SECTION V
THE OUT-OF-DOOR SCOUT
Busy as the Girl Scout may be with learning to do in a clever, up-to-date way all the things to improve her home and town that the old pioneer girls knew how to do, she never forgets that the original Scouts were out-of-door people. So long as there are bandages to make or babies to bathe or meals to get or clothes to make, she does them all, quickly and cheerfully, and is very rightly proud of the badges she gets for having learned to do them all, and the sense of independence that comes from all this skill with her hands. It gives her a real glow of pleasure to feel that because of her First Aid practice she may be able to save a life some day, and that the hours of study she put in at her home nursing and invalid cooking may make her a valuable asset to the community in case of any great disaster or epidemic; but the real fun of scouting lies in the great life of out-of-doors, and the call of the woods is answered quicker by the Scout than by anybody, because the Scout learns just how to get the most out of all this wild, free life and how to enjoy it with the least trouble and the most fun.
One of our most experienced and best loved Captains says that "a camp is as much a necessity for the Girl Scouts as an office headquarters," and more and more girls are learning to agree with her every year.
Our British cousins are the greatest lovers of out-of-door life in the world, and it is only natural that we should look to our Chief Scout to hear what he has to say to his Girl Guides on this subject so dear to his heart that he founded Scouting, that all boys and girls might share his enthusiastic pleasure in going back to Nature to study and to love her and to gain happiness and health from her woods and fields.
HOW CAMPING TEACHES THE GUIDE LAW
Last year a man went out into the woods in America to try and see if he could live like the prehistoric men used to do; that is to say, he took nothing with him in the way of food or equipment or even clothing—he went just as he was, and started out to make his own living as best he could. Of course the first thing he had to do was to make some sort of tool or weapon by which he could kill some animals, cut his wood and make his fire and so on. So he made a stone axe, and with that was able to cut out branches of trees so that he could make a trap in which he eventually caught a bear and killed it. He then cut up the bear and used the skin for blankets and the flesh for food. He also cut sticks and made a little instrument by which he was able to ignite bits of wood and so start his fire. He also searched out various roots and berries and leaves, which he was able to cook and make into good food, and he even went so far as to make charcoal and to cut slips of bark from the trees and draw pictures of the scenery and animals around him. In this way he lived for over a month in the wild, and came out in the end very much better in health and spirits and with a great experience of life. For he had learned to shift entirely for himself and to be independent of the different things we get in civilization to keep us going in comfort.
That is why we go into camp a good deal in the Boy Scout and in the Girl Guide movement, because in camp life we learn to do without so many things which while we are in houses we think are necessary, and find that we can do for ourselves many things where we used to think ourselves helpless. And before going into camp it is just as well to learn some of the things that will be most useful to you when you get there. And that is what we teach in the Headquarters of the Girl Guide Companies before they go out and take the field. For instance, you must know how to light your own fire; how to collect dry enough wood to make it burn; because you will not find gas stoves out in the wild. Then you have to learn how to find your own water, and good water that will not make you ill. You have not a whole cooking range or a kitchen full of cooking pots, and so you have to learn to cook your food in the simplest way with the means at your hand, such as a simple cooking pot or a roasting stick or an oven made with your own hands out of an old tin box or something of that kind.
NATURE STUDY
It is only while in camp that one can really learn to study Nature in the proper way and not as you merely do it inside the school; because here you are face to face with Nature at all hours of the day and night. For the first time you live under the stars and can watch them by the hour and see what they really look like, and realize what an enormous expanse of almost endless space they cover. You know from your lessons at school that our sun warms and lights up a large number of different worlds like ours, all circling round it in the Heavens. And when you hold up a shilling at arm's length and look at the sky, the shilling covers no less than two hundred of those suns, each with their different little worlds circling around them. And you then begin to realize what an enormous endless space the Heavens comprise. You realize perhaps for the first time the enormous work of God.
Then also in camp you are living among plants of every kind, and you can study them in their natural state, how they grow and what they look like, instead of merely seeing pictures of them in books or dried specimens of them in collections.
All round you, too, are the birds and animals and insects, and the more you know of them the more you begin to like them and to take an interest in them; and once you take an interest in them you do not want to hurt them in any way. You would not rob a bird's nest; you would not bully an animal; you would not kill an insect—once you have realized what its life and habits are. In this way, therefore, you fulfill the Guide Law of becoming a friend to animals.
By living in camp you begin to find that though there are many discomforts and difficulties to be got over, they can be got over with a little trouble and especially if you smile at them and tackle them.
