GIRL SCOUT LEADER "We Draw the Things We Know" NovEMBER, 1937
The Arts and Crafts Program of the Casper, Wyoming, Girl Scouts
By CHESTER G. MARSH·
VOLUME XIV
NUMBER B
Members of two local clubs sponsored these classes. It really overwhelms me when I think of the volunteer services of the men and women who gave so generously of their time and will be 'on the job' again this fall.
W HEN our National
Director, Mrs. Paul Rittenhouse, returned from a trip to the West a few months ago, she spoke so enthusiastic~lly about the quality and orig- ' inality expressed in an exhibit of arts and crafts by the Girl Scouts in Casper, Wyoming, that I wrote immediately to find out more about the program. The letters that came in reply showed so clearly that the arts and crafts program of this Girl Scout local
"We draw the things we know, the background of our lives-our washing machines, gas stoves, furnaces."
"I can't close without telling you of plans for a new class that promises to become a reality this fall. This class as yet has no name, but it will in all probability be called a 'Free Activity' class. It will serve
A drawing from the Casper G irl Scou t Exhibi t
organization is a splendid example of what we believe such a program can mean to Girl Scouts, that it seems wisest to let the letters tell the story in the writers' own words. Miss Nelle A. Pate, Treasurer of the Casper Girl Scout Local Council, writes:
"We appreciate the kind words said of us by Mrs. Rittenhouse and Mrs. Hoover. Their visit inspired us to even greater activity.
"Mrs. Ruth Joy Hopkins, who teaches our classes in creative art, will tell you in a separate letter of her teaching methods and the work done by the girls. This was one of our outstanding Girl Scout activities for the past year. Her work, plus her interest and enthusiasm, has gained recognition in the community for the whole Girl Scout program.
"Our Swedish and block weaving, pottery, and sewing classes encouraged original designs, and gave the girls every chance to show their initiative.
"The art classes, during the past Girl Scout year, have reached a·pproximately ninety to one hundred and ten girls-ages seven to seventeen-and natural, happy contacts they have been. The steady attendance in these classes was especially gratifying, since no badge was offered.
"It is only fitting that due credit should 'be given the some thirty volunteer instructors-each an artist in his or her own field-who gave freely of their time each week.
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to teach the girls personal habits, poise, charm, and so forth, and, shall we say, manners; and then as a creative activity, the girls will make masques and marionettes, closing the season with a puppet show-using the figures made by the girls.
"It has been most interesting to see the development of leadership among the girls, through this type of activity."
The following excerpts from Mrs. Hopkins' letter will undoubtedly be stimulating to leaders in other parts of the country.
"I was so glad Mrs. Rittenhouse was here when our exhibit was up and saw the class working. She understood at once what we were doing-that we were ·not
. making pretty pictures ·for the sake of the pictures. So many adults look at our pictures, and, because they do not resemble their preconceived idea of what pictures should be, do not see how remarkable they are . I am afraid they think we are a little queer. Consequently it was most gratifying to have Mrs. Rittenhouse understand what we are doing and what we aspire to.
"This . class has been in existence for over two years. It was inspired by the open ·air school at Taxco, Mexico, taught by the Japanese teacher, Kitagawa. I was there painting one summer and he showed me the work of his class and explained his method. It is not what is termed
(Concluded on page 93)
86
Here We Come a-Caroling
WE n~v~r tire of hearing the same old carols ev~ry Chnstmas any more than we grow weary of seemg ·
the same old flowers bloom every spring. But just as we add new seeds and slips and bulbs to our gardens year by year for our own and our neighbors' deLight, so we should add to our Christmas celebration more songs, more festivities-and consequently more joy. It is surprising how like an ancient tradition will be, next year, the carol that we learn this year.
We have only to turn on the radio in late December to discover how few Chr,istmas carols and hymns we manage to get along on. Yet there are so many in the world that one collector, Professor Edward Bliss Reed of Yale University, has gathered thousands.*
When Girl Scout troops go caroling in hospitals, at community tree lightings, or on the radio, let them be a little different-their audiences will hear the standard hymns and camls from many another choir. The troop or home bookshelves might be combed first for carols that have been overlooked or neglected. The Girl .Scout Song Book contains five well known Christmas hymns. Sing Together has seven Christmas songs, including the lilting carol, "In Dulci J ubilo," which was first sung and danced (so says the legend) by a group of angels on a visit to a holy man one night:
Some of the ancient English carols are known only by name to many Americans-"The Holly and the Ivy," "The Boar's Head Carol," "Here .We Come a-Caroling." These may be found in many large collections.
Year after year, the LEADER cannot resist mentioning the Botsfo1·d Collection of Folk Songs by Florence Hudson Botsford, which may be obtained in the tune-book edition for 50 cents a volume (G. Schirmer, 3 East 43rd
* The New Haven Carol Society publishes some of th ese from time t o time in arrangements for four-par t choirs. The Galaxy J\1usic Cor poration, 17 West 47th Street, N ew York, will send price lists of these carols to leaders of Girl Scout choruses, on request.
THE GIRL SCOUT LEADER
By VIRGINIA GREENE
Street, New York). These three volumes contain many Christmas and New Year songs from all over the world. The Polish carol, "Amid the Silence" (Volume II) , which is played by trumpeters each Christmas Eve from a church tower in Krakow, has a solemn majesty like that of "Adeste Fideles"; the Hungarian "Christmas Carol" (Volume III) is soft, and full of the mystery of the holy night; and "The Pilgrims" (Volume I) is part of a traditional Mexican Christmas ceremonial and could easily be dramatized. These are only three of the twenty-five or more Christmas carols found in the Botsford Collection, which, of course, contains hundreds of folk songs of all kinds and nationalities.
In the Southern Highlands some very beautiful old carols have been found, many of them brought over from England two hundred years ago or more. "Jesus Born in Beth'ny," the first verse of which appears on page 93, is from Ten Christmas Carols from the Southern Appalachian Mountains, collected by John Jacob Niles (G. Schirmer, 3 East 43rd Street, New York, 50 cents). This collection of American folk carols is one that ought to be very widely known. The music is tuneful and unusual, but simply arranged, and the verses have the natural poetry of good folk song. "Lulle Lullay" is a particularly beautiful version of the "Coventry Carol"; the words are the same as those in Sing Together, but the air is quite different. "See Jesus the Saviour" has a haunting melody-each verse consists of one line, followed by a long, tuneful "Ah !" "Down in Yon Forest" is another that should soon become a favorite.
The lovely carol on this page, "Po' Li'l Jesus," comes from Mellows, A Chronicle of Unknown Singers, by R . Emmet Kennedy (Albert and Charles Boni, New York). It is a genuine American carol, sung by Louisiana Negroes.
(Concluded on page 93)
Po' 11'1 Je-sus, Hail! Lawd, Child o• Ma-ry, Hailt Lawd, Bawn in a sta-ble,
J Hailt Lawd, Ain' data pit-y an• a shame--- Po' 11'1 Je-sus, Hail! Lawd,
J Lawd,
J l1J7JF3 ~~~il Tuck '1m fum a man-juh, Hailt Lawd, Tuck 'im fum 'is Moth-uh, Hailt
1jm1T~ AhtJ 11 @JG Ain' dat a pit-y an• a shame---.
