Scheme for Girl Guides
The "Scheme for Girl Guides" as published in the November 1909 edition of the Scout Headquarters Gazette.
12 HEADQUARTERS' GAZETTE.
THE SCHEME FOR "GIRL GUIDES"
A Suggestion for Character Training for Girls.
THE great qualification needed in the nation is "character."
This cannot be taught in the collective training of the schools, but depends, to a great extent, on the individual training given by the mother. But where the mother herself is characterless the chi ldren have little chance.
If we want the future manhood of the country to be men of character-which is the only guarantee of safety for the nation-it is essential, in the first place, that the mothers, and th e future wives-th e guides of those men-should also be women of character.
How To Start The Training.
The training laid down for Boy Scouts, though it applies pretty generally to all boys, wh ether from Eton or from East Ham, d oes not apply equally well to all girls even when a ltered in details to suit th e sex.
With girls it has to be administered with greater discrimination; you do not want to make tomboys of refined girls, yet you want to attract and thus to raise the slum girl from the gutter. Its main object is to give them all the ability to be better mothers and Guides to the next generation.
Therefore to carry the training into best effect, it is essential that good supervision should be arranged for.
With the boys, Scouting has, to a great extent, been taken up b y the boys themselves, and they have then got gentlemen to take command as the ir officers and these have formed local Comm ittees for their better administration.
But the reverse procedure would be the right one in the case of the girls; and it is for this reason that I have so far refrained from encouraging girls to take up Scouting. (In spite of this some 6000 have already done so!)
Reasons for the Institutions of Girl Guides.
Decadence is going on in the nation, both moral and physical: proofs are only too plentiful. It is preventable if taken in time. Much of this decadence is due to ignorance or supineness of mothers who have never been taught themselves.
Physical defects exist to an enormous extent, a large proportion of which are preventable.
Moral Education is left by the mothers pretty much to the schoolmaster.
Girls must be partners and comrades rather than dolls.
Their influence in after life on the actions and quality of the men is very great; they become their "guides." They therefore need character training quite as much as the boys.
As things are, one sees the streets crowded, after business hours, and the watering places crammed with girls overdressed and idling, learning to live aimless, profitless lives;
wh ereas, if an attractive way were shown, their enthusiasm would at once lead them to take up us eful work with zeal.
Loafing, trusting to luck, want of thrift, unstableness, are increasing defects among our men . So they are among the women - though possibly not, as yet, to so great a degree.
Good servants are hard to get, homes are badly kept, children are bad ly brought up. There is great waste of their life among women of every class.
As far as one can judge by the numbers (200,000), and reports of parents, schoolmasters, and others, the results of the scouting idea for boys promise success.
The following scheme is devised for girls on similar lines, but differing in detail to suit the sex :-
Already some 6000 girls have registered themselves without any encouragement as "Boy Scouts,'' and are carrying out;
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This rough and incomplete outline is intended in answer to numerous enquiries.
The "Scheme " may be obtained after 16th November from Headquarters,
Price 3d.
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the same games and practices, so there is a desire for it.
This scheme might be started either independently or possibly as a cadet branch. or feeder to the Territorial Organisation of Voluntary Aid. By this method every girl of whatever class, might be instructed (a) materially in hospital nursing, cooking, home nursing, ambulance work; and
(b) morally - in chivalry, patriotism, courage, Chrstianity, and ambulance work, and so on, by means which really appeal to her, and without necessarily making her a rough tomboy.
GIRL GUIDES. Training and Organisation.
UNIFORM .
Jersey of Company Colour.
Neckerchief of Company Colour.
Skirt, knickers, stockings dark b lu e.
Cap - Red biretta, or in summer, large straw hat. . .
Haversack, cooking billy, lanyard and knife, walking·stick or light staff.
Cape hooked up on the back.
Shoulder-knot of the "Group" colour on left shoulder.
Badges much the. same as for Boy Smuts. . .
Officers wear ordinary country walking dress, with biretta of dark blue; white shoulder knot; walking-stick; and whistle on lanyard.
2nd CLASS GUIDE. BADGE-Motto, "Be Prepared," on left arm.
As soon as a girl can pass tests in the knowledge of the Rules of the Corps; can lay and light a fire ; make a bed, and cut out and sew a Union Jack.
1st CLASS GUIDE. Fleur-de-lis Badge on Left Arm.
One shilling in Savings Bank; cook a simple dish; know simple First Aid bandaging; and know simple hospital nursing.
