plication, in a systematic way, of the principle of Christianity to the affairs of the daily life of children, and, so far as they can make their influence felt, in the daily social and civic life of adults. Therefore when a teacher says, "It was a failure in my school,' ' he is simply saying that he has failed to use the small amount of intelligence and interest necessary to carry the message of Christianity to his pupils, day by day. It has been proved by hundreds of teachers that it is quite prac- ticable to teach children systematically to be personally independent and to make the ap- plication of the principles of friendship or kindness to their ordinary affairs. Here is a The Method Systematized 59 new phrase: The School Republic, among other things, is systematic practice of friend- ship. The method was used in a number of schools in New York City in the following school years, and at the present time (1913) a com- mittee that has the matter in hand, claims there are thirty such schools in the City. One of these schools has over 4000 school citizens, and the total number is probably between sixty and ninety thousand using the method and possibly more. General Leonard Wood about two years later was in command of the Army in the eastern part of Cuba. President McKinley cabled him to come to Washington. On his arrival at the New York Quarantine station, he sent me a message, asking me to meet him in Washington. I did so and he said, as nearly as I can remember his words: "The President cabled me to come to Washington. I believe it is to make me Military Governor of Cuba. If I am right in that supposition, there are three problems of special impor- tance to be solved. The first is to clean Cuba and stamp out yellow fever, and the second is to produce a citizenship there different 60 A New Citizenship from the kind that is prevalent in Central America, which will keep it clean. In these matters our interest is not alone for Cuba, but for the people of our Southern States, who are threatened every summer with an epidemic of yellow fever, imported from Havana or other Cuban port. "I know how to clean Cuba and clear out the yellow fever, and I believe that with the process you worked out with the immigrant children in New York City you can take care of the citizenship question. If the President asks me to undertake the work, will you go along and look after this part of it?" I said I would, and I did, under the title of General Supervisor of Moral and Civic Training. We organized all of the three thousand six hundred public school rooms in Cuba and immediately got excellent results. See General Wood's letter in Appendix. The Cuban government failed to appoint a new supervisor of moral and civic training. There- upon this work became perfunctory in many schools, though, as I understand, in many schools the method is used with good spirit and efficiency at the present time. The value of this system of social and The Method Systematized 61 civic training having been thoroughly demon- strated by our Government in Cuba, previous to 1903, Porto Rico and the Philippines ought to have been given the benefit at once. It certainly ought not to be withheld from them any longer, for by it most of their moral questions and civic difficulties may be solved ultimately if not immediately. Moreover, they cannot be thoroughly, satisfactorily and permanently solved except by the use in the public schools of the laboratory method of teaching morality and citizenship. It may be answered that the children in these islands are taught reading, writing, and arithmetic, and the men have the right to vote and so get practice in citizenship. That answer is silly. Reading, writing, and arith- metic are no more a preparation for right living than for wrong; for honest business than for cheating, embezzling and graft; for loyalty to one's government than for dis- loyalty. As to voting — the persistent voting in the United States by those who were never trained in their childhood in anything that would prepare them for good citizenship and a proper use of the suffrage has not been negative, but the very positive power with 62 A New Citizenship which bossism in our cities was fostered and established. I wish to reiterate that our nation, in view of the fact that we took possession of Porto Rico and the Philippines, and enforced upon their people education and reforms, owe it to them and the rest of the world that the education which we give them shall fit them directly and positively for right living and good, efficient citizenship. What we have been giving them is probably excellent, but the most important element of all we have ignorantly withheld. Many teachers in the Indian schools adopt- ed the method successfully, with pupils in all grades, but most of these teachers were kindergartners and teachers of primary grades. In April, 1911, Mr. Valentine, Commis- sioner of Indian Affairs, requested me to introduce the method into all the Indian schools. I accepted his invitation and as Supervisor at large of Indian Schools began this work. Teachers responded well, and the Indian children did likewise, earnestly and with much enthusiasm. The following year, opposition | [to Mr. Valentine's progressive policy forced him to The Method Systematized 63 resigrh As my work was one of the most radical of Mr. Valentine's innovations, when his power was destroyed, all support was with- drawn from me, and of course, I too had to give up and wait for a more progressive spirit in that branch of the Government. However, I made a pretty general survey of the Indian reservations and schools, sufficient to con- vince me that the Indian problem, both in the schools and out of them, could be solved by this democratic, laboratory method, in conjunction with such practices as are taught at Hampton Institute, and not by any other process. The "laboratory method" has reference to teaching by means of aiding and encouraging the learner to do those things which he is to learn, under instruction by the teacher, as a boy learns the carpenter's trade while working with the carpenter. The academic way, which no one would be foolish enough to attempt to use in carpentry or black- smithing, would be to have the boy put all his time and energy into studying books on carpentry or blacksmithing, and reciting to the teacher what he had heard and gotten from the books and lectures. It is evident 64 A New Citizenship that a practical art cannot be learned in that way. Yet, though it is clear that citizenship is a practical art, our educational institutions have not recognized it, and therefore they fail to perform their duty in this important respect. As in the Indian schools, so in the schools of Alaska, individual teachers used the method with good results. This cropped out in the annual reports of the teachers from year to year and was noted by Dr. William Hamilton, at the head of the Washington office of the Alaska Division of the United States Bureau of Education. He brought it to the attention of the Commissioner, and in December, 1912, Dr. P. P. Claxton, United States Commission- er of Education, adopted the method for use in all the Government schools in Alaska, and in the native communities of adults in which the schools are located. His letter of instruc- tions to the teachers may be found in the Appendix. In New York City about thirty-three of the public schools are organized as school republics, and in many other New York City schools individual teachers are using the method. The same, to a greater or less de- The Method Systematized 65 gree, is true in the cities throughout the United States. The method is in use in individual schools in many parts of the world and has been officially sanctioned in several countries. It has been enthusiastically and persistently championed by Dr. Nina Hamilton Prings- heim in Berlin; Dr. Karl Prodinger in Graz, Austria (a student of Dr. Pringsheim); Dr. Eiji Makiyama in Japan; Dr. Ernesto Nelson in the Argentine Republic; Mr. George M. Fowlds in New Zealand; Dr. Johan Hepp in Switzerland; Mr. Llewellyn W. Williams in Scotland; Mr. J. Randall Peach in Liverpool; and evidently by many good friends in France, China, and other countries. In March, 1908, four special commission- ers of education from Europe, South America and Japan, without knowledge of one another, wrote desiring to confer with me in the City of New York in reference to school citizen- ship in their countries. I invited them to meet, and they did so a number of times. On the 3d of April they signed articles of agreement founding the Children's Interna- tional State, with the view of developing civic and moral training in every country and culti- 66 A New Citizenship vating international friendly intercourse and co-operation among all public school children for every good purpose. This has been suf- ficiently tested to demonstrate its practi- cability as soon as money shall be furnished from any source for clerical and other as- sistance. A copy of these articles may be found in the Appendix. CHAPTER V General Supervision Necessary SUPERVISION provided for by Con- gress and state legislatures is necessary for obtaining such instruction in citi- zenship as is needed for the welfare of the people and the stability of democratic govern- ment. Following the successful experiment in the summer of 1897, the Superintendent of Schools of the City of New York prohibited the use of the new method. His action was reported the same day to the Board of Education, and within twenty-four hours he was ordered by the Board to give me an open letter to all the public school principals in the city, di- recting them to render me whatever assist- ance they could, and of course he did, and he gave me most friendly support. I organized immediately in the lower East Side several little commonwealths in the schools. In the very process it became evi- 67 68 A New Citizenship dent that if I should go on organizing these republics in the New York schools, before adequate, authoritative supervision were pro- vided, I should greatly damage the cause, and I therefore did not continue such organiz- ing. No supervision has yet been provided in New York, though, for the purpose of demon- stration, I have since done some such organiz- ing here, and some school republics have been organized by others without my presence. In the spring of 1913, there were about thirty school republics in New York City. For sixteen years the Board of Education and other school authorities in one of our cities have had a constant demonstration in their own schools of the success and value of this method, from every standpoint, pedagog- ical, moral, civic and financial, yet they make no move to act upon them, though repeated efforts have been made to get them to do so. The same (less from one to six years) may be said of several other cities. After five years' successful use of the method in a school in another city, in 1903 and 1904 I organized thirty-three of its large pub- lic schools as republics. For several years in these schools, the demonstration of the General Supervision Necessary 69 value of the method was maintained, but this city has not even yet awakened to the importance of this demonstration. One of the superintendents volunteered the infor- mation to me in 1911, that the reason the superintendents were opposed to the School Republic method was that I, the author of it, was "in it for the money there is in it." The superintendents received salaries from thirty- five hundred to ten thousand dollars per annum, while I received none, and was de- voting my life to the work, at the annual loss to me of thousands of dollars. Great publicity was given to the initial experiment by the press throughout the world, and it is probable that thousands of teachers were led by this to try similar experiments. In large numbers of cases they did not under- stand the very simple principles involved and they made a failure, not of the thing which I had discovered or invented, but of their misinterpretation of it. In many instances the teachers would see in the newspaper and magazine articles, dramatic scenes of police arrests, trials, etc., but failed to realize that the substance of this democracy was being applied with success in various forms of gov- 70 A New Citizenship ernment, such as town, county and state government, and that the efficacy was not in the punishments at all, nor in the form, but in the spirit. Where the spirit was right, any form, simple or complex — provided it was essentially right from a civic standpoint — would answer the purpose. The teacher, however, must understand that it is a method for his use, not simply a machine for the pupils, and that success or failure will follow, as in all other school work, according to the intelligence and enthusiasm with which the method is used. With these facts before us, the necessity for intelligent and authoritative supervision ought to be self-evident. There are some successful youths' com- monwealths in every state of our Union, and in many countries, but all of them would have a still larger measure of success, could they have the benefit of being inspected and helped in their weaker spots, by reason of the experience of those using the method else- where. For instance, many schools that have the eight grades will be using the method successfully in the seventh and eighth grades only, the teachers not realizing that it can be General Supervision Necessary 71 used in all the other grades to as good, and possibly better advantage. In a certain school where the officers have proven to be thoroughly efficient, the same persons have been re-elected year after year. In such cases good, efficient government is maintained, but the principal object of the method is lost — namely, the character-build- ing effect of the responsibility of the service in office of all the children. This can come only through frequent elections and rapid rotation in office, such as will give every child the educational benefit of such election and service. General inspection and supervision is needed to give to all schools the benefit of improve- ments and developments wherever they may be made, and these help to prevent the forming of ruts. That which is today the best known application for an eternal truth, because of new conditions, may require a different appli- cation tomorrow. The following illustrates this fact. In the first experiment, in 1897, the eleven hun- dred children were organized as the citizens of a city, with its mayor, judiciary, city coun- cil and various administrative boards, bodies 72 A New Citizenship of police and health officers. Each room was a ward of the city, electing two members of the city council, a boy and a girl. For the purposes of that experiment and of many schools since, that plan has proved to be effectual. In many schools, the principal or teacher who had charge of the civic training was changed to some other school, or for some other reason had to give up this feature of his school work for a time. No other person was pre- pared to carry the work forward and it either lost its efficiency or was dropped altogether. To meet this difficulty and some other difficulties which soon became apparent in many schools, I arranged to have each room organized as a unit, the entire responsibility for success resting upon the individual teacher. This unit is in the form of a county, village, town or a city, but it contains in working form all of the several elements of govern- ment. These several units have been joined in a state for the benefit of general co-opera- tion throughout the school. By this plan, each teacher is more fully engaged and inter- ested, and should any particular member of the teaching force drop out, the injury to the system cannot be so sweeping and disastrous. General Supervision Necessary 73 Without authoritative general supervision, the knowledge of such improvements, I have found, is not apt to be availed of in any school where good results are being obtained by an earlier or inferior plan. The inertia of an established plan is generally too great to be overcome except by authority. The method was in use, with ever increasing value, in a certain state normal school, for eight years or more. The principal resigned to take another position. The new principal put an end to it at once, against the wishes of pupils and teachers. This is almost sure to occur in all schools, in which the higher author- ity has not put such power out of the reach of new principals. In New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Massachusetts, and other states, where an enterprising, far-seeing, devoted teacher or principal adopts the method and uses it suc- cessfully for many years, even as long as ten or twelve years, the inertia of the individual schools and of the city and state school organ- izations is so great as to prevent the spread- ing of the use of the system from school to school, as one would suppose would happen after a thorough demonstration of its great value. 74 A New Citizenship Every experience in this matter emphasizes the fact, that all essentials should be thorough- ly understood and completely provided for by law or state central authority. Great elas- ticity should be allowed in the details of the application of the method, but there are certain limits which the central authority or the law should set. For instance, the schools should be required to teach "equal rights for all and special privilege for none." One would suppose there could be no necessity for any such provision as that, were it not an actual fact, that in a considerable number of schools where there is no authoritative supervision intelligent in relation to these matters, the teacher selects one-sixth of the number of pupils to be citizens and has these select one-third. Then to this aristocratic half of the pupils are given all the privileges the in- genuity of the teacher can devise. Let me repeat these facts: the defense of our democratic institutions and the highest, welfare of our people demand for all children not only instruction in the knowledge of civic affairs, but also efficient training in per- forming civic duties, to the end that they shall acquire, while children, the permanent habits General Supervision Necessary 75 of intelligent, honest and faithful citizenship, and that under existing circumstances such training can be had through supervision maintained by Congress and state legisla- tures, and it cannot be had by any other means. CHAPTER VI Elements, Old and New AS HAS already been stated, the School AA Republic method is founded upon principles which have been known through the ages and for the most part it is constructed of practices which are not new. That which is new and constitutes an inven- tion is mostly a combination of old principles and practices to meet and utilize present conditions in civilization, in other countries as well as in our own. For instance, Jesus taught that the purity and straight forwardness, faith, hope and love of child nature were needed in adult life. Since we know that at an early age these features begin to warp out of shape, we may reasonably assume that he knew that we ought to enable the child to preserve and develop those elements of child nature, rather than have the child leave them behind, in the hope that later he will return to them and again * 'become as a little child." This latter pro- cedure is not impossible, though so nearly so 76 Elements Old and New 77 that comparatively few ever accomplish it. If this work of saving these desirable features is to be done on a large scale, both practi- cally and effectually, we must begin with little children, at the earliest stage in which they come into the schools. Of course the parents ought to begin earlier, but the parents of the present time do not understand. As soon as this work is made successful in the schools a generation of parents will follow who will understand. Most of us know from our own experience, as well as from literature of former times, that boys, when they reach the so-called gang age, like to organize debating societies, make laws for themselves and elect officers to carry their laws into execution. They adopt a constitution and by-laws, have a few debates, amend the constitution, make a new one, and then for want of guidance, and of something which may seem to them of importance to be done, the club disintegrates. Savonarola acted on this knowledge of boy nature, four hundred years ago, and transformed the city of Florence. So we see that a boys' republic with all three elements of government, legislative, . 78 A New Citizenship executive and judicial, is not a new thing. Likewise it has not been extraordinary at any time within more than a century, for a school to hold an imitation election of the president of the United States or the governor of the state on the same day that the real election is held; or for the school to organize as a congress or legislature and argue policies and bills which were at that or some previous time being considered by adult bodies. It has not been extraordinary for a teacher to submit a matter of discipline to a vote of the pupils. For more than a century at the Uni- versity of Virginia the students have dealt with various matters of discipline. There is some confusion of thought in this matter by some persons who know more or less about the George Junior Republic, which occupies a place in the field of the Youths' or School Republic system. For this reason it seems desirable to tabulate their distinctive features. Prefatory to this, I will state that Mr. William E. George and I were friends before he established his boarding school which is called the George Junior Republic, and expect to be friends as long as we live. We were associated in some civic Elements Old and New 79 reform work in New York City with Dr. Parkhurst, in the early nineties. At that time, for the New York Tribune, Mr. George took parties of children to a farm near Freeville, N. Y., for a summer outing. He organized them as citizens of a republic. He and the children were pleased, and he asked for and received financial help to en- able him to keep some of these children on the farm all the year round. He thus estab- lished a permanent industrial boarding school. Through his first winter, which was that of 1895 and '96 he had ten or a dozen pupils. Since then there have been as many pupils at one time as one hundred and seventy - five. The number just now (1913) happens to be about one hundred pupils, some boys and some girls. The number will probably increase again. There are seven other such schools, the smallest having seven girls and no boys; others have from twenty to fifty pupils. In the aggregate these eight schools have about two hundred and fifty pupils. It is expected that such a school will be established in England before long. Not long ago Mr. George told me that he had always believed until 1911 that the ap- 80 A New Citizenship plication of democracy could not be made in ordinary schools, but in that year he saw a school republic, the first he had ever seen, and was then convinced, beyond all question, that I had made it thoroughly practical, successful, and desirable. Since then he has aided in organizing some school republics. Mr. George has been well maintained in his work. At his school is a comfortable hotel where large numbers of visitors are pleasantly entertained. Grown persons, like "Helen's Babies,' ' wish to see the "wheels go round." Here they are satisfied in that respect and are much interested. Some visitors go away, condemning the prison system, others are pleased and open their purses liberally. That so vast a sum of money as has been used here can be gotten for a good work for so few boys and girls, would indicate that the people would gladly furnish funds for the larger field, did they realize that an amount of money similar to that expended for the instruction of the few boys and girls at the George Junior Republic would go far toward securing con- tinuous moral training for all the boys and girls in the United States, not only for those in the schools at any particular time, but for Elements Old and New 81 the generations that are to follow. However, to make this work of moral training perma- nent in any school or community, as I wish to reiterate at every opportunity, it must have the authority and support of the state and should have state and national supervision. On the other hand, the Youths' or School Republic is not a school, a place or a thing. It is Democracy Systematized for Moral and Civic Instruction. It is for use wherever there are children, to help them to train themselves in the habits of health, honesty, justice, kindness, cleanliness, and industry, in obedience to the laws of God and of all lawful authority, in independence of thought and initiative, and in co-operation among themselves and with adult authorities for every good purpose, for their present happi- ness and welfare and that of the community in which they live, and to confirm in them those habits and that character which it is desirable they should continue to have through- out their lives. In other words, the Youth's or School Republic is the Laboratory Method of Moral Training, for use in all private and public day and boarding schools, 82 A New Citizenship orphan asylums, reform schools, playgrounds, clubs, and wherever children or older persons of choice or by necessity live together or are associated for almost any purpose, such, for instance, as soldiers at an army post, or en- listed men in the navy. Some of the distinctive features of the George Junior Republic and of the Youth's or School Republic may be tabulated as follows : The George Junior Republic Is a certain boarding SCHOOL which has served as a model for seven other boarding schools. Mr. George would limit it to boys and girls above sixteen years old and, excluding the average boy or girl, would prefer only "those who are very bad or very good." A boy or girl is taken from an old environment and put in one that is better. A prison is a prominent feature of the school As it begins so late in child- hood, it of necessity is chief- ly remedial. The Youths' or School Republic Is not a school or place or thing, but is a METHOD or SYS- TEM of teaching. There is no limit of age or quality for children who may be given the benefit of the school republic method. Does not take a child from his home, but encourages him to improve hix environment. When the method is properly used, most of such wrong do- ing as requires punishment disappears in a few weeks — some times immediately. As it begins with the youngest children, it is chiefly con- structive and prevents the developing of wrong. Elements Old and New 83 It is limited by reason of the large expense, to a very few individuals who must be separated from their parents and provided with shelter, food,clothing and instruction. For some years past, each pupil has represented an expendi- ture for land, permanent im- provements, teachers, food, clothing, etc., from five hun- dred to eight hundred dollars a year. Not far from a mil- lion dollars have been expend- ed in this enterprise. The total disbursement for the one school for the year 1912, was more than ninety-five thousand dollars. The Youth's Republic is for any and all young people in the world, who may be as- sociated for almost any pur- pose, and for some grown peo- ple. It is used to some extent in many countries and has been officially sanctioned by several. Among these is the United States Government, through the War Depart- ment, the Bureau of Indian Affairs, the Bureau of Edu- cation and the Territory of Hawaii. There is no expense except for propaganda, as it does not have to provide food, cloth- ing, housing or teaching. It is simply a good attitude and a method of economy and efficiency, in the place of a bad attitude and a method of waste and inefficiency. A permanent building as an in- ternational headquarters from which to propagate and di- rect the movement would be of great value. An amount equal to that which has been invested in the George Junior Republic would probably do more to improve civilization and aid the cause of peace and friendship throughout the world, than an equal amount invested in any other way. 84 A New Citizenship Mr. Ray, a school principal in Chicago, used a plan from which he got good results. In differs from the School Republic in several essential features, such as the following: Mr. Ray's Plan. The School Republic. Is aristocracy, and for that Is pure democracy, and so far reason is of no use in teach- as it goes, it parallels the ing American civics. adult government, and there- fore teaches correct civics. The aristocracy is established The spirit and practice are by having the principal or "equal rights for all and spe- teacher appoint arbitrarily, one- sixth of the pupils to be citizens, the pupils appoint two-sixths. Fifty per cent, of the pupils may be left out. "The citizens are accorded all possible liberties about the school, the same as teachers. They may enter the front door at any time; may leave the room when necessary, or sit in the reading rooms be- fore or after school." In keeping with so undemocra- tic a government, the privi- leged class elect "tribunes" who hold among themselves all three powers of govern- ment, legislative, executive, and judicial. Thereby the children gain false ideas of American citizenship and government and become ac- customed to practices which unfit them for correct prac- tices in adult life. cial privileges for none." All are citizens. They elect officers with American titles and duties to correspond with adult officers holding similar positions. Thus correct ideas and practices are gained from the very beginning. There is nothing to unlearn. Every thing is constructive, and tends toward a happy, dutiful, independent child and adult life. Elements Old and New 85 Miss Brownlee's plan is mostly academic, but she used the School Republic method for some years in her own school, in Toledo, Ohio, till she gave up teaching, and has told me that she advises the use of the School Republic method for training in citizenship. There are many devices for getting the attention of children to right ideas, but when it comes to the matter of teaching right moral practice, including citizenship, there can be one right way, and only one right way, as in carpentry, and that is to have the ap- prentice or pupil do the work, under the guidance of a master of the art or trade. That is what is done by means of the School Re- public, but it should be noted that this method is exceedingly elastic and there may be an almost infinite number of variations of vil- lage, town, county, city, state, few officers, many officers, brief charters and laws or long and full of details, yet, if the correct princi- ples are adhered to, it is possible that all may be right. At Amherst College for a number of years the students had a part in their own govern- ment, but that, like other schemes used from time to time in other colleges, lacked certain 86 A New Citizenship essential features and was thereby rendered valueless as a method for teaching morality, including citizenship. In fact I think it was not considered as such a method at all, but simply a device to get students to help the faculty to maintain order and punish offenders. It was not an apprenticeship in citizenship as the School Republic is. On the other hand, it was a mixed government of students and faculty and not modeled on a plan that would give any practice in the functions of American citizenship and govern- ment. At Princeton they have great satisfaction in an honor system among the students, but unless there has been some recent change, it has but little if anything to do with conduct except in connection with examinations, and does not aim to give practice in citizenship. At Wellesley, Bryn Mawr, and some other colleges they have a broader application of democracy, but the plans admit of no civic practice and probably have but little educa- tional value. I have heard from a number of colleges, that since the School Republic idea has come to them, they are unwilling to let their oppor- Elements Old and New 87 tunity, to teach citizenship practically, go to waste, and are now using the new and better way. This is especially important for the country and for each individual, as in all probability it is the student's last chance to have such practice under instruction. Let us recapitulate. The most, if not all the elements of my system of moral and civic training, which also involves industrial train- ing, were known and preached in former times. "Do good to others, whatever they do to you," which expresses the principle on which the School Republic depends, has been the ideal rule of life of not only Jews and Christians, but of Buddhists and others. Right citizenship is only part, but a necessary part, of a right life, and a right government must depend upon a right citizenship. The dis- tinctive features of early child life, which most persons soon lose, are necessary ele- ments of right adult life. It is economical of force to systematically preserve and develop these elements in all persons, and to use the organized energy of children for the well- being of the community and for universal peace, rather than as at present and in times past, let them go to waste, and then hope that 88 A New Citizenship by some unnatural process they may be restor- ed in the case of a few adults. What is good for the people is good for the government, and vice versa. Therefore the Government, local, state, and national, for its