From "Mellows, A Chronicle of Unknown Singers" by R. Emmet Kennedy . By permission of the publishers, Albert and Charles Bani, New York.
----
NOVEMBER, 1937
By N. ALLIENE HARDER
SEVERAL teen-age girls were gathered in an informal group having great fun "just talking" while waiting for
. their meeting to start. The leader, who was postponing the opening until more of the girls arrived, heard snatches of their animated chatter. From one small group, she heard comments concerning the camps from which they had just returned: "We included photography in our program, which was great fun"; "I wish that the things we did in our nature and crafts program could have been harder to do so that we could feel that we had really accomplished something"; "We had lots of free time in which we could choose and develop our hobbies; one of the counselors gave us many good ideas by telling us about hobbies other girls had chosen and showing us some examples."
Other random bits of conversation which reached the other side of the ' room were: "We asked Mrs. Brown to go with us because she knows about so many things and likes to do the things we like to do"; "Mary is the most popular girl in our class"; "I wish we could give Thanksgiving baskets to the poor, as we did last year"; "I am going to go to my first dance next week and am I excited!"; "One of my presents was the world globe that I've been wanting so long ; now I can actually see where the things I read about in the paper happen." Even the girl whom the leader considered quite shy an~ backward contributed her bit to the conversation with an enthusiastic comment, "Be sure all of you save your stamps for my new stamp album."
As the leader listened to the girls, such questions as these entered her mind : Are the subjects that my girls chat about significant to me as a leader? What do these older girls have to tell the leader who wants to plan a successful program for them? How can I guide the girls to talk about and plan their own program, and still maintain the spontaneity, vitality, and chattiness of their informal discussions? What results may I expect?
Are these subjects that older girls chat about significant to me as a leader?
Girls are always talking. They talk in pairs, in small and large groups, and sometimes they talk even when no one is listening. They often gather in social groups such as parties, and open-houses where talking takes up much of the time. Then again, when their purpose is to decide on a plan of action, they assemble to discuss, perhaps, a trip to the museum, or the organization of a badminton team. Sometimes, as at this meeting, the girls tell one another of their own interests and try to find out those of the others in the group. The expression on their faces and the tone of their voices indicate the pleasure girls get from "just talking." The content of their conversations reveals that they have many and varied preferences and desires.
What do these older girls have to tell the leader w ho wants to plan a successful program for them?
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Meaningful Chatter
Three facts-that girls do talk, that they like to talk, and that they talk about many of their own likes and dislikes-ind.icate to the leader that "just listening" to them might provide a key to their needs and interests; as individuals and as a group. Chance phrases of their informal conversation might be revealing in the light of the things the leader already knows about her girls. Perhaps her program can be centered around her girls' known desires. Surely, she concludes, one device she might use in planning such a program would be to get the girls to talk about what they would like to have included in it.
How can I guide the girls to talk about and plan their own program, and still maintain the spontaneity, vitality, and chattiness of their informal discussions?
To lead the thinking of the girls successfully through more positive channels is a major problem to many leaders. Some leaders, after much trial and error, have found the following method successful: the group meets as a whole and decides on the issues to be discussed. P erhaps one of the random bits which the leader overheard would lead to a discussion of the possibilities of a dance sponsored by the troop. In talking about the dance the girl who, before the meeting, had commented on Mary's popularity, contributes the question, "Why are some girls more popular at dances than other girls?" Because this is a question to which all of the girls would like to contribute their ideas, the leader suggests that the topic be discussed in small sections or committees. The girls try to make some decisions concerning: How should we wear our hair? What will our hands tell? Will our posture help or hinder us? How much makeup should we use and how should we apply it? What kind of clothes should we wear? What should we talk about? What can we do between now and the dance? Finally the small group meets again as a whole and presents its thinking to the large group.
Other leaders have found it wise, because of the topic or the size of the group, for all the girls to remain together throughout the discussion. Such a topic might be: Should we give Thanksgiving baskets to a poor family again this year? the discussion of which was introduced by one of the girls before the meeting began. In order to answer this question the girls found themselves faced with the solving of such problems as: What is the point of Thanksgiving baskets? What does the family whom the troop elects to help need most-is it food, money, friends, . understanding, work, clothing, fuel, health, good times? What can the troop do to help meet this need? Wouldn't it be best to cooperate with welfare agencies to determine the greatest local needs? What are other people and agencies doing to meet these needs?
Discussion of these questions should help the girls decide upon the particular service proj ect in which they would like to participate.
Many factors play a part in a successful group discussiOn. The leader should have a special understanding of
(Continued on page 92)
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THE GIRL S C 0 U T LEADER Published monthly, October to June, by
GIRL SCOUTS, INC.
14 West 49th Street, New York, N. Y.
National President - - - - - - - MRS. HERBERT HOOVER National Director - - - - - - MRs. PAUL RITTENHOUSE
Edited by the Program Divisio1,1 Chairman - - - - - - - MRs. ARTHUR W. PAGE Executive Secretary - - MRS. LEWIS A. DEBLOIS Editor - - - - - - - - - - - - - FJERIL HEss Editorial Assistant - - - - - - - - VIRGINIA GREENE
IMPORT ANT- PLEASE NOTE The subscription price is 50 cents a year for the United States, 75 cents for Canada and foreign countries. (For Girl Scout captains, skippers, Brown Owls, local directors, field captains, troop committee chairmen, and commissioners, the subscription price is 25 cents, which is included in their annual membership dues.) Orders for additional copies of the current issue and of previous issues (in so far as copies are available) will be filled upon receipt of 5 cent for each copy; address the LEADER direct.
N. B. In the case of new memberships, as with late renewals, the initial delivery of the LEADER is subject to several weeks' delay. Entered as second-class matter, September 11, 1935, at the post office at New York, New York, under the Act of March 3, 1879.
VOL. XIV NOVEMBER, 1937 NO. 8
LET THE POETS SPEAK
It seems a suitable moment, while waiting to hear reports of convention discussions on the Girl Scout Program Study and news of what is being done experimentally with new program ideas, to turn away from everyday terminology and listen to our poets speak on the subject.
The first poem given below was received shortly after the Report of the Girl Scout Program Study was published and expresses in verse the same thought that many leaders have indicated in prose-new life, new adventure, but the same vision and the same loyalties.
The second poem was not inspired specifically by our effort to reevaluate our program, but it contains in such small compass the essence of leadership that we should like to include it, too, in this poet's column interpreting the Girl Scout program.
NEW PROGRAM
What of the vision we once stood to hail And follow eagerly along the early trail? Courage we had and joy, who raised the veil And saw within our very hands the children's grail. Where is our boasted strength if now we fail?
