George Jr. Republic Traditional Cache

George Jr. Republic

The William George Agency, seems to be the current name, but I still think of it as the George Jr. Republic.

The William George Agency for Children's Services (formerly the George Junior Republic) is a non-profit residential treatment center for adolescent boys and girls located in Freeville, New York.

William Reuben George founded a junior republic within the Republic of the United States whose economic, civic, and social conditions, reproduced those of the United States, and whose citizenship is vested in young people, especially those who were neglected or wayward.

They even made their own currency!

George (born 1866) was a native of West Dryden, near Freeville, who as a businessman in New York City became interested in the urchins of the street and their gangs and began to organize them into more productive groups who helped, rather than hindered the police. He longed to give these "toughs" some of the summer fresh air and fun he had experienced as a child on the family farm.

In the summer of 1890, he took 22 children to Freeville with funds received from the New York Tribune, the sponsors of The Fresh Air Fund charity. Each summer from then until 1895 the number of children increased. Over these early years, he slowly developed his idea of "nothing without labor" and of a Junior Republic with laws made by young "citizens" and an economic system controlled by youngsters.

In 1895, George and five volunteers stayed through the winter in Freeville and thus a permanent colony was founded.

RESIDENTIAL CARE FOR YOUTH & YOUNG ADULTS

On July 10, 1895, the founding date of the G.J.R., five boys out of two hundred campers decided to stay through the winter. This was the beginning of what we have today: a therapeutic community of youths, growing and maturing together responsibly.

Although the agency has seen many programmatic changes over the years as the needs of children have evolved, one thing has never changed, namely the enduring efforts of caring adults working to improve the lives of disadvantaged, troubled youth.

Two buildings (the "Girls' Hotel" and the "Jail") in the George Junior Republic, ca. 1903-04.

In point of fact, during the twenty year period between 1993 and 2015, the agency has grown fourfold from approximately 45 beds to our present licensed capacity of 189 beds as part of our on-going commitment to serve at-risk youth in New York State.

<https://www.wgaforchildren.org/about-us/> will give you a lot more information.

Changing Lives & Shaping Futures

The George Junior Republic Union Free School District provides educational services for the children residing at the William George Agency For Children’s Services and for CSE referred day school students who live in local communities. 

The George Junior Republic Union Free School District provides a consistently safe, positive, and academically stimulating learning environment. We empower students to respect themselves, to respect others, and to develop the skills necessary to make informed decisions leading to social, emotional, and academic success.

The George Junior Republic Union Free School District is comprised of approximately 190 students who live on campus and 30 area students who attend our Day School Program.  The district was specifically designed to educate at-risk children.  The school may award Regents, local, or CDOS and SACC credentials or prepare students for a TASC diploma (formerly GED).  In addition to required Regents and Non-Regents courses, “The Republic” offers a work experience program consisting of 13 trades and occupations.  Our students also have the opportunity to learn career skills in Culinary Arts and Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources and to develop leadership skills in our FFA Chapter.  Students attend eight 45 minute periods each day for four 10 week marking periods and one six week summer session.  The teaching staff is made up of 43 teachers, 50 teaching assistants, and the teacher/student/teaching assistant ratio is 6:1:1 in most classes.  The majority of our students receive special education services.  Academic support services are given to students in reading and math.  Our students come from approximately 53 counties throughout NYS.  We are centrally located near Tompkins Cortland Community College, SUNY Cortland, Ithaca College and Cornell University.

<http://www.gjrufsd.org/code-of-conduct/> will have more about the situation today.

The cache is along the Dryden-Freeville trail, which runs along the edge of, and probably through, Republic territory. Imagine what it must have been like when steam engines chugged through here!

As usual, it’s a tied-in, “micro”, camoed  pill bottle, with only a rolled log, with rubber band, in a tiny zip locked plastic bag. Please make sure the rubber band gets back on the rolled log and the bag gets zipped before you return everything as found. Thanks!