The Tiny Republic of Anacortes: Boys, Shells, and Self-Government

ANACORTES, Dec. 17.—[Special Correspondence.] In the pursuit of unusual success on the Sound, parents often fail to realize the priceless advantages offered to their boys and girls in the contact afforded with nature in some of her most wonderful and beautiful aspects while she is yet unmarred by commerce or by excursionists.

In establishing an organization of children whereby they may here pursue the study of natural history, one has not only every assistance from nature herself, but a further advantage in the present condition of the Sound country, for in almost every town the boom has left empty houses and unused furniture, which the owners are glad to place at the disposal of the children.

In founding such a club one has simply to draw on an already awakened enthusiasm, for almost every boy who lives on these shores has his collection of natural curiosities.

The club of Anacortes was organized on the principle of self-government, and a president, vice president, secretary and treasurer were elected among the boys, while the office of sergeant-at-arms was allotted to the manager, the only older person admitted to membership. The boys have thus united themselves in a miniature republic, where no one is compelled to obey any mandate which is not the decision of the whole body, and where, while their individuality as members is strengthened, they learn to yield to the will of the whole body from choice and not from necessity.

Among the first duties of the club was to secure a room, which they improvised with boards and saw-horses, and benches made from lumber picked upon the beach. It was then decided to give an exhibition as a reason for enlarging the collections and for raising funds for its maintenance. Picnics and excursions were inaugurated, and the line of boys marching through the streets called forth much curiosity and sympathy from the older people, who became eager to visit the meetings and join in the picnics. Their presence, however, would have disturbed that combination of freedom and responsibility necessary to keep up the enthusiasm of their union.

Winding their way through the dark woods after birds' nests, wings and eggs, or clambering over the moist rocks at low tide to find limpets, chitons, barnacles, sea urchins or starfish, or rambling on the plains in search of agates and sea moss, delightful associations were formed with woods and sea and sky, and firm friendships cemented in a sympathetic kinship. The cleaning of the shells and the drying of the sea moss was something they already well understood, while the arrangement of the shells in boxes was original, tending to develop a taste for ornament and design.

For the exhibition the club accepted the loan of specimens from outsiders, and the result was a collection which well represented the natural curiosities of the island and its surroundings.

The exhibition was an event. It was held in the central hall of the building where they had their club room. Music was contributed. Coffee and cake were provided by the mothers and served by the girls, who are honorary members.

The club room was a beautiful sight, with its walls hung with Indian mats and its scarlet-covered tables, on which were spread the delicate shells, the starfish and the spiked urchins. Several more ambitious members exhibited their treasures in show cases or cabinets. The rooms were crowded and great enthusiasm aroused among the citizens, who have since furthered the efforts of the club in every way. After the exhibition a cabinet was presented them which had once been used by the city for a state fair. A building has been given them for the club, and a stove and a hanging lamp for winter evenings.

With the money raised they desire to purchase books on natural history, but as collecting is almost impossible during the rainy winter weather and their school duties already confine them long enough to their books, they have decided to spend some of the money for games and to give an entertainment and raise more money for books.

The collection of curiosities is of scarcely more interest to them than the formalities of these business meetings, where they are becoming familiar with parliamentary usages and regard themselves as only less important than the city council. They meet once a week and have adopted a constitution, written out for them by Abstractor Beard. They enjoy lectures on natural history from Mr. Amos Bowman, the founder of Anacortes, and lessons in shell cleaning or taxidermy are offered them.

Dues of 5 cents a month have been instituted, and for disobedience to the regulations a fine of 5 cents for the first offense, 10 and 15 for the second and third, and expulsion as the final penalty does much to establish quiet during the formal sessions. Outside of these they are permitted perfect freedom and liberty to make all the noise consequent to an inextinguishable flow of animal spirits. Never did there seem to be a happier company than the singing, shouting set of boys who greet my coming with rounds of good-natured applause on every Friday evening. The janitor is changed every two weeks, but the demands made upon the boys during the winter, at home and at school, render it almost impossible for them to keep their playhouse in rigid order. They do not, however, seem less happy for this, and little hewers of wood and drawers of water show a capacity for scrubbing and window washing when necessary that is surprising to one who has not been long in this land as yet so little under the dominion of the hired girl.

Their ambition is to have the club room decorated with the treasures of sea and land, a happy center of association, where may be unfolded to them the meaning of another world, filled with the wonders of fairyland, and attainable through adventure and study. The thirst already awakened in them for a knowledge of the things they love and cherish is the strongest appeal for help in their efforts, and while they play they are elevated and purified by the deepest lessons of mother nature, who amuses while she exalts them.

BERTHA MONROE RICKOFF.