ENGLISH ARTICLES

Girl Guides

Members of a worldwide educational movement that provides girls an opportunity to develop their personalities, to awaken their social awareness, and to be trained in service to the community. The movement also encourages girls to establish friendships in all parts of the world. In the United States members are called girl scouts; in most other countries members are called girl guides. yt History. The Girl Guide movement was inspired by the growth and development of the Boy Scout movement. The Boy Scouts, founded by Sir (later Lord) Robert S. S. Baden-Powell, held their first mass rally in London, England, in 1909. A number of girls arrived, uninvited, and expressed interest in joining the scouting movement. Baden-Powell decided that it would be better to establish a similar movement for girls than to allow girls to join the Boy Scouts. He then asked his sister Agnes to organize such a movement. Agnes Baden-Powell was stationed in London and concentrated her efforts on building up the membership in Great Britain. Immediately after the end of World War I, Olave, Lady Baden-Powell, wife of Sir Robert, took charge of the international aspects of the Girl Guide movement. An informal international conference was held in Great Britain in 1920. The desire to place international contacts on an organized basis led to the formation, in 1928, of the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts. The association was formed in order to promote unity of purpose and common understanding in the fundamental principles of the movement throughout the world and to encourage friendship among girls of all nations. Members of the association are national organizations that subscribe to the fundamental principles of the movement. Membership within each national organization is voluntary and is open to all girls without distinction of creed, race, or nationality. By the early 1970′s national organizations representing about 50 countries were full members of the association, and national organizations representing about 40 countries were associate members of the association. Approximately 5.5 million young girls are guides or scouts, and approximately 1 million adults are also members.

Organization and Activities. Every country that has a Girl Guide or a Girl Scout organization has a national headquarters that supervises and supports the activities of the regional and local chapters. While the local chapters are allowed a great deal of freedom in running their activities, they are required to adhere to the basic rules and ideals of the national and international scouting movement. In most countries girls are eligible for membership from the age of 7 or 8 until they become 18 or 20. If, after reaching the higher age limit, they wish to retain a connection with scouting, they may do so as adult members, serving as volunteers and supervisors. Membership is divided into three or four age categories; brownies are usually 7 to 11 years old, girl guides or girl scouts are usually 11 to 14 years old, senior guides or scouts are 14 to 16 years old, and rangers are at least 16 years old.
Scouting activities are on two levels, individual and group. Individual activities are meant to develop the mental and physical qualities, creative talents, and character of each girl. Group activities are meant to demonstrate, in a practical way, the pleasures of working together with other people in order to achieve a common goal.

Typical activities of the girl guides and girl scouts are arts and crafts, hiking and nature walks, organizing projects such as camp meetings or entertainments, and community service work in the neighborhood or local community. The girls also go on camping expeditions to different parts of their own country and attend international jamborees that are held in a different country every few years.

The World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts owns four houses where members of the association, both girls and adults, gather for training meetings, conferences, or holidays. The houses are in Adelboden, Switzerland (Our Chalet); London, England (Olave House); Cuernavaca, Mexico (Our Cabana); and Poona, India (Sangam).

Following is a series of brief discussions outlining the history and organization of girl guiding in different countries. For a discussion of girl scouting in the United States see Girl Scouts of the United States of America.

Australia. There were companies of girl guides in Australia prior to World War I, but they maintained links with Great Britain, not with each other. After the end of the war each state organization formed its own headquarters, and in 1926 the state organizations established the Girl Guides Association of Australia. However, each of the state guiding associations has remained autonomous. An executive committee is responsible for directing policy. Queen Elizabeth II is patron of the Australian girl guides. Girl guides are divided into three age groups: brownie guides (ages 7-10), guides (ages 11-16), and ranger guides (ages 14-20). In the early 1970′s there were about 93,000 girl members and 36,000 adult members.

Canada. The first Canadian guide company was established in St. Catharines, Ontario, in 1909. In 1917 the Canadian Girl Guides Association was incorporated, and in 1961 the official name of the organization was changed to Girl Guides of Canada—Guides du Canada. There is a French-Canadian section, Guides Catholiques du Canada. In addition, there are Eskimo and Indian packs and companies. Girls in sparsely populated regions may join lone companies; contact with other guides is maintained by circulating letters. Active companies invite lone guides to camp with them. Girl guides are divided into four age groups: brownies or jeannettes (ages 7-11), guides (ages 11-14), guides or kamsoks (ages 14-17), and rangers or aînées (ages 17-21). In the early 1970′s there were about 240,000 girl members and 34,000 adult members.