Then living among other comrades in camp you have to be helpful and do good turns at almost every minute, and you have to exercise a great deal of give and take and good temper, otherwise the camp would become unbearable.
So you carry out the different laws of courteousness, of helpfulness, and friendliness to others that come in the Guide Law. Also you pick up the idea of how necessary it is to keep everything in its place, and to keep your kit and tent and ground as clean as possible; otherwise you get into a horrible state of dirt, and dirt brings flies and other inconveniences.
You save every particle of food and in this way you learn not only cleanliness, but thrift and economy. And you very soon realize how cheaply you can live in camp, and how very much enjoyment you can get for very little money. And as you live in the fresh, pure air of God you find that your own thoughts are clean and pure as the air around you. There is hardly one of the Guide Laws that is not better carried out after you have been living and practising it in camp.
Habits of Animals.—If you live in the country it is of course quite easy to observe and watch the habits of all sorts of animals great and small. But if you are in a town there are many difficulties to be met with. But at the same time if you can keep pets of any kind, rabbits, rats, mice, dogs or ponies you can observe and watch their habits and learn to understand them well; but generally for Guides it is more easy to watch birds, because you see them both in town and country; and especially when you go into camp or on walking tours you can observe and watch their habits, especially in the springtime.
Then it is that you see the old birds making their nests, hatching out their eggs and bringing up their young; and that is of course the most interesting time for watching them. A good observant guide will get to know the different kinds of birds by their cry, by their appearance, and by their way of flying. She will also get to know where their nests are to be found, what sort of nests they are, what are the colors of the eggs and so on. And also how the young appear. Some of them come out fluffy, others covered with feathers, others with very little on at all. The young pigeon, for instance, has no feathers at all, whereas a young moorhen can swim about as soon as it comes out of the egg; while chickens run about and hunt flies within a few minutes; and yet a sparrow is quite useless for some days and is blind, and has to be fed and coddled by his parents.
Then it is an interesting sight to see the old birds training their young ones to fly, by getting up above them and flapping their wings a few times until all the young ones imitate them. Then they hop from one twig to another, still flapping their wings, and the young ones follow suit and begin to find that their wings help them to balance; and finally they jump from one branch to another for some distance so that the wings support them in their effort. The young ones very soon find that they are able to use their wings for flying, but it is all done by degrees and by careful instruction.
Then a large number of our birds do not live all the year round in England, but they go off to Southern climes such as Africa when the winter comes on; but they generally turn up here at the end of March and make their nest during the spring. Nightingales arrive early in April; wagtails, turtle doves, and cuckoos come late in April; woodcock come in the autumn, and redpoles and fieldfares also come here for the winter. In September you will see the migrating birds collecting to go away, the starlings in their crowds and the swallows for the South, and so do the warblers, the flycatchers, and the swifts. And yet about the same time the larks are arriving here from the Eastward, so there is a good deal of traveling among the birds in the air at all times of the year.
How many of our American Scouts are able to supply from their observation all of our native birds to take the places of these mentioned in this lovely paragraph? Everyone should be able to.
Nature in the City.—This noticing of small things, especially in animal life, not only gives you great interest, but it also gives you great fun and enjoyment in life. Even if you live in a city you can do a certain amount of observation of birds and animals. You would think there is not much fun to be got out of it in a murky town like London or Sheffield, and yet if you begin to notice and know all about the sparrows you begin to find there is a great deal of character and amusement to be got out of them, by watching their ways and habits, their nesting, and their way of teaching their young ones to fly.
OBSERVATION.
"Stalking.—A Guide has to be sharp at seeing things if she is going to be any good as a Guide. She has to notice every little track and every little sign, and it is this studying of tracks and following them out and finding out their meaning which we include under the name of stalking. For instance, if you want to find a bird's-nest you have to stalk. That is to say, you watch a bird flying into a bush and guess where its nest is, and follow it up and find the nest. With some birds it is a most difficult thing to find their nests; take, for instance, the skylark or the snipe. But those who know the birds, especially the snipe, will recognize their call. The snipe when she is alarmed gives quite a different call from when she is happy and flying about. She has a particular call when she has young ones about. So that those who have watched and listened and know her call when they hear it know pretty well where the young ones are or where the nest is and so on.
"How to Hide Yourself.—When you want to observe wild animals you have to stalk them, that is, creep up to them without their seeing or smelling you.