own defense and well-being, should make it a part of its business, to require that every school which may be controlled by any branch of the Government shall train its pupils both in right ideas and in the practices of right living, based on the principle of the Golden Rule. I believe it is quite new to advocate this idea as a governmental policy, for internal and external defence and general welfare. This is true democracy, systematized for edu- cational purposes, yet it is in accord with the religious teachings of every religious sect of civilization, and no reasonable person of any or of no sect would object to its use in the public schools on the ground that it is reli- gious and might interfere with religious liberty, and no reasonable student of government could object to it on the ground that it teaches wrong ideas of political ethics or wrong civic practices, for it does not. I systematized these ideas and practices for Elements Old and New 89 moral and civic training in public schools and have applied the system in schools of nearly every description, in clubs and play- grounds, and it may be applied in an infinite number of forms in every kind of association of young or older people where some measure of instruction may be supplied and let it be noted that the element of instruction is essential. The Boy Scouts and the Campfire Girls are in the same spirit as the School Republic. The former depend upon volunteer teachers as do Sunday schools, while the latter furnishes them and all other teachers of young people a method of teaching self-control and inde- pendence, and all the moral elements and right practices of citizenship and of govern- ment. I wish that every School Republic might have within it a Boy Scouts and a Campfire Girls department and that every School Republic citizen of right age might be a Boy Scout or a Campfire Girl. The work of the American Institute of Child Life is mostly in families and with individual children, and is in hearty co- operation with the School Republic. In the face of opposition and difficulties, 90 A New Citizenship I have worked for the general adoption of this system, till it has been adopted by a large number of schools, has been awarded a gold medal, the highest distinction of a famous scientific society, and has been recog- nized and sanctioned by several governments, including our own. These facts would seem to be enough to differentiate my system from all other edu- cational plans and endeavors. CHAPTER VII Typical Objections and Misconceptions SOME friends of the cause of the labo- ratory method of teaching citizen- ship canvassed two hundred schools about New York City, where all have heard many times of the School Republics in their midst, but only a few really understand the motive or the principles involved. They would be scarcely human, under these circum- stances, were they not ready with very posi- tive objections and statements. The fol- lowing objections were gathered from them and are typical. Many of the answers are made by a New York City principal who has been using the method for about seven years. Objection No. 1. Pupil citizenship calls for a mental development that children do not possess. Neither is it desirable that child- ren should become "legislative, judicial, and executive." We want to keep them young as long as we can. Answer. We have found the pupils in the School Republic adequately and normally de- 91 92 A New Citizenship veloped, able to conduct their own affairs — under discreet supervision. As for the con- tention that self government induces precoc- ity, it is unfounded. The children in my school, both officers and citizens, are thorough- ly normal, healthy, and sport-loving young Americans. No. 2. It takes up too much time. Answer. The actual time consumed by the formal side of the School Republic is ten minutes for election at the beginning of the school term and the time of three teachers for one hour after school each week ; the latter a voluntary work of the teacher. This can and should be provided for in the curriculum. No. 3. Children, when vested with power, become arrogant. Answer. Seven years of pupil citizenship have failed to bring forth a dominating of- ficial. No. 4. If men cannot successfully govern themselves, how can children? Answer. No amount of a priori reasoning can argue away the fact that the children do govern themselves relatively well. May it not be one of the contributory causes of the shortcomings of our adult democracy that as Typical Objections 93 children our people were not effectively train- ed for participation in civic life? Are we not now paying the price of the despotic school- master rule of the old days? What prepara- tion for living in a democracy was ever so ill designed as the none too benevolent des- potism of the birch-rod master? And even under the present system of text book civics what actual preparation is there for life as a citizen? The science of numbers is taught by the use of numbers; physical training is carried out by a scientifically developed course of physical exercises ; drawing is draw- ing; and nature study is pursued largely by a first-hand study of objects, but civics takes its place with astronomy in that it deals with things remote. The vitalization of civics calls for some mode of pupil self government. No. 5. In the last analysis the supervision necessarily makes mere puppets of the children. Answer. Not a fact. Judicious super- vision exercised along the lines of friendly control without dictation serves the two-fold purpose of fostering initiative and preventing the children from attempting too much. No. 6. The machinery is so elaborate that the purpose is destroyed. 94 A New Citizenship Answer. It need not be, and in fact it is not. Nothing need be put into it unless there is a good purpose to be gained, and when any feature proves useless it should be dropped. No. 7. The energy expended is not worth while. Answer. If a wealth of school spirit and a splendid co-operative attitude on the part of teachers and pupils are not worth while, is anything in this world worth while? No. 8. Pupil self government is simply for show; it cannot take care of serious cases, for instance, thievery, etc., which come up in every school. Answer. This objection supposes that the entire government of the school is in the hands of the pupils. Rather is pupil government an auxiliary of the regularly constituted school regime and makes the handling of untoward events a simpler procedure than usual. No. 9. The children of our day are more in need of respect for authority than the ex- ercise of it. Answer. Why? The children of our day have been quickened by the enquiring spirit of our times and are quick to detect the shal- lowness of the autocratic system. But where Typical Objections 95 they are trained to a rational respect for authority through a realization of the ne- cessity for it and the participation in the ex- ercise of it, their respect and loyalty become unshakable. No. 10. In the economic conditions under which we live our children need all the know- ledge they can get, to prepare for the struggle for existence. Answer. The economic conditions under which we live are extremely trying, because we have let slip from our grasp the power that rightfully belongs to us. The fundamental remedy is to teach our children the value of working together, reclaiming that power and reestablishing the conditions of true democ- racy. Pupil citizenship detracts nothing from the studies but helps to develop a great interest in all of them. No. 11. Pupil citizenship destroys one of the greatest influences of the school, that is, the principal's and teachers' personal influence. Answer. Through seven years, the princi- pal, teachers, and pupils in my school have been brought constantly into closer and more efficient co-operation, by means of pupil citi- zenship. 96 A New Citizenship No. 12. The activities of school citizen- ship are mere play and are recognized as such by the pupils. Answer. They have every element of good play but in addition to this they involve team work that produces immediate good results, morally and civically. The pupils consciously imitate the procedure of enlightened citizens, and find great enjoyment in it. Therein lies a great value of the method. They work, they play, they learn, they develop, they pre- pare. What more can one ask of an educa- tional method than that it mould character effectively and joyfully? No. 13. We have self government without the machinery. Our children are orderly, polite, and considerate. We do not need legis- latures, courts, police, etc. Answer. And when the children leave the school, they will continue to be orderly, polite, and considerate. Each will go his own way and work out his own salvation, thinking that the government of his city and state and nation is to be left to the politician. And when he awakes to the fact that the politicians are in the government business for what they can 2 e <*§ a . w 5 1 !• O ft » o s - c o o n cd &> O •£ oc .IS 2 o ^ r^-f a. U fi cfl *~ ^ o ^ K S <« « M O Typical Objections 97 get out of it, and he undertakes to ameliorate conditions by enlisting the interest of his neighbors and friends, he will find them pre- occupied, apathetic. Pupil co-operation aims to make active rather than apathetic citi- zenship, and it succeeds. No. 14. There are so many new and desir- able suggestions offered for improving the schools that we hesitate to adopt this before we estimate its relative importance. Answer. Pupil citizenship does not compete with vocational training, school gardens, and other suggested additions to the curriculum. Rather it supplements all school work by putting the pupils on a sounder basis for effective work in every branch of study. Under the conventional school regime, regulations and improvements come from the principal's office. With pupil co-operation each child feels a responsibility for the common welfare and feels free to "speak up," to correct a defect or to suggest an improvement. No. 15. A certain school did not use the School Republic plan, but a modification of it. Answer. As frequently used, this is a mis- nomer and is misleading. Any school govern- ment that in spirit and plan is in harmony 98 A New Citizenship with the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution of the United States, is a form of the School Republic, but not a ' 'modi- fication' ' of it. There are School Villiages, Towns, Counties, Cities, School States, and School Federal Governments, all of which are forms of the School Republic, but any modification or departure from the spirit or plan of these historic documents vitiates its value for civic instruction and then it may be a "modification of the School Republic." No. 16. A simpler plan would be better. Answer. People without successful or any experience with the School Republic who are inclined to cavil and set up theories as opposed to well attested facts, and there are some such, make such errors as the following : The children, or part of them, of a school may elect one or two from each room to repre- sent them; to these representatives are given all the powers of government, legislative, executive and judicial. This, the careless thinker says is less complicated than to give the executive power to one pupil or party of pupils, the legislative to another and the judicial to a third. It may be slightly less complicated on paper or for the teacher, but Typical Objections 99 it is more complicated for the children. In fact, however, the difference in complication is so slight that you might as well argue about whether it is best to break the big or the little end of a boiled egg. If one teaches correct civics and the other incorrect, the difference is serious and worthy of considera- tion. No. 17. The School Republic is a system of "monitors." Answer. The School Republic has no re- lation to the monitorial system. Monitors are spies to extend the monarchical or dic- tatorial authority of the teacher. On the other hand, officers in the school republic are elected by the pupil citizens to enforce their own laws, which give expression to the best sentiment and the civic conscience of the school. It may be well to note these facts: in the School Republic only three officers are abso- lutely necessary, an executive, a judge, and a presiding officer. The last presides over meetings of the pupils, all of whom are citizens and consequently legislators. Other officers may be added when the teacher and pupils see that there is some other work to be done 100 A New Citizenship which can be given with advantage to officers to perform. According to the energy and interest of the teacher, this development will be slow or rapid. No. 18. Children are not judicial. Answer. No person is judicial till he learns to be, and a child can be taught this the same as other things. We know this by large ex- perience. See the paragraph on "The Court/ ' in the Appendix. No. 19. I do not want my child bossed by another child. Answer. In a properly conducted School Republic there is no "bossing." If a child persists in breaking a law which he has helped to make, it is right that his fellow citizens of the school should take legal and orderly steps to prevent his further interference with their rights. If he appears before the school court, it is in the presence of the teacher who is giving instructions in these matters and cor- rects unjust judgment as he would correct any other error in the school work. Most offenses of school children are not in the presence of a teacher, and if abated, must of necessity be through the instrumentality of the children themselves and the development of a better Typical Objections 101 spirit. This is easily accomplished by the School Republic method, which always appeals to one's better self. No. 20. It encourages tattling. Answer. Tattling and other disagreeable practices may develop in any school, but the teacher can with a little tact check, by means of the School Republic method, all such things. The teacher ought to show the children the difference between the tattling of a busybody and the giving of such information of wrong- doing as will enable the authorities to enforce the laws of the democracy. Our institutions demand the latter, and in that light the per- son who conceals the wrong is a party to it and is, to use terms so harsh that they may not be misunderstood, a traitor, to that extent, to our country. Our schools and col- leges failing to take cognizance of this matter have permitted if not directly encouraged such disloyalty to our democratic institutions and the cause of honesty, morality and de- cency in general. Our educational institu- tions can easily rectify this wrong by means of the School Republic method. No. 21. You must conquer a school in preparation for self-government. 102 A New Citizenship Answer. I have heard a very intelligent and prominent school master, who has made a great success of his School Republic, re- mark: "I worked four years to prepare my school for self-government before introducing the School Republic. ,, His pupils lost four good years of the purifying, life-giving spirit of a righteous democracy. In those four years some hundreds of children graduated from his school without ever having come in con- tact with any government except that of a tyrannical monarchy, however kindly it may have been, and they did not learn to govern themselves, even if there was an outward show of obedience to their teachers. A broken and cowed spirit is not the best material for a live and valuable democracy. The School Republic itself is the best means for preparing for self-government. No. 22. They are trying the School Re- public in a certain school. Answer. The School Republic method of character building has been proved in so many schools to be correct, not only in theory but in practice and results, that when it is introduced into any school hereafter, the test that follows will not be of the efficacy of Typical Objections 103 the method, but of the intelligence, enthu- siasm, tact and perseverance of the person or persons using it. If the children's interest wanes, it is because the teacher's interest has already waned. If any wrong appears, it comes to the surface at once and the method provides the means for checking it instantly. Should it continue and develop, it discloses the fact that the teacher is not using such intelligence and diligence as is necessary for good results in teaching mathematics or any other subject in the school. This feature is of great value to a teacher who is not thorough- ly successful, but is desirous of finding what his weak point is, that he may correct it. On the other hand, the citizens of a suc- cessful School Republic will be a living monu- ment to the worth of their teacher, one which even the most careless observers will notice and appreciate. In the words of Rev. Thomas R. Slicer, of New York City, "It is an easy and effective test of the capacity, flexibility and real human interest of a teacher. The rule-of- thumb teachers 'do not want it,' but the teacher of that type is not himself wanted. The task-master still exists here and there, but he becomes more and more rare, while 104 A New Citizenship the guide and friend is increasing. This is the type sought for by those who commit their children to the teacher's care." Peace and good will to all mankind, and a higher and happier civilization are coming, and the children are the ones, led by good teachers, who can and who will usher in the better times for all humanity. CHAPTER VIII Experiences and Conclusions School Republic and Teacher's Authority Compared with that of Adult Government A VISITOR asked special privilege to ad- dress the court, and explained that the relation of the teacher to the Republic was similar in some respects, to that of the leg- islature of Massachusetts to the City of Bos- ton; that the legislature of Massachusetts gives the City of Boston in its charter the right to govern itself under certain conditions, and that, so long as the City of Boston does govern itself, preserving order and enforcing the law, the State of Massachusetts does not inter- fere; that in this same relation between the teachers and the school, the School Republic would not be interfered with so long as it fulfilled the conditions of its charter, but that in any great crisis when the city should fail to enforce the law and preserve the peace, 105 106 A New Citizenship the State being the larger and more respon- sible political body, could and would step in and take the reins of government out of the hands of the local authorities until order was re-established and the community at peace again. Discipline Not High Enough Motive to Command Success. A Higher Plane Of Life and of Citizenship Is The School Republic is both a system of school government and a method of moral and civic training. It is of more importance as a method of training than as a system of govern- ment. In both of these regards, however, the same as in the teaching of arithmetic or anything else, its success always depends upon the qualifications and interest of the teachers in charge. A number of teachers having a measure of tact and enthusiasm have adopted this system for the purpose of improving the government of their schools and have been successful in this respect. The discipline and order of their schools have been improved, the activity of the students in the school government has been a great benefit. Even in these cases the principal, to accom- Experiences and Conclusions 107 plish his purpose, was compelled to appeal to a higher motive. Discipline for its own sake may be a high motive, but it is not high enough to engage the interest, loyalty, and enthusiasm of average young people. A higher plane of life and the service of genuine and faithful citizenship are together a high enough aim to engage the continuous and best efforts of almost every boy and girl, if properly held before them by their teachers. Administrative Departments The various departments of service which have a place in our grown-up city govern- ment are easily adapted to and imitated by the children. The Board of Health is a use- ful part of the organization and is to be found in almost every School Republic. Boards of Social Service render most desirable and use- ful service in various ways, suggested by circumstances as they arise in the school or community. They always look after the comfort and happiness of new pupils, and aid them to get into the spirit of the school de- mocracy. A Board of Public Works is usual. Some School Republics have Boards of Edu- cation, Departments of Agriculture and Ath- 108 A New Citizenship letic Commissions. Even such matters as keeping the school books covered and sending flowers to sick children are embodied in the organic functions of some School Republics. A large amount of testimony is at hand from teachers showing the value of the organiza- tion in enlisting the activities of the children along these lines. Commissioners of Games, Fire, Police, Street Cleaning, Editors, Li- brarians and other officers are arranged for by the legislative body whenever it is desired to have any particular interest taken care of systematically. Each one of these officers, at the end of each week and of his term of office, is expected to give a written report to the executive. Police School Republic policemen are always in- structed in civic politeness. They are told that in the great cities a policeman's principal business is not to arrest people, but to keep people from getting into trouble and to be generally useful and kind to those who need protection and care. They are also told that under ordinary circumstances, warnings must precede arrests; that the best governed city Experiences and Conclusions 109 is that in which the fewest arrests are neces- sary, but they are impressed at the same time with the necessity of being firm and loyal to the law and the welfare of the school. In making an arrest, the policeman does not lay hands on the offender. He simply notifies him that he is under arrest and reports the case in detail to the chief of police. In an East Boston school where a number of valuable details have been worked out, an arrest consists in the policeman's sending the offender to the chief of police, who has an office and is always at his desk from 8 :40 to 9 :00 o'clock and from 1 :40 to 2 :00 o'clock. This chief of police investigates the complaint at once, so far as is necessary to determine whether there shall be any further action. As a matter of fact, very few cases have gone any further, the chief of police having proved to be a good advisor and peace-maker, and one who could make his warnings effective. Court The School Republic court is usually com- posed of one judge, although there is some- times a bench of three or more judges. The court is conducted with solemnity and de- 110 A New Citizenship corum. The sheriff, and clerk of the court are in their places. In some schools there is a prosecuting attorney, but generally it is better to get along without this office. The ac- cused persons are instructed to plead "guilty" or "not guilty" and, as they have, on accept- ing citizenship, agreed to plead "guilty" when they are actually guilty, they generally plead truthfully. When the plea is "guilty," the extenuating circumstances are carefully inquired into. When "not guilty," witnesses are examined and the usual procedure of a court of justice is followed. The judges are taught to be absolutely impartial and fair, and to seek, in their punishments, to effect a cure of evil rather then retribution. The accused person may request to be heard by a jury. This is not desirable in a primary school, and scarcely ever in a grammar school. Decisions of the court must receive the sanction of the teacher or principal before being carried into execution. Judicial Frame of Mind The cultivation of the judicial frame of mind is not by any means confined to the judges in these School Republics. In a small Experiences and Conclusions 111 school particularly, practically all of the children, as well as the judge, become ac- quainted with the details of the cases that come up, and get some discipline in reserving judgment, in weighing evidence, in respect- ing the rights of the accused, in maintaining an impartial attitude and in seeking equal justice for all. The police and court functions however are but a part of the field in which the School Republic operates. Punishments The School Republic is not for the purpose of punishing but rather of removing all causes for punishments. Such punishments as may be proper in a school before the School Republic is organized, will probably be as proper afterward. If the teacher used the method with some tact, in case there has previously been frequent cause for punishing, the number of cases should decrease per- ceptibly after the first ten days, if not im- mediately. In all schools provision should be made that no punishment shall be carried into effect until first approved by the teacher. The care with which punishments are 112 A New Citizenship determined, and their fitness and justice, are often matters of surprise to teachers. Still it is the common experience that the punishments are about the same as those to which the pupils have been accustomed under the old regime. In one of the Massachusetts schools, the first person to be arrested was the mayor. In passing through the lower hall at recess he had mischievously rung the bell. He was tried, found guilty, and sentenced to come to the school-house early and ring the bell for the janitor each morning for a certain length of time. Such penalties as detention after school with task, temporary deprivation of citizen- ship, sweeping the walks, writing copies of the School Republic laws, taking away the privilege of playing certain games, seques- tration in the playgrounds during recess, rec- ommending the principal to write a letter to parents, and deprivation of office, are perhaps the most common. The object of the court should not be "to make the punish- ment fit the crime,' ' as to severity, but to cure the offender of the propensity to do wrong. Sometimes this is accomplished by suspend- — W) cd ro S3 7. si - En _> S3 si CD c '■ ri 1! ■a M o V "0 o a sj 03 1) ■J. 3 a w CD 00 CD > O - 7, 0) fi 3 ES In a 0) si a b ho CD >> EC £ fl s H !n CD > O be si o 03 CD Si si CD >> c o z w; L CO B o 3 cd r ; c fcfl -m ° 3 c 3 ? - a o iu B ,d 3 O o w O Q, O jjn CO 03 nn J 0) a. "O ^ +J 3 CJ S3 _ C8 rrt CS •i O £ o B „ ° +J ^ CD XJ +-> -n •S « _? « CD — 03 b ■ rH ho N, si i o G St o r si U CD - * An f£ > S3 £ in V +-> R i £ u CD o >> CD 5 S3 CD 3 £ r> +-> CD O H 03 S3 3 03 si CD si a £ £ o o a 03 "53 CD R CO CD hn R UJ r| X 3 CD O "5 - a S3 J3 X O CD !n <=G I J*j* ^Iw^^. — > r" W - ~ ■f. u w Experiences and Conclusions 1 13 ing punishment, and sometimes by a better understanding of the right and wrong, and an agreement to observe the laws in the future. Courtesy, Dignity, Independence, Poise, a Judicial Frame of Mind The principal of a large public grammar school for girls writes after several years' use of the School Republic method, that de- mocracy in her school gives to the girls, far beyond all previous conditions, courtesy, dignity, independence, poise, a judicial frame of mind, and both the desire and the habit of co-operating for every good purpose; and it is worthy of special note that they soon learn to bow gracefully to the expressed will of the majority, and to heartily support the adopted measures and elected officers, even though their votes were cast in opposition. What this principal says of her experience with many hundreds of grammar school girls is said just as definitely by principals of primary, grammar and high schools, where there are both boys and girls. In the latter case the boys and girls, getting the same train- ing, discover once and for all time, that there is no special qualification of those of either sex, because of peculiarities of the sex, to justify 114 A New Citizenship any difference in social or political influence. Monarchy in School — Waste of Energy and Public Money and Injury to Character. Democracy in School — Economy of Energy and Public Money: Developes Efficiency and Strength of Character. Intelligent training in democracy increases the efficiency of the school in every branch and particular. This is illustrated in part if not altogether by the facts related in the following extract from a letter from a teacher of carpentry, a graduate of Yale University. "It was not until after I began teaching carpentry in the grammar schools of that I had the opportunity of learning at first hand what the School Republic can do for a community. "About half my time is spent in a school where the pupils are disciplined (?) by teachers who have the old idea that every child is ir- responsible and must be watched closely or he will make trouble, and needless to say, there is a plenty of it. The rest of my time is in a school where the pupils govern them- selves by the School Republic method, and there is practically no trouble. Neither does the process stop with merely securing better Experiences and Conclusions 115 discipline. The pupils come to feel that the school and all other public property is in trust for their benfit,and they carefully guard it from any defacement; parents of these children take a more active interest in school affairs; and both parents and children realize that the most effective work necessitates the intelligent co-operation of teachers, pupils and parents. "A special teacher, unlike the grade teacher, is almost wholly dependent upon the esprit de corps of the school. In the one school I have to give scarcely a thought to the matter of discipline. The boys are considerate of one another's rights; they are full of good cheer; they have learned to co-operate for every good purpose; they are thoroughly ap- preciative of every effort to aid them in get- ting an education; every ounce of effort on my part to aid them produces its full effect for good — not a word, not a motion is lost, everything counts for the geratest efficiency in constructive results. On the other hand, the boys who are accustomed to being govern- ed by the iron-hand method will respond to nothing else; they cannot give the maximum attention to the subject matter — they do not 116 A New Citizenship know how — neither can I, and in consequence their effort and mine is largely wasted and a real financial loss to the community is the result. "Your new system of democratic govern- ment in a school means proper attention on the part of the pupils; proper attention means maximum of time spent on the subject mat- ter and consequent rapid progress of the pupil ; this means increased capacity of the pupil in production and therefore greater value to the community. "This is considering only the economic side : I shall not attempt to tabulate the social and political advantages. They are very great and immensely more important." It is worth while to note that these state- ments are not based upon casual observations, but daily contact with the boys in two schools, through a number of years, each year a new set of boys. The conditions are per- sistent from year to year. In one school there is always financial and moral waste, while in the other there is no waste of time, energy or material, or of moral force — every- thing tends toward economy, efficiency, hon- esty, moral development and strength of character. CHAPTER IX A Long Chapter of Short Stories Equal Rights In a School Republic SEVERAL years ago I organized a school state in the Boys' department of a Brooklyn School, in which there were about 4,200 pupils 2,200 in the boys' depart- ment. Practically all were of Polish or Rus- sian Jewish parentage, and possibly half were born in Eastern Eurpoe. The principal said that, although the boys were bright in their classes, they were dis- couragingly stupid in their meetings, but he was compelled to admit that this condition helped to make clear the desirability of giv- ing them some opportunity to learn how to conduct themselves in an assembly. After the first two weeks the boys improved rapidly in the use of parliamentary law and in debate. At the end of six weeks I was present at a session of their state legislature when a bill 117 118 A New Citizenship was introduced, requesting the girls to organ- ize themselves into school cities and to join the boys' school state on equal terms with the boys. A representative, on being recognized by the Chair, said : "I don't see why we should allow the girls to vote when our mothers do not have this right. I do not know why women are not allowed to vote, but I think our country must have some good reason for not letting them, and I believe for that reason it would be very improper for us to give this right to the girls. It seems to me that it would be both impudent and disloyal to our country. I hope that no one will vote for this bill." It was delightful to see this young Russian- born American's faith in the absolute wisdom and justice of his newly adopted country. Another boy was quickly on his feet, but in support of the bill. It would be impossible to quote his words exactly, although gram- matical and well chosen. He said : "I understand that in the western part of our country are several states where the women have the same civic rights as the men. In those states, I hear that the men attend to their civic duties much better than the men A Long Chapter of Short Stories 119 do in the eastern states and that the women attend to their civic duties as faithfully and intelligently as the