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(SDbseruer Newspapers
Suburban Life
Julie Brown editor/459-2700
Thursday, February 19. 1987 O&E
Girl Scouts have worked
X
photos by BILL BRESLER/staft photograph**
proficiency badges in a variety of areas over the years.
Girl Scouts have
a proud history
By Julis Brown
staff writer
In 1979, Elaine Bain and her
family moved to Plymouth.
One of the first things that Bain
did at that time was to check on
local Girl Scouts troops for her
daughter, who is now 13. Bain, who
had been a Girl Scout both as a girl
and as an adult, also got involved
in Scouting in the Plymouth-Canton
area.
"Scouting kind of got us attached
to the community," she said. The
"instant belonging" Girl Scouting
provided was a tremendous help.
Bain has been involved with Girl
Scout activities at Bird Elementary
School in Plymouth. She's also
participated in other Scout activities,
including day camp.
More recently, the Plymouth
resident has been involved in
researching the history of Girl
Scouting in the U.S., helping to
celebrate Scouting's 7 5th anniversary
in this country.
SHE HAS given presentations on
the history of Scouting to troops in
the Plymouth-Canton-Northville
area.
"Beyond my wildest dreams, the
kids have loved it," she said. Bain
tailors her presentations to the different
age groups she works with.
In 1912, Girl Scouting in the U.S.
had approximately 16 girl members
and 10 adult members, Bain
said. By 1916, that number had
grown to some 7,000.
"I was really impressed by that,"
she said. Today, Girl Scouting has
nearly 3 million members in the
U.S., she said.
When Lord Baden-Powell started
the Boy Scout organization, some
6,000 girls tried to sign up.
Back in those days, girls didn't
do that kind of thing," Bain said.
Baden-Powell's sister, Lady
Agnes, took those girls in England
and organized them into the Girl
Guides organization.
Baden-Powell met Juliette Gordon
Low, founder of Girl Scouting
in the U.S., when Low was in her
50s. Low joined the Scout movement
as a Girl Guide leader.
At that time, the American-bom
Low, a well-to-do woman, had
homes in England and Scotland.
Her life up to that point had been a
comfortable, fairly leisurely one,
Bain said.
LOW STARTED a Girl Guide
troop at her home at Glen Lyon
The area was a poor one and many
of the young people had to leave
home to work in the city Finding
the time and energy for Girl Guide
activities wasn't easy for them.
'Scouting kind of got
us attached to the
community.'
— Elaine Bain
Plymouth resident
'She was upset by this," Bain
said.
Low then had her cook prepare a
tea. Low also learned how to care
for chickens. She bought sheep and
found markets for the chicken
products and the wool — thus allowing
the local young people to
participate in the activities she had
planned for them.
The Girl Scout pioneer then went
to a poor area of London, where
she started another troop. Low returned
to the U.S^ and in 1912
formed the first U.S. Girl Scout
troop at her home in Savannah, Ga.
"She paid for everything for all
the Girl Scouts until 1916," Bain
said. At that point, the organization
had enough members to become
self-sufficient.
Bain has a collection of Girl
Scout memorabilia, including a
"friendship stick" made from a
tree branch. She received the
branch while attending camp as a
teenager
"I've kept that since 1960." Today,
friendship sticks are made
from tongue depressors. Although
their appearance is different, the
meaning hasn't changed.
"So the idea's the same, but
we've adapted it to fit the times."
SHE ALSO has a collection of
old "Girl Scout Handbook" editions,
including one from 1933. (See
related story.) The 1933 edition advises
girls that it's important to be
self-sufficient — including knowing
how to handle a hammer and saw
"Back in 1933, young ladies did
not hammer and saw. It was not
the thing to do." In that sense, Girl
Scouts have always been years
ahead of their time, she said.
Today, the various proficiency
badges available to Scouts help
girls develop talent and expertise
in a number of areas, she said.
Bain, who celebrated Scouting's
50th anniversary as a teenager, is
looking forward to this year's 75th
anniversary celebration.
"Anniversaries are for looking
back."
Girl Scouting has a number of
tremendous leaders and other adult
volunteers in the Plymouth-Canton-Northville
area. Bain said.
(P.C)1B
Many of them, however, weren't
girl members or were girl members
only for a short time.
Learning about the traditions
and history of Girl Scouting will
help those volunteers and also help
the girls, she said.
"I really believe in this. I don't
know everything, but I know it, I
like it and I believe in it."
Participation in Girl Scouting
has provided Bain with a number
of lasting friendships. It's also
helped her to develop skills in leadership
and in public speaking.
"YOU HAVE little things that
you have to do." Being a patrol
leader, for example, helps a Scout
learn to be a fair and responsible
leader.
Participation in Scouting has
also provided Bain with opportunities
to do things that were fun and
to meet people that she otherwise
wouldn't have.
"This is an opportunity for them
to come out of shells and be a part
of a group," she said of girls who
are Scouts.
Today, Girl Scouting offers a
number of opportunities for girls
and for adults. Bain said Nevertheless,
the public image of the Girl
Scout could use some polishing.
"The image of the Girl Scouts
needs to be promoted." Girl Scouts
do participate in more traditional
activities, such as the annual cookie
sale, but they also are involved
in a number of new programs, such
as international travel for older
girls.
"A lot of things get done that
people just don't know about."
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The handbooks used by Girl
Scouts have seen many
changes with the passing of
time.
