SCOUTING FOR GIRLS
ADAPTED FROM GIRL GUIDING
BY
SIR ROBERT BADEN-POWELL
K.C.B., K.C.V.O., LL.D.
Author of "Scouting for Boys," etc.
NEW YORK
1918
Copyright, 1918, by
JULIETTE LOW
EXPLANATION
Girl Scouting has a double meaning. To some it means the fun of playing the games of the Girl Scouts; to others, the fun of "playing the game" in Scouting Girls. Our desire in producing this Scout scheme is to offer, help to parents, teachers, and patriots who may care to avail themselves of it when it comes to the duty of training girls.
The object of the Scout training is to give our girls, whatever may be their circumstances, a series of healthy and jolly activities which, while delighting them, will afford them a course of education outside the school in four particular lines of which there is the greatest need:
2. SKILL AND HANDCRAFT, encouraged through badges for proficiency.
3. SERVICE FOR OTHERS and FELLOWSHIP, through daily good turns, organised public service, etc.
4. PHYSICAL HEALTH and HYGIENE, through development up to standard by games and exercises designed for the purpose.I have ventured to describe the above as a course of education instead of a course of instruction since the girls are led to learn of their own desire—which is education—instead of having the knowledge impressed upon them from outside—which is instruction.
The Scouts are divided into four grades, to each of which a corresponding Part of this book applies:—
| PART I. | Brownies, under 11. |
| PART II. | Scouts, 11 to 16. |
| PART III. | Senior Scouts, over 16. |
| PART IV. | Scouts, 18 to 81. |
The latter are what would otherwise be termed officers, but their position is rather that of elder sisters reviving their youth by playing among and leading the girls than of officers ordering them about, or repressing them.
In each grade the training runs on the same four lines as that shown on the preceding paragraph, but on relatively higher standards at each stage, according to the psychology of the girl concerned in it.
Experience has shown that the scheme is easily applicable, even by untrained leaders, to all kinds of girls, whether in town or country, at home or overseas; and that it is capable of bringing about most satisfactory results.
This book merely offers an outline of principles, together with a few samples of details as an indication to guiders of the lines on which they can carry out the training. Further details are largely left to their own ingenuity to devise, according to the condition and character of their girls and of their surroundings.
In any case the programme of the training should be kept as unlike a school syllabus as possible in order to give it novelty and freshness.
The book is worded in such a way that it can be studied by the girls themselves in the different grades. The paragraphs in italics are more particularly addressed to the Scouters. In conjunction with this book the Book of Rules of the Association should be read, and where there may be any difference in detail between the two the Book of Rules should be taken as the guide, being more frequently under revision and, therefore, up to date; and also the monthly Girl Scouts' Gazette.
For further suggestions on the work of Scouters and their aims and methods see Part IV. Perhaps the most important suggestion that I can offer here to Scouters may be summed up in the motto:—
"Laugh while you work."
January, 1918.
This work is in the public domain in the United States because it was published in 1918, before the cutoff of January 1, 1929.
The longest-living author of this work died in 1941, so this work is in the public domain in countries and areas where the copyright term is the author's life plus 82 years or less. This work may be in the public domain in countries and areas with longer native copyright terms that apply the rule of the shorter term to foreign works.
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