How Girls Can Help Their Country

by Agnes Baden-Powell, Robert Baden-Powell

Girl Scouts, like Boy Scouts, are found all over the world. When Sir Robert Baden-Powell formed the first troops of Boy Scouts, six thousand girls enrolled themselves, but, as Sir Robert's project did not include the admission of girls, he asked his sister. Miss Baden-Powell, to found a similar organization for girls, based on the Boy Scout laws, with activities and occupations properly adapted for girls. She then founded the Girl Guide organization.

Paperback

First published January 1, 1916

About the author

Robert Stephenson Smyth Baden-Powell with Agnes Baden-Powell, his sister, founded the Girl Guides in 1910.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agnes_B...

Reviews

[Michelle Stimpson · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was so much fun to read. I can't help but compare the original Girl Scout handbook to the current one. SO much is different, yet SO much is the same.

There are games and badge ideas and ceremony guidelines that as a current Girl Scout leader I plan to use. There is fascinating history here that I look forward to sharing with my current Girl Scouts. My favorite part of the book is when Juliette Gordon Low uses Marie Curie as an example of just how far a girl can go in her career. Low believed in 1916 that girls can achieve anything and her legacy of Girl Scouts is proving it today.

The biggest difference between the 1916 manual and today's is how far science has come in educating us about health and medicine. While much of the first aid and basic medical information is sound, there are some quirky ideas about what girls should and shouldn't be able to do. For example, it is medically advised that girls do not run long distances or jump rope more than 50 times in succession. The over all message, however, is that girls should be physically active and in the out of doors as much as possible. The piece of advice that I really took to heart is that it is absolutely necessary for Girl Scouts to camp out of doors. There is no experience equal. True words, Ms. Low. True words.

[Kathleen · Rating 5 out of 5]

As I recall, I'd been reading other material about Juliette Low, founder of the Girl Scouts, plus I'd been complaining about issues with the current program materials, and Wendy said something about wanting to "go rogue with a handbook from the 1920s." So I pulled up this original handbook on Google Books (it's in the public domain) and read it over. It's DELIGHTFUL, especially because there is much in there that is still in use NOW, and because it really does focus on helping girls to become strong women, in spite of the fact that women didn't even have the vote yet!

You'll also find the requirements for becoming a Tenderfoot, Second-Class, and First-Class scout, all of which I am tempted to have my girls complete at some point. And badges! Did you know that in 1916, girls could earn badges for both Automobiling and Aviation?

This book gets five stars for being innovative, informative, and HIGHLY influential.

[Ehab · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really liked the book. It is more of a scout guide (as expected) than a book with facts and opinions.
I liked how there is a great number of activities that can help girls to grow an be more positive and cooperative.
Some of the activities might be more suitable for the period around 1912 more than the current period of time (2018).
One more point is that I sometimes feel that the book is preparing a girl soldier more than a girl scout.

[Craig Adamson]

Something good for Rachel and Chloe

[MsChris · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's hard to rate a book that was written for an entirely different time. Was an interesting look at what the Girl Scouting program use to be. Still some valuable information in it.