"A hunter when he is stalking wild animals keeps himself entirely hidden, so does the war scout when watching or looking for the enemy; a policemen does not catch pickpockets by standing about in uniform watching for them; he dresses like one of the crowd, and as often as not gazes into a shop window and sees all that goes on behind him reflected as if in a looking-glass.
"If a guilty person finds himself being watched, it puts him on his guard, while an innocent person becomes annoyed. So, when you are observing people, don't do so by openly staring at them, but notice the details you want to at one glance or two, and if you want to study them more, walk behind them; you can learn just as much from a back view, in fact more than you can from a front view, and, unless they are scouts and look around frequently, they do not know that you are observing them.
"War scouts and hunters stalking game always carry out two important things when they don't want to be seen."
One is Background.—They take care that the ground behind them, or trees, or buildings, etc., are of the same colour as their clothes.
And the other is "Freezing".—If an enemy or a deer is seen looking for them, they remain perfectly still without moving so long as he is there.
Tracking.—The native hunters in most wild countries follow their game by watching for tracks on the ground, and they become so expert at seeing the slightest sign of a footmark on the ground that they can follow up their prey when an ordinary civilized man can see no sign whatever. But the great reason for looking for signs and tracks is that from these you can read a meaning. It is exactly like reading a book. You will see the different letters, each letter combining to make a word, and the words then make sense; and there are also commas and full-stops and colons; all of these alter the meaning of the sense. These are all little signs, which one who is practised and has learnt reading, makes into sense at once, whereas a savage who has never learned could make no sense of it at all. And so it is with tracking.
TRACKING.
"Sign" is the word used by Guides to mean any little details, such as footprints, broken twigs, trampled grass, scraps of food, old matches, etc.
Some native Indian trackers were following up the footprints of a panther that had killed and carried off a young kid. He had crossed a wide bare slab which, of rock, of course, gave no mark of his soft feet. The tracker went at once to the far side of the rock where it came to a sharp edge; he wetted his finger, and just passed it along the edge till he found a few kid's hairs sticking to it. This showed him where the panther had passed down off the rock, dragging the kid with him. Those few hairs were what Guides call "signs."
This tracker also found bears by noticing small "signs." On one occasion he noticed a fresh scratch in the bark of a tree, evidently made by a bear's claw, and on the other he found a single black hair sticking to the bark of a tree, which told him that a bear had rubbed against it.
Details in the Country.—If you are in the country, you should notice landmarks—that is, objects which help you to find your way to prevent your getting lost—such as distant hills and church towers; and nearer objects, such as peculiar buildings, trees, gates, rocks, etc.
And remember in noticing such landmarks that you may want to use your knowledge of them some day for telling some one else how to find his way, so you must notice them pretty closely so as to be able to describe them unmistakably and in their proper order. You must notice and remember every by-road and foot-path.
Remembrance of these things will help you to find your way by night or in fog when other people are losing themselves.
HORSES' TRACKS
Walking.
Trotting.
Canter.
O.H. = Off Hind, etc. Galloping.
Lame Horse Walking: Which leg is he lame in? N.B.—The long feet are the hind feet.
These are the tracks of two birds on the ground. One that lives generally on the ground, the other in bushes and trees. Which track belongs to which bird?
Using your Eyes.—Let nothing be too small for your notice—a button, a match, a hair, a cigar ash, a feather, or a leaf might be of great importance, even a fingerprint which is almost invisible to the naked eye has often been the means of detecting a crime.
With a little practice in observation you can tell pretty accurately a man's character from his dress.
How would you recognize that a gentleman was fond of fishing. If you see his left cuff with little tufts of cloth sticking up, you may be sure he fishes. When he takes his flies off the line he will either stick them into his cap to dry, or hook them into his sleeve. When dry he pulls them out, which often tears a thread or two of the cloth.
Remember how "Sherlock Holmes" met a stranger, and noticed that he was looking fairly well-to-do, in new clothes with a mourning band on his sleeve, with a soldiery bearing and a sailor's way of walking, sunburns, with tattoo marks on his hands, and he was carrying some children's toys in his hands. What would you have supposed that man to be. Well, Sherlock Holmes guessed correctly that he had lately retired from the Royal Marines as a sergeant, that his wife had died, and that he had some small children at home.
Practice in Observation.—Instructor can take the fingermarks of each girl. Lightly rub the thumb on blacklead or on paper that is blacked with pencil, then press the thumb on paper and examine with magnifying glass. Show that no two persons' prints are alike.
In Town.—Practice your girls first in walking down a street to notice the different kinds of shops as they pass, and to remember them in their proper sequence at the end.
