WHAT IS GIRL SCOUTING?

The Girl Scouts are a Sisterhood. This means that members of it, from top to bottom, are working together as sisters—elder and younger sisters—from joy of the work. It is not a small army composed of officers, non-commissioned officers and privates in their respective grades directing or directed under imposed instruction, therefore the title of Captain and Lieutenant, which, although adopted in the Association, does not exactly describe their rôle, so I shall in these notes refer to the seniors of all grades as I always think of them, viz. as the Captains—those who, like elder sisters, show the younger ones how “to turn to the right and keep straight on.” The secret of successful execution of a scheme or of an order is that those to whom it is imparted should not merely have the statement but understand the meaning that underlies it. So I would propose here—without any idea of instructing my grandchildren how to masticate hen products—to help them to understand some of the methods of our movement so that those who are interested may the more easily take up the work of guiding girls in this happy sisterhood.

The Need

That nation comes to the fore which has the most character in its citizens. It deserves its supremacy only when that character is a good character. The character of a nation is not merely that of a few leaders but of the majority of the people. Character is largely a matter of environment and training, and, later on, of experience. Undoubtedly the mother’s influence gives as a rule the first impetus to character. A mother cannot give that which she does not possess herself. Therefore it is all-important that the mothers of our country should possess character of a high quality in order to inculcate it in their children. Hitherto the girls, some of the future mothers of our race, have had little character training as a direct part of their education. Character includes self-reliance, self-discipline, cheerfulness, consideration for others, sense of duty, patriotism, and other such moral qualities. But there are other things besides character needed to make a citizen, especially:

It is on these four lines therefore that the training of the Girl Scouts is carried out, through games and practices which appeal to the girls.

What Need Is There for It?

1. War has shown how valuable women can be to the country and to themselves if only trained.

2. Also peace has shown how far from happy life can be for some unless they are trained. From want of proper training preventable misery exists among a very large class. This is to be seen in the squalor in our great cities, in the poverty and unhappiness, the infant mortality, the preventable diseases and social diseases due to ignorance, carelessness, and generally to want of character.

Is Not Education Good Enough?

No. Though it is very good and vastly improved of late years and probably better than that of any other nation, yet it cannot under existing conditions entirely prepare the girl for what is possible for her in the present day, much less for what will be required of her in the near future. The remedy largely needed is formation of character. Character is formed more by the environment outside the school walls than by the instruction within them; that environment may be for good and at the same time it may very easily be for bad.

Practical efficiency in homecraft or in mothercraft is essential, but efficiency is desirable in many other spheres for professions, and in the many fields in which woman has proved that she can shine.

The need of health for herself and knowledge of health for her children and for the service for others is essential on a far more general scale than has been heretofore possible through school training alone.

Sense of Duty to Others

Though the war has brought a splendid exhibition of self-sacrifice and devotion on the part of women and a desire to be helpful and patriotic, the sense of service is one which requires further education in the rising generation. The results of such training can only mean a stronger patriotism and a sound practical Christianity instead of a mere profession.