men do. "If that is true, who knows but that in eight years from now (the boy was thirteen years old) the women will be allowed to vote in the State of New York? And if that should come to pass and the women who are now girls in this school do not understand their civic duties, who will be to blame but you and I, the members of this legislature? I am in favor of this bill, and hope the member who has just spoken will see it in this light." The next to be recognized was a less eager but very level-headed looking boy. He said : "I think that, while women voting or not voting is very interesting, this has nothing to do with the bill. We have made a law to prevent the scattering of paper and other litter in the streets of our school district. I think the boys do not break the law, but the streets seem almost as dirty as before we made it. If the girls helped to make the laws they would not break them, but would help to enforce them and then we would have clean streets, and there would be more use in our trying to make things go right. I shall 120 A New Citizenship vote for this bill and I hope every member will." This argument settled the matter, and the bill passed unanimously, the boy who had spoken in opposition showing evident enthusi- asm in his conversion. The girls acted on the suggestion of this bill and accepted its invitation, but between the boys and girls they arranged something quite new in school or adult statecraft. The Senate consists of girls elected by girls, and the lower house of boys, elected by the boys. The principals of the two departments are well pleased with the result of this form. Ordinarily in place of one state of 4,200 citi- zens, I should have made at least two states and probably six or more. Then we should have a fine opportunity, by uniting the states, to teach practically another phase of our American government, and there are other advantages in the smaller states. I have followed this latter plan in many schools since then, and with good results. The Regeneration of Maria Some time ago I met Miss Davis and asked her what had become of Maria Arigo. She A Long Chapter of Short Stories 121 replied that Maria had long ago gone out into the great wide world, but that up to the last account she had maintained her made- over, fine, strong character. The story of Maria is as follows : In the fall of 1897, in Puplic School No. 1, in the shadow of the Brooklyn Bridge, in the City of New York, Miss Davis, the principal, asked me to organize her school as a School City. In the fifth grade was a girl whose name we will imagine is Maria Arigo. She had been a pupil in the school for several years, but no teacher had reached her heart. She defied her teachers and continually led the girls into mischief. She was untidy as to her person and clothes, and careless as to how often and when she would come to school. To the disgust and dismay of her teacher, Maria was elected to represent her classmates in the School City Council. The teacher re- garded this as a personal affront, and, after school, went to the principal and said the girls had insulted her by electing this one to be their member of the Council, and that she would not stand it. Miss Davis replied: "You know we told the girls they might elect whom they pleased, and I really do not 122 A New Citizenship see what we can do. We certainly cannot do anything to-night." Next morning Maria was on hand early, clean, tidy, well dressed, in a delightful frame of mind, radiant in her devotion to her teacher and the girls, and somehow her lessons were evidently more interesting to her than they had ever been before, and she was thoroughly successful in leading the girls in general to spruce up. The fear then was that this was too good to continue, but two years afterward I heard Miss Davis tell of this matter in a public educational meeting and she said that from the day Maria Arigowas elected member of the city council no person in the school, not even any teacher, had exert- ed a more positive influence for cleanliness, neatness, promptness, good order, good scholar- ship, kindness, politeness, and everything desirable than that same Maria Arigo. Tommy Jones In the slums of Philadelphia there lives a little boy whom we will call Tommy Jones. This is not his real name, but it is a real boy and a real circumstance that I shall tell about. He lives in an alley where there is a A Long Chapter of Short Stories 123 great deal of misery. You would think that Tommy would rather go to school than be about there and the other places he frequented. But he did hate to go to school. It was misery, though the nicest teachers that you can imagine were there. He was frequently a truant, and when he did deign to go to school — the truant officer can force such a little fellow to go sometimes — he was very apt to be tardy. Tommy was careless as to his costume and as to the condition of his face and hands. He was a very troublesome boy altogether. He had entered this school when he was about six years old and now he was nine. We changed the little monarchy to a democ- racy — school government in general is mon- archy. Have you ever thought what mon- archy is? A little child is born and does not know how to manage his own affairs. Some- body stronger in every respect has to govern him. The mother governs the little one, and that is parental government and also it is monarchy, or natural government — the gov- ernment of the weak by the strong. The little one has no part in the government except to do whatever the mother requires. The 124 A New Citizenship child goes to school, and there is more mon- archy. Even in college the thing has not been corrected. From the time the child is born to the time he leaves the high school and university the only government he comes in contact with is a monarchy, a government to which he must be subjected. He has no power what- ever in making the rules and regulations, and no part except to obey. Consequently the longer we keep an individual in school or college the more completely we establish his habits and character as a subject, not a participator, in his own government. As it happened, this dirty, mischievous, troublesome little boy was elected in one of the rooms, to be a member of the Legisla- ture. This was the first experience of the teachers of that school with anything of the sort. They felt — Well, we have gotten over some difficulties, but if the children are going to choose such a little rascal as that to be a member of the legislature, we fear for the little republic, so far as our school is concerned. The next day, instead of his clothes just hanging on by moral suasion, lost buttons were replaced and he was slicked up generally. A Long Chapter of Short Stories 125 I do not know that they had even seen the boy with his hair brushed and combed, but this morning his hair was all right, his hands were clean, his face was tolerably clean and the boy was there on time. This was simply a revolution for that boy. The next day he was on time, and just as neat as the day before, and this kept up. He did not play truant again. He picked up in his class, and instead of being at the very tail end, very soon the little fellow came right up to the head. Six weeks after, the principal of the school stopped at his desk and said: ' 'Tommy, I am delighted to see how nicely you are getting on. You have not been absent once and you are never tardy any more. You are as neat as any little gentleman, and you have come to the very top of your class. I am proud of you!" The little fellow looked up and said, "You know, Miss Sallie, they expect so much from a member of the legislature/ ' Changed His Ways The transformations wrought in the char- acter and behavior of pupils are well illustrated by the case of a boy about whom his teacher writes as follows : "That boy was causing me 126 A New Citizenship much anxiety. He was obliged to sell papers, and on this account was permitted to leave school every day one half hour before the time of dismissal. This arrangement was to hold as long as the boy was faithful and con- scientious in his school work. "All went well for a time, but after a while the boy grew careless in his work and deport- ment, and was obliged to remain during the whole session. "One day when told to remain, my atten- tion being elsewhere, he slipped from the room. He was remonstrated with on his return the next day, but a few days after he again disappeared in the same way. This happened whenever he was told to remain, unless he was personally supervised. "It had come to such a pass that I was actually lying awake nights, trying to devise some way of treating the subject which would appeal to the boy's honor. When hope was darkest, the blessed School City came to the rescue. The next morning I talked the matter over with the chief of police, who was a mem- ber of the same class. That afternoon, when our little friend was about to escape from the room, the chief placed a detaining hand on A Long Chapter of Short Stories 127 his arm and said quietly, 'Miss Fox told you to stay, and just because she's not watching you, that's no reason for running out.' "The boy slipped back into his seat, took a hasty survey of the room and decided that public opinion was on the side of the chief, and so quietly went on with his work. "The most remarkable part is that the boy never again has attempted to leave the room when told to remain, and has completely changed his careless ways, is industrious and interested in his work, and is on the most intimate and friendly terms with his teacher and his chief." — Agnes M. Fox, Teacher. A Growing Mayor "The effect of the School City, has been to stimulate growth in the true elements of character; a conscious aiming for the highest results in self, and a reaching out to others in a helpful spirit. Our mayor has illustrated this, as have others. He is a popular boy and well-meaning at heart, but last term he was a trial in the schoolroom. He was careless in deportment, inattentive in his recitations, and full of boyish pranks. His election caused me a little worry, but it told upon him. At 128 A New Citizenship first he reformed outwardly — it was necessary that he should — but he soon found that he ha'd deeper work to do in himself than any- where else, and how that boy has grown! With others the same good work is going on." — Estelle B. Nye, Minneapolis. A Philadelphia Primary It was the morning intermission at a Phila- delphia Primary School. A visitor was asking questions of the principal about the School City organization that has been in operation in that school for seven years. Court was in session. Two boys came in, followed by a number of other children. One of the boys was a policeman, the other was under arrest. "George climbed on the fire escape," said the policeman. The culpirt, who was a bigger boy than the "policeman," sheepishly hung his head and pleaded guilty. The "case" was tried at once. It occupied but a few minutes, for the evi- dence was conclusive. George was sentenced by the magistrate to lose his recess for the remainder of the week. "Do they impose severe sentences on each A Long Chapter of Short Stories 129 other?' ' asked the visitor, who had been an interested spectator of the scene. "Well, it must be granted that the children are liable to inflict harsher punishment than the teacher would/ ' said the principal thought- fully. "We have to curb that tendency They are inclined to be a little too strict with each other.' ' "The officer seemed to have no trouble in bringing in the offender, though the prisoner was so much bigger than himself. Is that always the case?" "Invariably," was the response. "No boy in our record of seven years as a School City has ever resisted 'arrest.' And it is an in- teresting fact that no girls have ever been arrested." The visitor's eyes followed those of the principal to the long lines of children now marching in regular order through the corri- dors to their respective classrooms. "You may see this refreshing spectacle every day in the week and every week in the school year," declared the principal enthusi- astically. "The teachers are all where they should be, at their respective desks in the various classrooms, ready to receive the 130 A New Citizenship scholars who come in, self- directed. All the lines, you may notice, have captains to take them up and down. ,, A visit to the classrooms showed the children as busy and occupied where the teachers were absent temporarily as where they were pre- sent. "This astonishing condition/' explained the principal, "is entirely due to the School Republic organization, which arouses a keen, personal sense of responsibility for the good order of each room." — Jane A. Stewart. A Night School Regenerated In a manufacturing suburb of [Philadelphia, there was for many years a night school com- posed of boys and girls and full-grown men and women, most of whom were employed in the factories. The school was unruly and the girls were said to be as lawless as the boys. In the spring of 1904 part of the Evening School Committee favored its permanent dis- continuance. The principal of a day school believed she could secure better results, and was permitted to try. She was getting good results from the School City method in her day school, and saw no reason why she should not in a night school. She asked Mr. Gill A Long Chapter of Short Stories 131 to assist her, and, after consultation with the pupils, the School City was instituted. A youth known by the name of Thomas Smith was nominated to be a member of the city council, when he arose and said, "If you are going to vote for me, call me Henry Jameson." A large number of the boys were convulsed with laughter and they applauded vigorously. No explanation was given. The organiza- tion proceeded smoothly, and at the close of the evening's session about twenty boys came to the principal's office and said that they had entered under fictitious names, but now that they were going to have a govern- ment of their own they wished to be registered under their right names. In view of the history of the school, this action revealed the fact that they had entered almost wholly for the sake of adventure, and in the event of serious trouble they did not wish to appear under their own names in police court; but now that the responsibility for order had been placed upon them, they had accepted it and turned over a new leaf. The disorder was at once greatly reduced. Neater dress, better manners, and improved scholarship were in evidence. Previous to 132 A New Citizenship this any boy wearing a linen collar to school was sure to have it torn off. Within a week every boy, with the exception of a few who wore white sweaters, appeared in a stiff collar. They had set up for themselves new and higher standards and maintained them to the end of the night school year in the spring of 1905. Organizing a Cuban School Republic The old Spanish military barracks, built of stone around a drill ground of several acres, was converted into a public school for boys. It is a sort of fortress, but makes a spacious and delightful schoolhouse, all on the ground floor. At half past one, the five hundred boys filed into a theater down town. The Ayunta- miento or City Council of Guines adjourned its session that the members might witness the organizing of a School Republic. They were seated on the stage. Members of the Board of Education, the Chief of Police, and other city officers were there, and about a hundred, possibly as many as a hundred and fifty, other men were present. The Alcalde (mayor of the municipality) A Long Chapter of Short Stories 133 made an address, explaining the purpose and importance of the meeting, and introduced Provincial Superintendent Aguayo to pre- side. Mr. Aguayo spoke further on the same theme and introduced me. I told them that as I had not sufficient command of the Spanish to enable me to address them directly, I had asked one of their teachers with a strong voice and good delivery to read my address for me, which he did. I spoke briefly in introduction of the purposes of the School Republic and the boys responded to my remarks with great earnestness and enthusi- asm. After the speeches and the election of officers, I called the newly elected councilmen and the mayor to the stage. The mayor's name is Antonio Franqui. A handsomer, more genteelly dressed boy you could scarcely find in New York. The large stately Alcalde, of Guines, Mr. Rodriguez, presented this little Alcalde to the citizens of the School Republic, who clapped their hands and cried "Viva." Young Franqui catching his cue from his introducer, bowed, smiled, and thanked his fellow citizens for the honor con- ferred upon him, assured them that he would 134 A New Citizenship try to be worthy of their confidence, and begged them to do their part to make theirs a noble city. The citizens fully demonstrated their approval and determination in that matter. By the same process, all the other elective officers were chosen. The Alcalde Franqui speaks English quite well, and thus he was able to assist me in getting prompt and rapid work. I told him to attend to the ap- pointment of the appointive officers the next day. I then told the citizens that their organization would not be complete till they should have a code of laws, and as they had not yet had experience in such matters and I had, I would offer to them a little code, which I would advise them to accept, and add to and change to suit themselves when they should have had time to see the special needs of their School Republic. I told them they must choose a name for their city. Various names were suggested without awakening any great enthusiasm until one boy shouted " Maximo Gomez," and there was bedlam for a few moments. When quiet was restored, they voted unan- imously to name their city "Maximo Gomez.' ' They sang the Cuban Hymn and adjourned. A Long Chapter of Short Stories 135 The whole thing was thoroughly dramatic. Mr. Rodriquez, filled with emotion which he could not repress, said: "I fear, Mr. Gill, that it may sound extravagant, but I say to you with deliberation, this is the greatest day of my life ; it is the greatest event in the history of this town. I have seen the seeds of citizenship sown and take root, not only in the minds and hearts of these 500 boys, but in the hearts of the representative men of this city." . . . One after another of the chief men of the city came up, and, un- bidden, pledged me their support for the movement inaugurated that day. (From official reports published by the United States War Department.) He 's All Right A careful observer relates the following incident : "The children, as a rule, intuitively choose the very ones among their number who are best fitted for the offices. An illustration of this was given in one of the Philadelphia schools where there were 500 pupils, includ- ing about a half dozen negro children. A colored boy was one of the first pupils to be 136 A New Citizenship nominated for office; but before he was finally elected, the children successively nomi- nated him for council, judge, clerk of court, and sheriff, and his election eventually as sheriff was virtually unanimous. Such per- sistency on the part of his supporters led to a query as to the reason; and the response was; /He's all right. He's awfully severe, but he wants things to go right.' " — Jane A. Stewart. Protects Property Another teacher says : "An immediate bene- fit which we have derived is the protection to lamp posts, fences, houses, etc. Since the organization last year there have been no marks of any kind to be erased from any public or private property which is exposed to our children. This was not the case previously." Raising The Flag "Formerly the janitor unfurled the flag and no one seemed to notice it. Now the children of the Department of Public Works raise and lower it with patriotic ceremony, and the flag never gets a day's rest nor a wetting. The love, respect, and care which the children now have for our flag and country A Long Chapter of Short Stories 137 cannot possibly be expressed in words. Their badges have given them something tangible to which they can look and remember they stand for loyalty to all that is right and must be honored." Forming The Lines "Time and energy are saved in the form- ing of lines. It stands to reason that five policemen can do more than one teacher, and they do. At the same time the children do not resent the word from their policemen, because they themselves have invested them with power and are aiming to use the same authority some time in the future. It saves the teacher from appearing in the light of a monitor, dictator, or spy." — Anna A. Gorgas, Principal. Learn By Mistakes It is well sometimes, but not always, to let the children make mistakes when by so doing they learn their lesson better. In the framing of laws, for instance, they get very practical lessons in language and in logical expression of ideas. In a Haverhill school a law was passed one day prohibiting the throwing of snow-balls: 138 A New Citizenship "There shall be no throwing of snow-balls." Right away a boy was arrested for throwing a snow-ball against a board fence. He had hurt no one. The prosecuting attorney con- tended that he had broken a law and there- fore must be punished. The judge decided otherwise, however, and let the boy go, and then wrote a note to the president of the city council as follows: "Dear President of City Council: "That snow-balling law is no good. I wish you would please fix it." A meeting of the city council was held and the law was revised to read — "There shall be no snow-balling that hurts anybody." Law Inacurately Framed Mr. Scudder, when principal of the New Paltz Normal School, where the school city had been in operation for over 6 years, tells of a law passed by his city council prohibiting crossing the front lawn. The school was built facing the river with a grove of trees in front and no lawn at all. The lawn re- ferred to was a large lawn at the side and back of the building. One day a boy was caught crossing this lawn and convicted of violating A Long Chapter of Short Stories 139 this law. He was sentenced to do a certain amount of work at a printing press and served out the sentence. Another boy, later, was found guilty of the same offense, but he discovered a loop-hole in the law; declared that he had not crossed the front lawn and appealed to the supreme court. The supreme court reviewed the case, reversed the deci- sion of the lower court and relieved the boy of his sentence, whereupon the boy who had already served sentence instituted a suit against the school city for false imprison- ment. Perhaps in no other school city would this last action be taken, but it was encouraged by Mr. Scudder, who wished to give his pupils as thorough a knowledge of civic and judi- cial procedure as possible. The form of the law was changed. Children's Common Sense Put To Severe Test A mayor, who, strange to say, had the free- dom of the school, had to have his liberty curtailed. He was an exceedingly active boy, interested in everything and so much absorb- ed by the various activities of the school city, to which he gave superfluous and quite 140 A New Citizenship unnecessary attention, that he neglected his studies. The principal might tactfully have shown the boy the desirability of limiting his active work as chief executive to time out of school hours and only a brief period in the morning and afternoon session, but, instead of this, used his prerogative as prin- cipal and posted the following notice on the School City bulletin board: "The mayor may attend to his duties as mayor during school hours only from 11:45 to 12:00 and from 3 :45 to 4 :00 o'clock/ ' It is not very strange that the young mayor was hurt. During the noon hour a session of the city council was being held and a child handed the president of the city council the following message: — "For reasons that I do not care to explain I hereby resign as mayor of this school city." It was signed by the mayor. "What whall we do now? We have no mayor", said the president of the city council. "Oh, yes, we have," said one of the members; "he can't go till we let him off." They very soon had the matter attended to quite as nicely as any adult body could have done. They seemed generally to understand that he had resigned in anger because of the way A Long Chapter of Short Stories 141 his liberty was curtailed, so they appointed a committee to wait on him and find out his reasons for resigning. When he found that it was necessary to write the reasons, he was unwilling to do so and withdrew his resigna- tion. The next news from that school was that this boy was running for reelection. He had learned a lesson in self-control as well as a lesson in civics. The principal declared him to be a very good mayor. An Unruly Girl Converted In a large school for girls one of the pupils, who had always made her teachers trouble, was very unruly and defied the school city officers, refusing to go to court. For contempt of court she was deprived of citizenship, and the other girls were instructed by the judge not to talk to her during any recess. This severe punishment was not inflicted until the offence became flagrant. The girl's mother came to the principal and protested, but the principal so thoroughly approved of the action of the court that she refused to interfere. Of course the punishment was un- bearable and in a few days the girl came to the court asking to be tried and reinstated in 142 A New Citizenship citizenship. This was done and the girl has since been a loyal and enthusiastic citizen and has been elected to office and served with honor and efficiency. A Moral Victory In one school the chief of police one day became angry at a classmate and threw a book at him. In a moment he remembered his high office and was ashamed. He took a piece of paper, wrote his resignation and sent it to the mayor, who was in the same room. The mayor wrote on the back of it: "I will not accept it" and sent it back to him. By recess the chief of police had thought out a course of action. He went to a policeman and said : — "I want you to arrest me for what I did: what's good for the others is good for me." He took his penalty and was reap- pointed chief of police. Backward Boy Awakened By a New Ambition In a Primary School in Lowell, Mass., a 12 -year old boy in the 3rd grade, who had been exceedingly troublesome and backward and an almost hopeless truant, came to his teacher one day with the declaration that he A Long Chapter of Short Stories 143 proposed to be mayor of the school city. "Oh, no," said the teacher, "the citizens will not elect such a boy as you are for mayor, for you are very backward in your studies and your truancy record has been a very bad one." But the boy shook his head and de- clared he was going to be mayor. The next day he came to school on time and had his lessons. This fine record was continuous from that time. His ambition had made him a new boy. He was by far the largest boy in school and his candidacy boomed. When the ballots were counted, it was discovered that his rival, a smaller boy in the same grade, had one more vote than he, but one of the votes cast for the smaller boy was badly erased and de- fective. The claim was made that this ballot should be thrown out, a tie declared and a new election ordered. Appeal was made to the principal of the school. She referred the matter to the superintendent of schools and he in turn referred it to the city solicitor of Lowell, who decided in favor of the validity of the erased ballot and the election of the smaller boy. The new mayor at once offered the defeated 144 A New Citizenship candidate the office of chief of police, but he preferred to be elected president of the city council, which was done. These two boys worked together beauti- fully throughout the term, and the good re- sults of the big boy's ambition have in no sense been lost. School Republic Law Succeeds Where Former Regulations Fail In one of the Massachusetts schools where a School Republic had been organized, there had always been a rule against the smoking of cigarettes. The rule had always been broken. After the organizing of the school city one of the first bills introduced in the City Council was one for the prohibition of cigarette-smoking. It was introduced by a girl. Some of the boys in the council saw here an opportunity to turn their liberty into license and objected to the bill. The president of the city council, a girl in the 8th grade, was wise enough not to put the bill to a vote at that session. She went to the principal and told him about it, and he counselled her to wait, saying that he hoped the bill would be passed unanimously and A Long Chapter of Short Stories 145 that she could afford to take time to get that result. So the council continued to debate the bill. The discussion ran high throughout the school. For two weeks there was no law against smoking cigaretts, and some of the boys took advantage of this fact, creating a very un- comfortable situation for the principal of the school, and giving the critics of the school city a fine opportunity to say: — "There, see what your school city does!" But the principal knew what he was doing. The right side gained ground every day. Finally the mayor, who was the worst cigarette smoker in the school, went into the meeting of the city council and asked for permission to speak. He said: "I have come here to speak about the cigarette law. You all know that I am the worst boy in the school about smoking cigarettes, but when we took the school city we promised to make right laws and enforce them. We know the ciga- rette law is right. If you will pass it, I for one will keep it, and I will try to make the rest do the same." The law was passed and at last report it had not been violated. The principal said that he felt many times re- 146 A New Citizenship paid for the two weeks in which both his faith and patience had been so sorely tried, be- cause now the school had won for itself a moral victory which no amount of rigid discipline on his part could have achieved. "Haven't Chawed A Chew" Mr. T. D. Sensor, Assistant State Superin- tendent of Public Education of the State of New Jersey, while Supervising Principal in Pittsburgh, adopted the school republic in one of his large schools in a rolling mill dis- trict, inhabited by English and Irish mill men. Brawls were common in the district, not only among the men who regard themselves as natural enemies, but their families. When the boys and girls, as school citizens, made laws and enforced them in the interest of order and good fellowship, the fighting among the young people ceased at once and the condi- tions among the older people gradually im- proved. The children legislated against the use of tobacco, and cigarette smoking, which was prevalent, stopped then and there, but some weeks afterward a boy was arrested for chew- ing tobacco. He pleaded that the mayor A Long Chapter of Short Stories 147 chewed, and if the mayor could chew he could too. The boy judge asked the mayor who was in court, if it were true, and he re- plied: "I used to chew, but I haven't chawed a chew since I was elected mayor.' ' The defendant gladly agreed not to chew to- bacco any more, and sentence was suspended. Japanese Boy Elected Governor in a New York City School Mr. Boyle, principal of Public School 69, in West 54th St., New York, invited me to organize thirteen rooms of his higher grades into a school state. The girls are in rooms by themselves and are not acquianted with the boys. This made elections difficult, until, by unanimous consent, they agreed to elect half of the officers from each side of the as- sembly, one side being boys and the other girls. Greatly to the surprise of the teachers and guests a Japanese boy was unanimously elected governor. An hour later I was with the principal organizing the boys of one room into a school city. Mr. Boyle asked the boys how they came to nominate and elect a Japanese boy to the highest office in their state. Hands 148 A New Citizenship shot up over the whole room. The first boy called on answered, "Because he is very in- telligent." The next boy replied, "Not only because he is so intelligent, but he understands and appreciates our American institutions so thoroughly.' ' The third boy said, "I voted for him because I believe he is the very best one in the whole school for governor.' ' The next week I organized in the same building sixteen more rooms into another school state. That leaves fifteen primary rooms for a third school state. A girl was elected governor, and a Japanese boy was elected chief justice. They voted unani- mously to become citizens of the Children's International State, and the flag of the In- ternational State was then seen for the first time in any school and the new citizens were wild with enthusiasm. How Children Punish They may not inflict any punishment not approved by the school principal. In one school city the principal says that "the first arrests were for profanity in the school-yard and street. This was a surprise to the teachers, for they did not know such A Long Chapter of Short Stories 149 offenses were committed by their pupils. The judge, in each case, sentenced the offender not to speak to any person at recess time for two days. Every citizen seemed alert to see that the sentence was strictly complied with. Popular opinion was evidently against swearing. One arrest was for trying to pick a fight because of an unintentional provo- cation. The sentence was to copy neatly and carefully twenty times the first law of