Then to notice and remember the names on the shops.
Then to notice and remember the contents of a shop window after two minutes' gaze. Finally, to notice the contents of several shop windows in succession with half a minute at each. Give marks for the fullest list.
The Guides must also notice prominent buildings as landmarks, and the number of turnings off the street they are using.
In the Country.—Take the patrol out for a walk and teach the girls to notice distant prominent features, such as hills, church steeples, and so on; and as nearer landmarks such things as peculiar buildings, trees, rocks, gates, by-roads or paths, nature of fences, crops different kinds of trees, birds, animals, tracks, people, vehicles, etc. Also any peculiar smells of plants, animals, manure, etc.; whether gates or doors were open or shut, whether any smoke from chimneys, etc.
Send Guides out in pairs.
It adds to the value of the practice if the instructor makes a certain number of small marks in the ground beforehand, or leaves buttons or matches, etc., for the girls to notice or to pick up and bring in as a means of making them examine the ground close to them as well as distant objects.
Practices in Natural History.—Take out Guides to get specimens of leaves, fruit, or blossoms of various trees, shrubs, etc., and observe the shape and nature of the tree both in summer and in winter.
Collect leaves of different trees; let Guides make tracings of them and write the name of the tree on each.
In the country make Guides examine crops in all stages of their growth, so that they know pretty well by sight what kind of crop is coming up.
Start gardens if possible, either a patrol garden or individual Guides' gardens. Let them grow flowers and vegetables for profit to pay for their equipment, etc. Show all the wild plants which may be made use of for food. Find yew trees; report if any good branches to make archers' bows of.
Encourage the keeping of live pets, whether birds, animals, reptiles, insects. Show how to keep illustrated diary-records of plants, insects, birds, etc., giving dates when seen for comparison following year and showing their peculiar markings, etc.
If in a town take your Guides to the Zoological Gardens, menagerie or Natural History Museum, and show them particular animals on which you are prepared to lecture. Not more than half a dozen for one visit.
If in the country get farmers or shepherd to help with information on the habits of farm animals, e. g., how a cow lies down and when. How to milk, stalk rabbits, water voles, trout, birds, etc., and watch their habits.
SECTION VI
FORMS FOR SCOUT CEREMONIES
1. ENROLLMENT
Before a girl may become enrolled as a regular Girl Scout she must be at least ten years old, and must have attended the meetings of a Troop for at least a month, during which time she must have passed her Tenderfoot Test. The Captain must have prepared the candidate for enrollment by explaining the meaning of the Promise and the Laws and making sure that she fully understands the meaning of the oath she is about to make, and that she also comprehends the meaning of "honor." The following is a convenient form for enrollments.
(1) The Scouts stand in the form of a horseshoe with the officer who is to enroll at the open side, facing Scouts.
(2) Officer addresses troops on the subject of what it means to be a Scout.
(3) Patrol Leader brings candidate to officer and salutes and returns to place.
(4) Officer addresses candidate in low tone: "What does your honor mean?"
Candidate answers.
Officer: "Will you on your honor, try: To do your duty to God and to your Country; to help other people at all times; to obey the Scout Laws?"
Candidate and officer both salute as candidate repeats Promise. Officer: "I trust you on your honor to keep this Promise."
(5) Officer pins Tenderfoot Badge on the new scout, explaining what it stands for, that it symbolizes her Scout life, and so forth.
(6) Scout and officer salute each other. Scout turns and troop salutes her, scout returning salute, and then goes alone to her place.
(7) All Scouts present repeat Promise and Laws. Troop then breaks ranks to take up some Scout activity.
When many scouts are to be enrolled, four at a time may be presented to the officer, but each should singly be asked and should answer the question: "What does your honor mean?" All four repeat the Promise together and the officer addresses all together in saying: "I trust you on your honor to keep this Promise," but speaks to each separately as she puts on the pin.
A Captain may perform this ceremony or she may ask some higher Scout officer to do so.
2. Presentation of Other Badges
The following form of ceremony was devised for special use in the presentation of the highest honor attainable by a Girl Scout, the Golden Eaglet, but the same outline may be followed for giving Merit Badges, and First and Second Class Badges, or any other medals or honors.
Presentation of Golden Eaglet.—As the presentation of the Golden Eaglet is an important occasion in the life of a Scout and her Troop, it should take place at a public Scout function, such as a District or Community Rally, a reception to a distinguished guest of the Scouts, or possibly at the time of a civic celebration.
