Sale!

For the Good of the Children: A History of the Boys and Girls Republic (Great Lakes Books Series)

Amazon.com Price:  $11.75 (as of 22/03/2019 22:56 PST- Details)

Description

The Boys and Girls Republic of Farmington Hills, Michigan, came to life as the Boys Republic all over the Progressive Era, when the combined stresses of urbanization, immigration, and poverty left an unprecedented number of children on the streets. It used to be a time marked both by social change and new thinking about the welfare of children, especially the neglected, delinquent, or abused. Here Gay Zieger tells the story of the remarkable humanitarians and reformers in the Detroit area who offered such children shelter, food, and comfort. Their efforts in the long run evolved into probably the most dramatic illustrations of a “junior republic”-an innovation directed not at enforcing discipline from above but fairly at cultivating character among children through example and self-government.

We meet, for instance, the colorful first superintendent, Homer T. Lane, who believed in the innate goodness of children and established a self-governing system that allowed the boys in his care to exercise some power over their lives. Whilst Lane dealt with issues concerning personal hygiene and honesty-and the book includes humorous accounts of how the boys arrived at “laws” addressing these matters-later issues included aggressive behavior, alienation, and drugs. Telling a story that spans the twentieth century, the creator traces the social currents that gave rise to these problems, in addition to the changing philosophies and psychological approaches aimed at resolving them. Her book pays tribute to the Republic, a residential remedy center for both boys and girls since 1994, by sharing the stories of individuals made up our minds to help children discover their potential to succeed.

Home » Shop » Books » Subjects » Arts and Photography » History and Criticism » History » Americas » United States » State and Local » For the Good of the Children: A History of the Boys and Girls Republic (Great Lakes Books Series)

Recent Products