Page:Collier's New Encyclopedia v. 04.djvu/342

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GEORGE JUNIOR REPUBLIC
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GEORGETOWN

man” (1914); and “The Blind Alley” (1919). He lectured in the United States in 1920.

GEORGE JUNIOR REPUBLIC, a community of boys and girls near Freeville, N. Y., about 10 miles east of Ithaca, founded in 1895 by William R. George. The purpose of the community is to afford to neglected, reckless, and unfortunate children an opportunity to acquire an education and character necessary to lead a useful life. It is the outcome of an experiment made by Mr. George for a number of years, consisting of taking between 150 and 250 children from the city slums to his country home during their vacation. The organization of the Republic is modeled upon that of the United States. The age of admission is 12 to 18 years, and children from any part of the United States may be admitted. Defectives are not admitted if their condition is known. The institution was in successful operation for many years and its success resulted in the foundation of similar establishments in various parts of the country. These were all independent of each other and of the original institution, but eventually the National Association of Junior Republics was formed. The parent establishment in New York was seriously criticized in respect to its conduct in 1913, and difficulties about meeting its budget eventually resulted in a decision of the trustees to close the institution in 1914. At that time, Mr. George's offer to take over the institution was accepted.

GEORGE, LAKE, called also HORICON, a beautiful lake, 32 miles long, near the E. border of New York State. It forms the head-waters of Lake Champlain, is studded with hundreds of picturesque islands, and its shores contain several favorite summer resorts, especially the village of Caldwell or Lake George. Here was fought the battle of Lake George, in which the French and Algonquins, under Baron Dieskau, were utterly defeated by the English and Iroquois under Sir William Johnson, Sept. 8, 1755.

GEORGE, ORDER OF ST., the name of numerous orders which have been founded in honor of St. George. They include (1) a military order instituted in Russia in 1769 by the Empress Catharine II. as a reward of military achievements. It consists of four classes, to which a fifth, intended for non-commissioned officers and privates, was added in 1807. (2) An order instituted in Bavaria by the Emperor Charles VII. (Charles Albert) in 1729, and reorganized by King Louis II. in 1871. Since the reorganization the order, which had previously been a mere decoration for the nobility, has devoted itself to such services as the care of the wounded on battlefields, etc. (3) An order instituted by Ernest Augustus of Hanover in 1839. (4) A Sicilian military order, instituted by Joseph Napoleon, Feb. 24, 1808, and remodeled by King Ferdinand IV. in 1819. (5) The name under which the order of the Garter was first instituted in England.

GEORGE, ST., the especial patron of chivalry, and tutelary saint of England. Though venerated both in the Eastern and Western Churches, his history is extremely obscure. The story in the “Acta Sanctorum” (“Deeds of the Saints”) is that he was born of noble Christian parents in Cappadocia, became a distinguished soldier, and, after testifying to his faith before Diocletian, was tortured and put to death at Nicomedia, April 23, 303.

GEORGE, ST., one of the Bermudas. It is about 3 miles long and ½ mile broad, is fortified, and contains a port of the same name, which is a British military station.

GEORGE'S CHANNEL, ST., the arm of the sea which separates Ireland from Wales S. of the Irish Sea. From Holyhead and Dublin on the N. to St. David's Head and Carnsore Point it extends about 100 miles, with a breadth varying from 50 to 70 miles.

GEORGETOWN, a former city in the District of Columbia, on the Potomac river; since 1878 part of the city of Washington. It is the seat of Georgetown University, a Jesuit institution with a noted astronomical observatory. Georgetown is one of the greatest fish-markets in the country and has over 50 flour mills. See Washington (city).

GEORGETOWN (formerly the Dutch Stabroek), capital of British Guiana; on the Demerara river, not far from its mouth. It is handsomely built. The principal public edifices are the government building, the cathedral, the Queen's College, and a museum and library. There is a good harbor, with a lighthouse, and defenses erected within recent years; the foreign trade is virtually that of the colony. See Guiana, British. Pop. (1918) 54,006.

GEORGETOWN, a city of South Carolina, the county-seat of Georgetown co. It is on the Georgetown and Western railroad and on Winyah Bay. It has an excellent harbor and is a seaport of considerable imnortance. It is the center of an important agricultural region.