A time for celebration and reflection
By Julis Brown
staff writer
A number of activities are
planned for the 75th anniversary of
Girl Scouting in the U S
On Thursday, March
"Promise Circle" programs
planned
12,
are
"It's all over the United States,"
said Fab Snage, troop services director
for the Bird Elementary
School cluster in Plymouth At 4
p.m. Eastern Standard Time. Girl
Scouts will celebrate with
"Promise Circle" ceremonies
The March 12 ceremonies are
being held to remember the March
12, 1912. organizing of the first U S
Girl Scout troop by Juliette Gordon
Low in Savannah. Ga.
The plans on what exactly to do
in the celebration have been more
or less left up to the individual Girl
Scout clusters. Snage said
If a Girl Scout Lin t able to participate
in a "Promise Circle" at
that lim« on Thursday, March 12,
she can simply say the Girl Scout
promise on ber own
INDIVIDUAL GIRL Scout councils
will also have "Generation
Teas' for those who have been active
with the council in years gone
by. with Ruth McMahon in charge
of the area's "Generation Tea "
The Plymouth-Canton-Northville
area is part of the Huron Valley
Girl Scout Council
Special patches and pins will
also be available to commemorate
the 75th'anniversary. A council celebration
for the 75th anniversary is
planned for May 16 at Crisler Arena
in Ann Arbor
The anniversary year will allow
local Girl Scouts to learn about the
history and traditions of Scouting.
"That's what the feeling has been
behind the celebration," Snage
said The celebration will help
bring back the ceremonies and
songs of earlier years
"You lose touch sometimes with
what a movement started out
doing."
Girl Scouting in the US was
founded by Juliette Gordon Low
Plymouth's Elaine Bain has
researched the history of Scouting
and has made presentations on that
history to area troops (See related
story )
"She gears it to the age level,"
Snage said. "She teaches the girls
songs Bain also teaches the girls
about flag ceremonies, investiture
ceremonies and other Scout traditions
"People who just get into Scouting
need someone to guide them
who has been through it before "
Snage said She has been a real
help, especially in this special
year "
GIRL SCOUTING has a more
difficult time attracting older girls, '
Snage said Once girls reach mid-
dle school age, Scouting isn't always
considered the thing to do;
there are also a number of other
activities that vie for a girl's time
"At that point, they have so
much to do. They have to choose
what they want to do "
Among the fifth graders Snage
works with, the interest level is
still high
"They love the camping They
just love that experience" The
girls also enjoy doing their badge
work in areas ranging from avia-
tion to computers
A Bird Elementary School troop
went on a visit to a local bank
where the vice president and other
key people were all women. Snage
said
"That was a good experience for
them."
Girl Scouts in Plymouth-Canton-
Northville number approximately
1,500, according to Rochella
Thorpe. Huron Valley Girl Scout
Council field director for the area
"Girl Scouting is immensely pop-
ular I think that's because the program
has changed so much to meet
the needs It's a learning experience
as well as fun "
Scouting now has five age levels
Daisy, Brownie. Junior, Cadette
and Senior Membership does tend
to drop off some when girls reach
middle school age, Thorpe agreed
EVEN SO, tremendous opportunities
do exist for older Girl Scouts,
including international travel
Approximately 10.000 people are
expected at the May 16 celebration
in Ann Arbor, Thorpe said
"For most of us, it's a once in a
lifetime kind of thing " The anniversary
provides a great opportunity
for those involved in Scouting
to assess its past and its future
"We are also looking forward
into what's possible for girls and
women," Thorpe said
Former Girl Scouts and former
volunteers are being encouraged to
Please turn to Page 3
Handbook sets the standards
Girl Scouts were expected to do
a number of things and to do them
well in 1933
According to a 1933 edition of
the "Girl Scout Handbook.' - a Girl
Scout "has kinship with the
pioneers who have gone before her
The adventure that was theirs, the
)oy of accomplishment, the satisfaction
of giving service to others
belong to the girl of today Just as
much as they did to Sacagawea.
Louisa Alcott, Juliette Low or to
any other pioneer spirit."
Sacagawea. an Indian girl of the
Hidatsa tribe, was a trailmaker
who traveled with Lewis and Clark
Juliette Gordon Low was the
founder of Girl Scouting In the U S
Stories about them are included in
the 1933 edition of the "Girl Scout
Handbook," along with those about
author Louisa Alcott and other
women
According to the book's chapter
on "What Is Girl Scouting* 1 ," a
Scout 'learns how to live in the
open and to have a good time there
She knows how lo use a knife and
an ax and to build a safe fire and
cook a meal over it with little or no
equipment
"WHEN SHE is on a hike or in
camp, a Girl Scout uses her eyes
and discovers many of the secrets
of the woods and fields She learns
to know and appreciate trees, flowers
and rocks, the ways of ani-
mals and birds
She gains a knowledge of trail
signs and how to find the North
Star The ancient stories and legends
about the starry giants are
told around the camp fire and become
familiar to her."
Having those useful outdoor
skills wasn't enough for the Girl
Scout of that era. she was also expected
to do her part on the home
front and to contribute to the quality
of life in her community.
According to the book, "friendliness
and helpfulness are Girl Scout
ways and a Girl Scout tries to be
prepared to do her share in her
home and in her community To
this end. she learns to cook and sew
and hammer and saw — to make
things herself
She learns to care for little children
and sick persons, to keep herself
healthy, to give first aid to the
injured
She discovers new ways of hav-.
ing a good time in singing, dancing,
dramatics, games and story-telling
"She learns about her town and
city, her state and her country how
they are governed and how she
may best serve them
The Girl Scout has no new lands
in which to pioneer, but she explores
new fields of knowledge and,
in addition to finding new pleasures,
she discovers the happiness
and joy of giving service "