the School City, which is as follows : Do good to others whatever they do to you. A Wise Girl Judge This interesting question arose in a Massa- chusetts School Republic: A jury trial was to be held in which the plea was "not guilty." The mayor was so firmly convinced of the innocence of the accused that he wished to act as counsel for the defense. To this the prosecuting attorney and most of the citi- zens objected, on the ground that the mayor and his high office would be associated in the minds of the jurors and his plea would there- fore have undue weight and improper in- fluence. The principal of the school was appealed to, but could not decide. The mayor 150 A New Citizenship appealed to a visitor, who had organized this school city a few months previous to this occurance, saying that he did not want to do anything improper or irregular, but he wish- ed very much to plead the case. Since there was nothing in their charter or in the laws passed by their city council to determine the question, he told them it could be set- tled eihter by action of the council, or, in the absence of such action, by decision of the court. The judge, who was an Italian girl of the 9th grade, said that, as truth and justice and the righting of the wrong were the objects of the court, any assistance which they might get from any source would be welcome, and the mayor was requested to give such assistance as he could. The teacher was enthusiastic in her praise of the dignity and firmness with which this girl always conducted her court. Dignity of The Court Upheld An illustration of how a wise teacher can uphold School Republic work was afforded in a certain court session. The boy complained of was the terror of his class. The policemen had been so thoroughly terrorized by him A Long Chapter of Short Stories 151 that they had refuse to arrest him for fear of physical consequences. The teacher had entered the complaint of disorderly conduct. The little terror pleaded not guilty, defied the teacher and the court, and in bullying tones declared that the chief of police and several other members of his class would testify that he had not done that which everyone in the room knew that he had done. The judge was a smaller boy than the terror and a member of the same class. He was mani- festly afraid of the culprit. He scratched his leg nervously and his face turned white as he realized that he must make a decision, but, gritting his teeth and summoning all the courage he possessed, he said: "I find you guilty and you must write an apology to the teacher before you can return to your work." The little terror threw a glance at the judge full of meaning as to his intentions to have revenge. Then the teacher sprang to her feet and said, "I want to say here for the protection of this judge that if the decision of the court had been anything less, I should have told the judge that he had made an error in judgment, and he must correct it, just as if he had gotten false results in a 152 A New Citizenship problem in arithmetic. When a judge whom you have elected renders a decision and it is approved by the school authority appointed by the board of education, it is not only the duty of everyone of you young citizens to see that his decree is carried into execution and that he is protected, but it is the duty of the school board and all the higher authorities of the city and state. This is not a play government; it is part of the system of our great American Republic." The courage of that judge was not lost; it spread to the rest of the class. The little terror did not punch the judge. He found that it was too big a contract. The teacher's protection may have been valuable, but the contagion of a moral victory in self-govern- ment saved the day. How 4,200 Pupils In a Publc School Govern Themselves As seen by a member of the staff of the New York Herald. "Hear ye! hear ye! hear ye! All those having business at this court draw near and give their attention; let all others depart." These words were not droned out, as is A Long Chapter of Short Stories 153 often the case in other courts, but were de- livered by the clerk in clear, sharp, and yet dignified tones that struck terror into the hearts of the prisoners who were waiting trial. Well might they tremble, for there was scarce- ly one of them who was not guilty. It is indeed seldom that charges are made before this tribunal unless they are well founded. And the prisoners also knew full well that justice would be done. Neither oratory nor subterfuge of counsel, nor social position, nor wealth could save them from just punish- ment if the evidence clearly proved their guilt. For this is the State Court of Public School No. 109, at Dumont Avenue and Powell Street, Brooklyn. There the laws are made by the boy and girl citizens of the school cities and school state and are administered by the city and state officials. In the school state laws are made to be observed and not broken. What may seem strange to the many persons who have not investigated the subject is the fact that they are much less frequently broken when made and enforced by the school citizens than when made and enforced by the princi- pals and teachers. 154 A New Citizenship That is why the culprits shifted about un- easily during the formalities of opening the court session, for there were so few of them out of a student body of more than 4,000 that they already stood disgraced even before pleading to the charges against them. Abe Diamon the sheriff, a thirteen-year old boy, whose face fairly beamed with good nature, handed to the fourteen-year-old clerk several documents, including warrants, subpoenas, and other papers showing that sentences which had previously been pronounced, had been duly executed. After scrutinizing the writs the clerk passed them up to the chief judge, who signed them. "State against David Toborisky, stand and come forward.' ' A sheriff from one of the cities, composed of the pupils of one class, led a meek looking culprit to the bar. The judge took the warrant from the clerk's hands and said: "David Toborisky, you are charged with a serious offence — that of disturbing the peace of your school city by knocking a grammar, an arithmetic, and a geography out of the hands of one Philip Cohen on Monday at three o'clock in the afternoon in front of this school. A Long Chapter of Short Stories 155 You have heard the charge ; what do you plead, guilty or not guilty?' ' Thoroughly frightened, the little defendant murmured, " Guilty.' ' "Have you anything to say why sentence should not be pronounced against you?" inquired the judge. The prisoner had nothing to say. The presiding judge conferred with his two colleagues for a few seconds and then announced his decision. "David Toborisky, I find you guilty. This, however, being your first offence, the court is inclined to be lenient with you. On Mon- day morning next you will apologize to Philip Cohen for knocking his books out of his arms. Sheriff, remove the defendant." This case being disposed of, the sheriff withdrew, the convicted boy following at his heels. Ever since then the latter has been a model pupil. In the case of the State against Jacob Paw- lotsky the indictment showed three distinct counts. First, that while passing from room to room after the conclusion of the science lesson he began to jig; second, that he spoke while his teacher was writing on the black- board; third, that when the city or class 156 A New Citizenship policeman threatened to arrest him he di- rected profane language at that official. At an inquest, held in the judge's chambers before the trial, it had been learned that Pawlotsky was a chronic law breaker. Neither his teacher nor any of his classmates has anything good to say of him. Accordingly, he was advised to plead guilty, "in order," as the judge remarked, "to save the time of the court." Pawlotsky had no witnesses, and, realizing his plight, did plead guilty. In answer to the judge's query as to what he had to say why sentence should not be imposed, a note from Pawlotsky's teacher was produced. It was as follows : "To the State Court of Public School No. 109 : "Since the beginning of the term Jacob Pawlotsky has behaved very badly. His mark in deportment is C. But last Monday he was served with a warrant to attend court. Since then, I am glad to say, he has im- proved wonderfully. In view of this fact, I respectfully petition Your Honor to be clem- ent toward him. Respectfully submitted, J. Rooney, Teacher." Again the judge conferred with his two associates. Then he said: — "Jacob Paw- A Long Chapter of Short Stories 157 lotsky, as you have pleaded guilty at the insti- gation of the Court, I suspend sentence on the first charge. Whereas your teacher has spoken well of your conduct in the class room during the last week and in order that you may continue to improve, I dismiss the second count. The third charge, however, is a very serious one. That your conduct may not be repeated and to impress upon the citizens of this school state that they must honor and obey the officers of this court, I sentence you to stand up in the assembly hall next Monday morning and apologize to the officer whom you insulted." Pawlotsky, with drooping head and burn- ing cheeks, was led away by the Sheriff, but ever since that day he has been one of the best behaved boys in the school, and he has so far regained the respect and confidence of his fellow citizens that some day he may be elected to office. Cases brought before this court include every violation of the rules applicable to a public school, all of which have been incorpo- rated in the statutes of the school state. Following is a list that shows the character of most of the offenses dealt with. It is 158 A New Citizenship taken from the court calendar for the weekly- session of June 12, names of the defendants, complainants, and witness being omitted: Resisting an officer, striking a boy with a ruler, cheating in a geography test, pushing a boy out of line, shouting "fire" during a fire drill, disobeying the mayor, disturbing the class when the teacher was out of the room, writing on a desk, arguing with a teacher. Sentences are as varied as the crimes. A penalty sometimes imposed is the giving of demerit marks. Ten or more demerit marks in a month means a deduction in his standing in all studies. One boy constantly misbe- haved and absolutely ignored the city and State officers and the court warrants, until his teacher made it clear to him that by de- merit marks being imposed he would lose in his studies, which might affect his graduation. Thoroughly frightened at such a prospect, he has since been careful to obey the state laws and recognize the authority of the court. Another form of punishment is to sentence a boy to spend half an hour or an hour, ac- cording to the gravity of the offence, every afternoon for a week in the principal's room after school. One of the most severe senten- A Long Chapter of Short Stories 159 ces is a public reprimand in the assembly room. This was resorted to several months ago in the case of an old and apparently in- corrigible offender. The five or six hundred children gathered in the room were told that during the last month the convicted boy had violated nearly every law of the school state and his school city and that he was not a desirable citizen. The rebuke caused a great sensation among the pupils and the young culprit was utterly downcast for probably the first time in his life. But he now has the highest mark in deportment. Remarkable results have been obtained through the state court of school No. 109. Of course the court is only one branch of the school state. The latter was organized by Mr. Wilson L. Gill. Mr. Gill, who is the founder of the school republic, as adopted in many parts of the world, and of which the school state and school city are forms, ex- plained in an article in the New York Herald recently the aims and objects of his system of school government. Lack of space prevented him from giving a detailed description of how any particular school state is conducted. School No. 109 affords an excellent example. 160 A New Citizenship This school is divided into a boys' depart- ment and a girls' department, each being under a different principal, although both are in the same building. There are about 2,200 pupils, forty-eight classes, and fifty-three teachers in the boys' department. Dr. Os- wald Schlockow is the principal. In the girls' department there are about two thousand pupils, forty-one classes and forty-five teachers Mrs. M. Q. Led with is the principal. When theMcCabe School State, it being named after the supervisor of the district, was organized by Mr. Gill the conduct of the children was especially poor. The teachers were in de- spair. Several days ago both principals re- ported that they had comparatively no trouble with the children. Boys and girls being confined to separate wings of the building, there are two sets of officers. The boys' legislature is called the House of Representatives, while the girls' is called the Senate. All legislation for the school state must be passed by both bodies and signed by both governors. This plan equally divides the authority between the boys and girls and the responsibility of see- ing that the laws are not broken. Every law, A Long Chapter of Short Stories 161 after being passed by the House and the Senate and signed by the two governors, is sent to the principals for their approval. Here are some of the laws enacted soon after the McCabe school State was organized : "Resolved, by the citizens of the McCabe School State, in the Legislature assembled: "That all text books be covered by October 20, 1907. "That expectorating on the premises of the school is prohibited. "That the Secretary of State shall announce all laws in the assembly room at the first assembly after they are approved by the principals. "That the mayors of the school cities shall be responsible for the execution of the laws in their respective cities and that in the ab- sence of the mayor, the sheriff shall assume charge. "That no citizen shall be permitted to hold more than one office at a time. "That the general school regulations now in force shall remain so until repealed or modified by law. "That the mayors shall be responsible for the conduct of the citizens of their respec- 162 A New Citizenship tive cities when going home at dismissals. "That no races shall be run on any street near the school between twelve o'clock and one o'clock in the afternoon. "That no citizen of the school state shall play any game near the school building be- tween the hours of eight o'clock and nine o'clock in the morning and twelve o'clock noon and one o'clock in the afternoon or three and half-past three o'clock in the afternoon. "That the name of this school state shall be "The McCabe School State." "That the councilman of each ward shall look in each desk of his ward after three o'clock in the afternoon to collect books left there. "That the following law be repealed: "That no games shall be played on any street near the school building between the hours of eight and nine o'clock in the morning, twelve o'clock noon and one o'clock and three and half-past three o'clock in the afternoon." Sessions of the Senate and the House of Representatives are held once a week. They are well conducted; in fact, there is probably no legislative body in the country conducted with greater dignity nor where parliamentary A Long Chapter of Short Stories 163 rules are more closely observed. The boys' court also is in session every week, as is also the girls' court when there are any cases on the calendar. But since the organization of the McCabe School State the girls seldom violate any of its laws. The boys' court is attended at every session by about eight hundred pupils, who appear to be greatly interested in the form of court procedure, as well as in specific cases. The principal at- tends every session of the House of Repre- sentatives, so that when called upon he may give to the boys any needed advice. One of the teachers who is also a lawyer, performs similar service at the sessions of the boys' court. The Indian School Cities at Fort Lapwai Sanitorium Extract from letter written by the head nurse and matron, Deaconess Mary Eliza- beth (Miss Metzler). Can you imagine our pleasure when Su- pervisor Wilson L. Gill came to us just before Christmas and organized the boys and girls of the Sanitorium into two "Cities" with City government? The idea of this training in citizenship is not new to all of our children, 164 A New Citizenship they having heard of it from Doctor Gill last spring, but it's intelligent application in every- day affairs is entirely novel to me, with this exception, that ever since coming here four months ago a small measure of self-govern- ment has been tried with the boys. My letters to you have told the very good results. However, we had reached the point when a woman's word and way needed the backing of a man's. Boys especially want the other "fellow," one of themselves, to "say so." Doctor Gill "said so." Then this preliminary training established receptivity for the fur- ther development brought us by Doctor Gill. Just as the children finished their Chirst- mas dinner, Doctor Gill, accompanied by Supervisor Baker and several visitors from the State Normal School, came into the dining room. For an hour and a half he held the intense interest of everybody. In such language as the children could readily under- stand, he spoke of our country, its aims and ambitions, and its status among other world powers. He explained its political system as it was intended to be, largely in the hands of trained and educated men. Then he told us of the existing situation in many of our cities A Long Chapter of Short Stories 165 and rural communities dominated by the 1 'bosses.' ' The remedy lies in the training of our children as good, practical, active citizens, and in this the Indians should have their share. He told how this could be begun at once, that the Sanitorium could be a democracy and the boys and girls its citizens. When the children had fully grasped this and its mean- ing, Doctor Gill put it to vote, whether they desired such an organization. There was not a dissenting voice. Then the offices and duties of Mayor, Council and Council President, Court and Judge, Clerks of the City, Council and Court were carefully reviewed. Doctor Gill by actual incidents of similar organiza- tions illustrated his points. After this he asked the boys to nominate one of their number for mayor, making a similar request of the girls. The nominating showed excel- lent discrimination in the selection of the candidates. Both candidates were elected unanimously. The same procedure was fol- lowed for the other offices, presidents of the councils, judges, and three clerks for each city. The boys and girls live in separate build- ings, and it seemed best for several reasons that each group should have its own "City," 166 A New Citizenship After the election, Doctor Gill asked the offi- cers to come before the assembly and he then administered the "Oath of Office." The spontaneous interest of the children was very marked, and that this interest was not assumed merely for the occasion was proved by the eagerness afterward with which the children came to me, asking, "how can we be good citizens of the city that Doctor Gill told us about?" Understanding quite well that this "self- government" training for "citizenship" is not intended as an organization to be let loose in the hands of children, we (the nurse in charge of the girls, and I, as head nurse, and in immedaite charge of the boys) explain- ed still further all that Doctor Gill had or- ganized, and how, in this organization, we were the "advisors" to teach the children what to do and how. We would be present at all meetings to help and instruct where necessary (often suggestion is all that is needed to set a girl or boy on the track of intelligent procedure). We want to "do things right." Boys es- pecially respond to law and order justly administered, and to technical terms and A Long Chapter of Short Stories 167 parliamentary usages. Already the effect of a distinct organization is quite pronounced, in small things as well as those more impor- tant. It does not matter much if a boy does track mud indoors; maybe no one sees him and some other fellow will clean it up. With a "City" to keep clean and sanitary, that each "citizen" may have all the benefit of healthful surroundings, it is up to each "citizen" to do his share, and that is quite a different matter; and one which prevents all that is not wholesome and clean, rather than provides a remedy afterward. Even children can see this. A specific instance of the helpfulness of the organization occurred when one of the boys (who previously required men and the guard- house to handle him) was guilty of serious misconduct in the dining room. A special session of the Boys' City Court was called, and, so far as circumstances and environ- ment permitted, court technicalities and order were obserevd, I, of course, coaching the officers to correct terms, the lawyers to in- telligent questioning and the witnesses to truthful testimony. Here it became necessary, in order to get testimony at all, to carefully 168 A New Citizenship explain the difference between tale telling and stating necessary facts in order to help the offender to do better, and protect the rights of other citizens. The court procedure developed the fact that another boy was guilty of the same mis- demeanor, with the additional offence of lying, so he also came up for trial. After all testimony was in, the offenders were allowed to plead for themselves, and the case was pre- sented to the Court. In this instance a regular jury was not appointed, but the Judge appointed four advisors. They retired to my private office to decide upon a just punish- ment. As their teacher and advisor it was my business to be present at their delibera- tions and aid them if necessary to arrive at a logical and just conclusion, but I did not find it necessary to give one hint. The sen- tences imposed were excellent. I could not have done better, perhaps not so well. Both boys, for the dining room misconduct, were to be isolated at separate tables in the dining room until they had proved their fitness to eat with gentlemen. For lying, the one boy had the additional sentence of chopping wood daily for a week, one hour of his play time A Long Chapter of Short Stories 169 each day. This latter was especially apropos, as the boy in question is remarkably lazy in proportion to his health. Both boys on trial sat quietly through the proceedings. After the first embarrassment of things which seemed a trifle funny was over- come, a certain wholesome awe for the court pervaded the atmosphere. They heard their sentence with no more protest than faces somewhat pale. They have acted toward the judge and witnesses as though nothing had happened, and have gone to their isolated meals and wood chopping without a word of protest or any reminder from me. The good to the children themselves, now and for their future, is the chief question. But can you understand what it means to a woman in the government of boys? And this is only our beginning. We mean to "grow," branch out on city lines, and adopt laws especially applicable to the development of a good Sanitorium. There will be "Street Commissioners" who will take charge of the halls and a "Park Commissioner" who will see to the yard, and, oh, ever so many things that will make duties, irksome in themselves, resolve into more or 170 A New Citizenship less fun and pleasure under the incentive of being good citizens in a good city. Another thing of interest and value is that a careful record of all proceedings is to be kept. The record of the court trial was copied, and the boys became very grave upon realizing that these records were available for future reference. The effect on the copy- ing clerk has been very good. To write a thing always peculiarly impresses it. This boy has been noticably thoughtful since, and anxious that others, as well as himself, should observe the Sanitorium regulations. Whatever the future result may be, we are "hoping great things." When the basic principle of a government is to do only that which you would have the other fellow do to you and never to do what you would not have him do, certainly good must follow. Don't you believe so? Almost all children, particularly boys, and especially Indians, have a strong innate sense of justice. A wise guidance of them in participating in the affairs of government must surely train them for a better and more helpful adult citizenship. CHAPTER X. Appeal To Citizens and Legislators HAVING found a successful method for moral and civic training, there still remains the problem of reaping from it the greatest possible good. Of course it is evident this must be accomplished through the proper use of it by all schools for young people. But how are we to bring about its general adoption and proper use? That is quite another question. For sixteen years educators have been aware of the fact that there is a laboratory method of teaching the art of right living, including citizenship. Judging from the his- tory of educational methods, we seem to be justified in believing that we cannot reason- ably look to them to make a general appli- cation of any new method in less than from fifty years to a century. In fact they are not in a position to adopt a new educational method without help from the people and at 171 172 A New Citizenship least so much of the government as a local school board. Of course they can delay the adoption of a new method, and generally do, for they are very conservative, in spite of the fact that there are, in the aggregate, a good many progressives among them. However, when they are employed to do a given task, they generally do it as best they know how. Is it not evident that our appeal must be made to the people and to their representa- tives in Congress and in the state legisla- tures? If so, we know to whom to appeal, But how are we to do it? We must enlist the personal interest and co-operation of the people to secure provi- sion for the introduction of the method and such supervision as will insure the use of it in the right spirit and with greatest efficiency. We must look also to the people to encourage the children and their teachers in this work for moral training and good government, and to help them to arouse and maintain their enthusiasm. As fast as friends are won their names should be enrolled, and every friend should make reasonable endeavor to enlist others. This can be done through membership in an Appeal to Citizens and Legislators 173 association, which is for the specific purpose of advancing the cause. By means of the association, every member can be kept in touch with the headquarters and be informed through its periodical of everything of im- portance in relation to the movement. This matter is one of so much importance to every community and every person in it, that when the way is made clear how they may do it, many societies, patriotic, civic, and others that are working for better moral and civic conditions, will gladly co-operate to build up a large organization to work for moral and civic training. We must have a large popu- lar support before we can reasonably hope for all the legislation that is desirable. In our appeal to legislators, we must make a brief statement of what we wish to ac- complish and the cost of it, and then ask them to authorize the work and make such ap- propriation for its maintenance as may be necessary. This appeal may be in some such words as the following : To Legislators: Based on the following statements, we ask you to make authorita- tive provision for civic and social training of the youth of our country. 174 A New Citizenship A laboratory method for use in schools has been invented for teaching morality, in- cluding citizenship. It has been tested by the Unietd States Government, found eminent- ly successful for its purpose and has been officially approved and endorsed by several branches of the Government. It accomplish- es the following results : It reduces truancy, which is a serious prob- lem, from one end of our country to the other. It relieves teachers and other adult school officers of police duty, which consumes much of the time and energy needed for giving instruction. It constructs a new and effective means for protecting school and all other public and private property. It adds efficiency to all school work and zest and decency to play. It gives children the spirit and practice of citizenship. It teaches kindness, friendliness, loyalty, jus- tice, honesty and hatred of graft, thus bringing about better moral, social and civic conditions. It can promote, through the schools of all countries, universal peace and good -will, by practice as well as academically. Appeal to Citizens and Legislators 175 To accomplish these ends, the interests and co-operation of children must be engaged. They must be taught the principles of right living and of democratic government, to legislate, to carry their laws into execution, to adjudicate difficulties and elect officers, to assume the responsibility for school attend- ance and for the conduct of all the pupils. One hour of school time a week should be allowed for this work of moral and civic training. Teachers and all adults concerned should exhibit interest in the children's efforts and give them all the encouragement that children need to keep them up to their best efforts, intellgient, enthusiastic, and authori- tative supervision is needed to bring about the desired results. National legislation should be had, first to authorize the introduction of the method into all schools over which the Government has control, second to provide for its proper intro- duction and supervision, and third that such encouragement and aid as the Government gives to improve agricultural conditions throughout the country shall be given to im- prove the moral and civic conditions, as a mat- ter of internal defense, peace, and prosperity. 176 A New Citizenship Following is a suggestion for national and state legislation: A BILL Providing for Civic Training in All Schools which are under the control of the United States Government. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled: That all school authorities under the control of the United States Government shall introduce and maintain in all schools within their jurisdiction, training in citizenship by or- ganizing the pupils of each school room under some form of republican government, and training them to exercise the privileges and discharge the responsibilities of democracy honestly, honorably and efficiently; maintain- ing order, cleanliness and health; and co- operating among themselves and with the government of adults for good purposes, using principles, plans and nomenclature in harmony with those of American government ; and they shall provide therefor at least one hour's instruction each week for all children. This work shall be directed by a supervisor Large boys and girls, Carson (Nevada) Indian School. They have done some good work as citizens and officers of their school republic. See page 203. Little boys and girls, Carson Indian School. They elect civic of- ficers; maintain order in and out of school hours; in small groups elect daily their own teachers, each child having learned to be "teacher." The adult teacher goes from group to group encouraging and helping. The results for years have been excellent. Appeal to Citizens and Legislators 177 to be appointed by the President and who shall receive a salary of thousand dollars per annum. The said supervisor shall appoint a corps of assistants, each of whom shall receive a salary not to exceed three thousand dollars, one of whom shall be a special disbursing agent of the United States Treasury, with authority to pay by vouchers said salaries and all expenses of said work; and there is hereby appropriated for super- vision, correspondence, printed instructions, travelling and other expenses for the purpose of this act, for the fiscal year beginning July 1st, 1913, the sum of thousand dollars from any moneys in the Treasury of the United States not otherwise appropriated. A division for moral and civic training could be added to the Bureau of Education. CHAPTER XL General Summary RIGHT living is an art, and cannot be learned efficiently except as other arts are learned, which is by practice of the art itself under instruction of a master of the art. That sort of practice under instruction, as already noted, is called the "laboratory method." The ordinary method of teaching morality, which is called ' 'academic,' ' and has been used inadequately through the centu- ries and is in general use now throughout the world, depends upon lectures, speeches, sermons, books, songs, and recitations, and mainly upon memorizing. In one decade, since a public school system has been es- tablished in many countries, greater results can be gotten throughout the world by the laboratory method than have been gotten in two thousand years by the academic. 