Children and children's dreams to us were lent Before the years had time to make them warped and bent; Shaped in our simple forms, whose frames were meant To be outgrown and are. Now word of change is sent, How can we dare to say our force is spent?
Here is adventure that is worth the name. The road we take diverges from the way we came. Yet, in allegiance to this newer aim, The friendships and the loyalties are still the same. And, in our hearts, the vision is a flame.
-Leslie V. Perkins Skipper of Girl Scout Mariner Ship 137 Philadelphia , Pennsylvania
THE GIRL SCOUT LEADER
TO GIRL SCOUTS AT THE WOOD
If I could find a Dryad in this tree I'd beg her gift-tradition's wishes three!
And then I'd wish for you a seeing eye That you might find the mysteries that lie
Beyond the toughened bark.
And for myself-an understanding mind That I might help interpret what you find
The inner life to mark!
Then for the world-appreciative heart To pulse through all the seeking on our part.
No Dryad answers! No?
But look! A tiny leaf unfolds.
What better sign could Nature give Of nascent treasure-holds!
-Ruth Custer Heckard Commissione r and C a ptain of Troo p 2 West Lafayette, India na
ACCUMULATING CHRISTMAS PROGRAM MATERIAL
Every December the magazines and newspapers are full of Christmas suggestions of all kinds. Why not make a folder, and keep them for use in other years, adding a few each Christmas? It is one of the best ways of accumulating program material. Poems, pictures, stories, accounts of folk customs, program suggestions, games, recipes, crafts, carols, legends-there are numbers of things you might clip from periodicals. If the magazines belong to someone else, make a note of the name, date, title of article; ·do the same when you find good books on a Christmas theme-perhaps they may be found in the public library when they are needed, or you may wish to buy them some day. Even beautiful Christmas cards may prove useful.
The following back issues of the LEADER contain Christmas articles that might well go in such a folder. Copies are still available, at five cents each.
Dec., 1932, "Children of Many Lands Portray the Nativity Story" by Helen Perry Curtis (creches) .
Nov., 1933, "Christmas, the Symbol of Youth" by Elizabeth Schlosser Cousins (contains words and music of two Christmas carols) .
"Living Christmas Trees" (directions fo r planting). Dec., 1933, "Making and Trimming a Christmas
Tree" (paper crafts). Nov., 1934, "With Lantern in Hand" by Marguerite
Ickis (how to make a tin lantern for carolers). "A Grumpy Santa Claus" by Cara A. Brumbaugh
(play). Dec., 1934, "Star Over Bethlehem" by Margaret Scott
(Christmas in Palestine). Oct., 1935, "Creative Handicraft for Girl Scouts"
(paper angels). Nov., 1935, "Twelfth Night Pageant" by Jessie Ken
nedy Snell. "A Happy Christmas for Our Brownies" by Mirma
Wallace. Nov., 1936, "Speaking of Christmas" (suggestions
about stories, songs, dramatizations; instructions in plaster carving).
NOVEMBER, 1937
"Christmas Suggestions" (books, yule logs, living Christmas trees) .
Dec., 1936, "Greetings at Christmastime" by Chester G. Marsh (making simple Christmas cards).
"Christmas Nature" by Marie E. Gaudette.
HELP TO COMPLETE THE CAMP PICTURE
"Whether the season be long, or whether the season be short"
the Camp Bureau welcomes the report of each camp, and is anticipating the day when all reports will be in, and compilation of figures, program practices, and other information can be begun. It is hoped that figures will far exceed all other years. Already many .reports have been received, and the Camp Bureau has been very much in: terested in them. Day, troop, and established camp reports are needed to give a complete picture of our camping. Only the figures of camps that send in their reports are used in getting the final results! Be sure your camp is represented! Send for report forms, if you need additional ones.
RADIO SERIES ON EXPLORATION
An exciting series of radio programs on adventures in exploration is being broadcast by the American Museum of Natural History. The name of the series is "New Horizons," and the time is every Monday evening in October, November, and December, at 6:15 Eastern Time ( 5:15 Central; 4:15 Rocky Mountain; and 3:15 Pacific Time). It will be presented on the coast-to-coast network of the Columbia Broadcasting System.
On October 25, Mr. Ellsworth Jaeger will weave into his theme the cries of wild birds and animals. On November 1, Colonel Theodore Roosevelt, Jr., will talk. Leaders of Girl Scout troops may receive copies of these broadcasts free of charge by sending their names and addresses to "New Horizons," American Museum of Natural History, New York.
SKIDMORE SCHOLARSHIPS AWARDED
In ·the June issue of the LEADER, Skidmore College announced two scholarships for entering Girl Scout freshmen. The local scholarship has been awarded to Miss Jean Clements of Saratoga .Springs, New York, and the national one to Miss Eleanor Coleburn of Norwalk, Connecticut.
CONTENTS "We Draw the Things We Know"
CHESTER G. MARSH 85 Here We Come a-Caroling ..... VIRGINIA GREENE 86 "Po' Li'l Jesus, Hail! Lawd" (carol)... . . . . . . . . . 86 Meaningful Chatter ......... N. ALLIENE HARDER 87 Let the Poets Speak (two poems by Girl Scout
leaders) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 88 Items of Immediate Interest ....... . ... 88, 89, 90, 95 Laurel, Mistletoe, and Holly .. MARIE E. GAUDETTE 91 "Jesus Born in Beth'ny" (carol)........ .... . .. .. 93 Books . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 94 Brownies Are News ......... ..... ANNE L. NEw 95 News and Notes of the National Equipment Service 96
89
IN MEMORY OF EMELIA THOORSELL
In response to spontaneous requests from many friends of Emelia Thoorsell's, a camping scholarship fund in her memory was started last spring. Many letters suggested that the money should be used for training leaders in camping fields, to the end that Miss Thoorsell's greatest desire-that every Girl Scout should have the benefits and thrills of camping-might be furthered. There was only a short time before the camp trai ning period, but five regions were able to award "camperships" to camp directors, camp counselors, or captains of troops, who joined Tramping and Trailing Courses.
Approximately half of the fund was used in awarding the five 1937 camperships. The committee that is administering the fund plans to continue giving camp training scholarships for the coming year. Contributions are still being received at National Headquarters.
FOR BETTER READING
In honor of Children's Book Week, November 14-20, The American G.irl cover on the November issue pictures, in a design by S. Wen dell Campbell, an attractive girl reading a book, and, also, carries an article, "The Magic of Book·binding," by Chester Marsh, Arts and Crafts Adviser on the national staff. This is one of Mrs. Marsh's series of handicraft articles now running in the magazine. There is, besides, a special article on books as Christmas gifts, by Nora Beust, the new editor of the book review page. It will interest Girl Scout leaders and the parents of subscribers to The American Girl to know that Miss Beust, who is Associate Professor in the. School of Library Science at the University of North Carolina, is also Chairman of the American Library Association Board for work with children and young people.
