f the institution into their hands.

There have been, in several cases, experiments made with reference to
ascertaining how far a government, strictly republican, would be
admissible in a school. A very fair experiment of this kind was made at
the Gardiner Lyceum, in Maine. At the time of its establishment, nothing
was said of the mode of government which it was intended to adopt. For
some time, the attention of the Instructers was occupied in arranging
the course of study, and attending to the other concerns of the
Institution, and in the infant state of the Lyceum, few cases of
discipline occurred, and no regular system of government was necessary.

Before long, however, complaints were made that the students at the
Lyceum were guilty of breaking windows in an old building used as a
town-house. The Principal called the students together, mentioned the
reports, and said that he did not know, and did not wish to know who
were the guilty individuals. It was necessary, however, that the thing
should be examined, and that restitution should be made; and relying on
their faithfulness and ability, he should leave them to manage the
business alone. For this purpose, he nominated one of the students as
judge, some others as jury-men, and appointed the other officers
necessary, in the same manner. He told them, that, in order to give them
time to make a thorough investigation, they were excused from farther
exercises during the day.

The Principal then left them, and they entered on the trial. The result
was, that they discovered the guilty individuals, ascertained the amount
of mischief done by each, and sent to the selectmen a message, by which
they agreed to pay a sum equal to three times the value of the injury
sustained.

The students were soon after informed that this mode of bringing
offenders to justice would, hereafter, be always pursued, and
arrangements were made for organizing a _regular republican government_,
among the young men. By this government, all laws which related to the
internal police of the Institution, were to be made, all officers were
appointed, and all criminal cases were to be tried. The students finding
the part of a judge too difficult for them to sustain, one of the
Professors was appointed to hold that office, and, for similar reasons,
another of the Professors was made President of the Legislative
assembly. The Principal was the Executive, with power to _pardon_, but
not to _sentence_, or