The Court of Awards is responsible for all details of the meeting, and it is suggested that it invite parents, friends and other persons interested in the Scout movement to be present. The medal may be presented by the Chairman of the Court of Awards, some other member of that Committee or by a higher Scout officer.
Arrangements for the ceremony should be planned so that during the presentation of guests, the Court of Awards, the Eaglet's troop and the Color Guard form a hollow square, with the Captain at her post three paces in front of the Troop, the Lieutenant at her post "center and rear" of the Troop. The ceremony should be rehearsed wherever possible, so that all action and form shall be as smart as possible.
1. The Court of Awards enters and takes its place at right angles to the assembled guests.
2. The Captain enters, takes post, and gives all commands.
3. The Color Guard (bearer of the American flag, bearer of the Troop flag, and two guards) followed by Troop to which the Eaglet belongs, enter and march two paces in front of the Court of Awards. The lieutenant is at the left of the leading file. The Troop marches in single file, by twos or in Squad formation according to the number, and the space available.
When the Troop is very large, or the space restricted, the Eaglet's Patrol may take the place of the Troop. As the Colors pass, the Court of Awards should rise, stand at attention, and if Scouts, salute.
4. When the Color Guard at the head of the column has passed the Court of Awards, the command "Column left, MARCH!" is given. When the last file has completed the movement, the following commands are given:
(1) "Scouts, HALT!"
(2) "Left, FACE," or
"Squads, left, MARCH, Squads, HALT," according to the formation of the column.
(3) "Right, DRESS, FRONT!"
5. At the command "Left, FACE," or "Squads, left, MARCH, Squads HALT," the Color Guard makes a left turn, marches forward until on a line with the Court of Awards, again makes a left turn, immediately halts and grounds flags.
6. When the Troop and Color Guard are in position, the Captain gives the command "Patrol Leader and Eaglet, forward, MARCH!" The Patrol Leader escorts the Eaglet to the Captain, salutes the Captain and returns to her position in line.
7. The Chairman of the Court of Awards comes forward, the Captain faces her, salutes, and presents the Eaglet to her.
8. The Chairman after reading the list of Merit Badges which the Scout has earned in order to receive the Golden Eaglet, pins the medal on to the Eaglet's blouse, over the middle of the right pocket. The Eaglet salutes.
If desired this is the opportunity for the Official presenting the badge to say a few words.
9. After the presentation, the Eaglet turns, and facing her Captain and Troop, stands at attention as the Colors are raised, the Scout flag dipped, and the Troop salutes. The Eaglet returns the salute and then marches to her position in line.
10. The Captain gives the command "Color Guard forward, MARCH." The Color Guard marches in front of the Captain and Troop who salute as the Colors pass, make a right turn two paces in front of the Court of Honor and march out.
11. After the Colors have left the "square" the Lieutenant takes her position at the left of the leading file.
The Captain gives the commands:
"Right, FACE, MARCH!" or "Squads right, MARCH!"
"Column left, MARCH!"
and the Troop marches out. The Captain turns, salutes the Court of Awards and passes out.
| O—LIEUT. | |||
| 0000 | 0000 | ||
| Troop— | |||
| 0000 | 0000 | ||
| O—Capt. | |||
| c | xx | ||
| Color | c | xx | Court of |
| Guard | c | xx | Awards |
| c | xx | ||
| ———— | |||
| ———— | |||
| ———— | |||
| Guests | |||
Where there is no Local Council or Court of Awards, Captains are asked to communicate with the National Headquarters concerning the ceremony of presentation of the Golden Eaglet.
ALTERNATE FORMS FOR SCOUT CEREMONIES
In the case of troops for which this formal procedure is not practical, and for the better assistance of Captains and Councils who feel the need of a more definite formulation of the Scout principles on these occasions, the following ceremonies are suggested. They are designed to meet the necessity for expressing at each stage of the Scout's progress, recognition of her achievement up to that point and appreciation of her future responsibilities.
1. Tenderfoot Enrollment
1. The Troop being assembled in any desired formation, the Captain calls forward those who have passed the test.
Captain: "Scout ——, do you think you know what it means to be loyal to God and your Country, to help other people at all times, and to obey the Scout Laws?"
Scout: "I think I do, and I will try my best not to fail in any of them."
This is repeated to each Tenderfoot.
Captain: "Are you ready to make your Promise with your Troop?"
New Scouts (together): "Yes."
Captain: "Scouts of Troop ——, repeat your promise."
All salute and repeat the Promise.
Captain: "I trust you on your honor to keep this Promise."