EFFICIENCY BADGES. To be worn on right arm after passing tests
1. FIRST AID - As laid down for boys in Scouting for Boys. How to deal with accidents.
2. STALKING - i.e., Observation and nature study as for boys.
3. NURSING SISTER - Hospital work; Sanitation, etc.
4. COOK - As for Boy Scouts, i.e., cooking, washing up, waiting at table.
5. CYCLIST - As for Boy Scouts.
6. LOCAL GUIDE - Know the history of the place and be able to act as guide to visitors; and know whereabouts of ambulance, police, fire, and telephone stations, etc., as for boys.
7. NURSE - Care of children, nursing, games, elementary instruction of children.
8. MUSICIAN - Same as for boys, with alternative piano or singing.
9. GYMNAST - Ability to instruct others in physical exercises and their theory.
IO. ELECTRICIAN - As for Boy Scouts.
11. TAILOR - Cutting out and sewing clothes, by hand or machine. Guides should as a rule make their own skirts and knickers.
12. CLERK - As for Boy Scouts, i.e., typing, shorthand, etc.
13. FLORIST - As for boys, plus flower growing and making up bouquets, etc..
14. ARTIST - Draw, oils or water colours, from nature ; or model in clay; or carve in wood or repousse metal.
15. MASEUSE - Anatomy and massage.
16. TELEGRAPHIST - Elementary electricity; able to read Morse code.
17. SWIMMING - Swim fifty yards in uniform, practise life saving in the water.
* PIONEERING - As for Boy Scouts, i.e., carpentering, model-making.
* SAILOR - As for Boy Scouts; boat management, etc.
* SIGNALLER - Same as for Boy Scouts.
Red Cross Armlet for passing 1 3, A. S. ;
Shoulder Cord for passing any seven of above;
Order of the "Silver Fish" for passing all, except those marked *, which are extra.
LIFE SAVING MEDALS - As for Boy Scouts, bronze and silver.
ORDER OF MERIT - For good deeds, as for boys.
NAMES OF GROUPS AND THEIR CRESTS - Call them by name of favourite flower.
Crest of the same flower conventionalised to be worked or sewn on to breast in centre of jersey.
Colour of flower for shoulder knot, e.g.-The Cornflower, blue. The White Rose, white and green. The Fuchsia, crimson and blue.
White shoulder-knots are worn by the officers.
Each Guide must be able to describe the details of flower from nature study point of view, and must be able to draw its outline.
RANKS - Captain (commanding company), Lieutenant. Group Leader and Sub-Leader.
Six Guides per group.
Company consists of three or more groups.
Age for Guides - 12 to 16; Group Leaders-15 to 18; 0fficers - over 21.
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For truth and right, for King and home
HEADQUARTERS' GAZETTE. 13
The Scheme for Girl Guides—continued.
Training—The Religious Training would be similar to that for Boy
Scouts, entirely unsectarian.
1. Spiritual—Knowledge of God through Nature Study.
2. Practical—Duty to others, by daily good turns, chivalry,
and charity, etc.
And other items of training would be generally those given above,
as the subjects for which Badges of Efficiency can be awarded.
The daily "good turn M which a " Guide " would have to pcrlorm
in accordance with the rule for Boy Scouts, can take the form
of helping parents or neighbours in household work, or sick
rooms.
On the same principles, i.e., by means of games and competitions, as
given in the handbook, Scouting for Boys (Second Edition), is., details
being altered to suit above aims. See also Scouting Games, Is.
Practical Suggestions for Organisation.
Where it is desired to start "Girl Guides" it would be
best for ladies interested to form a Committee, who would
then get "hold of the right kind of young ladies to act as
captains, and apportion to these their recruiting districts.
The captains would then get together a few girls of
special promise, to train as group leaders; these would
then collect their groups of girls and teach them under the
supervision of their captains.
. The initial organisation and training can best be carried
out in the winter. A club-room will be essential for this.
A camp for efficients in the summer will be the great
incentive to effort, and the great opportunity for really
getting hold of the girls.
The general line of training would be similar to that laid
down in Scouting for Boys, altered in details as suggested
above. A small handbook is in course of preparation for
Girl Guides.
A field for national utility of this training lies in the
Organisation of Voluntary Aid of the County Association
and Red Cross Society, the local branches of which might
reasonably find in the Girl Guides an effective means for
carrying their work into practice, and for insuring its
continuity.
In each case the same managing staff could carry out the
girls' organisation with very little extra trouble and thus
provide the necessary local machinery ready made for its
inception.
Any further information, badges, etc. can be obtained at
the Headquarters' Office of the Girl Guides, which is for the
present established at 116 Victoria Street, London, S.W.
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For Freedom ripening slowly, for all high aims, contend.