"DEAR READER"
I could hardly believe my eyes when I looked at the last LEADER through the sides of my tank. I felt indeed that I was seeing "through a glass, darkly"-Mademoiselle Guppy indeed! That's the younger generation for you-give it one letter and it takes the whole alphabet. Just because I don't
leap at every opportunity to appear in print I am called sulky-the snipschen! Of course, if you didn't read your October LEADER you won't know what I am tal)cing about, but perhaps I don't either. » « There is nothing sulky looking about the editor this morning. She has just had a letter from a regional director which says, "Speaking of training, I find the GIRL .ScouT LEADER, when studied carefully through several numbers for special things, very adequate." "And that," says the editor with a pleased grin, "is just what I hoped someone would get around to discovering about the L EADER some day." "Very adequate" may not sound like sweet music to you, Dear Reader, but from the pen of any busy regional director they are big words. » « A rereading of Chester Marsh's articles over a period of months will explain, perhaps, why the story of the Casper, Wyoming, arts and crafts program is front page news in this issue. The
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size of a place hasn't a thing in the world to do with the size of an idea. A whale, for instance, displaces more water than a guppy, but which would be a better companion for your solitary hours? I can see right now that I am going to have trouble with this comparison, but what I mean is, a small place with a big idea is to a big place with a small idea as an iridescent guppy on an editor's desk is to an uniridescent whale on an editor's desk, if you follow me. Anyhow, Mrs. Hopkins out in Casper knows what I'm trying to say. The editor is no help in this situation .for she is on her way to Savannah so she can tell you about the convention. I refused to go this year, not wishing to have my column usurped again by a younger and handsomer correspondent. I shall keep this portrait that Mademoiselle G. had made of herself, for my hip line is every bit as svelte as hers. My mouth, however, wears a much pleasanter expression than this likeness would lead you to believe. » « This younger-older girl business has me bothered. A younger girl seems to be younger than a young girl but an older girl isn't older than an old girl! One of these days the Older Girl is going to complain about this appellation and goodness knows us old girls will raise a rumpus if anybody starts calling us "the old Old Girls" in order to make it clear who is being discussed. It seems to me that if leaders don't know what their older girls want, it is because they are trying to make up their minds what it is the older girl ought to want. Every Old Girl was an Older Girl not so long ago-some of us can even remember being younger girls without overstraining the brain cells. If you don't trust your memory, you might try Miss Harder's suggestions in this issue about listening in on the "Meaningful Chatter" of o-- g--. This kind of meaningful cogitation has for some reason set a song going in my mind-Edna St. Vincent Millay's English version of an old Lithuanian folk song (Botsford Collection, G. Schirmer):
Tm sowing the rue, the mint and lily I am sowing, Tm sowing my young days, like the little green rue. My young days are budding-My young days are growing-My young days are ripened-Oh touch not my young days-My young days are fading, like the little green rue.
Miss Harder, by the way, is a new member of the Program Division staff. » « Marie Gaudette could tell anybody what girls-with or without adjectiveslike. That little parenthetical adjective, "unclaimed," in her first .paragraph on the mistletoe is a key word, in my opinion. » « The LEADER is going to press this month to the tune of Christmas carols-see page 86. It is a nice cheerful sound and sets up pleasant vibrations in a guppy's world. "Jesus Born in Beth'ny," which is my favorite, has lots of verses and may be found in John Jacob Niles' book, reviewed on page 86. When Mr. Niles sings this song to his own accompaniment on the dulcimer he takes you along with him to the laureladorned Southern Highlands and makes you feel the simple reverence of the music. » « "Brownies Are News" in this issue is a real New's article and the author is a member of the Public Relations Division staff at National Headquarters. » « If you should be interested in knowing when the First Annual Girl Scout Convention was held
THE GIRL SCOUT LEADER
and where, and all the following conventions as well, the Chronology of Girl .Scouting (1900-1936) given in the Appendix of Twenty-five Years of Girl Scouting by Katharine 0. Wright, which is just off the press, will tell you. This is the first time, I believe, our Girl Scout chronology has been printed, and it is mighty interesting and help.ful to have on hand. The book is reviewed on page 94. Miss Wright, by the way, was born right in the midst of the Great Smoky Mountains and knows all about mountain laurel and dulcimers, as well as Girl Scouting ever since its early ·days. You'll want to own this book. » « The December LEADER will contain the usual rambling (reporter's) account of the Twenty-third Annual Girl Scout Convention in Savannah, Georgia. I am expecting it to be pretty dull without my assistance this year, but I am looking forward to wading through it just for the sake of knowing what happened in Savannah.
Hoping you are the same, Mrs. Guppy.
CELEBRATING THE FORMATION OF THE CONSTITUTION
Programs, book lists, study outlines, and music sug: gestions for celebrating the 150th anniversary of the formation of the Constitution of the United States are given in Information .Sheet 35-36, obtainable free on request from the United States Constitution Sesquicentennial Commission, House Office Building, Washington, D. C.
THE "BLUE BOOK" AND THE "DIARY"
The revised edition of the Blue Book has been mailed to leaders.
The 1938 Girl Scout Diary (see page 96 of this issue) is now ready. It is on the general subject of "nature snoops."
"LIFE SAVING AND WATER SAFETY"
The American Red Cross has published a new book, Life Saving and lF ater Safety. It is a handbook of swimming techniques and rescue methods, and gives an explanation of life saving activities. The price is 60 cents, and it may be ordered from your local Red Cross office, or from the American Red Cross in Washington, D. C.
Girl Scouts
B rownies
Captains
Lieutenants
MONTHLY ACTIVE MEMBERSHIP REPORT As o{· August 31, 1937
Brown Owls
Tawny Owls
318,747
38,180
13,945
13,356
1,832
1,132
Leaders holding temporary commissions 484
Local council members 12,180
Troop committee members 31,660
Pack committee members 2 244
Troop and pack committee members (troop or pack not yet reg-iste red) 75
Local counc·il standing committee members not registered as local council members 1,124
Associate Girl Scouts 3,209
TOTAL ACTIVE MEMBERSHIP . 438,168
NOVEMBER, 1937
By MARIE E. GAUDETTE
Mountain Laurel-A Member of One of Our "First Families"
PERHAPS a conservative estimate of the amount of the most popular green, the mountain laurel, used in th_is
country at Christmastime is 10,000 tons. It appears Ill
ropes, wreat;hs, and sprays, and adds a touch of green t_o alder berries, bay berries, and various flowers used at thts season. It is time we were beginning to be sparing in its use.
The mountain laurel is an American whose parentage antedates the best genealogy that can be produced by any of our good organizations interested in antecedents.
John Smith was attracted to this plant and wrote of it (perhaps its first mention in English literature~ in his General History of Virginia, and that was some ttme ago, as the book was published in 1624. Hendrick Hudson, in his day, described "rose trees" growing on Cape Cod, which were, no doubt, the laurel. Along in 17 SO a Swedish traveler and botanist named Peter Kalm came to America and did something more than just mention this lovely plant. He sent specimens to that famous botanist Linnaeus, who, after carefully analyzing them, felt they could not be included in any genus of plants then known, so he made a new one and called it Kalmia. Our mountain laurel is known throughout the world as Kalmia (after Peter Kalm) latifolia (meaning "wide-leaved").