(Here, when practicable, investiture of hat, neckerchief, etc., takes place.)
Captain then pins on Tenderfoot pin While attaching it, she says:
Captain: "This pin makes you a Girl Scout. It is yours, so long as you are worthy of it."
Captain dismisses recently enrolled Scouts to their Troop position.
(Here the Captain may add, if she wishes, anything in her judgment applicable to the Troop as a whole, or to the new Scouts individually.)
2. Conferring Second Class Badges
The Troop being assembled in any desired formation, the Captain calls forward those who have passed the test.
Captain: "Scout ——, you have learned what is necessary for a Second Class Scout to know. Do you think you can apply your knowledge, if the occasion should arise?"
Scout: "I think so, and I will always try to Be Prepared."
Captain: "Scouts (reciting the candidates' names in order), do you think that the discipline and training you have gone through have made you more capable of doing your duty to God and to your Country, of helping other people at all times and of obeying the Scout Laws, than you were as a Tenderfoot?"
Scouts (together): "Yes."
Captain (pinning on each badge, and speaking to each Scout as she does so): "You are now a Second Class Scout, which means that though you have learned much, you have still much to learn."
Captain dismisses Second Class Scouts to their Troop position.
(Here the Captain may address the Troop at her discretion.)
3. Conferring First Class Badge
The Troop being assembled in any desired formation, the Captain calls forward those who have passed the test and presents them to the presiding Official.
Captain: "Commissioner ——, these Scouts of —— Troop have passed their First Class Tests. I recommend them to you for First Class badges."
Official (to each Scout separately, the Captain giving her the name): "Scout ——, you have passed the final Scout test. You should thoroughly understand by now the meaning of duty to God and Country, the privilege of helpfulness to others, and the seriousness of the Scout Laws. Are you sure that you do."
Scout: "I am. And I realize that I must help other Scouts to see these things as I see them."
Official: "Scouts —— (reading the candidates' names in order), it has taken a great deal of thought and time and energy on the part of a great many people to enable you to wear this badge. Are you prepared to pay this back in generous service, when and where you can?"
Scouts (together): "Yes."
Official (pinning on each badge and speaking to each Scout as she does so): "You are now a First Class Scout. Remember that the world will judge us by you."
Official (to Captain): "I congratulate you, Captain ——, Troop ——, and the members of the Council, on these First Class Scouts, and I trust that the Town of —— will have every reason to be proud of them and to feel that it can depend upon them as especially good citizens and loyal Americans."
Captain acknowledges this in suitable manner and dismisses First Class Scouts to Troop position.
(Here the Official may address the audience at discretion.)
4. Conferring Merit Badges
The Troop being assembled in any desired formation, the Captain calls forward those who have passed the test and presents them to the presiding Official. (Note—The Merit Badges may be conferred by a member or members of the Council, if desired.)
Captain: "Members of the Girl Scout Council of ——, these Scouts have passed the various tests for their Merit Badges, and I recommend them to you for decoration accordingly."
Official: "Scouts (reading the list), you have fairly won the right to wear these badges we are about to present to you, and we are glad to do so. We take this opportunity of reminding you, however, that all good Scouts understand that they are far from having completely mastered the subjects represented by these badges. The symbols which you wear on your sleeve mean that you have an intelligent interest in the subjects you have chosen, understand the principles of them, and can give reasonable, practical proof of this. Do you realize that the Girl Scout Organization credits you with a good foundation and trusts to you to continue to build upon it intelligently?"
Scouts (together): "Yes."
Official (pinning on badges and speaking to each girl separately): "We congratulate you on your perseverance and wish you all success in your work."
(Note—When more than one badge is to be presented to a Scout, they may be attached, for the ceremony, to a piece of ribbon and put on with one motion.)
Captain dismisses Scouts to Troop position.
(Here the official may address the audience at discretion.)
This ceremony being distinctly less formal and intimate than the regular class awards, Scout songs and cheers are in order.
5. Golden Eaglet Ceremony
The Troop being assembled in any desired formation, the Captain presents the Golden Eaglet to the Official who is to make the award.
Captain: "Commissioner ——, Scout ——, of Troop ——, of ——, has not only passed the twenty-one Merit Badge Tests required for the honor of the Golden Eaglet, but is, in the judgment of her Troop, fully worthy of it. We therefore recommend her to you for the decoration."
Official: "What badges does Scout —— offer?"
Captain reads the list Badges earned by the Candidate.
Official: "Troop ——, do you agree that Scout —— has fairly won this decoration and that you are willing to have her represent you to your National Organization as your Golden Eaglet?"