178 General Summary 179 Right living and good citizenship are one and the same thing. If a person thinks they are two things, he will be unable to tell where one leaves off and the other begins. The only place, under present conditions throughout the civilized world, in which the masses of the people can be taught right living or citizenship is in the schools, and these have not used the method by which the art can be taught. Consequently there are com- paratively few persons in the world who have thoroughly learned the art, and as entirely successful democracy is dependent upon its application by persons who live approximately right, it has been, speaking mildly, to a large degree a failure in many parts of our country. The only complete remedy for this is to use the laboratory method in the schools for teaching morality or right living. Right living, correct citizenship, highest morality, perfect democracy — all the same thing — cannot exist unless based on the scientific principle which is expressed in the Golden Rule or in the words, "Do good to others, whatever they do to you." The laboratory method of teaching right living, including citizenship, was invented in 180 A New Citizenship 1897, when a systematized plan was made and used successfully with eleven hundred immi- grant children in New York City. The ages of the children were from five to fifteen years. The frame work of this plan was that of a democratic republic in the form of a munici- pality. The little republic was called the "School City" and the system as developed is called the School Republic. The method may be applied by the use of any one of an endless number of variations of the plan, without departing in the slightest from the right principles of government. Whenever teachers enter into the spirit of the method, the pupils will develop the plans according to the conditions of the com- munity in which they live. Whether a school consist of one or of many rooms, one room is considered the unit of organization and has all the powers of govern- ment ; legislative, executive, and judicial. The pupils are taught to make laws, carry them into execution, to adjudicate difficulties, and to elect officers. The teacher is not a citi- zen or officer, but teacher, in this as in arith- metic, helping the pupils to be independent in sovling their daily social and civic problems, General Summary 181 as in solving the problems in arithmetic. This is real, not play government, though it has all the pleasure and exhilaration of good team play. This government may be in the form of a village, town, county, or city. Several school-room governments may be joined in a state, and several states in a federal government. In a boarding school, each dormitory may be a state, and the academic schoolhouse the federal district, with each schoolroom a village, town, or city. In a school in which there is no "home room" but where the pupils go from room to room for recitation, each grade may be organized as a unit, or each group of twenty to forty that have to be kept together for any particular purpose may constitute a unit of organization. The School Republic is not a thing which will "work" itself or which the children, unaided by the teachers, can use to advantage. It must be treated as mathematics or other school work is treated. The School Republic is true, faithful, and kindly citizenship brought to the individual early enough in his life to enable him to in- corporate it into his habits and character. 182 A New Citizenship It is based on the spirit and plan of the Declaration of Independence and Constitu- tion of the United States and the practice, rather than the mere knowledge, of the Golden Rule. It is Christianity systematically ap- plied by children to their daily life, by means of democracy, to aid them to develop fine, strong, best characters. To preaching and academic teaching of morals and civil government, is added, under instruction, daily and constant practice of the art of right living, including faithful citizen- ship. Its plan is very elastic, being simple for those who wish to use but a few features. Other features may be added from time to time when wanted. The spirit but not the plan is the same in a kindergarten and in a college, or, if the same general plan is used, it of course would be more fully developed in the college. It educates in social relations. It trains not by precept, but by action. It educates by employing the normal and personal activities of the student for educa- tion. It develops by imposing responsibility. General Summary 183 It systematically imposes responsibility which raises the individuals who accept it to a higher moral and civic plane. It puts into the individual who is thus raised, the desire and ability to lift all his associates to the same level. The School Republic, in large measure, replaces repression of wrong-doing by ex- pression of that which is right. There are no spies or monitors appointed by the teacher. In some School Republics there are no police, for every citizen is plegded to obey the laws and to insist that all the rest shall do the same. Where there are police, their chief function is to help those who need help and to make things go right; it is not to get people into trouble and make arrests. It is an enlightened public opinion with power to stamp out all wrong-doing in a legal and orderly way, and to encourage right thought and action. It can easily make an end of hazing and all other forms of anarchy in schools and colleges. It is the best means for securing obedience and for preparing children for self-government. Therefore, it requires no special course of coer- cion or other preparatory training to precede it. 184 A New Citizenship It does not draw a pupil's attention from his other school work, but on the contrary by improving his spirit increases his interest in his studies and all school affairs. It makes an end of truancy, cigarette smoking, swearing and other bad language, lewdness, destruction of property, tattling, and other forms of illegal gossip. It enables the young citizen to distinguish between tattling and honorable testimony and exposing of wrong for the purpose of checking wrong doing. It develops personal independence and the habit of defending his own as well as other's rights. It develops co-operation for every good purpose. It develops the fact that more than ninety per cent, of normal boys and girls prefer right conditions to wrong, and it gives them the means to express this, to show their indigna- nation for wrong and to discourage all wrong doing. Thereby the wrong-doer realizes that he has no sympathy or covert encouragement, but only condemnation from the almost unanimous majority. He is almost sure to seek consolation in doing what is right. General Summary 185 It furnishes a means, proved to be thoroughly successful, for constantly incorporating the practice of the Golden Rule into the ordinary daily habits and character of the whole body of pupils in the school. This is a decided improvemnet on the simple memorizing of moral precepts. The improved spirit lightens the cares of both teachers and pupils. It improves the personal morals of the students. All children are helped to construct good character for themselves. Bad children are put on the right track morally and as citizens. It reduces the number of petty offenses which call for punishment. It appeals not to fear of punishment but to honor and care for the common welfare. The childs own conscience is trained and given charge of his conduct, in place of the ordinary endeavor to subject him to the teacher's conscience. It increases and gives valuable support to self respect. "It develops a sense of manliness, woman- liness, independence, and personal responsi- 186 A New Citizenship bility, as nothing else has done, and certainly in a manner that mere oral instruction can never do." — Dr. Charles M. Buchanon. It develops in the young people honor, re- spect, and obedience to laws of their own making, and hence to all properly constituted authority, such as of parents, teachers, city ordinances, state laws, etc. It exerts a beneficial influence upon the children when out of school. The joys of childhood may be multiplied. Play apparatus may be increased with little or no public expense. Greater value and pleasure can be derived from play apparatus. Public and private property are protected instead of being injured by ruthless boys. Public and private supplies are used with greater economy. Two or three times as many pupils may be taught by one teacher, with increased good results for each individual child. The system may be used to teach every pupil the art of teaching, the pupils electing from their own number teachers to serve for a day or longer time, thereby increasing the pupils' interest, eradicating laggardism and General Summary 187 dishonesty in recitations, and enabling the adult teacher to instruct a larger number of pupils, either in one body or in groups. This can be done without extra expenditure of money or time. Children in grammar grades, when they have an organization by which to protect themselves, are able to prevent unclean talk and the circulation of such pictures, notes, and printed matter as lead to disaster in high school years, and in all grades they can and do protect themselves from wrongs of which the teachers know nothing, or know only after the wrong is done. It cultivates in the students a judicial frame of mind. It tends to preclude snap judgments by establishing a system of judgments upon evidence. It removes causes of friction between teachers and pupils and develops most cordial relations. It lifts a child from the plane of servility to one of friendship with the teachers. It produces better order and discipline in the schools. The ordinary discipline of the school is made educational. 188 A New Citizenship It furnishes "a new motive for discipline, to the end that all the school's activities may be made educational." It releases for constructive work much of the teacher's energy ordinarily consumed in police duty. Teachers may be relieved of police duty in the halls and playground. The friction of school life and the teacher's nervous strain being relieved, she can give more time and force to the work of instruction. It gives the students an acquaintance with governmental forms. "It inculcates practical principles of civics totally different from the memorizing of dry- bones passages from the Constitution." It forms habits of good citizenship while the mind is plastic and open to the full force of the love of justice and free from the commercial motives, graft, and other influences that in later life so often interfere with the duties of citizenship. It prepares for future participation in the city, state, and the nation, a body of citizens who are informed as to their duties, trained in the practice of them, and imbued with the interests and purposes of a true public spirit. General Summary 189 It takes nothing from the teachers' author- ity. It is an added authority under the guid- ance of the teachers. It requires no time in addition to that ordi- narily provided for moral and civic instruction. In those schools where time is not already provided for moral and civic instruction, it is desirable that from one to two hours a week should be alloted to School Republic work. It requires enthusiastic and judicious super- vision. When it "spreads" without this, it is apt to be misunderstood, misused and the cause damaged. In many cases the principal and teachers of a school, without asking any higher author- ity, can and do take up the School Republic method and experience nothing but pleasure and good results. In many other cases, the principal and some if not all the teachers desiring to use the method, cannot do so without embarrassment and courting failure, unless they have a posi- tive order from competent authority, which in those cases is very helpful and adds to the comfort of the work Many teachers not yet informed or even unfavorable to the use of the School Republic 190 A New Citizenship method, when required by undoubted and competent authority to use it, have become suc- cessful users of the method and thankful for it. Mr. Louis P. Nash, headmaster or super- intendent of a large school district in Boston, after thirteen years' experience with the School Republic, in his own schools, wrote about May 1st, 1913, and sums up the matter as follows: "My experience and observation of the School Republic is, that it is altogether useful and not at all harmful. "Its intellectual advantages are many. "It teaches the forms of Government. "It gives practice in conducting meetings, in voting, in carrying on elections, in usin victory or accepting defeat. "It teaches to weigh candidates, to conside duties, and the suitability of persons for places. "Its Moral advantages are more consider- able. "Officers learn to exercise authority over their fellows and equals, while citizens like- wise learn to recognize lawful rule; it culti- vates responsibility on both sides. "It brings out co-operation, which is espe- cially to be desired in a republic." The method is already used in many countries . General Summary 191 It has been the subject of official investiga- tion by special commissioners of education from a number of countries in Europe, Asia, Africa and South America, and has been of- ficially authorized in several if not all of them. It is used in some schools in China, and can be made of inestimable value in developing the new republic. It can be made a most powerful factor in securing universal and permanent peace and friendship among nations. The method was adopted by the United States War Department for Cuba, by the Bureau of Indian Affairs for the Indians, and the United States Commissioner of Educa- tion for the schools under his authority. Whatever good has been done or may yet be done for Porto Rico and the Philippines, they cannot be adequately prepared for self government, except by means of this method in all of their schools and under thorough supervision. The responsibility in reference to this mat- ter should be assumed by the United States Congress and state legislatures. Friends of the cause should work with this end in view. Giant-strides, teeters, swings, etc., built at almost no cost by boys of board of public works, Carson Indian School Republic. Above: merry-go-round, constructed at large expense by Indian Bureau, out of repair and use for years; put in repair by boys as soon as organized in a republic. Below: teeters, swings, etc., built by boys of board of public works at almost no cost. A NEW CITIZENSHIP APPENDIX Prefatory Note : — The amount of testimony which has accumulated con- cerning the important results which have been gained by the use of the School Republic or laboratory method of moral and civic training is so large, and the limits of such a book as this are so small that it is embarrassing to pick out one from many equally fine and strong statements, and leave the rest unpublished. This, however, has had to be done in this Appendix, with the hope that much of that which remains may be published later. CONTENTS OF APPENDIX Chapter I. The School Republic promoted by the American Patriotic League 195 II. Cuba, Alaska and Indian Schools; Major General Leonard Wood; Dr. P. P. Claxton, U. S. Com- missioner of Education; Letter from an Indian School 198 III. Method used in Primary and Grammar Schools . 205 IV. In a High School 211 V. In a Normal School 216 VI. Gold Medal and Diploma awarded; addresses by Mr. Louis E. Levy, Rev. Thomas R. Slicer, Rev. Dr. Charles Wood, Dr. Martin Brum- baugh ; letter from President Roosevelt 223 VII. Banquet of Boston School Masters; addresses by Dr. Snedden, Mass. Commissioner of Educa- tion; Mr. H. R. Williams, Superintendent Wenham Schools; Mr. F. V. Thompson, Assistant Superintendent Boston Schools; Mr. James P. Munroe, Executive Director of "Boston 1915" 233 VIII. Clergymen and Daughters of the American Revo- lution 241 IX. Editorials: Paris Figaro, Heraldo de Madrid, Havana Post, Boston Common, Philadelphia Press, Philadelphia North American 244 X. Brief Charter for School City 256 XI. Brief Constitution for School State 259 XII. Brief Constitution for Federal Republic 263 XIII. Children's International State 266 CHAPTER I THE AMERICAN PATRIOTIC LEAGUE. THIS society was chartered under law of Congress in 1891 to promote the cause of civic education. It organized chapters throughout the United States to study citizenship and government. These were in connection with other societies, clubs, schools, churches and the Army and Navy. It published "Our Country," a magazine of instructions in civic matters, the literature being prepared by members of the advisory board. This work was continued until it led to the realization that it was but academic and that citizenship cannot be learned by academic means alone. These means must be supplemented by the actual practice of citizenship, and for the great mass of our people, this must be in the habit form- ing part of life, under instruction in the schools. An experiment was made in 1897 in a New York "East Side" school to test a plan for carrying this idea into practice. We organized eleven hundred foreign born children from five to fifteen years of age as citizens of a republic, taught them to make laws, to carry them into execution, to adjudicate difficulties and to elect officers. This experiment was thor- oughly successful, and is more fully described elsewhere in this book. Our resources did not admit of endeavors for both the academic and practical instruction and in 1901 the former gave way to the latter. Following is a list of the officers and members of the ad- visory board and life members from 1891 till the present: 195 196 A New Citizenship — Appendix Henry Herschall Adams, Ralph Albertson, Charles Henry Arndt, Leonard P. Ayres, James A. Beaver, Elizabeth P. Bemis, Ludwig B. Bernstein, Alice M. Birney, Sarah Knowles Bolton, Francis M. Burdick, Alice Carter, Mrs. William M. Carter, John A. Cass, Francis E. Clark, John Lewis Clark, Grover Cleveland, John R. Commons, Thomas S. Crane, Bernard Cronson, R. Fulton Cutting, George Dewey, Mary Lowe Dickinson, James Mapes Dodge, William E. Dodge, Charles F. Dole, Patterson Du Bois, Dorman B. Eaton, John Eaton, Wm. H. P. Faunce, Ruford Franklin, Alden Freeman, Merril E. Gates, William A. Giles, Allis Bradford Gill, Herbert Richmond Gill, Mrs. John L. Gill, Wilson L. Gill, President, Arthur Goadby, E. P. Goodman, Frank J. Goodnow, Elizabeth B. Grannis, Simon Gratz, Luther H. Gulick, Alexander M. Hadden, Edward Everett Hale, Edward H. Hance, James H. Hamilton, Henry B. Hammond, Benjamin Harrison, Rutherford B. Hayes, John W. Heggeman, Esther Herrman, Walter L. Hervey, Abram S. Hewitt, Helen M. Hill, Richard Pearson Hobson, O. O. Howard, John Jay, Charles F. Jenkins, John Story Jenks, Wm. Bradford Jordan, W. W. Keene, Frederic R. Kellogg, George W. Kirchwey, Mrs. Elizabeth B. Kirkbride, Joseph Lamb, Henry M. Leipsiger, Louis Edward Levy, Samuel McC. Lindsay, Ben B. Lindsey, Mary A. Livermore, James MacAlister, Robert S. MacArthur, George D. Mackay, Milo R. Maltbie, La Salle A. Maynard, The American Patriotic League 197 John J. McCook, William McKinley, Father Thomas McMillan, Henry D. Metcalf, Levi P. Morton, P. V. N. Myers, John H. C. Nevius, Arthur E. Overbury, Nanette B. Paul, Mrs. Samuel R. Percy, Daniel T. Pierce, Gifford Pinchot, Overton W. Price, J. C. Pumpelly, W. S. Rainsford, E. O. Randall, Jacob A. Riis, Luis Munoz Rivera, William C. Robinson, Theodore Roosevelt, Wm. Jay Schieffelin, Oswald Schlockow, T. D. Sensor, Mary Seward, Theodore S. Seward, Albert Shaw, Eliot F. Shepard, Kate B. Sherwood, George H. Shibley, Thomas R. Slicer, Samuel Francis Smith, Matthew K. Sniffen, James Speyer, Joseph A. Steinmetz, Lyman Beecher Stowe, Isidor Straus, Josiah Strong, Wm. L. Strong, Herman B. Walker, Felix Warburg, George E. Waring, Jr., William Ives Washburn, Richard Welling, Herbert Welsh, D. B. Wesson, George Derby White, James T. White, Delos F. Wilcox, Elias Bunn Wilcox, Everett G. Willard, Stephen S. Wise, Leonard Wood, Mrs. Owen Wister, James Albert Woodburn, Clinton Rogers Woodruff, Mrs. Theodore G. Wormley, CHAPTER II CUBA, ALASKA AND INDIAN SCHOOLS THE United States Government, through several of its departments and bureaus has used the School Republic method of moral and civic training. The official reports, published by the Government, testify to the most satisfactory results. These reports are voluminous and intensely interesting, but the limits of this book do not admit of reproducing any of them here. The man who has had the largest official experience with this method is that renowned surgeon, scholar and soldier, the head of the United States Army, Major- General Leonard Wood, with whom rested the responsibility of cleaning Cuba, driving out the mosquetos and yellow fever, and thus pro- tecting the people of our Southern States from the annual threat of a yellow fever epidemic, which always came from the Cuban ports; of giving to the people who had been fight- ing for half a century for their freedom, a citizenship different from that which has been so much in evidence in Central America, which would keep the Island clean and free from periodical bloody revolutions. General Wood used the School Republic method, to give to the grown people of Cuba an illustration and understand- ing of citizenship by means of organizing every public school in the Island as a republic and training the children as citizens, responsible for the conditions of cleanliness, health, justice and honor in their neighborhoods. On the 10th of September, 1913, after the manuscript of this book was put into the printer's hands, General Wood wrote a letter to accompany some documents to be submitted to President Wilson. A copy of that letter is given here, though it is embarrassing to the Author to print anything so complimentary to himself personally. The reader is 198 Cuba, Alaska and Indian Schools 199 begged to subordinate the personal feature to the General's statement regarding the broad and valuable results of the use of the method. War Department Office of the Chief of Staff Washington September 10, 1913. To Whom It May Concern: Mr. Wilson L. Gill was on duty in Cuba during the period that I was Military Governor of the Island, and performed most valuable service in the establishment of the "School Republic." The results were most satisfactory; indeed, they were so satisfactory that I unhesitatingly commend the idea as worthy of most serious consideration. Mr. Gill, in the discharge of his duties, dsiplayed very marked ability and the results were far reaching and valuable, and are fully set forth in my various reports as Military Governor of Cuba and the reports of the officials at the head of the Public School System of the Island. This system would, I believe, be especially valuable in all schools, and would result in our children being much better equipped for the discharge of their civic responsibilities. LEONARD WOOD, Major-General, Chief of Staff. As One Man — Editorial in La Realidad, Havana However much the paths of Havana editors may diverge when they pursue partisan questions, it is interesting to note they have been almost as one man in the support they have given the School Republic method of training people while in the schools to appreciate and exercise the rights and per- form the obligations of citizenship. We reproduce the last article on the School Republic, as published by our contemporary La Patria, with which we are in hearty and earnest accord. [This is a very forceful editorial of three columns, by Dr. Lincoln De Sayas, Editor of "La Patria," but the limits of this book will admit of only the following brief extract. He 200 A New Citizenship — Appendix had been Assistant Superintendent of Public Schools, and later was Secretary of Education in the President's cabinet.] The Hope of Cuba The introduction of Mr. Gill's system into our public schools opens up a vast horizon to our young people. It is wholesome, moral, patriotic education. If our future citizens do not know how to exercise their rights and fulfil their duties as tax-payers and electors, then indeed all treasure which has been spent, the generous blood which has been shed, and the heroic lives which have been sacrificed on the altar of Cuba's liberty, shall have been in vain. If, on the other hand, our schools shall develop our young men and women into industrious, moral, Patriotic members of a free country, fulfilling all the duties and obligations of their sphere in life with conscience and fidelity, the Republic of Cuba will be worthy of all the sacrifices which have been made on its behalf, and assured of a long, prosperous and glorious existence. The hope of Cuba is in her young boys and girls. No work, no labor, no sacrifice can be too wearisome or dear, if the object is to bring up honest, conscientious citizens of the future republic in right principles of civic duties. Mr. Gill's system of moral and civic instruction will convert every schoolroom into a miniature republic and every scholar into a peaceful, law-abiding, righteous citizen. An official letter to the teachers in Alasks, from the United States Commissioner of Education, Dr. P. P. Claxton, is also given, both because of his personal reputation as a great educator, and because he is the highest official educa- tional authority in the United States. It is well to note that he takes the responsibility of determining that this method shall be used in all the schools under the authority of the United States Bureau of Education, and does not leave it as an uncertainty with the teachers. This is the fair and just thing to be done so far as the teachers and pupils are concerned. Cuba, Alaska and Indian Schools 201 Department of the Interior Bureau of Education Washington Alaska Division December 9, 1912 THE SCHOOL CITY. To the Teachers in the Alaska School Service : — The object of the Alaska School Service is the advancement in civilization of the native races, with a view to their ultimate absorption into the body politic as good citizens. The full attainment of this object is doubtless remote, but we welcome every effective agency toward the accomplishment of this end. The School City, a school democracy founded on kindness and justice, has proved itself a vital influence in preparing for in- telligent citizenship the white children in the public schools in the United States, the children in the Indian Schools, and in the schools of Cuba. The introduction of the School City into our schools in Alaska will be an important influence in securing the sympathetic co-operation of the pupils; by inculcating the duties, privileges, and responsibilities of citizenship, it will more rapidly prepare the natives of Alaska for citizenship. I transmit herewith two pamphlets by Mr. Wilson L. Gill, LL.B., the father of the School City Movement: The School Republic in Indian Schools. Bad Civic Conditions and a Remedy. You are directed to read these pamphlets carefully, thoroughly to master the principles therein set forth, to familiarize yourselves with the methods of procedure recommended and, using your best judgment, put them into effect in your school and in the native village in which your school is situated. Information regarding your action in this matter should be included in your annual report. Assuring you of my personal interest in your work, I am, Very Respectfully, P. P. CLAXTON, Commissioner. These letters from Mr. Charles F. Hauke, Second Assistant Commissioner of Indian Affairs and the Carson Indian 202 A New Citizenship — Appendix School, will give an idea of how the method is received in some parts of the Indian service. Department of the Interior Office of Indian Affairs Washington June 24, 1911. Mr. Wilson L. Gill, Supervisor of Indian Schools, Sir: I am in receipt of a letter from Mrs. Bertha Barnes, Secretary of The Stewart Golden Rule Association at Carson Indian School, under date of June 12, 1911, enclosing copies of letters addressed to you in response to a resolution of the Association, expressing appreciation of the service rendered by you, during your recent visit, in introducing the School Republic Method of Civic Training at that school. It is a pleasure to note that your visit proved to be highly satisfactory and that you were able to accomplish so much. Respectfully, C. F. HAUKE, 6-LC-21 Second Assistant Commissioner. Department of the Interior United States Indian Service Stewart, Nevada June 12, 1911. Mr. Wilson L. Gill, Supervisor at Large. Dear Sir: At a meeting last evening of the Stewart Golden Rule Association which has just been organized by all the teachers and employees of the Carson Indian School and officers of our School State, to enable us to co-operate most efficiently to make a thorough success of Commissioner Valentine's plan to introduce your Youth's Commonwealth, or School Republic Method of Civic Training into our school, a resolu- tion was introduced by Mr. Belmonte and unanimously adopt- ed, directing me, their Secretary, to draft a letter to be signed Cuba, Alaska and Indian Schools 203 by each member of our club, expressing our gratitude to you and to Mr. Valentine, Commissioner of Indian Affairs, who has sent you to us for the invaluable service you have ren- dered, not only to the Indian children, but to ourselves. Enclosed herewith, please find the said letter, and having had a large experience in the Indian Service, believe me to be deeply impressed with the far-reaching importance and value of this effectual move for systematic co-operation for best conditions throughout the Service. Very respectfully and sincerely yours, BERTHA BARNES, Sec'y of The Stewart Golden Rule Association. Department of the Interior United States Indian Service Stewart, Nevada June 12, 1911. Mr. Wilson L. Gill, Supervisor at Large of Indian Schools. Dear Sir: We, the teachers and employees of the Carson Indian School and the School State officers, feeling grateful to you and to the officers of the Department of the Interior, who sent you to us, for the service you have rendered by the in- troduction of your School Republic method of civic training and co-operation for every good purpose among the Indian children in our charge, are addressing to you this letter to express, to you, our appreciation of its value, not only to the young people in our care, but to ourselves. We now realize that there is a large latent force for good in the children, which we have never known how to utilize, but which we now see can be developed, systematically, for their present and future comfort and usefulness, and also, that the co-operation of all the men and women entrusted with the care of the children, necessary to make a success of this system, will result in a good fellowship which cannot otherwise result than in greater efficiency for the purpose for which the school exists. We wish to assure you that we shall do all in our power to 204 A New Citizenship — Appendix develop this system, knowing full well that it will require patience and persistence on our part to adapt it to the con- ditions which now exist and which we feel full confidence we shall be able to materially improve, by means of it. Grateful to Commissioner Valentine for giving to us this system, we are sending to him a copy of this letter. Very sincerely your friends, George Houten, Governor Emma Martin, Vincenti Burke, Lt. Governor, Mrs. Boileau, Minnie Charles, Chief Justice, C. H. Asbury, John Frank, Superintendent, Clerk of Legislature, Dale H. Reed, John T. Woodside, Daisy Washington, Mrs. Paul A. Walter, Angelo Belmonte, Nettie Reid, Paul A. Walter, Olive B. Burgess, W. S. Kreigh, Lottie George, Jennie O'Connor, J. Jerry Davis, Gertrude A. Cowles, Florence A. Queen, Mrs. Lulu White, Charles Hajohn, Bessie C. Elkins, Francis Mansfield, Julia A. Fisher, Allie H. Barnett, Bertha Barnes, Jessie L. Fisher. Secretary. There is much such testimony as the above. Miss Helen C. Sheahan, Mrs. Wadsworth, Miss Gould and other kindergarten and first and second grade teachers as well as many in the higher grades have used the method with success, some of them as many as ten years ago. Dr. Charles M. Buchanan, Superintendent at Tulalip, has used the method many years. But all need the help of a spe- cial supervisor. The ordinary methods in the Indian schools tend to in- stitutionalize, demoralize and break down personal inde- pendence and the desire to be self-supporting. Commissioner Valentine formally adopted the School Republic method to aid in correcting this unfortunate condition, and the Government ought to insist on its successful use in every Indian school. CHAPTER III IN PRIMARY AND GRAMMAR SCHOOLS Letters to the Franklin Institute from Several Supervising Principals of Philadelphia Schools THE names of the writers are withheld, partly because some of them have objected to the burdensome amount of correspondence resulting from previous publication. In the fall of 1898, the Board of Public Education authorized me by resolution to put Mr. Gill's method into operation in my school. Acting upon the authority thus given me, I promptly organized a school Republic in my School, in No- vember of that year, and so have had five years' experience with it. The School Board printed the School City charter, which had been revised by Mr. Simon Gratz, to make it more nearly conform to our local municipal government. Good results followed immediately and have continued throughout these five years. Much of the rough conduct outside of the school rooms has been removed, and thereby the task of both the teacher and pupils has been materially lightened. The method is thoroughly successful and satisfactory. Where children have improved they have continued to im- prove. I have always felt that the greatest good accomplished by the School Republic was through the moral atmosphere which it creates. It brings the principal and teacher into closer touch with the children, and gives an opportunity for direct moral training upon many questions which never arise in the ordinary routine of school discipline. 