Long before any of the above-named gentlemen were born, the American Indians had .found at least one use for this plant and had named it "spoonwood" because they made from its wood their simple eating implements. This name, however, has passed from general usage and only occasionally do you hear "spoonwood" used except in remote sections. "Calico bush" it is called by the Southern Highlanders. Why? Your guess is as good as mine!
After having used the word "laurel" several times so far, I hasten to tell you it is not a laurel at all! Do not be discouraged-this is the way it all came about. The laurel we have read about in history, the one used in making crowns for victors, does not grow in this country. It is found along the shores of the Mediterranean where it grows among the Italian cypresses, green oaks, and wild olives. Our early settlers noticed a likeness between our mountain laurel and the laurel of Europe so they discarded the name "spoonwood" and endowed it with "laurel." Sometimes the European laurel may be seen in greenhouses.
Our mountain laurel has many relations with which we are perfectly familiar, such as the Indian pipe, rhododendron, trail ing arbutus, blueberry, cranberry, and others.
There is really nothing lovelier than the mountain laurel in bloom-in late June or early July, lasting usually two weeks. Rarely does a . laurel plant bloom every year, and very seldom in the same abundance year after year. The buds are formed the summer before they are due to blossom. Some of nature's "long-term planning" ! As for the seeds-well, the pods remain on for two or three years and the minute seeds, thousands and thousands of them, are cast to the ground. Some shake out during
91
Lauret Mistletoe, and Holly
the winter and may be carried a distance over the crusted snow by the wind. There is no other way for them to travel-no wings like the maples' seeds, no parachutes like the milkweed's, no suddenly bursting seed-pods like the witch hazel's to force them out into the world.
Seedling laurels are rare because the germination of the seeds is rare, and this, in turn, is because of the .meager amount of sun and warmth allotted them under and near the parent bushes. The seedling plants resemble the wintergreen, but the foliage is poisonous if eaten.
The next time you pass a laurel in blossom, be sure to look at the flowers closely. Each pollen-bearing sac is cupped in the corolla. Along comes a bee and his weight and motion snap the anthers from the cups, at the same time releasing the pollen in a golden shower on the bee, who goes on to the next. flower and deposits some of the pollen upon the stigma. And so life goes on! This is a great sight, and you .may see it happen by touching the flower with a small twig.
It has been said that forest fires rarely start in a laurel thicket because the dense covering keeps the soil damp. However, when fire reaches a laurel growth it burns fiercely because of the shaggy bark and oily, inflammable wood. It is bothersome to forest fire fighters because the oily wood and leaves give off a smoke that is repugnant and disagreeable.
Thoughts While Standing Beneath the Mistletoe
Here is an astounding plant and perhaps a few interesting thoughts on the whys and wherefores of the mistletoe might be appropriate while some of us stand, unclaimed, beneath a sprig of it this Christmas!
The American mistletoe is not a total parasite; that is, it is not wholly dependent for sustenance upon the tree that is its host, but it is dependent for water and some of the carbohydrate substances the tree has stored for future use.
As near as can be ascertained, the tree receives nothing in return for what the mistletoe consumes. It dwarfs but does not directly kill the tree, though the branches become swollen and misshapen where the mistletoe is growing, and sometimes wood-boring insects attack this parasitic plant and thereby open up places where disease may find its way to the tree.
If you have a spray of mistletoe handy, or can spare one berry from the sprig that may be hanging above you, press the berry between your fingers and notice the sticky substance surrounding the one seed. That viscous materi al is the beginning of all the trouble! By sticking to the beaks and claws of birds, these berries are carried from one tree to another. The berries that simply drop from a plant have a good chance to meet up with a branch of the tree di rectly in their line of descent, but unless they can stick there long enough to send out growths to attach them ·permanently they are left entirely at the mercy of wind and rain.
These berries are very popular with birds, probably because of the sweetness of the viscous substance. It was once thought that mistletoe seeds would not germinate
92
unless they had passed through the alimentary canal of a bird and had the viscous covering removed in the process. But this idea is in the discard because experiments prove that these seeds do not sprout more readily than those direct from the tree.
After a seed becomes adjusted to the host tree it takes about two years for the first two foliage leaves to appear. It is a slow-growing plant and, of necessity, grows only as rapidly as does the tree it is on.
Many persons think the mistletoe grows in a vinelike fashion, but that is not so. It is a ·bush, and attains varying sizes from one to three feet across, giving the tree a "green-tufted" appearance when its own leaves have fallen. Not all trees are host to the mistletoe, and whether
·a species of tree is or isn't depends upon the thickness of the outer corky layers· and the external surface-in other words, whether or not it provides ease of penetration to the sinkers which are put forth by the growing plant. Mistletoe does grow on the hackberry, elm, osage orange, walnut, pecan, mulberry, tupelo, maples, some oaks, and, of course, many other trees.
The common mistletoe of Europe is another plant, though resembling ours in many way,s. I doubt if you will see any of it for sale because very little is imported. It is the mistletoe around which is woven much in the way of legends. It grew but rarely on the oak of the Druids, and as this tree was held in such special veneration by them, the mistletoe · that grew upon it was also held in great esteem and was used in Druid religious rites. It is said that if two enemies met beneath an oak on which mistletoe was growing, they laid down their weapons and declared a truce. (In the season of mistletoe and Christmas trees, it is interesting to remember that our word tree probably came from the same root as the words true, truth, trust, truce, and troth.)
If mistletoe is deliberately grown, this is the way some recommend that it be done. Make two cuts in the shape of a letter V on the under side of the branch of an apple tree. The cuts must be made through the bark to the wood of the branch. Raise this tongue-shaped piece and put underneath two or three seeds freshly squeezed from the berries. Press the piece of bark back in place and in time, if everything is well, the plants, which are not unlike young cucumber plants, will appear. The seeds are placed on the underside to afford special protection from sun and rain. Some people feel it is unnecessary to injure the bark in this way, and give directions instead to rub the berries on some healthy bark, preferably on young growth, until they adhere, then leave them alone and let nature take its course!
Heigh-Ho, the Holly! ·
Holly, the outstanding symbol of Christmas, has come down to us through countless generations. From the beginning the Christians used it for decorative purposes and they, no doubt, were carrying on the tradition of the early Romans who used it .for their great festivals and accompanied their gifts with sprays of holly as a token of friendship and good wishes. Indeed, through its old association with religious festivals it gets its name holly, which is probably a corruption of the word holy.
As for the holly's magical qualities, they were thought . to be great in the early days. In and around 600 B.c., the faces of new-born children were sprinkled with a
THE GIRL SCOUT LEADER
liquid made by steeping the bark of this tree, because it was supposed to have absolvent qualities.
To write of steeping brings another thought. "Yerba de mate" or Paraguay tea is made from the leaves of the South American holly, and has been much used in those parts since the beginning of the seventeenth century.