Troop (together): "Yes."
Official: "Members of the Council, do you agree that Scout —— has fairly won this decoration and that you are willing to have her represent you to your community as your Golden Eaglet?"
Council (rising if seated): "Yes."
Official: "Scout ——, you have won the highest honor in the gift of the Girl Scouts."
"If the Scout life meant nothing more to you than a reasonable understanding of certain subjects, there would now be nothing more for the Girl Scouts to teach you; but I am sure that your training has not failed in this respect, and that you understand now, even better than the average Girl Scout, that your great principles of duty to God and Country, helpfulness to others, and obedience to the Scout Laws, are lessons that no Scout can fully learn as long as she lives. Do you agree to this?"
Golden Eaglet: "I agree to it thoroughly."
Official (pinning on badge): "I have the honor of naming you a Golden Eaglet, and in the name of the Girl Scouts I congratulate you heartily on your fine achievement."
Scout salutes or shakes the hand of the Official, as desired, and returns to her troop position.
(Here the Official may address the audience at discretion).
The accompanying diagram of suggested relative positions in Scout ceremonies lends itself equally to a small room, theatre, hall or open field. Whether the Scouts form a troop or even one patrol; whether they make use of strict military formation or informal grouping; whether the visiting Scout dignitaries are many or limited to one member of the local Council, the Scout bodies face each other, and the guest or guests of honor, equally with the general audience, can observe the Troop and the candidates easily from the side.
All Troops who are familiar with military drill can take their usual positions in their usual manner and observe all details of color guard, salutes, etc., to any desired extent. Troops and Captains not familiar with such procedure, by accustoming themselves to this general grouping, will always be able to present a dignified appearance.
Note: These suggestions for the various ceremonials assume that the regular opening of the Scout meetings has already taken place; therefore nothing is given but the actual matter of the presentations, etc. In the case of the Tenderfoot, Second Class and First Class awards, the ceremonies constitute the special business of the meeting, and opening and closing should proceed as usual. They are distinctly Scout business and are not, in general, offered to the public.
The awarding of Merit Badges might with advantage be connected with any local civic ceremony where interest in young people may be created; and in the case of the Golden Eaglet award it is distinctly desirable thus to connect it. Any visiting dignitary, national or state, may with propriety be asked to officiate; and where different organizations are taking their various parts in a public function, it will not always be possible to claim the time nor the space for the regular Scout opening ceremonies, nor would this necessarily be advisable. It is, therefore, well to be provided with a form like the preceding, where a small delegation from the Troop, the Captain and a Councillor could, if necessary, represent the essential units of
the organization among a number of other societies; and
the words of the ceremony would explain the occasion sufficiently without much concerted action, and may be inserted at the proper place, preceded and followed by any Troop or local customs preferred.
PLAN OF ASSEMBLY FOR GIRL SCOUT CEREMONIES
6. How to Conduct a Scout Meeting
1. One long whistle blast: Silence, listen for orders.
2. Three short whistle blasts: "Fall In," or "Assemble," three paces in front of Captain, Squad formation.
| 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | ||||
| * | * | * | * | * | * | * | * | ||||
| * | * | * | * | * | * | * | * | ||||
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | ||||
| * | Captain | ||||||||||
| Lieutenant | * | ||||||||||
3. "Right Dress," "Front."
4. Inspection. Captain inspects for posture, and for personal appearance which should be neat and clean in every particular, and uniform, which should be correct as to style, length, placing of insignia, etc. All necessary corrections should be made in a low tone of voice to the individual Scout.
5. "Color Bearer, Forward—Center" "March." The Color Bearer, appointed to carry flag, upon receiving order to "March", takes one step backward, executes "Right Face," marches out of rank, executes "Left Face," marches to point on line with flag, executes "Right Face," marches to within two steps of flag and comes to "Halt." She salutes flag, takes staff in both hands, wheels right, and marches to position three paces in front of, and facing troop. The captain and Lieutenant have moved to position at right angles to, and at right of troop. If a color Guard is used instead of Color Bearer, two Scouts act as guards, their position being on either side of bearer. They leave ranks together, form in line at right of troop, march shoulder to shoulder and always wheel to the right, the Color Bearer being the pivot and giving all orders to Guard. After Bearer has taken flag and turns, the Guards salute, take one step forward, about-face, and all march to position in front of troop. The Color Guard never takes part in the repeating of the Promise, Laws, Pledge of Allegiance or singing of Star Spangled Banner.