205 206 A New Citizenship— Appendix Incidentally the children learn a great deal of their city government, of the manner of conducting elections, and of the duties of the several offices of mayor, councilman, etc., but I have always considered this secondary to the great moral lessons of learning to respect law for law's sake, of doing right because it is right, and of being kinder and more polite to one another in their daily intercourse. While I believe the School Republic to be a good thing, I also believe that it needs to be wisely directed by those who are in full sympathy with its spirit, and who understand that to send the child out into the world fully equipped for citizenship, he must be trained, not only mentally and physi- cally but morally, with correct character and habits of citizen- ship already formed, and this may to a large extent be ac- complished by the School Republic method. I have been most agreeably surprised by the success of the School Republic. I did not approve this plan of school government when it was first presented to me, and should not have adopted it had it not been for the positive request of Mr. Simon Gratz. I thought I knew (theoretically) it could not succeed, it being so opposed to all our present modes of school government that it is simply revolutionary, hence, to be accepted, it must make good its claims by success. Despite my a priori assumptions, it has been a success thus far and it is but proper to state that I have reversed my opinion in regard to the adaptability of the School Republic. At first I did not believe it could succeed perma- nently in any school. After we had it in operation a short time, I believed it might succeed in some schools. Now I am con- vinced that it may succeed in every school. Nothing, not even a School Republic, can be a success if it is not rightly managed. A School Republic will require care and tact. I can readily see that it will soon cease to exist in any given school, if it is not properly organized and vigilantly super- vised—yet not too openly, for the children must think and In Primary and Grammar Schools 207 exercise their ingenuity and realize that they are doing it. Then, too, the enthusiasm must be maintined by the princi- pal and teachers. I felt that the judiciary could not be made to work — "a child could not be judicial," I said, but three of our pupils have proved to be excellent judges, and the judiciary is, perhaps, the strongest part of our city government. The effect on those elected or appointed to offices has been excellent. At first thought, it seemed to me that the School Republic was based on the old monitorial system, but it is not. In the latter the authority comes from the principal, hence the monitor represents the principal and the teachers. In the former the officers represent the children themselves. This is a difference in kind, not merely in degree. The School Republic is based on the principle of the self- activity of the child. Through it the children are working out for them- selves the idea of government and of right living. The good results already obtained fully pay for all the trouble they have cost, and I expect still better results when I shall have had more experience in the use of the method. We have really only begun to use its possible opportunities and resources for moral and civic training and development. At each step, new possibilities open up before us. In fact, the most discouraging thought is that "it is too good to be true," but it certainly is true up to the present stage of our experience, and I see no good reason for doubting that the future will give at least as good results as the past. During the coming year I shall watch and guide our School Republic with great interest, yet with equal solicitude. My observation of the School Republic has satisfied me of its efficiency. As far as I am able to judge it does all that is claimed for it. In some essential particulars the evidence of its value in my school is practically complete, and, from the nature of the case, can only be confirmed by future ex- perience. The interest among the pupils is keen, and those elected to the different offices are the ones best fitted for them. 208 A New Citizenship — Appendix This, I think, is one of the most important lessons in good government which can be taught. The court has been very well conducted and few suggestions from me have been necessary. The culprits brought before the Judge are always deeply and seriously impressed, and the decisions of the Judge are accepted as just and right. The effect on the general tone and demeanor of the school has been highly satisfactory to me. One of the best indications is the lessening number of cases brought into court. Offenses are on the decrease because the pupils are becoming more self-controled and better behaved. The School Republic has developed a better esprit de corps and greater loyalty to the school. The children take a great pride in their organization and a live interest in its success. The spirit shown by the police- men has been admirable. At first, I feared that petty jeal- ousies and spites might interfere with the success of the system. But these cases have been very few. A spirit of kindness and helpfulness is abroad and the youthful citizens realize that the policemen have the honor and good name of their School Republic in keeping. All the officials feel the responsibilities placed upon them, and their duties are con- scientiously performed. The pupils are coming to a reali- zation of the moral rights of others, of their duties towards each other and their school, and of the principles of good government. In conclusion I may remark that no one who considers this subject critically and philosophically can fail to perceive that the maintenance of a vital and enthusiastic interest in the School Republic depends not upon the pupils, but upon the instructor who has the method in use. After a more extended experience with our School Re- public, I am glad to say that I am able to heartily endorse all the praise of the system to which I gave expression when the organization was but one week old. Moreover, I feel now assured of the permanency of the influence. The re- sults, in the early days, seemed almost too good to be true, and I confess to my fears that some day I should wake up to In Primary and Grammar Schools 209 find all of the beauty flown. In school a novelty wears out in a week or two, and then we have to search for another. The interest and enthusiasm in the School Republic is stronger now than it ever was, for it has grown week by week. It seems that the interest has become more solid and serious now that the organization is no longer a novelty. The children are more deeply in earnest, and so have proved that there is nothing of the novelty feature in the remarkable influences which have grown out of the system. The fact that the School Republic has at once produced the practical results for which we have labored unsuccess- fully for many years, forces into our minds a comparison between this system and that so long in vogue. It has been practically demonstrated that the School Republic does actually produce better order. This is not a minor detail, as will be recognized by the careful thinker. What does this improved discipline signify? It means that the child is building character, that he is subjecting his will to his conscience. Obedience to law is largely a question of habit, the habit of self-control. If, through self-govern- ment, the child becomes accustomed to governing himself, he will learn the most valuable lesson of life. In the School Republic every tendency is toward encouraging the child to choose to do right, while the autocratic government attempts to compel him, with doubtful success and much failure, to do right. Here we are confronted with the simple problem of the value of self- activity, which lifted Froebel above the heads of all the preceeding educators. The School Republic embodies a development of the law of self-activity from the Kindergarten continously through the school life, until the youth emerges from the University into the larger citizenship. Having had five years' experience in the Kindergarten before asssuming the supervision of this school, I found it difficult, and often impossible, to coalesce the Froebelian method with that of the old traditional school discipline. The School Republic is a development, on a higher and more mature plane, of the principles upon which the Kinder- garten discipline is founded, and will effectually close much 210 A New Citizenship — Appendix of the gap which has existed between the Kindergarten and the Primary School. The one great requisite to success with a School Republic is enthusiastic and intelligent supervision. The children will supply whatever else is necessary. This being true, how important it becomes for the principal to have the advice and assistance of some one more experienced than herself in matters of civic school government. Difficult problems continually arise that can be easily solved by an expert, while the less experienced principal, no matter how earnest, may make a partial failure on account of lacking the know- ledge that can come alone with long experience in School Republic organization. Surely it is as important to have civics and ethics under departmental superintendence as it is to have music, drawing, arithmetic, language, etc., specially supervised. New York City. The lesson to the child of self-government in a practical form, as taught by the School Republic in the daily perfor- mance of its duties, the constant and continued recognition of its motto, and the natural willingness and love in the child to imitate its elders, all unite to make for character and manli- ness. The primary child has little grasp of mind, and yet I am very willing to attest to the fact that in Public School 31, in the short time devoted to the School Republic, the many very necessary details that go to make successful and in- telligent management were greatly facilitated and improved by the aid of the underlying principles of popular self-govern- ment and the necessity of practicing these principles. Milicent Baum, Principal. CHAPTER IV SCHOOL REPUBLIC IN A HIGH SCHOOL FOLLOWING are a few out of a large number of state- ments by high school pupils, just as direct, clear and positive as these from Summerville, which is geographi- cally but not politically a part of Boston. Student Government is a Success in Our High School The student government, which has been inaugurated in many schools of this country, is doing a great work for the pupils. There are many reasons why this is true. We have demonstrated the following facts in our English Class, Division B, third year in the High School. First, The system gives the scholars self reliance. Each member of a council has a right to express his views on any subject brought before the assembly, and so he gains confi- dence in his own opinions. Second, The plan affords parliamentary training. The meetings are run by parliamentary laws. Thus the student gains a knowledge of assembly usages which will be helpful in the future. Third, It aroused an increased interest in the school work. In order to receive the school renumeration, the pupil must rise each day and give some information to the council or assembly. In this way, the interest is kept up in the work. Fourth, Better deportment in the class results. Students dislike to have a reprimand given them by the presiding officer or the sergeant-at-arms. Fifth, The effect on the whole school is good. One division in our school has aroused considerable interest in the whole school because of its improved work under student govern- ment. The division has proved its ability to govern itself under difficult conditions. In view of these facts, we claim that the system of govern- 211 212 A New Citizenship — Appendix ment by the students is a benefit to the pupils and to their school, and that it should be continued. Chas. H. Upton. Democracy in the School Room The democratic form of government applied to our English division has interested me very much, to see what it would accomplish. In the beginning, we elected our officers ac- cording to parliamentary rules, and then we proceeded to do our work. As I did not know very much about parlia- mentary law, I was obliged to sit quiet and listen. In a few days I had some knowledge of the rules and then I had an interest to take part in the discussions. In order to do this I was obliged to know my lessons, and this set me to work. This way of doing our work allows anyone to stand up and give his or her views on the question. My spirit has been changed and the lessons seem to be learned in a very different way. On the whole, I think that we are aiming at a good mark and shall accomplish our purpose. Max Yarner. The School City Method of Conducting Recitations This new method of conducting recitation is, in most ways, far superior to the old method of letting the whole resonsibility for the class fall on the teacher alone. Responsibility is in itself educational. This fact is ignored by the schools but, thanks to Mr. Gill and our teacher, Miss Hunt, we are getting the benefit of it. It gives the power to the class, to promote its own efficiency; and, since "two heads are better than one," the judgment in marking, and in giving out the new lessons, is more en- couraging to the pupils. It prepares the pupils for good citizenship, when in later years, they are to take part in the affairs of the city. A boy is now considered a man long before he is of a man's size and before he possesses a manly mind. Therefore he should be prepared for more manly duty. In a High School 213 In the class, it gives every member a chance to do some- thing, and he is kept busy most of the time. This system is especially important because it lays the foundation for a more manly life. Norman Morrison. Student Government Our democratic city government helps to train each member of our class in the duties of a citizen of our immediate com- munity and of the United States, and thus tends to make good citizens of us. It enables each one to have self-reliance, and shows us how to govern ourselves. We learn how to distinguish be- tween right and wrong in the questions which arise from day to day in our social and class-room relations and by means of this we obtain an opinion of our own. As our school work is only a preparation for future work as citizens of our country, we should be trained in the duties of a good citizen, we should know how to conduct ourselves as citizens in every respect, and we should be acquainted with parliamentary laws. All this we are acquiring by our system of democratic government. C. M. Brine. The Value of Student Government Conducting our class under the form of city government resluts in various gains. One is that it causes debate, the effect of which is bringing out many obscure points from the work in hand. We are covering the college preparatory work within the given limit of time. It causes the class to be orderly and invites self-discipline. The few disorderly pupils, such as are found in almost every class-room, are taken care of by the better spirit of the majority. One great gain is that in scholarship. Heretofore a pupil uninterested in the work would not study. Now, seing the spirit of the new work, he immediately becomes interested and does his share in making it a success. But this system does not apply to school life alone. While conducting ourselves thus, we are unconsciously acquiring 214 A New Citizenship — Appendix parliamentary rules and modes of procedure. It developes the power of speaking before any organized assembly. In a word, student government is preparing us for our future life, because no matter what our vocation may be, we shall find it valuable. Moreover, it is especially valuable to those who will take active part in our government, whether it be national, state, or municipal. Arthur A. Riley. Three Reasons for Democratic School Government Democratic government in secondary schools is coming to be very popular for several reasons : first, it puts the student upon his or her honor; second, it generally forces attention and stimulates interest among the scholars; and lastly, it develops self-reliance. We shall consider these statements in order. First, it puts the student upon his or her honor. Among many of the school's officers the truth of this statement would seem very doubtful, if not absolutely false, yet it is true. To prove our point, we will give several instances, namely, the behavior of a division when the instructor was absent, was such as to bring commendation from the Head Master, whereas, under the old system, the same class would have caused great in- convenience to others. Again, there is better order in the corridors from the divisions under democratic government than heretofore. Second, it forces attention and stimulates interest among the students. The work to be covered during two months time, has been done as well, if not better than formerly. Furthermore, upon the statement of the instructor, the new plan has brought several to the front rank who previously never did any work. Third, it develops self-reliance. We make this last assertion more especially from the officers' standpoint than from the councilmen's; because the expression of the people's will is through their representatives. Those who study such schemes as these have noticed that the officers are the most cool headed, reliable and honest students in the whole school. There may be exceptions to this, but generally it is true. In a High School 215 Therefore we have shown you that democratic government is desirable for three reasons: First, it puts the student upon his or her honor. Second, it generally forces attention and stimulates in- terest, and, Lastly, it develops self-reliance. O'Brien. The Value of Democratic School Government The proof of the value of Democratic School Government as applied in our division of the third class in the Hight School depends first on whether the quantity of the work has been kept up to standard; second, on whether the quality of the work done in the class room has been improved, and third, whether each individual can honestly say that he has been benefited in some way or other by the new system. First, we have done all that is required in the curriculum and in addition have read in connection with this, much that is not required. Second, the quality of our work has decidedly improved. Third, every individual has derived important benefit because of the introduction of the new system. The value of student government is not confined to the classroom. The businesslike attitude acquired in the class- room by the student is carried into all his other work. For one to have a considerable knowledge of parliamentary practice is of more practical benefit than might at first appear. It makes one acquianted with the method of pro- cedure in organized meetings with which one is bound to come in contact later in life. To one who is not accustomed to speaking in public it is often very embarrassing to address a meeting, but by the practice acquired in the classroom this embarrassment is overcome. The art of expressing oneself clearly, distinctly, logically, and to the point is gradually acquired by the con- tinual practice afforded by student government. It teaches a young person to have a mind of his own and to use it for the welfare of his country now and when he comes to that age when he may do so on a larger scale. Howard Stout. CHAPTER V SCHOOL REPUBLIC IN A NORMAL SCHOOL A CLASS of the State Normal School at New Paltz, New York, having graduated and returned to their homes, in response to the request of their president they wrote their opinions on postal cards as follows. There was not one adverse opinion. President Kaine has added his opinion at greater length and Miss Cocks sent a fuller expressed opinion, which is appended : Susan Barlow: The School Republic has strengthened the character of each individual member of the school and made practical the idea of government. Mary C. Doremus : The good done by the School Republic cannot be limited to a single paragraph nor to a hundred. The student who leaves our New Paltz Normal School without clearly defined ideas as to civic duties and civic privileges must be dull indeed; and to understand these is to take a conscious pride in that freedom which is the birthright of every American. H. D. Torpey; It was a help to me. The children were more easily disciplined. It was both the cause and the means of moulding the characters of some children. In every way I found it a success. J. DuB. Hasbrouck: I think it is a good thing. Cornelia Macy: A school is best governed when every member aids in enforcing the laws wisely made for its govern- ment. The School Republic furnishes opportunities for this. Furthermore, it trains for future citizenship, fosters self- control and consideration for the rights of others, and creates true patriotism. J. H. Ganun : Established and maintained with the proper spirit by teachers and students alike, it proves a very satis- factory method of government and a great help in familiariz- 216 In a Normal School 217 ing us with civic customs. But as soon as the teachers fail to support it, it then, in my opinion, will become a mere farce. It is a method for use of teachers. If an artist does not use his method, but leaves his brushes in the hands of children, of course they will do no good, but will make a mess. There is not the slightest difficulty in maintaining the students' interest if the teachers keep up their own. Margaret B. Lucy: The School Republic government is of great benefit to the young pupils and older stduents. It leads them to obtain self-control. It meets the needs of the students more than any other system, because it is by the students for the students. Rebecca C. Cocks: The School Republic is of educationl value. It is advantageous to students and teachers and practicable in a normal school. Mary F. Lindholm: The School Republic has done much toward training for citizenship, self-control, and co-operation with others in the noble and important enterprises of life. Adalena Denniston: The School Republic has given our students not only an opportunity of acquainting themselves with the practical work in the forms of government, but it has helped in securing the development of self-govern- mental power in the students themselves. Sara K. Story : The School Republic ought to be in every wide-awake school. By means of it, the children are able to come into close relations with the workings of our government, thus making them more interested in the political affairs of their own town. It forms a basis from which the child acquires his idea of what a true citizen ought to be. It has made children more tidy, also more thoughtful of others. H. Belle Little : The School Republic has made the pupils in the grades more interested in their national government and laws than they would otherwise have been. As for my- self, the School Republic has gvien me an insight in national affairs in a way which, no doubt, I would never have gained. Katherine V. Mullen: The School Republic has many advantages. Under it one feels there is a strong government over him, yet he does not feel that cast iron rule of the old 218 A New Citizenship — Appendix knowledge of the form of government under which they live, and become better citizens. Mabel S. Davis: I consider the School Republic the hap- piest, most profitable school organization I have ever seen in operation. I believe its success is due to the fact that every student is reached and participates in it. Eva Keator : The School Republic has relieved the faculty from many cares, and the students have made practical the workings of our American government, an experience that no student can afford to do without. Mazie F. Ward : The effects have been good, and we have gained what is of great importance, a knowledge of parlia- mentary law and of the workings of a democratic government, which we could not have grasped under any other circum- stances. Edna B. Tellerday: The School Republic has made the students more free than they were under the previous regu- lations, and to feel the responsibility that they must make a success of the School Republic, thus leading them on to en- deavor to make a success of life. Charles D. Coutant: The School Republic has done a great deal of good and has had its designed effect on the people of the New Paltz Normal. Daisy B. Hitch : Carried on in a sincere and conscientious manner by all, the School Republic is a form of government greatly to be desired in our schools. It nourishes patriotism by means of giving a clearer insight into the workings of our country and its laws. It makes one independent and self-reliant by forcing one to meet, to estimate, and to decide problems for oneself. It broadens and beautifies the character by means of its just decisions, since a person is loath to do wrong when his honor is put to a test. If it should be car- ried on in a slipshod fashion, with ''winking eyes," it would be a curse to the community, a hindrance to its civilization and a wrong to the individual. Isaac Conklin: A School Republic is of several distinct values. Its chief value is to the students and it is by no means of minor value to a faculty. Standing in the student's position, I have enjoyed the benefits that it is their privilege In a Normal School 219 to receive. I have had valuable instruction in civics, including organizations, elections, duties and powers of officers and court proceedings. As a whole, it has done a great deal of good at New Paltz. It has imbued every one with the idea of his personal re- sponsibility and duty toward every one in general, in order that he and every one else may enjoy the greatest privileges with the least possible friction. I am sure it has helped to solve one of the great problems of sociology of the present day and has accomplished much in this line and will do more, as improvements will come with time. Alpha Rauch: I am in favor of the School Republic government. I believe it fosters a democratic spirit and cultivates the power of self-government which is very es- sential to one who is to help rule in a democracy. It culti- vates the proper spirit and gives opportunity for the student to learn through real practice how a republic is carried on. It has been successful in securing order in the New Paltz Normal. E. C. Clemens: The School Republic advantages far ex- ceed its disadvantages. Although one feels that there is a strong government over him, he does not feel that excessive restriction of the old form of school government. It teaches children, as well as older people, much concerning the form of government under which they must live. It gives a nobler idea of citizenship. I heartily approve of the School Republic. Ida Kaiser: The School Republic, if well led by faithful teachers, is an ideal form of school government. While it is maintaining order in the schoolroom through the pupils themselves, it is also preparing the young people to be good in- telligent citizens. The School Republic is algreatlessonin civics. Frances Lewis: The School Republic is a success, but last year less attention was paid to enforcing the laws than in previous years, and that was a disadvantage. Mabelle Clark: The School Republic arouses in the child the brotherly feeling, "Do to others as you would that they should do to you," and stimulates in older students the de- sire to act as citizens should act by giving them practical experience in performing civic duties. 220 A New Citizenship — Appendix Charles M. Deyo: The School Republic tends to arouse interest in city government, gives practical experience in submission to muuicipal authority and in the responsibilities of civic office, all of which lead to model citizenship. Josehp M. Kaine : The concensus of opinion of my class- mates is that the School Republic is a most valuabel shaping tool, as Mr. Gill would say, for the use of the principal and teachers, and the enthusiasm and general good results are dependent upon thier skill and faithfulness, of which these are an inevitable gauge. They must sustain their interest and give constant evidence that they are in deep earnest. These necessary conditions being given, good results in every di- rection follow with as much certainty as in all nature plants and fruits follow according to the seeds that are sown and the cultivation expended on them. For the School Republic the seeds of truth, self-respect, conscientiousness, diligence, independence, kindness and the spirit of democracy should be planted; the garden should be wartered, weeded and tilled, and the flowers will be fragrant and beautiful and the fruits wholesome. The hearts of little children are virgin soil, while those of older students have been worked over and are apt to be impregnated with the seeds of weeds. We believe the School Republic is good for little children and older students, for keeping order, shaping character, lubricating the machinery of school life and giving knowledge and practice of the rights and duties of American citizenship. In my own experience, nothing else has so much helped me to think on my feet and give expression to my thoughts, or given me the impulse to do that which I see ought to be done for our common good. Is of Educational Value Rebecca C. Cocks: In the mass meetings which are a necessity of government, the students get drill in parliament- tary practice, which will be ofuse to them in anysphereof life. 1 The term "civil procedure" is often heard, but its full meaning is learned only by actual service, and for this the School Republic provides. Thus methods of civil procedure are forcibly taught alike to boys and girls. The civil service In a Normal School 221 in school creates a lively interest in political government, which could not otherwise be obtained. The mayor, sheriff, policemen, etc., of the School Republic are aroused to study the duty of their various offices and to learn who are filling those offices in the larger world. The knowledge thus gained of laws and the methods of enforcing them will be conducive to habits of obedience not only in school but also in the braoder life of the citizen which follows. The discussions which arise in the mass meetings and the courts afford excellent training in logical thought and clear, concise expression. True, this exercise may be had elsewhere, but it may lack the interest which it never fails to have in connection with the School Republic. The teacher in the ordinary public school has the respon- sibility of governing others, and for this should be prepared by self-government in the Normal School. If pupils in a Normal School are not able to govern themselves, they surely are not to be trusted with the government of others. A student is strengthened by independence and enabled to think and act without supervision. Lastly, the School Republic teaches regard for the rights of others, which is an essential of good citizenship in any community. Useful Alike to Teachers and Pupils A student tried in court of the School Republic is con- victed on the testimony of fellow citizens, who are striving to protect their government and to advance the initerests of the School Republic. The student arraigned may demand trial by jury and may be given every chance to prove his innocence. More important than these the students who best know their own needs in government may supply their needs through the School Republic, and the exercise of this right will secure unity of interest. If the laws are made by the students, every citizen is responsible for their execution, and the absence of the teachers will not be a signal for disorder. The teachers thus relieved of all police duty, may give undivided attention to instruc- tion and inspiration; and the friendly feelings between 222 A New Citizenship — Appendix faculty and students which are a result of self-government will do much to enable all to do their best work. The School Republic is Practicable and Successful The School Republic is practicable. It has been used in our school for several years and proved to be successful in many respects and directions, of which the following is but a partial summary: In improving the spirit of school life; in saving time for both teachers and pupils; as a form of government to preserve order, and thus relieving the teachers to a large extent of that element of labor, the maintaining of discipline, which is the greatest source of worry and hindrance to the accomplishment of the chief objects of a school; in arousing and maintaining an interest in the study of citizen- ship and civil government; as a means of shaping the character of the pupils; as a pretty accurate thermometer to show the degree of warmth of the teacher's interest in the pupils and enthusiasm for the educational welfare of the school. New Paltz, N. Y. During the last three years we have seen some of the most important phases of school reform worked out at our Nor- mal School. Especially is it noteworthy that the usual ma- chinery of school organization has for the most part been left to stand idle, and the student body left largely free from arbitrary restraint, to develop, as individuals and collectively, such resources as have lain within it. Once some of us would have looked for serious results of such freedom, but they have not followed. The school is successfully governed, for the most part by itself — better governed than it could be by any force from without, because governed with less of antagonism and more of ready co-operation; with less of mechanical routine and more of spontaneity and life; better governed not only in the sense of being restrained — for restraint is not the only element in good government — but better governed, too, in the sense of being set actively at work for the good of the whole. Jeanette E. Graham, Instructor in Psychology. CHAPTER VI A GOLD MEDAL AWARDED Addresses at Franklin Institute School Republic Banquet THE Franklin Institute having awarded Mr. Gill its highest distinction in recognition of his work, a num- ber of members of the Institute took steps to gain for the School Republic movement the support of the ad- vanced classes of the community, and this took form in a banquet. Mr. James Mapes Dodge, Vice President of the Institute presided. On this occasion the Elliott Cresson gold medal and diploma were handed to Mr. Gill by the president of the Institute. Addresses were made by Mr. John Birkin- bine, President; the chairman of the Institutes committee on the Gill School Republic, Mr. Louis Edward Levy; Rev. Thomas R. Slicer of New York City who was one of the earliest observers and friends of the method; Rev. Charles Wood, now of the Church of the Covenant, Washington, D. C, Bishop Coadjutor Alexander Mackay-Smith of Philadelphia; and many others. Some of these are given in the following pages. Letters of approval and encouragement were received from Cardinal James Gibbons and others. The one from President Roosevelt was as follows : "I hear with satisfaction that an earnest movement is well advanced in Philadelphia to establish in the schools of that city the teaching of civics by the admirable plan originated by Wilson L. Gill in the School City as a form of student government. I know of the work of Mr. Gill, both in this country and in Cuba, where Mr. Gill inaugurated this form of instruction upon the invitation of General Wood. Nothing could offer higher promise for the future of our country than an intelligent interest in the best ideals of citizenship, its privileges and duties among the students of our common schools. I wish for your efforts in this direction the utmost success." 