The American holly is really native. It grows from Massachusetts to New Jersey, near the coast, and then west to Southern Missouri and southward. It is not very common in our Northern states but may be found in the moist woodlands, sometimes with its feet in the waterat least mine were submerged the first time I saw a holly tree in the "wild," and it was a beauty over thirty feet high. So entranced was I that .both shoes and rubbers were lost in that odoriferous mire that only a true lover of nature can rise above if not from out.
The male and female flowers of the American holly grow on separate plants, with rare exceptions, and the abundance of berries appears only on the female trees.
The holly is a slow-growing tree; it begins young to be slow, as the seeds take two or three years to sprout. For this reason we should try to use as little as possible. As a guide to identification, it is well to remember that this is the only native member of the family with spines on its leaves.
Contrary to general opinion, it is a tree and not a shrub. Witness its extensive use for carving. Furthermore, when painted black it is a good substitute for ebony.
Perhaps during that friendliest of all holiday seasons you will see for sale in the flower shops the English holly with its very shiny, deep-cleft leaves.
In England it is a great favorite for hedges. They are often kept trimmed like our privet hedge, and most accurately have been dubbed "prickly hedges." This prickly characteristic was noted by an ancient Roman writer who, in recommending the holly as a fence for gardens, says-
" And let such grounds with walls or prickly hedge Thick set, surrounded be and well secured, Not pervious to the cattle nor the thieves."
How unfortunate we cannot use it in these parts as a hedge, for it undoubtedly has all the qualities that would make it most uncomfortable to ·play in •or lean upon!
Deck the Halls but Spare the Tree Two organizations that will be glad .to give you more
detailed information about preserving our trees and wild flowers are:
The Conservation Committee of the Garden Club of America, 598 Madison Avenue, New York, N. Y., and the Wild Flower Preservation Society, 3740 Oliver Street, Washington, D. C.
Meaningful Chatter (Continued from page 87)
what the teen-age girl is like. She should stimulate the group and keep it going by expressing her questions in a challenging manner, and, as soon as the discussion is on the way, turn over all the initiative to the girls themselves. Sometimes there are undesirable behavior problems with which she should know how to cope: one of the members of the group is unduly aggressive, wishing at all times to have the center of the stage; another member is quite the opposite, who, inhibited by the more aggressive members, becomes shy and withdraws from the discussion; others
NOVEMBER, 1937
wish to be destructive to all that is said or done, by being over-active or even intensely hostile. Thus, the leader should attempt to keep all of the members of the group interested in the topic under discussion. One leader has said, "Effective group discussion is directly dependent upon effective thinking by the individuals in the group."
The meeting place should be one in which all the girls will be comfortable and feel free to talk. The group should be small enough to allow participation in the discussion by all the members, yet large enough to get contrasting points of view. Sometimes conclusions are reached ; often much is gained from "just discussing." A record may be kept for future reference.
What results may I expect?
Finally, the leader asks herself, "If I am to undertake to change this 'meaningful chatter' to 'purposeful chatter' by guiding the girls in initiating and carrying on group discussions, what results may I expect?" The results of many such discussions have been two-fold: for the girl, the pleasure of doing what she is interested in doing; and · for the leader, the' discovery of what h t: r older girls really want. Surely these are ends which should make the use of group discussions a desirable technique with which leaders can experiment.
Here We Come a-Caroling (Continu ed from page 86)
Singing should be done for its own sake; it adds immeasurably, however, to Christmas ceremonials and dramatization. A "Christmas Around the World" celebration would be inconceivable without appropriate carols. A few hundred years ago in Germany there was an odd Christmas custom in the churches, known as cradlerocking. An empty cradle was placed in the chancel, and at first only the clergy rocked it. The people, however, were so eager thus to express their love for the Infant Christ that eventually the whole congregation was taking part. This custom might fo rm the basis of a musical scene presenting cradle songs of many countries.
Finally, Marion Peabody's Mu sic Suggestions for the Christmas Season (Womans Press, 600 Lexington Avenue, N ew York, 40 cents) , which lists sources for Christmas carols, instrumental music, and plays and pageants, is invaluable for any group that takes its Christmas caroling seriously.
Je-sus born in Beth'-ny,
93
"We Draw the Things We Know11
(Continued from page 85) 'free expression.' The class is taught, but so ·discreetly that the students are unaware of receiving instruction. General discuss.ions are held about everyday things and experiences with results that are as definite and decisive as those obtained through more formal instruction.
"The first things I teach are ( 1) Spiritual-no fear. I tell them I don't care if they paint well or not. (2) H one sty-we draw the things we know, the background of our lives, so truly that little Mexicans would know all about the way we live if we sent our pictures down there for them to see-our w ashing machines, gas stoves, furnaces. The picture is a communication rather than an artistic effort, telling the observer how we feel about the subject. There is no feeling of trying to excel; the big girls admire the little girls' work sincerely. (3) The matter of Composition is taught but not by that word. We call it 'filling in the space'-'being too :heavy on this side' and so on. I never criticize or say a thing is wrong. I do not worry about color-that is personal. Some have the sense of color, others ·do not. ( 4) Form is easy too. We draw as though we were carving and make it 'light on top'-for a reason. (5) Another angle is Color Relationship, the art of seeing-of seeing beauty in things we never looked at understandingly before-an old building, a piece of rusty iron. Now the girls come and tell me of a lovely old barn they saw-like gray satin, with a pile of gold straw against it; how beautiful the pink ticket was beside the bottle of milk-not only the romantic scene but the everyday one at home. ( 6) The final analysis results in Art Appreciation-to be able to distinguish the work of the hack painter and the true artist- and we say what we think quite frankly.
"We have had several Works Progress Administration art showings and a number of private ones at the Little House, sponsored by this class. These exhibits have given the girls a splendid opportunity to see the work of different artists, a chance those living in small western towns have never had before."
If you have questions in regard to your own arts and crafts program or wish to have furth er details about the program described above, write to Mrs. Chester G. Marsh , A1·ts and Crafts Adviser, Program Division, Girl Scouts, Inc ., 14 West 49th Street, N ew York.
Je-sus born in Beth' -ny, and
in a man-ger lay--- In a man-ger lay--- In a man-ger lay, Je-sus born in
~~~J J ;. in a man-ger lay.
II From "Ten Ch ristmas Carols from t he Southe rn Ap pal ac hia n Mou nta ins," collected by J oh n Jacob Niles . By
pe rm is$io n of th e p ub lishe r and copyri ght ow ner, G. Sch irme r, Inc . , New Yo rk .
94 THE GIRL SCOUT LEADER
Books Twenty-five Years of Girl Scouting-1912-1937 by
Katherine 0. Wright (Girl Scouts, Inc., 20-542, 50 cents).
The Girl Scouts have literally made history! This should be great news to everyone connected with Girl Scouting, now or in the past. Girls and leaders alike will enjoy knowing the story of their organization; local councils and other sponsoring groups will find inspiration and ideas to further their work; and outsiders may now get a panoramic view of a movement that has influenced over a million American girls in the last twenty-five years.