6. "Scouts, the flag of your country, Pledge Allegiance." The Pledge of Allegiance should be followed by one verse of the Star Spangled Banner.
7. "The Scout Promise," "Salute."
8. "The Scout Laws, Repeat."
9. "Color Bearer, Post-March." The Color Bearer, turning always to right, returns flag to its post, places it in position, salutes, and returns to place, entering ranks from rear of line. The Color Guard, wheels right, marches to post, Guards stand at attention while the Bearer places flag, salutes, and about-faces. The Guards step forward, about-face, and the Color Guard wheels and returns to ranks.
10. "Fall Out."
11. Business Meeting.
12. Scout activities, including work for tests and badges, singing games and discussion of Scout principles.
13. Closing Exercises.
Closing Exercises
1. "Fall In."
2. America, or Battle Hymn of the Republic.
3. "Dismissed." Scouts salute Captain.
The form for opening and closing exercises suggested above takes only 20 minutes and is a practical method of ensuring uniformity when groups from different troops come together. Troops may use more elaborate forms, depending upon the amount of time which the girls wish to spend upon this type of work. For instance:
(a) In a troop composed of many patrols each Corporal forms her patrol and reports to the Lieutenant, who in turn reports to the Captain, "The company is formed," etc.
(b) In dismissing, troops with a bugler may play "Taps" or may sing the same to words locally composed.
(c) In some troops Corporals give commands. This is good because it emphasizes the patrol system.
But the form outlined is given as the minimum requirement, and troops using it need never feel at a loss in large rallies, for every ceremony necessary to express the Scout spirit with dignity is there.
No additions made locally should change the essential order of these exercises, all additions which are made being merely amplifications of it in detail, which may not be possible nor desirable in every community.
Business Meeting
The meeting opens with the Chairman, Secretary and Treasurer in place, with the Secretary at the right and the Treasurer at the left of the Chairman. The idea is to have every Scout in the troop learn to be the Chairman so that any and all could act in the capacity of a Business Chairman at any kind of meeting.
The meeting is called to order by the Chairman. "Will the meeting please come to order?"
The Chairman asks the Secretary to call the roll. "Will the Secretary call the roll? And will the Treasurer collect the dues?"
The Chairman calls for the Secretary's report. "Will the Secretary read the minutes of the last meeting?"
The Chairman calls for corrections of the minutes. "Are there any corrections?"
If there are none she says: "If not, the minutes stand approved."
If there are corrections the Chairman calls for further corrections, "Are there further corrections, etc. If not, the minutes stand approved as corrected."
Form of Secretary's report: "The regular meeting of Pansy Troop No. 5, held at the club house, on April 4th, was called to order at 3 o'clock. In the absence of the Chairman, Scout —— took the chair. The minutes of the previous meeting were read and approved, dues collected amounted to ——. After —— was discussed and voted upon, the meeting adjourned."
The Chairman calls for the Treasurer's report. "Will the Treasurer give her report?"
Form of Treasurer's report:
| Balance on hand Jan. 1, 1919 | $2.50 | |
| Members' dues | $1.00 | |
| Fines | .30 | 1.30 |
| Total | $3.80 | |
| Disbursements— | ||
| Janitor | $1.00 | $1.00 |
| Balance on hand | 2.80 | |
| Total | $3.80 | |
The Chairman calls for corrections as before.
Then the Chairman calls for a discussion of old business, that is, anything discussed at previous meetings, that has been left undone or left to be decided at a later date. Any member of the meeting may bring up this old business, or the Chairman may start the discussion. "The business before the meeting is ——. What is your pleasure in regard to this," or "Will anyone make a motion?"
The member who wishes to make the motion says: "Madam Chairman, I move that—"
Another member who agrees to this says: "I second the motion."
If the motion is not seconded at once, the Chairman says: "Will anyone second the motion?"
After the motion has been moved and seconded the Chairman immediately states the question as, "It has been moved and seconded that the troop have a Rally on May 2. Are you ready for the question?" or "The question is now open for discussion." If no one rises, the Chairman proceeds to put the question. "All those in favor say aye, opposed no."
Then the Chairman says, "The motion is carried," or "The motion is not carried," as the case may be.
After the old business has been attended to, the Chairman calls for new business, saying, "Is there any new business to be discussed?"
The Chairman then dismisses the meeting by calling for a motion for adjournment.
Adjournment: "Will some one move that the meeting be adjourned?"
If this is moved and seconded it is not necessary to put it to a vote.
The Chairman says: "The meeting is adjourned."