Collection Scope and Content Note

Collection contains extensive correspondence and other materials concerning William R. George and the founding of the George Junior Republic. The collection also contains material which documents the evolution of the Republic and its part in educational reform in the early twentieth century; the establishment of other Junior Republics in the United States; and George's ideas about the Child Labor Amendment, communism, socialism, pacifism, and the welfare state. Also included is extensive correspondence, 1807-1985 of George and the George family, including thousands of letters from former citizens, benefactors, and persons interested in social reform; George Junior Republic Association records, unpublished articles by George, minutes of councils, and annotated notes; manuscripts (ca. 1909-68) with book drafts, drafts for articles and speeches, and material about the Phalanx movement. Also, diaries (1881-1962), and other volumes, including memobooks, account books, steno notebooks, address books, guestbooks, and scrapbooks. Although a fire destroyed many of the Republic's work records, the collection still includes some record books (1895-1923).

Extensive published material which was printed at or concerns the George Junior Republic (1895-1985), and three books by William R. George, THE JUNIOR REPUBLIC, CITIZENS MADE AND REMADE (with Lyman Beecher Stowe), and THE ADULT MINOR are also included, as well as blueprints, plans, and certificates, museum items, photographs, albums, and sketches (1889-1955) depicting the early days of the Republic, family and friends of William R. George, citizens, ex-citizens, helpers, and officials of the Republic; genealogies of the Georges and related families; newspaper and magazine clippings (1809-1985); unidentified wax recordings; transcripts (1965) of five interviews done by Jack Holl and Frances Keefe; papers relating to Gerrit Smith Miller; and papers kept by Malcolm Freeborn (1930-85) concerning many committees and councils of the Junior Republic, and Freeborn's work with senior citizens and with the Tompkins County Youth Court.

Correspondents include Andrew Carnegie, Alexander Forbes, Willard E. Hotchkiss, Leonard S. Levin, Gerrit Smith Miller, Susan Dixwell Miller, William C. Orton, Theodore Roosevelt, Jacob Gould Schurman, Lyman Beecher Stowe, Sao-Ke Alfred Sze, Richard Welling, and many others.