George Junior Republic

William Reuben George founded a junior republic 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.

[1][2] George (born 1866) was a native of West Dryden, near Freeville, who was a businessman in New York City who became interested in the urchins of the street and their gangs.

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.

[2] Over the years of William George's leadership, he was supported and the Junior Republic was visited by many prominent people who were interested in learning from his experiment.

In 2005 the George Junior Republic changed its name to The William George Agency for Children’s Services, Inc. Today’s residential programs preserve the Junior Republic’s ideals of general fitness, social development and well-roundedness, in which responsibility is treated more as an opportunity than a burden – while providing more focused clinical oversight and treatment, and a strong educational emphasis.

The dually diagnosed program offers many specialized services and supports designed to improve their adaptive daily living skills, as well as their capacity to function independently.

The structure of the residential program is designed to offer these youngsters a safe, stable, and predictable living environment which will support and encourage their investment in treatment while an OASAS licensed clinic provides intensive chemical dependency services.

In response to overwhelming and persistent consumer demand, the agency made the decision to serve girls with a history of trauma and abuse.