Great Britain and Northern Ireland. Great Britain is the birthplace of the scouting movement. Girl guides were organized in 1909 and officially recognized in 1910. Brownie troops were first formed in 1914 and ranger troops in 1916. In 1965 Princess Margaret became president of the Girl Guides Association. Since 1971 Great Britain has been divided into six administrative regions, each with its own chief commissioner. Girl guides are divided into three age groups: brownie guides (ages 7-11), guides (ages 10-16), and ranger guides (ages 14-19). In the early 1970′s there were about 694,000 girl members and 64,500 adult members.

India. There were girl guides in India as early as 1911. At first the guide companies consisted of European and Anglo-Indian girls, but in 1916 Indian girls came into the movement. Since 1951 all guides and scouts in India belong
to the Bharat Scouts and Guides. Guiding is active in most Indian states, in Sikkim, and in the Andaman and Nicobar islands. Girl guides are divided into three age groups: bul-buls or brownies (ages 7-11), guides (ages 11-17), and rangers (age 17 and over). There were about 139,000 girl members and 9,500 adult members in the early 1970′s.
New Zealand. The Girl Guides Association of New Zealand (Inc.) was incorporated in 1923. It developed from the Girl Peace Scouts, an organization that was founded in 1907. The girl guides are organized on an island-by-island basis. Girls in isolated country areas are called lone brownies or lone guides; they do their guiding by correspondence. Girl guides are divided into three age groups: brownies (ages 7-10), guides (ages 10-14), and ranger guides (ages 14-19). In the early 1970′s there were about 41,000 girl members and 9,500 adult members. )C Philippines. Scouting was introduced into the Philippines in the 1920′s by the children of U.S. soldiers and sailors who were stationed there. The first troops were registered with the U.S. girl scouts. Since 1946 the Girl Scouts of the Philippines have been an autonomous national organization. Girl scouts are divided into three age groups: star scouts (ages 7-10), junior scouts (ages 10-14), anc^ senior scouts (ages 14-18). There were about 302,500 girl members and 87,000 adult members in the early 1970′s.

Zimbabwe. Guiding started in Zimbabwe (then called Rhodesia) in 1912 when the first white troops were organized. The Wayfarer movement, similar to guiding but limited to black Africans, was introduced in 1926. Since 1950, when the two movements were merged, The Girl Guides Association has been fully integrated. Girl guides are divided into three age groups: brownies (ages 7-11), guides (ages 11-14), and rangers (ages 14-20). In the early 1970′s there were about 13,000 girl members and 1,050 adult members. Reviewed by World Bureau Branch Office, World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts. A nonsectarian, nonpolitical, voluntary organization “dedicated to helping girls develop as happy, resourceful individuals willing to share their abilities as citizens in their homes, their communities, their country and the world.” Scouting for girls was established in the United States by Juliette Gordon Low of Savannah, Ga. Low’s description of her work with British Girl Guide troops inspired a group of 12 Savannah girls to organize the first United States troop on Mar. 12, 1912. Low wrote the first Girl Scout handbooks. She gained the support of community and national leaders in establishing troops throughout the United States. In the early 1980′s membership was more than 2.9 million. About 2.3 million were girls 5 through 17 years of age, and the rest were adults, of whom less than one half of one percent were paid professional workers. Members elect their own officers and carry out activities under the guidance of adult volunteer leaders.

The program is offered to girls at five age levels: Daisy Girl Scouts, age 5; Brownies, age 6 through 8; Juniors, age 9 through n; Cadettes, age 12 through 14; and Seniors, age 14 through 17. The girls take part in activities centered on the home, the arts, citizenship, and the out-of-doors. Camping is considered one of the most effective means for accomplishing Girl Scout objectives, and it is made available to nearly everyone. The program also emphasizes acquiring new skills to be applied to the welfare of others.

As members of the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts, with more than 8 million members in more than 100 countries, the Girl Scouts take part in a worldwide interchange of ideas, practices, personnel, and assistance. An ex-change-of-persons program between the United States and sister organizations involves about 275 girls and adults annually. Girl Scouts and Girl Guides are bound together by common purposes, ideals, and practices, as expressed in their joint Promise and Laws, and by the use of the trefoil emblem that symbolizes the three parts of the Promise: duty to God and country, helpfulness, and obedience to the Laws. The Laws are a simple code for daily living, which includes honesty, helpfulness, courtesy, friendship, and kindness.

There are 166,000 Scout troops in the United States and at U.S. military and civilian locations abroad. Troops on foreign soil are called U.S.A. Girl Scouts Overseas. National headquarters are in New York City.