The Girl Scouts are particularly fortunate in having their history written by Miss Katherine Wright, who has been in the movement since 1920. The narrative flows smoothly and freshly, colored by human stories and amusing incidents; the strong personalities in the movement stand out from the pages. Miss Wright begins at the beginning-with Lord Bad.en-Powell and the Boy .Scouts-and takes us on through that first troop meeting in Savannah, through t'he early years when J uliette Low sold her pearls to help finance the growing organization, through the Red Cross and Liberty Bond work of the war years-up to the present Silver Jubilee year and the international encampment held at Camp Andree last August. Brownies and Mariners have not been forgotten.
Here is found the history of our expanding program; the growth of leadership training; the formulation of our camping standards; the origin and results of the recent Program Study.
A most useful .feature of the book is the chronological outline in the Appendix. Here one may trace in brief the bare facts of Girl Scout history and know the most important events of each year. The book is illustrated with photographs of some of the chief sponsors of the movement.
The record that began with Mrs. Mark Kerr's account of the early days of the movement in England in The Story of the Girl Guides, and her sketches of Guiding in thirty-two countries in The Story of a Million Girls, has been supplemented for American Girl Scouts by the publication of Twenty-five Years of Girl Scouting.
-V. G.
You and Your Camera by Eleanor King and W ellmer Pessels (Harper, 1936, $1.75).
Fascinating pictures taken by amateur photographers; stories of how and why they were taken; facts about composition, lighting, and other technical details, which help the reader to look at the pictures with an eye to the difficulties involved in taking them and the fun of getting the result. So interesting and stimulating are the text and pictures that we could hardly keep from picking up a handy camera and experimenting.
Girl Scouts who enjoy photography will surely want to read this book, and those who have not yet realized the possibilities for fun in taking pictures will want to begin at once.
-M.F. G.
Good Manners for Girls by Inez Haynes Irwin (Appleton-Century, $1.50).
This little book on good manners is written from a point of view that should make manners and etiquette especially interesting to the girl in her later teens. It not only tells us what to do but explains from a logical and almost philosophical point of view why and how the knowledge of etiquette and good manners makes the daily round of living more pleasant for ourselves, our families, and our friends. Mrs. Irwin writes for girls from her rich experience, always remembering that she too was a girl with questions and problems not so many years back.
-E.R.
Behave Yourself by Betty Allen and Mitchell Briggs (Lippincott, $1.25).
This book, whose authors work directly with boys and girls, was written in response to actual questions asked by high school students. It deals with points of etiquette on many subjects, ranging from how to be a cooperative guest to proper flag observances. This book is chatty and readable, and the illustrations in the nature of cartoons should help stress important points.
-E.R.
Polly Tucker: Merchant by Sara Pennoyer (Dodd, Mead, 1937, $2).
Since t'he program for older Girl Scouts is attempting to meet the need for adequate vocational guidance, leaders should welcome such a book as Polly Tucker: Merchant. It is the story of a typical American girl-an unknown who begins at the bottom with a wholesale produce house and ends with her goal close at handthe fascinating job of fashion expert and buyer in a department store.
Two facts-that the book is written by the Fashion Promotion Director of Bonwit Teller's, who has had as varied a career as Polly enjoyed, and that it is illustrated by a clever young artist who has actually designed a Sally Tucker dress-give the story drama and reality.
The book is so cleverly written, so alive with new ideas and inspiration, that many older girls will wish to follow Polly Tucker's example and enter retailing with high hopes and the patience to wait for them to be fulfilled.
-N.A.H.
Private Props by Gertrude E. Mallette (Doubleday, Doran, 1937, $2).
For those girls who think that they would like to become newspaper reporters, Private Props will prove both interesting and helpful, for it is the story of Lynn Curtis' progress from substitute stenographic work to her first real assignment, and is written by a former newspaper woman.
Although t'he choice of words does not meet the standard that we would prefer, this is counteracted by the story-that of a girl who at home and at work uses her courage and independence as her own "private props."
-N.d. H .
NOVEMBER, 1937
By ANNE L. NEW
W HEN, a se~en-to-t~n-year-o~d investigates her pet puppy s feedrng hab1ts and discovers what he should
eat and how often, she is doing more than helping mother. She is making news. Why? Because the public-and that means everyone-is interested in examples of worthwhile human service. When the service is ·performed by very little girls, it is the more unusual and so the more newsworthy.
When a seven-to-ten-year-old discovers the wonderful frogs and turtles that live in the lily pond, that's news, too, because many parents may be eager to learn what paths of adventure lie waiting for their own children. Such scenes are the type of photographic material that any photographer enjoys posing. Few editors who know what parents like would reject a photograph that had the combined appeal of a little girl and animal life. The wise Brownie leader remembers that -in this type of picture, as in all photographs, the caption is the important spot in which to interpret the picture and the Brownie program.
. Because Brownies are so small, some of us may have looked straight over their heads when we were searching for Girl Scout news. Actually, the Brownie story is as well worth telling as that of their older sisters and perhaps the time has come to consider a few of the ways and means, the values and pitfalls of Brownie public relations. The examples that have been given are primarily photo· graphic, but the sources of sound Brownie publicity are as endless as the activities of the Brownies themselves. Brownies at play (but not at their revels, which are a special and private activity) ; Brownies at camp, learning to swim or helping with clean-up or observing the parts of a flower; Brownies at home carrying out the lessons of helpfulness learned in pack meetings-all these are not only news, but interpretive news.
To avoid misunderstanding and to give a clear picture of what the Brownie program really does for children and the community, Brownie leaders need to i:hink in terms of such interpretation. All publicity, in its essence, is nothing but interpretation, for its aim is to make others aware of and sympathetic towards the things you are doing or trying to do.
Any movement is judged at least partially by the quality of its members, old and young. Therefore, steady gains in health or skill or social poise are worth noting. And, of course, every person who knows a Brownie or a Brownie leader is likely to judge all others by the sample he sees. Even if the Brownie leader never serves on a publicity committee, she has a public relations responsibility twenty-four hours a day!
Any movement is judged partially by the things it does -that is, by what its members contribute to the community. Are Brownies learning to be valuable citizens by following safety rules when crossing streets? The town will be glad to ·hear of it-through still or moving pictures, news stories, speeches, exhibits, or radio programs. Are Brownies learning the proper care of books taken from the children's room of the library? A special Brownie book-mark might remind other parents that both
95
Brownies Are News
the library and Brownies are good things for any town to have.
And, finally, any movement is judged, in part, by what it does for its own members-leisure spent in wholesome play out-of-doors, health habits formed, new resources, and enjoyment of life.
All these aspects of the Brownie program are worth publicizing, for they tell a story worth hearing. The individual picture that is merely "cute," the news story that describes a party without showing its value-such publicity doesn't help your Brownies, because it tells the audience little or nothing about the distinctive attributes of the Brownie movement.