223 224 A New Citizenship — Appendix The School Republic's Place In the Development of Educational Methods Louis Edward Levy High Character of Investigators In responding to a call for an expression regarding the School Republic system on the part of the Committee on Science and the Arts of the Franklin Institute, I feel impelled first of all, to say that the recommendation of the award of the Institute's highest recognition to Mr. Gill as the origi- nator of the system was unanimously agreed upon by all the members of the sub-committee which had been appointed to investigate this new educational movement. In this com- mittee were included three distinguished scientists, who have had experience through many years as educators, Prof. Lewis M.^Haupt, recently member of the Nicaragua Canal Commission and formerly a member of the faculty of the University of Pennsylvania; Prof. Samuel P. Sadtler, now a member of that faculty, and Dr. Harry F. Keller, of the Central High School. Besides these men, the committee in- cluded Martin I. Wilbert, chemist of the German Hospital, and Senor Raimundo Cabrera, a leading lawyer and publicist of Cuba and editor of "Cuba y America," of Havana, together with myself. The Institute's Highest Recognition Considerable time was spent in the investigation and the data obtained were discussed through two meetings of the general committee, with the result which has been embodied in our report and with the conclusion which has found ex- pression in the Elliott Cresson gold medal and diploma, the highest honor which is conferred by this Society, the presen- tation of which, delayed as it has been, has now found a most appropriate occasion. The Modern Educational Movement I shall detain you for the consideration of but one aspect of this many-sided subject. The school republic is the funda- mental principle of the kindergarten carried to its logical and full conclusion. And in order that we may better under- Gold Medal — Addresses 225 stand this conclusion and its lesson, let us as briefly as possible consider its logic. The modern educational movement, of which the school republic is the latest and perhaps one of the most important of its many great fruitions, followed close upon the begin- ning of modern physical science a hundred and fifty years ago. In the generation which saw Franklin here in Philadelphia draw lightning from the clouds along his kite string and so make a beginning of modern electricial science, while Watt in Edinburgh was devising his steam engine and so opening the vista of modern mechanical science, and whilst Priestly in England and Lavoisier in France were making those re- searches and discoveries which became the foundation of modern chemistry, Rousseau, also in France, was disseminat- ing those new ideas on education which have furnished the basis of our modern science of pedagogics. Rousseau's Influence Like his co-laborers in the fields of the physical sciences, Rousseau turned from the misconceptions and false ideals of the old philosophies to find his inspiration in nature itself. He studied the nature of the growing child and learned enough to convince him of the utter fallacy of the prevailing methods of rearing and educating the rising generation. He did not compass a large horizon in his view, but he saw enough to understand the errors of his time and point the way to the truth. Rousseau reaped the usual reward of reformers of old abuses and of pioneers of progress. His epoch-making book, which was in the form of a fiction entitled "Emile," was con- demned by the scholastic authorities of Paris and ordered to be publicly burned, while he himself barely escaped imprison- ment by fleeing across the border to Switzerland. Even there he was persecuted by the educational authorities and eventually had to find an asylum in England. Pestalozzi's Training of the Sense of Observation But his ideas had taken root, not only in France, where their influence deepeden that resentment of the people against the government which grew during the next thirty 226 A New Citizenship — Appendix years into the violence of the French revolution, but also through Europe, and especially in Switzerland. There his teachings were taken up, put in practice and improved upon by another great leader in educational progress. Pes- talozzi. He added to Rousseau's idea of a nautral system of education the further idea of training the tense of observa- tion so as to bring out the fullest capacity of the pupil. But he too, had to battle with untoward influences, with passive opposition and neglect, and he carried on his great pioneering work through a life-time of poverty and self- sacrifice. He was eventually enabled to establish a school in a small Swiss town, and there he worked for twenty years, scarcely able to maintain himself, while his ideas were slowly per- colating out into the world at large through a few choice spitirs who had come to learn from him. He died in 1827, understood and appreciated by only a comparatively few, widely scattered, liberal minds, but 1846 the centenary of his birth, January 12, was ceebrated throughout Switzerland and Germany, Pestalozzi societies and institutes were being established everywhere, and when I was in Zurich a few years ago I was taken to see the Pesta- lozzi monument and quartered on Pestalozzi street. And no wonder that the Swiss point with pride to the life work of this great educator, for it was largely through his influence that Switzerland and especially Zurich, have become famous for their educational system and establishments. Froebel's Scheme of Spontaneous Activity Among those who became imbued with Pestalozzi's ideas who went to his school to learn his method, was another altruistic spirit, Frederich Froebel. In his mind the teachings of Rousseau and Pestalozzi developed into a wider scope. He conceived the idea that the true secret of the child's growth, moral and intellectual as well as physical, was spon- taneous activity, and that the natural processes and in- fluences of the home should be amplified and completed in the school. In the home the little children learn through play, and this the school was to continue by this method. In the Gold Medal — Addresses 227 home the child gradually took its place in the family circle and came to realize that it had duties toward the rest as well as rights of its own, and this the school was to confirm by its training. He undertook to realize his idea in his native German village, where it was well received, but where he was most of the time left at the point of starvation. He removed to Switzerland, to where Pestzlozzi had worked thrity years before, but there met with such opposition as to be again starved out. He now went back to Germany and resolved to concentrate his efforts in behalf of the training of little children in prepara- tion for the larger schools. Little games and childish handi- crafts were carefully thought out by him to train the child in the direction of both concerted and independent action, the one to foster orderliness and discipline, and the other to build up character and independence. He worked along, developing his great scheme of the kindergarten in one which he carried on himself, found here and there an appreciative disciple, but no adequate support, and he finally had to give up for want of money. To gain a livelihood and to propagate his ideas he gave lectures on his system to teachers, and was barely getting along while his teachings were taking root when the political upheaval of 1848 came to pass. The revolution having failed the Prussian Government turned upon all new ideas as having anti- monarchic tendencies, and in 1851 the establishment of Froebel's schools was officially interdicted. Froebel was left to the charity of friends, and a year later, broken-hearted, he died. But his idea was a living truth and it prevailed. Slowly indeed it has made its way through all the lands of civili- zation, and especially in the very country from which it was banished, and now Froebel, like Pestalozzi and Rousseau before him, has been apotheosized, where but a generation ago he was left to struggle and to starve. The kindergartern was originally planned to systematize in the schools the moral influence of the home and to utilize the child's natural impulse to play as a means to that end. 228 A New Citizenship — Appendix But with the sudden and rapid growth of the modern indus- trial system which has ensued during the 50 years since FroebePs death, his idea of utilizing the child's tendency to play as a means of training its moral nature was gradually diverted into that of training the child's industrial capacities. The kindergarten became developed mainly in its manual training features, and this idea has been enlarged upon in our manual training schools. The Gill School Republic Method of Moral Training And now comes another altruist and carries this great educational idea forward to its logical conclusion and original purpose. The Gill School Republic is the full development of the Froebelian idea of educating the young through the training of their inner impulses, that is to say, through the right di- rection of their spontaneous activities. This the school republic does in the one most important direction of self- government and self-control through the substitution of spontaneous effort in place of arbitrary coercion and control. It is not a means of manual training. We have that well established. It is a means of moral training, of which our children, especially in the condition of modern city life, have more than ever need. What Shall We Do? Shall we in this morning- glow of the 20th century, with the ample light of past experience to guide us, stand by and see the story of Pestalozzi and Froebel repeated before our eyes? Shall we let the school republic idea languish through our generation only to be realized and its author glorified by the next? Let me emphasize the question and suggest the answer by a quotation from the great German poet and philosopher, Goethe : Only Sure Way "With a mature generation there is never much to be done, neither in things material nor spiritual, neither in matters of taste nor of character. Be ye wise and begin in the schools, and then it will go." And have we not learned from the Gold Medal — Addresses 229 history of educational methods, that our appeal is not so much to educators, who, if their inertia and conservatism will permit to be friendly, are practically helpless, but to the Government? We must look to our statesmen to make all necessary provision for opening the schools to the benefits of this better way. "Rational, Practical, Dramatic, Ethical" Rev. Thomas R. Slicer At the Franklin Institute's banquet in the interest of the School Republic, the leading speaker was the Rev. Thomas R. Slicer, of New York, who, as chairman of the Municipal Committee of the City Club, has been a prominent factor for some years in civic reform. His address of about an hour was full of the most telling illustrations, and was punctuated with enthusiastic applause by the judges, journalists, doctors, lawyers, clergymen, educators and most prominent business men of Philadelphia. Following is a brief extract from his address : Government to be taught as mechanical is only half- taught; all social questions are at their root moral. The moment a school is considered, this fact apppears, for the reason that schools have been administered as little mon- archies, of absolute government; because force is the simplest form of control. The changes in student government have steadily advanced from the absolute rule of the teacher to some form, more or less developed, of self-government by the pupils. The School Republic furnishes the most developed method of self-government, for it promotes in the school the exact method followed by the community. The community has provided the school for the young citizens. It has compelled education. In the School Republic it gives a reason for this education as self- controlled, and each school becomes, in a very real way, a little city of young citizens. It is no longer a forcing process for members of the community detached from the others; but this civic life goes on while new students acquire the knowledge which shall avail for civic life in the adult. 230 A New Citizenship — Appendix Advantages Summed Up If the advantages of the system were to be summed up, the account would stand something in this way, as to the School Republic : 1. It is rational, for it teaches the child from the be- ginning that he is a part of the community, with real rights and real duties. 2. It is practical, for it substitutes example for theory and illustrates the text of the teacher by the act of the pupil. It is a government demonstrated by practice; it is the philos- ophy of government taught by example. 3. It is dramatic and appeals to the sense for action. The student participates in the education which is going forward in the schools. 4. It is ethical, for it teaches self-government in child- hood, the lesson constantly neglected in manhood. 5. It is an aid to the teacher, for there are abundant testimonials to the development through the School Republic of a keener interest among the pupils; it is their school; they are responsible. It substitutes the ideals of a community for the discipline of a monarchy. 6. It is an easy and effective test of the capacity, flexibility and real human interest of a teacher. The rule-of- thumb teachers "do not want it," but the teacher of that type is not himself wanted. The task- master still exists here and there, but he becomes more and more rare, while the guide and friend is increasing. This is the type sought for by those who commit their children to the teacher's care. Where It Succeeds Best Many reasons may be given for the inauguration of the School Republic in our schools, but the best and that which appeals most effectively for its adoption is that it succeeds best where the school is of the best type, the teacher the most effective, and the instruction most nearly in accord with the practical needs of the life the child is to live as a vital participant in the life of the community. Gold Medal — Addresses 231 The Boldest, Strongest, Simplest Attempt to Solve the Great Civic Problem. The Rev. Dr. Charles Wood, of the Second Presbyterian Church, Philadelphia, now pastor of the Church of the Covenant, Washington, D. C, in his address at the School Republic banquest given by the Franklin Institute spoke in part as follows : Thus far the American theory has been that the American citizen inherits with citizenship all the knowledge necessary for the performance of all his duties. Without any instruc- tion or practice, at twenty-one years of age he is expected to exercise properly the prerogatives of a sovereign. We should hardly suppose him capable of playing the pianola without at least a half hour's instruction, and to play our national game we should condiser years of training necessary, but to enter on all the privileges of a ruler in the Republic nothing is demanded but a proper spirit of subserviency to a party which, translated, means a boss. The School Republic attempts to clear up all this, not by the slaughter of bosses, or the disintegration of parties, but by the education of the citizen. The whole effort is in line with a great movement by which the seat of authority has been slowly shifted in the state from the monarch to the people, and in the church from an ecclesiastical hierarchy to a book, and from a book to the individual soul. Westward the course of empire takes its way, but the course of authority takes it ways inward to reason and conscience. In the School Republic, spontaneous activity replaces compuslory obedience. The Golden Rule on which it is founded is accepted as the best of precepts, and the only reasonable and practical rule of life for civilized human beings. Here at least is a gleam of hope for the municipalities of the future. We, it may be, must continue to bear the heavy yoke which for 25 years the citizens of Philadelphia have borne unmurmuringly, but the next generation, accustomed in the School Republic to an actual "government of the people, for the people, by the people," will feel amazed pity for us, that persons apparently with so much intelligence, commercial and professional, should have allowed themselves 232 A New Citizenship — Appendix so long to be hypnotized into a cruel and degrading bondage. The School Republic is the boldest, the strongest, the simplest attempt yet made to solve the great civic problem. A Tremendous Gain Dr. Martin G. Brumbaugh, a professor in the University of Pennsylvania, now superintendent of public schools in Philadelphia, not being able to attend the Franklin Institute School Republic banquet, sent the following statement of his views for publication in that connection : The formal activities of a school must always include in- struction and discipline. By instruction one understands that sum of effort through which the pupil achieves knowledge and its attendant virtues, skill and efficiency. By discipline one should understand that sum of mental activities by which the mind becomes facile and its powers formed for use. But by the majority of persons discipline is regarded as those coercive acts, negative in character, which the school puts forth to maintain right conditions for instruction. This latter view is fundamentally false. There must be no con- flict between the instruction and the discipline of the school. Both should be constructive. Our schools need a new motive for discipline, to the end that they may make all the school's activities educational. If, then, we can make discipline as significant educationally as we now make instruction significant, we shall have gained much. Any plan that aims to accomplish this end is well worth the sympathetic concern of all educators. The School Republic is, in its conception, such a plan. It is manifestly wise to regard with favor an activity that offers so much helpful guidance to our pupils, both in giving positive educational value to discipline and in giving this educational guidance a specific determination to citizenship. The usual activities of the school in aca- demic interests will thus be supplemented by an actual training in citizenship. This is a tremendous gain, and we must assuredly commend any such activity as will ac- complish this much-needed and much-neglected result. CHAPTER VII HEADMASTERS' SCHOOL REPUBLIC BANQUET City Superintendent Brooks Presiding Boston City Club, October 18, 1910 A Practical Agency in Moral and Civic Education Dr. David Snedden State Commissioner of Education NO doubt exists that our complex, economic life and the scientific spirit of the age, coupled with the desire that democratic government be rendered more effective, require greatly increased attention to civic and moral training, so far as leatt as public agencies are concerned. The forms of social education based on authority are less and less operative. The bases of citizenship must be to an increasing extent, intelligence and social insight. It is easy to teach the dogmas of morality and the rules of conduct. It is easy for teachers to outline courses of ideal behavior, but it is a vastly different thing to translate these into habitual courses of action, and to inspire the right motives for conduct. We are learning now that vocational education, to be ef- fective, means not supplementing the book with the labora- tory, but rather basing the book on shop practice; similarly in moral and civic education, practice must precede theory, and the growing child learns by experience what it is to par- ticipate in the group life of the community. The home, the church, the street, the workshop and the school are the agencies of moral and civic training. In some of these, the opportunity for exemplifying the civic life are not what they once were. It is a possible mission for the school to organize the group life, and to cause the children to live through the experiences of civic action on a plane 233 234 A New Citizenship — Appendix which forms good habits, stimulates ideals, and increases the capacity and disposition to seek the basis of civic conduct in an intelligent way. It is acknowledged that the school is already a miniature society. Because of conditions sur- rounding it, it often tends to become a clan-like society, with large elements of secrecy, and a tendency to become anti- social, so far as the large world of society is concerned. It is entirely possible to render self-concious this society, and to inspire it at all times with loftier aims. Mr. Gill in his School Republic aims at just this end; he provides a mechanism simple and easily operated at first, by means of which the children will live through the experiences of making laws, of passing them under judgment, and enforcing them. The miniature social community be- becomes a miniature state, and the children learn to ap- preciate self-made laws, and to contribute to their enforce- ment. I am profoundly convinced of the Tightness of his ideals, and of the fact that they are in line with the best sociological thinking of our time. The future belongs not to government by authority, but government by intelligence; and government by intelligence comes only through the exercise of mind upon the actual problems of the world. The Real Trouble With the Boy of the Present James P. Munroe Executive Director of "Boston 1915" It is the fashion to day, as it has been for a good many years for business men to complain that in spite of the great sums spent on education, the boy and young man is not well fitted to take up the affairs of business life. These complainants maintain that even college graduates cannot write and spell properly, cannot compose a good letter and do not seem to learn the details of a business as rapidly as their employers think they should. So far as concerns the mechaincal pro- cesses of writing, spelling and composing, these men of business are mistaken. There are ample proofs to show that Addresses in Boston 235 our fathers and grandfathers were not nearly so competent in these directions as are the youth of today. The real trouble with the boy of the present is not with his lessons, it is with his mental and moral discipline. He used to get it at home, he now generally gets it on the street. He used to be held responsible for chores and other work at home which is now done by hired helpers. In those days when people lived in towns instead of cities, the boy attended town meetings, now as a rule he gets no glimpse whatever of politics except through the distorted atmosphere of "peanut politics." What the modern boy lacks, therefore, is not information or brains, it is discipline. Without knowing it, he realizes this lack himself and tries to secure self discipline through various forms of athletics and through organization into so-called "gangs." It is true that the school boy is under pertty strict disci- pline in the average school but unfortunately it is of the wrong kind. Because of the large numbers to be taken care of, this discipline has to be of the military type, which is bad for a boy since it represses him, makes a machine of him and prepares him to be willing to take orders from political bosses. This kind of training is especially bad for boys who are going into any kind of active business or manufacturing, for the fellow who amounts to anything must have initiative, hustle and a sense of personal responsibility. The trouble with most boys in stores and factories is that they are too ready to take orders without understanding what these orders mean; to regard their work as merely a disagreeable means of securing their week's pay and to not realize that they have any per- sonal responsibility towards the welfare and development of the concern that employs them. The general plan presented by Mr. Gill recognizes this fundamental difficulty and meets it in the proper way by teaching the child even in the kindergarten how to discipline himself and how to assume responsibility. It was the town meeting that developed the free spirit and the capacity for self government of the American people and an application of that town meeting principle to our schools is bound to 236 A New Citizenship — Appendix result in the same sort of good for growing boys and girls. By teaching them how to organize themselves under the general lines of our municipal and state governments they will not only get an insight into the meaning of government that in our cities can be given in no other way but they will also, under the guise of enjoying themselves, really subject one another to the one kind of discipline that is usually ef- fective with young people, the discipline which they enforce upon one another. There is no doubt, therefore, that in Mr. Gill's plan lies the principle by which our schools are going eventually to solve this hard problem of teaching children self-reliance and of developing in them a feeling of responsibility towards their political duties and towards the work that they must do. The Schools Must Do More for Citizenship Assistant Superintendent F. V. Thompson The School Republic plan which we have listened to this evening contains a principle which no schoolmaster can afford to ignore. The principle has already been adequately set forth. A school which does not in some way embody the principle in its practise is not filling its proper function in the community. Good schools, to my mind, do carry out this principle, consciously or unconsciously. I am not one of those who would seek to require every school to adopt the same application of principle, no matter how successful some individual had been with my plan. Many people need very little formal pupil organization. Some schools are so quiet and orderly and happy that the imposition of an elaborate machinery for maintaining order would be ludicrous. I have in mind a certain girl's grammar school in Boston where the conditions are so perfect, the discipline so easy and natural, and the whole atmosphere so sweet and serene that an organization for the purpose of securing order would be utterly unnecessary, but even in such a school as this, there should be some organization for the sake of practice in self- activity and training in citizen- ship. Addresses in Boston 237 The boys in particular, should have free scope for their natural instincts of self- direction, and the direction of their fellows. We are looking more and more to the schools for the betterment of the race. We are coming to see more and more clearly that the school is the only social institution which influences all our future citizens. We start all our social propaganda in the schools. The mayor appeals to the school children to assist in keeping the streets clean. We center our tuberculosis campaign in the schools. Certainly the civic problem of cities is of such importance that the schools may justly be expected to do their share. The schools must do more for the cause of citizenship. Practical Training for Citizenship Superintendent H. R. Williams Wenham, Massachusetts After six years' experience with Mr. Wilson L. Gill's laboratory method of training in social and civic relations, I have no hesitation in recommending it as the ideal way to teach citizenship in all its practical forms touching the im- mediate life of the children and of the school. We are coming more and more to believe that the best prep- aration for life is participation in life. And in nothing is this more true than in training for citizenship. We may talk about and teach citizenship as much as we like, and still fail to make good citizens. But the school republic call it what you may, state, city, town, village, or what not, gives an opportunity and practically the only one possible for partici- pation in and practice under systematic training of good active citizenship. It gives the children something to do, and children like to do things. Inspector Hughes, to Toronto, Canada, says, — "Children like to do things; they like to do things they plan themsleves, and they like to do things in co-operation with others." The school republic gives opportunity for all this. What does the school republic teach? 1. It teaches co-operation. 238 A New Citizenship — Appendix The children have a systematic method for working with the teachers for bettering conditions in and around the school and neighborhood. They are given an opportunity to plan to this end, and they like to do things they plan them- selves. Instead of being required to do things, they are led to do them through co-operation. 2. It teaches profound respect for law. When, children make their own laws, no matter how simple, they are most active in seeing that these laws are enforced, and they realize the value and the necessity of enforcing all law. And it is only a step from the little school community to the community of adult life. 3. It teaches respect for authority. Being in some considerable degree in authority themselves the children soon see the need of respect for authority. It is truly surprising, too, to see to what extent children will submit to the authority of their own officers. The reason is not hard to see. They feel that it is their own government, and not the rule of an autocratic, monarchic teacher, who, many times without explanation, says "Do this" or "Do that" as though it were for her special gratification that she required the things to be done. 4. It teaches self-control. By this method it is possible to get a marked degree of self-control. Good conduct originates with the children and becomes an inner process tending outward, in place of outward cnotrol that never reaches beyond seeming response to that control. Children who attain to a high standard of conduct through the desire to do well are vastly better morally than those who passively submit to outward control. 5. It teaches active interest in the welfare of school and neighborhood. Just as many people are called good becasue they do no noticeably wrong things, so many children are counted good when they do not break the rules of the school. This kind of goodness comes far short of bettering conditions either in school or in the activities of life. What is needed is active goodness; not only being, but doing good; setting one's self patiently and persistently in favor of the right and against Addresses in Boston 239 the wrong. When it becomes known that nine-tenths of the pupils believe in doing right, most of the remaining tenth will be forced into line through the actively expressed public opinion. 6. It teaches the meaning of civil government. Through the organization of the school republic the child- ren come into close and interesting touch with the official life of the town and city. The simple duties devolving upon the mayor, city clerk, judge, chief of police, and many other officers open the eyes of all the young citizens to the larger duties of officials in actual life; or rather, in the larger com- munity life, for the little school community is actual life to the boys and girls. The school republic court is one of the best things in the whole organization, for it brings forcibly to the children a right conception of that institution, namely, that it means or ought to mean, justice for every citizen. There is great need that this idea should find place in the mind of every lover of this great country of ours. 7. It teaches the value and use of the ballot. This is another great need in American citizenship. How many men fail to realize, when the time comes to cast their ballots at the polls, what a privilege they enjoy and what power they possess. What an opportunity to teach boys and girls the duties of citizens in this great department of Ameri- can government, when they actually exercise the voting franchise a number of times each year, to elect officers and to enact laws and ordinances. 