W. J. Hoxie - Girl Scouts Handbook: The Original 1913 Edition

HONORARY COMMITTEE OF GIRL SCOUTS.

M RS . A LFRED B URLESON Washington, D. C.

M RS . W M . J. B OARDMAN Washington, D. C.

M RS . J AS . M ARION J OHNSTON Washington, D. C.

M RS . J OSEPH R. L AMAR Washington, D. C.

M RS . R ICHARD G. L AY Washington, D. C.

M RS . O SCAR U NDERWOOD Washington, D. C.

M RS . J OHN V AN R ENSSALAER Washington, D. C.

M RS . H. C. G REENE Boston, Mass.

M ISS K ATHERINE L ORING Boston, Mass.

M ISS L OUISA L ORING Boston, Mass.

M RS . H ENRY P ARKMAN Boston, Mass.

M RS . R ONALD L YMAN Boston, Mass.

M RS . L AWRENCE R OTCH Boston, Mass.

M RS . W ILLIAM W. V AUGHAN Boston, Mass.

M RS . B ARRETT W ENDELL Boston, Mass.

M RS . W ILLIAM R UFFIN C OX Richmond, Va.

M RS . H UNTER M C G UIRE Richmond, Va.

M RS . G EO . H YDE C LARK Cooperstown, N. Y.

M RS . H ERBERT B ARRY Orange, N. J.

M RS . T HOMAS E DISON Orange, N. J.

M RS . P HILIP M C K. G ARRISON Orange, N. J.

M RS . G EORGE M ERCK Orange, N. J.

M RS . B. P ALMER A XSON Savannah, Ga.

M ISS E LIZABETH B ECKWITH Savannah, Ga.

M RS . R OCKWELL S. B RANK Savannah, Ga.

M RS . G EORGE J. B ALDWIN Savannah, Ga.

M RS . W. W. G ORDON Savannah, Ga.

M RS . F REDERICK F. R EESE Savannah, Ga.

M RS . L OUIS W. H ASKELL Savannah, Ga.

M ISS N INA P APE Savannah, Ga.

M RS . H ORTENSE O RCUTT Savannah, Ga.

M RS . S AMUEL D RURY St. Pauls School, Concord, N. H.

M RS . O RTON B ROWN Berlin, N. H.

M RS . P HILIP B ROWN New York

M RS . S NOWDON M ARSHALL New York

M RS . P OWERS F ARR New York

M RS . H ENRY P ARISH , J R . New York

M RS . F REDERICK F RELINGHUYSEN Newark, N. J.

M RS . W AYNE P ARKER Newark, N. J.

M RS . D OUGLAS G ORMAN Baltimore, Md.

M ISS M ANLY Baltimore, Md.

M RS . J AS . H OUSTOUN J OHNSTON Birmingham, Ala.

M RS . W ILLIAM S. L OVELL Birmingham, Ala.

M RS . J OHN B. G ORDON Atlanta, Ga.

M RS . C LELAND K INLOCH N ELSON Atlanta, Ga.

M RS . C ARTER H ARRISON Chicago, Ill.

M ISS S KINNER Chicago, Ill.

M ISS F REDRICA S KINNER Chicago, Ill.

M RS . H ERBERT H AVEMEYER Chicago, Ill.

M RS . C HARLES G. W ASHBURN Worcester, Mass.

M RS . R OGER W OLCOTT Boston, Mass.

M RS . D OUGLAS R OBINSON New York, N. Y.

M RS . C YRUS M C C ORMICK Chicago, Ill.

M RS . M ARK W ILLING Chicago, Ill.

M RS . W ILLIAM L OWELL P UTNAM Boston, Mass.

Headquarters of Girl Scouts

Munsey Building

Washington, D. C.

Registration Cards, Books, and Badges can be
obtained at above address

A GIRL SCOUT.

First published in 1913 by The Girl Scouts of America.

First Racehorse Publishing Edition 2018.

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10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data is available on file.

Cover design by Michael Short

ISBN: 978-1-63158-352-0

Ebook ISBN: 978-1-63158-353-7

Printed in China

Contents

INTRODUCTION

Children sometimes ask, What was it like in the old days? Many answers can be found in this first Girl Scout Handbook used by the great-grandmothers of todays Girl Scouts, who pioneered the excitement and experience of Girl Scouting. This book is reissued in honor of the Sixtieth Anniversary of the founding of the movement in the United States on March 12, 1912. It is a complete, unedited copy of the first of many handbooks used to guide the rapid growth of the movement from the original eighteen members to the millions of members today.

The interpretation of the purpose, guiding principles, and most badges is from the British Girl Guide Manual that Juliette Gordon Low brought from England. That manual was written by Sir Robert Baden-Powell, the founder of Scouting, and his sister, Miss Agnes Baden-Powell. Much of the keen perception of nature, and its application as a means of developing resourcefulness, reflect the life work of the author of this edition, Walter John Hoxie, a leading American naturalist. The books recognition of the emerging multiple roles of women shows the influence and vision of Mrs. Low and those who helped her shape the movement in this country.

The book is not only a memento of our organizations past, but a reference to life in those times. Read this glimpse of the past as a visit to a new country. You should not feel totally a stranger, though differences may stand out. Some of these reflect the tenor of the days when it was not questioned that adults know best. Yet this was the period when Girl Scouting was first promoting decision-making and more responsible roles for youth.

Look for the familiar problems of growing from childhood to adulthood, while you ponder over some of the counsel and admonitions conceived to help the process at that time. That womans place was in the home is revealed in the tone of the guidance and in the number of home-related badges for tasks for which training was considered to be necessary. Half of the badges focus on skills of housekeeping, foodgrowing, preparation, preserving, cooking, and preparedness for accidents or illness when doctors and hospitals were not so readily available or utilized. The pride of a homemaker in being able to set a good table reflects the home-centered social life. The material on employment and careers was innovative and ahead of the times. The sketches of womens contributions parallels the Famous American Women series published for Girl Scout Cadettes today.

Members today may be challenged by the requirements of those early badges. Many techniques and tips have been lost in the evolution of the handbooks. How to tie up a burglar with only eight inches of cord or how to make crusps may intrigue todays readers.

We salute the vision of those founders, thank those adults who have worked as leaders, and search for ways to make as significant a contribution as they did in the years past.

FOREWORD

IF character training and learning citizenship are necessary for boys, how much more important it is that these principles should be instilled into the minds of girls who are destined to be the mothers and guides of the next generation. An attractive and practical form of active educational pastime is needed and for this purpose the Girl Scouts are organized. The Scout movement, so popular among boys, is unfitted for the needs of girls, but on something the same lines has been devised the present system giving a more womanly training for both mind and body.