Brownie leaders have a tremendous opportunity to aid members of their local councils who are in charge of publicity and public relations by keeping their eyes open for activities that are distinctive and interpretive and that do not exploit the Brownie in any way. Remember that a pretty child and a social tea are much the same all the world 'round, but Brownies have a news value all their own. Not the individual Brownie, but her activities; not statistics, but plans and progress-these tell the Brownie story. ·
In saying that the Brownie leader or the member of the pack committee has a public relations responsibility twenty-four hours a day, it isn't implied that she should take over any formal functions of the local council members who are in charge of publicity and public relations. On the contrary, the very nature of good publicity requires that it clear through this central group, that no publicity be released or planned except through this group, and that all promotion ideas should be carried out by it. It is important, however, that the wise Brownie leader be alert to inform the persons charged with publicity and public relations of possibilities for interpretive news stories based on her pack's activities.
The speed of Brownie growth, the great increase in Brownie camping throughout the country, the opinion of noted educators and sociologists who say that practice in good citizenship and wholesome group living cannot begin ~oo soon-these make the Brownie movement increasingly Important. To find out how important a particular activity may be, ask yourself and your public relations committee one question: "Who would be interested in hearing about thi s, and why?" Answer that question, and you know the audiences to which that particular Brownie story should be told.
EDUCATIONAL BROADCASTING
The Second National Conference on Educational Broadcasti ng will be held at the Drake Hotel in Chicago from November 29 to D ecember 1, 193 7.
The sponsors of this conference include a large number of educational organizations, and the program promises to be of interest to all leaders of young people. Girl Scout leaders who cannot attend the conference may wish to follow its proceedings in the newspapers. For further information address Mr. C. S. Marsh, 744 Jackson Place, Washington, D. C.
96 THE GIRL SCOUT LEADER NOVEMBER, 1937 .
News and Notes of the National ·Equipment Service
THE PRE-PUBLICATION PRICE of Shanty Brook Lodge, which was listed in the fall Catalog ($1.75),
was changed by the ·publisher, on publication, to $2. "It's an ill wind"-you know the rest. This time, it gives us an opportunity to wax enthusiastic over this newest book by our own Fjeril Hess. It is very pleasant to bask in reflected glory, and we become quite puffed up with pride to . think that we're personal friends of Kit and Budge and Beaver. You'll feel that way, too, after sharing their fun and frolics, their exciting moments, and all the activities of these lovable "real" girls. A book about Girl Scouts, by a member of the national Girl Scout staff, but for all girls. 23-615-Shanty Brook Lodge by Fjeril Hess. : ..... $2
STYLE'S the thing. And-styled to please~the newly designed sport jacket promises to be "the thing" in every Girl Scout's spo~t wardrobe this season. Patch pockets at a rakish angle, the famous Talon Tak-a-part zipper, a smaller and smarter trefoil emblem, and adjustable buckled tabs at wrists and hips transform the same darkgreen, all-wool knitted material irito a smart sport jacket guaranteed to please the most style-conscious Girl Scout of any age. Designed too late for the fall edition of the Catalog, this new model ·is illustrated on the inside cover of the October American Girl, where it may be admired by the hundred-odd thousand readers who will be glad to "give a look" to less fortunate friends. 8-125 Sizes 10-16 .. .... .. ........ .... ... .. . $6.75 8-126 Sizes 18-44......... .... ..... . ....... 7.50
"GEMS from the Presiding Genius" we have labeled the following words of wisdom found on the "Boss's" desk, and we pass them on to you at this propitious time.
"Sweet are the uses of publicity, and there is no better publicity anywhere than a group of Girl Scouts in uniform. A group of girls in street dress may be any group at all, and their comings and goings attract no attention. A troop of Girl Scouts, all in the 'little green ·dress,' immediately focuses the attention of the community and makes it conscious of its Girl Scouts and their activities in its midst. If each publicity chairman realized the effect in her town of the constant appearance of the uniform, she would make greater .efforts to have 'every Girl Scout in uniform.' "
W E DIDN'T really mean it-the increased price of the Brownie Doll. Our pen slipped, or the printer
had some extra type, or maybe he just didn't have enough zeroes. But anyway, the price remains at $1. With this sad mistake corrected we feel much happier, and are sure that Brownies do too. 11-941-Brownie doll.. ... .................... $1
FAR BE IT from us to boast-but justifiable pride permits us to brag a little about the new Girl Scout handkerchiefs. And when we say new, we mean just that. Of course, there are many handkerchiefs of fine lawn, with narrow hemstitched hems, and 120 ·inches square. But only the new Girl Scout handkerchiefs are printed in · these exclusive designs. And that is something to crow
about. Gay, colorful, modern, and good-looking! The trefoil in full detail; large "G.S." initials and little outline trefoils in "gay confusion"; and a stenciled design of popular Girl Scout activities-these are the three designs. Green with orange, green with brown, and green with yellow are the colors, and 40 cents is the price for the set of three-one of each ·design, each one in a different color combination. Sets cannot be broken-but who would want fewer than a set of three!
Mariners, ahoy! You· too can be exclusive-for these same designs are printed in blue and red especially for you. 8-902 Set· of 3 Girl Scout handkerchiefs (assorted
colors) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40 cents 8-903 Set of 3 Mariner handkerchiefs (blue and red
only) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40 cents
OUR internationally-minded Girl .Scouts will be delighted to know that the Flag Set is again "in cir
culation." After months of gay social activities she has had a period of rest and recuperation, and is ready for another "fling." Knowing her great popularity, we, her social secretary, are showing no partiality but accepting dates in the order in which they are received. Engagements are for a period of one week, at a charge of $3, plus transportation costs. For those who are not already acquainted with this social butterfly known as the International Flag Set, she includes the national flags of each of the thirty-two member countries of the World Associat.ion of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts, in addition to the World Flag-an inspiring display to add color and interest to any occasion.
TODAY is New Year's Day. The 1938 Diary says sotherefore it is so. And that's not all the Diary says. It tells about bugs and beetles, plants and planets. And better yet-it gives each one an opportunity to tell it something. About when the first crocus came up out of the ground and the first bird arrived from down South; who went swimming first, and when; and all the other interesting facts which mean so much to us lovers of the out-of-doors. In spite of so much in such a little book, there are all the usual Diary features, too. Dates and weights, maps and sketches, and whys and wherefores of Girl Scouting. The price? A thin dime, two nickles, or ten pennies. 20-391. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 cents
"WHEN WE WERE VERY YOUNG," aprons were just aprons and a most practical garment. .So we gaze with great admiration and much pride (tinged with a very small amount of secret envy) at the adorable Brownie apron which has just burst forth in all its splendor. A full skirt gathered on a straight waistband, and a saucy bib with shoulder straps are made of brown percale in a gay, all-over print design of yellow, orange, white, and green . A yellow pocket and bands of yellow trimming at the hem, bib, and shoulder straps add brightness, and the Brownie emblem embroidered on the pocket gives that important official touch. 8-261 ............ . .............. ... ... . 75 cents
-N. E. S.
Recommended
