With many subjects a list of standard references is given. It is desirable that a girl should read at least one of these books, not in order to pass an examination but that she may be familiar with the general field and the great names and principles associated with it. Where a whole troop is working on a subject, portions of the books may be read at troop meetings, or several Scouts can read together and discuss their impressions.
It is important that every Girl Scout should understand that the winning of any one of the following Merit Badges does not mean that she is a finished expert in the subject.
What does it mean then? It means three things:
1. She has an intelligent interest in the subject
2. She has a reasonable knowledge of its broad principles
3. She is able to present some practicable proofs of her knowledge, so that a competent examiner can see that she has not simply "crammed it up" from a book. Doing, not talking or writing is the principle of the Girl Scouts
One of the great things about these Merit Badges is that they require a definite amount of perseverance. This is a quality in which women are sometimes said to be lacking; if this is a fair criticism, the Merit Badges will certainly test it.
Nobody compels any Scout to earn these Badges; she deliberately chooses to do so. Therefore, to fail in a task she has voluntarily set herself, comes straight back to her and shows her what stuff she is made of. For while it is of no particular importance how many things you start in this life, it is of great importance how many things you finish! Out OF GOODNESS of heart, or quick interest, or sudden resolution, a girl will start out to master a subject, earn a certain sum of money, make something for herself or someone else, form some good habit or break some bad one; and after her first enthusiasm has died out, where is she? So that a great many people laugh at a girl's plans—and with reason.
Now while this may be merely amusing, so long as it affects only the girl herself, it becomes very annoying when other people's affairs are involved, and may be positively dangerous if carried too far. If your life depended upon a Girl Scout's efforts to resuscitate you from drowning, you would be very glad if she stuck to it. But if she happened to be a girl who had started to win five different Merit Badges, and had given them all up, half way through, what sort of chance do you think you would have?
Girl Scouts are slower to begin than other girls, perhaps, but they stick to it till they've made good. "She carried that through like a Girl Scout" ought to become a common saying.