8. It inspires confidence. The school republic method of pupil participation in school management inspires the highest confidence. When are we going to stop distrusting our boys and girls? When are we going to treat them in school as we treat them in the home? Confidence in children begets confidence, and the results that have been seen in this one thing prove beyond a doubt the value of the school republic. Kot the least of the many advantages of democratic govern- ment in the school is the fact that discipline, as we usually think of it, is reduced to a minimum. 240 A New Citizenship— Appendix Many of the advantages named above tend in the direction of waht the school ought always to be, — a place of serious pleasure. Children feel that the school is theirs, and that it is pleasant for them in so far as they make it so. The time usually spent in disciplining the school can be spent in teaching the duties of officers and citizens and in seeing that these duties are performed. It exemplifies the principle that if children are kept busy, the discipline will take care of itself. The school republic socializes the school. All these duties that the children perform bring them together in an entirely different way from that of the recitation or even of the playground. They learn that the Golden Rule must be ap- plied in all their conduct and in all their dealings as officers and citizens, and they soon find that it is best to have proper regard for the rights of others. Through the exercise of the functions of citizenship and government the young people are prepared for their places in the social and civic life of the adult community. They will fill these places far better than they otherwise could, be- cause they have learned the lessons which the school republic teaches them through participation in the school life of their own social and civic community, of which the school is the large and dominating part. My six years' experience with Mr. Gill's system of moral and civic training has convinced me beyond all question that his contention is correct, that "the element of democracy based on the practice of the Golden Rule, is necessary for best conditions and results for rational human beings from their babyhood through life, and that without it, families, schools, industrial and mercantile establishments, and even the army cannot have the highest type of co-operation and obedience to law and authority, and that this is absolutely necessary for the greatest efficiency of any such organization." II — Illlfl ..■nil -III llllp llillP If llflfUlSH. ■■■HP' A o oT a £ «h H 2 £ eg 3 £p u y w o> v bfl £ 0/ O" C^J 03 <-( O £ £ 01 cr 85 £ « ■e "^ 4-^ C £ <" ^ O o> 02 Above: ordinary way at Indian schools of hanging- towels all in con- tact, tending to spread eye and skin troubles. This illustrates slightly how children are trained away from independent ownership and responsi- bility, are institutionalized and made dependent. Below: same wash room, a step toward individual ownership, responsibility and personal indepen- dence. When the boys were organized as a republic, their board of public works made a separate compartment for each boy, in which to keep his towel, brush and comb, tooth brush, soap, etc. See page 204. CHAPTER VIII CLERGYMEN AND DAUGHTERS OF THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION Urged by Clergymen IN March, 1905, fifteen clergymen of different denomina- tions in Washington D. C, signed a petition asking the Board of Education to introduce the Ten Command- ments and certain other religious teachings into the curriculum of the public schools. Thereupon, the entire body of Baptist ministers signed a remonstrance, protesting that such action would be in the direction of sectarian teaching in the schools. The ministers of the Methodist Church South took like action, as did the Unitarians and clergymen of some other denomi- nations, and the Board accorded this large protesting party a hearing on April 25. In the meantime, some one acquainted with the School Republic explained it to the clergymen of both of the opposing parties, and all agreed that it furnished common ground for all to stand on, and was all and more than any of them had hoped to get. Prominent members of the first party said if the second party would offer the School Republic in place of the original demand for religious teaching, they, instead of opposing, would support the new movement, and Hon. Simon Wolf, ex- Minister to Egypt, representing the entire second party, after a lengthy argument showing that com- pliance with the request of the fifteen clergymen would be subversive of civil and religious liberty and the Constitution of the United States, asked that the Board would, for the protection of American institutions and to improve the moral tone of the community, take measures for the successful and permanent introduction of the School Republic into all the schools of the District of Columbia. 241 242 A New Citizenship— Appendix The following petition was presented at the same meeting : Petition of the D. A. R. To the Honorable Board of Education of the District of Columbia On Saturday, April 22, 1905, at the close of the Fourteenth Continental Congress of the National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution, numbering over fifty thouasnd grand-daughters and great- grand- daughters of the officers and soldiers of the Army of the Revolution, who crowned eight years of fighting, suffering and death for liberty and popular government with the Constitution of the United States, this Congress unanimously, thoughtfully, earnestly, enthusiastically and with a fixed determination, — full of the spirit of the Revolution, — adopted the following preambles and resolutions, as a fitting climax of fifteen years of thought and endeavor in the cause of intelligent and independent American citizenship : "Whereas, It is essential for]the well-being and pres- ervation of our form of government that the children of our country shall be trained in the knowledge and practice of pure and noble citizenship; and Whereas, This matter is not adequately provided for in the present curriculum of the schools; Resolved, That this Congress direct the appointment of a special committee by the President- General to promote the introduction of the School Republic into all the schools in the United States." During and following the Civil War there was a large emigration of freedmen from the plantations to the city of Washington. Unprincipled men were able to control their votes, and the political situation became so unfortunate that the Congress of the United States, for self-preservation, found it necessary, in this reservation of land for govern- mental purposes, to withdraw the elective franchise from the people. As a result of this, children who are born at the very heart of the nation are brought up without any example before them of the responsibilities of American citizenship. What little they are taught of it is academic, as if it were of Daughters of American Revolution 243 Rome or Greece, and that alone can have no possible rela- tion to the spirit of their lives as American citizens. Mr. Roosevelt, now Prseident of the United States, par- ticipated in the first School Republic experiment in 1897, which proved a thorough success for its civic and moral purpose. The United States Government introduced it into the schools of Cuba. The President, within a year, has written of his knowledge and earnest approval of the School Republic. In view of all this, and that other and important reasons may be cited in favor of giving the children of the District of Columbia so much of a taste of the responsibilities and privileges of American citizenship, we most respectfully and earnestly request that you take such measures as will in- sure the introduction and permanent success of the School Republic in all of the schools of the District. Respectfully yours, Caroline M. Murphy, Chairman, Julia B. Foraker, Vice- Chairman. CHAPTER IX EDITORIAL COMMENTS THE support of the press, editorially, that has been given to the School Republic method of moral and civic training has been most generous. Magazines, newspapers, educational journals and the religious press of all denominations have given their fullest approval and en- couragement. This has occurred not only in our country, but in many lands. The following editorials and extracts are typical of the large volume which has appeared : In France and Spain — From The Havana Post The Cuban government being the first in the world to undertake the training of all the people while children to enjoy the privileges of citizenship and to perform its duties, it is especially interesting to see that the Heraldo de Madrid is advocating for Spain the same course we are pursuing with such happy results, which are familiar not only to all people in Havana who read the papers, but to all who have children in the schools, and those who have observed the neater appearance and better conduct of the boys in the streets. The Heraldo article is inspired by an article in the Paris Figaro, and is as follows: Civic Education for the Rustic The distinguished novelist, Marcel Prevost, who in his odd hours treats of political and social problems, and in a very advanced and radical manner, which he demonstrated during the famous Dreyfus case, in which he figured by the side of Zola, Anatole France, Octave Mirabeau, Reclus, Jaures, Clemenceau, Clartie, the sacred legion who combated for truth and justice, has published in Le Figaro a very notable article, L'Education des Petits Paysans de France" — the education of the little peasants of France. 244 Editorials 245 It is known that in the French chamber there has been presented a project, on which no definite decision has re- sulted, to secure the integrity of the suffrage. Two methods dispute the solution of the problem, that of casting the vote inside of an envelope and that of isolating each voter in a booth in order that he may not be influenced or coerced by those interested in perverting his will and con- science. The gist of the problem is that the rural elector will not vote. He will mutilate the ballot or leave it blank when they oblige him to enclose his vote in an envelope or leave him alone in a booth to meditate on what his conscience dictates, in a general, departmental, or municipal election. To decide for this or the other party, this or that form of government, is difficult not only for a rural elector, but it is so for higher intelligences, and consciences more en- lightened. The eminent Taine said in the preface of his great work, "Les Origines de la France Contemporaine," that the greatest difficulty of his life was when, in 1858, at the foundation of the second republic, his vote was asked and he did not know for what and for whom to vote; whether the nation ought to organize itself after the type and plan of a middle-class house, an aristocratic palace, a barrack, a phalanstery, or simply a camp of savages. The rural elector is in France, as in almost every country, the number, the force, the mass, and he goes on elaborating slowly, unconsciously, the real national constitution, which is not written anywhere. The future of a country, and peculiarly so if its democratic organization is fundamental, belongs to the rural population, without which there is no durable legislation, nor in reality is anything changed, ex- cept on the surface. Marcel Prevost says, with profound knowledge of the structure and essence of modern peoples, that in vain are decrees made and laws multiplied and constitutions pro- mulgated, if the mass of the working people, and especially those of the country, are not associated in the work. The fourth estate is that which, in the last, governs, and the secret as to whether a society progresses or stagnates, depends on 246 A New Citizenship — Appendix whether or not the reforms penetrate into the brains and hearts of the rural electors. The legislators, he adds, who ten years after the war wished to establish in France the democratic regime, per- ceived well the point of the difficulty. At the base of the political edifice they placed the instruction of the rural laborer. To-day the peasant of twenty years, in all the municipalities of France, can read, write and count. Ren- ovated from top to bottom, the pedagogic methods are admirable. But it is not complete, for in the deskful of books which the child carries to school, there is lacking one volume, little as it may be, the civic manual, the epitome of the rights and duties of the citizen. It is clear that the civic instruction of the peasant does not require a great number of lessons. Beyond the culti- vation of the earth he neeed not mix in the functions of social life, except as soldier, as elector, and as juror. The state confiscates three years of his life, in which to teach him the vocation of a soldier. As elector and juror he serves his apprenticeship without any one to help him or to reach him a protecting hand before he comes to the ballot box and before he must serve on the jury. There is too much aban- donment; there is too much confidence in his natural dis- cernment and independence. Thus it results that the rural people know only by halves, and for the most part very badly, the duties of electors and jurors. It has been proclaimed in the French chamber, and by no less an authority than the great statesman Waldeck- Rousseau, president of the council of ministers, that the rural elector does not know how to vote, because in most cases he is ignorant of the material act; for, though he can write, he does not know how to put the name he prefers on the ticket and how to deposit it in the ballot-box. So that the more the act of voting is complicated, the less will be the probability of ascertaining the true will of the people. And for that condition, what is the remedy? The remedy, according to Marcel Prevost, as well as all others who think seriously and honestly on this grave problem, is in the pri- mary school, because here is the only possible place in which Editorials 247 to teach the rural laborer how to perform his duties as a voter and juror. Of course it is not proposed to establish in the primary school a course of political economy and law. If in the primary school the child is exercised in the prac- tical duties of the voter and juror, he will be delighted, as well as instructed, by these lessons, which will form in him the spirit of the citizen and accustom him, little by little, to decipher the mysteries of his high mission in the world, as partaker in a sovereignty, in a power, as an integral part of the government. If in the schools they train a child as a soldier, there should be no grave inconvenience or in- superable difficulty in training him as an elector and juror. If they can teach military exercises there is no reason for not instructing the child in the mode of voting and judging. If it is necessary to train the child in military practices in the schools, it is doubly necessary to train him in perform- ing the practical duties of the elector and juror, because, if the former may possibly be of practical use to him at some time in his life, the latter are sure to be indispensable at all times during his mundane existence, and there is no reason why this practical civic training should not be in the curricu- lum of the schools. This theme, which M. Prevost develops in a masterly manner in his article in Le Figaro, and which we submit for the consideration and study of those who, in Spain, wish to occupy themselves with the future of our democratic in- stitutions, is Universal Suffrage and the Jury, without whose honest exercise in perfect freedom, independence and intelligence, no country is free. MM. Marcel Prevost and Waldeck-Rousseau lament that the rural elector in France lacks capacity and intelligence in his august office of voter and juror, and that in a country where, according to these same gentlemen, backed by statis- tics, every elector can read and write. What would be said here, in a nation of illiterates; here, where twelve million Spaniards, out of sixteen millions, are deprived of the most elementary instruction, not knowing even the alphabet? 248 A New Citizenship — Appendix Citizenship a Vocation Editorial in the Boston Common. Great emphasis is being placed just now, and properly, upon vocational training in the public schools. How many realize that citizenship itself is a voaction — the greatest of all vocations; the one on which all other vocations should be based; the only one that it is the duty of every individual to learn? While one does not earn money by this vocation, as by all other vocations, the constant and intelligent practice of it is absolutely necessary for the defense of his earnings, to prevent too much being absorbed by the local government and misused after it has been taken from him. The prime object of our system of public schools, academies, colleges and universities is to teach the vocation of citizen- ship, yet they are not teaching it. Our statesmen and our educators have not yet waked up to the fact that citizenship is a voaction. No person in Massachusetts has been sys- tematically trained in this foundation vocation of vocations. Only a few in some schools scattered through the State are now getting the first of such training. There are no properly trained citizens in Massachusetts — there having been no means since the early days of our republic for such training. The means of that time — con- stant contact of the father with his children and with their mother — has long since disappeared. Our statesmen and our educators should have recognized this fifty or a hundred years sgo. The progress and developing of the school system from the time of the little country school house with its session of two or three months a year to the present, with our great palaces of education, marks exactly the decline of democracy in our land and its being supplanted by boss rule. This could never have been, had all our statesmen and educators been awake to the fact that citizenship is a practical art, and must be provided for in the schools, as rapidly as the schools supplant the contact of the father with his family, made necessary by the new vocations which are the result of the introduction of the steam engine and machinery. Editorials 249 There are three classes of those who have the right to vote. The largest consists of those who have not been trained in the higher schools and colleges to think independently for themselves, and whose business life is spent carrying out the orders of foremen, and who in their political life attend primaries and local elections obeying the orders of their political superiors. This great body is the brawn and sinews of machine government or boss rule. The second of the three great classes consists of those who have been trained to think for themselves, but do not attend primaries and local elections, and thus deprive our country of this means of defending its democracy. These men have been trained at home and in the schools from their birth till their graduation from college, to be the sub- jects of government in which they have no part, except to obey. While our statesmen and educators have been blind to the fact, the "bulwarks of our liberty," the public schools and colleges, have been training their political victims in the habits of subjection without responsibility for the con- ditions in which they live. There should be no victims of our educational system. All should be beneficiaries, trained to be obedient to laws for which they are responsible; to understand and defend their rights by lawful means; to understand and defend other persons' rights; to understand that every right has a corresponding duty and to perform that duty; and to co- operate for every good purpose. The third and smallest of the great classes consists of tag ends of the two other classes, an undrilled, unstable quantity of educated patriotic men who have broken out of the crystallization imposed upon them by the schools, and thus are able to act according to the academic teaching of the schools, instead of in accord with the practical training received there, in subjection without participation in the government; and of those men of the first class who are rebels against the existing government of the machine, and assert their independence at the polls. A juncture has been reached in educational affairs. The old academic forms must give way in part to vocational 250 A New Citizenship — Appendix training. Let us beg and pray that Massachusetts will not allow the colossal blunder to be made of failing to recognize that citizenship is not only a vocation, but it is the vocation of all vocations, in which every person should be trained for the safety of every other vocation, for the defence of our liberty, our life and the pursuit of happiness, for a return of our people to the high democracy, won by the Revolutionary War, but now in large measure lost to boss rule and machine government, but which alone can make possible peace and prosperity at home and abroad, and that universal interna- tional co-operation for every good purpose, which will usher in that higher, better civilization to which we are looking forward with straining eyes and longing hearts. Teaching Citizenship Editorial in The North American, April 23, 1910 In a tragic hour in the life of the great German people, when Prussia was doggedly staggering up from the earth to which she had been crushed by the conquering Napoleon, the sovereign called upon a famous philosopher to aid him in reorganizing the stricken kingdom. It was then that Humboldt said: "Whatever you would put into the state, you must first put into the schools." This principle is one which appeals with peculiar force to the American mind, intent upon the problems of self- government and keenly-alive to the realtions between public education and citizenship. Throughout the country and from the beginning of its history as a nation, the people have understood that the success or failure of the American experiment depended largely on the efficiency of the schools in teaching self-govern- ment. This conviction is so innate and ingrained that it arises in some instances to the degree of a passion. Patriotism is jealous of the public schools, because it recognizes the fact that if free government is to live, the state must insist on training the youth to the proper exercise of the functions of citizenship in a democracy. Yet the popular mind has but a hazy idea of just how the Editorials 251 schools are to teach partiotism, and through it self-govern- ment. Indeed, the general opinion seems to be that the faculty of self-government must necessarily come with the patriotic impulse. A reverence for the outward forms, a hysterical shouting for the symbols of freedom apart from freedom itself, the saluting of the flag and the singing of patriotic songs have been looked upon as the groundwork of patriotism, the sure defense of national integrity and popular liberty. And yet the path of history is strewn with the corpses of free communities slain while they shouted for their flag or whatever symbol of patriotism served in their age. It was this experience of the nations that the wise old Englishman had in mind when he said that "Patriotism is the last refuge of a scoundrel." There never lived a more patriotic man that Samuel Johnson, but he read the lessons of history, and he knew the despots had from time imme- morial used the popular love for native land as a means to divert the people from the true conditions while fetters were being forged for their limbs. It is the testimony of candid and sympathetic observers of the American experiment that democratic government has broken down in the cities. And it has been almost the unanimous testimony of these observers that this failure has been due to two classes of citizens. First, those who neglect to exercise their rights either at the primary or general elections or both; and second, those who never fail to cast their ballot, but who always vote as directed by some one to whom they look as an authority in political matters. The result has been that in a general way we have had in out cities not government by the people, but government by an oligarchy, and in some instances even government by an individual will, which means monarchy without the responsi- bility that a legitimate monarch must assume. In every discussion as to the best method of arousing the citizenship of cities to an interest in the functions of their government, the schools have been a primary consideration. In each of the two formal meetings thus far held by the new Patriotic Society of Philadelphia, a speaker, one unknown 252 A New Citizenship — Appendix to the other, has quoted from the German philosopher that the things which we would put into the state must first be put into the schools. One of these speakers was Dr. Brumbaugh. Professor L. S. Rowe, president of the American Academy of Social and Political Science, went a step further toward defining what the function of the schools should be in teach- ing citizenship. Professor Rowe said: The responsibility of teaching civics is not discharged when we have taught children the structure of government or the history of the country. History should be taught, not to instil contentment with present conditions, but to develop a sense of obligation to the future of the city. Train the imagination as well as the intellect, so that the mind can see not only what the city has been, but what it can be and must be. Create a fruitful discontent. Let this society be a conference of those engaged in teaching civics so that they may hold up a definite civic ideal to which our conduct must conform. It is something of a curious conicidence that it was through another organization bearing the name the Patriotic League, the name which was first adopted by the local society, that the idea of teaching citizenship through the actual exercise of its functions was first given to the world. The inventor of the plan was Wilson L. Gill, LL. B. Pro- fessor Gill's idea is that it is not enough to teach children the structure of government and the history of the country. But neither is it enough to teach them the abstract principles of good citizenship. The schools have not fulfilled their full duty until they have taught self-government by making the children self-governing. His apt illustration of the principle involved is the teach- ing of chemistry. A student might listen for years to lectures on chemistry, but he never could be a chemist until he had done the actual work in the laboratory. So with the youth of the nation. All the lectures and textbooks in the land on self-government will not fit them for citizenship in a free democracy unless the theoretical knowledge is supplemented by actual practice in governing themselves. Editorials 253 Mr. Gill's plan is to organize every school into a little republic, and to put the responsibility for its government upon the pupils. It is not merely a play city, to teach the children the forms of government. It is a genuine, self governing community. And while it teaches forms, its im- portant function is to teach the spirit of democracy, the responsibility of the individual to the community, and to cultivate in the minds of the children the habits of self- government itself. Under the conventional methods of school discipline the children are ruled by an absolute despotism, as they are in the parental home. They become accustomed to taking their rule from a higher power. They go into the world as men and women without ever having had a single exercise in self-government. Their habits of thought are formed in youth, and they continue through life to look for their govern- ment, not in themselves, but in some leader. Thus is bossism woven into the very fabric of our institutions, and irregular monarchy made the rule of our cities. The experience of those who organized school cities on Mr. Gill's plan has been that the children showed eagerness to make just laws, and avidity in enforcing them. They wanted to do the right thing. The problems of school discipline were greatly simplified. But the chief benefit was the training of young citizens in actual self-government. The idea won the award of the Elliott- Cresson gold medal, the highest honor given by the Franklin Institute. School cities were established in Philadelphia. At one time there were more than thirty here. But without official support it was impossible to continue the work, and those that have been able to survive are less than half a dozen. But the idea has spread. Many school cities have been organized in New York, especially among the children of the foreign quarters. There are school cities in every state in the Union, in Hawaii, in Cuba, in Europe, Asia, Africa and South America. When Theodore Roosevelt was Presi- dent he wrote a letter commending the teaching of citizen- ship through the plan of self-governing schools. The Patriotic League — not the Philadelphia society, but 254 A New Citizenship — Appendix the national organization, which is chartered under law of Congress, and numbers among its members such men as Leonard Wood, Jacob Riis, Ben. B. Lindsey, George Dewey and Gifford Pinchot — has given its approval to the school republic method of teaching citizenship. The Philadelphia Patriotic Society is seeking effective means to the same end. It might be worth its while to consider Humboltd's principle enunciated by Dr. Brumbaugh at the first meeting of the society, that "Whatever we would put into the state must first be put into the schools." And the school republic plan, bearing the award of the Franklin Institute, seems to offer a way of putting self-govern- ment into the schools and through the schools into the state. Educating in Social Relations The Press, Philadelphia The public school, as every one knows and is aware, has only begun to fill its full place in the work of the community. It began by teaching books. It must end by teaching life. It began with the "three R's." It must end by educating in social relations. Nothing better for this has yet been proposed than the School Republic, which was last night the subject of explana- tion and approval at a dinner given by the Franklin Institute to those prominent in education in Philadelphia. The civic organization of the school on the lines of self-government has now been in existence for several years in one of the schools of Philadelphia. The plan has been successful there. It succeeded in Cuba. Wherever tried, with good judgment, it has worked. The cause is plain. The School Republic follows a sound principle. It develops by imposing responsibility. It re- lates the teaching of institutions and of civic life to the daily life of the pupil in the schoolhouse and eslewhere. Like the kindergarten and manual training, it educates by employing the normal and personal activities of the student for educa- tion. It trains not by precept, but by action. The kindergarten, cooking, manual training were all at first introduced in our schools by private aid which developed Editorials 255 into public support. The School Republic promises to take the same course. It .is no longer an experiment. Philadelphia ought to train in good citizenship by introducing it in every school. [The above editorial was written by Mr. Talcott Williams, who has been observing the development of the School Republic for a number of years, and is now dean of the Pulitzer School of Journalism of Columbia University]. CHAPTER X A BRIEF SCHOOL CITY CHARTER IN the earlier school city charters, I endeavored to make them cover as many details as practicable, and they were from ten to twenty such pages as these. Later it seemed desirable to make the charter so brief that it would not seem a formidable document to be read and compre- hended, and to hold a longer one in reserve for later study and suggestion. The limits of this book admit of only the most brief form. A longer form will be found in "Civic Practice for Boys and Girls," a book which I have prepared to be used supplementary to "The Boys and Girls" Republic." The latter is a text book to aid in the use of the School Republic method. g>rif00t C&ttg Charter. Article I. Object, Name, Territory, Citizens, Powers. Section 1. The object of this School City is to train the citizens in the practice of the Golden Rule, independence of character, teaching and co-operation for every good purpose, in school, at home and everywhere. Sec. 2. The Name of this School City shall be determined by a majority of the citizens at the time this charter is adopted. Sec. 3. The territory of this School City is the school and so much of the district in which the pupils live as is not otherwise provided for. Sec. 4. Citizens. Every child who is or shall be a pupil in this school room division shall be a citizen of this School City. Sec. 5. Powers. The city shall have the right to make, to enforce and to adjudicate laws. 256 r- i w '/. "O J cd o $$ S« £ o E3 o> - fc 4) 0) X en a> T) a; C u 01 efl .C -M JJ m (h 3 J" 1 o o es o> - ct 13 H < 01 > o 2 t-l a S3 K hn T5 09 cd .£3 u 2 c CO bfl o & etf r ■£J >> 3 o c — CO rvi y ht o e C 3 ■S