Scouting For Girls, Official Handbook of the Girl Scouts Part 6

PRACTICE IN OBSERVATION.--_Instructor can take the fingermarks of each girl. Lightly rub the thumb on blacklead or on paper that is blacked with pencil, then press the thumb on paper and examine with magnifying gla.s.s. Show that no two persons' prints are alike._

IN TOWN.--_Practice your girls first in walking down a street to notice the different kinds of shops as they pa.s.s, and to remember them in their proper sequence at the end._

_Then to notice and remember the names on the shops._

_Then to notice and remember the contents of a shop window after two minutes' gaze. Finally, to notice the contents of several shop windows in succession with half a minute at each. Give marks for the fullest list._

_The Guides must also notice prominent buildings as landmarks, and the number of turnings off the street they are using._

IN THE COUNTRY.--_Take the patrol out for a walk and teach the girls to notice distant prominent features, such as hills, church steeples, and so on; and as nearer landmarks such things as peculiar buildings, trees, rocks, gates, by-roads or paths, nature of fences, crops different kinds of trees, birds, animals, tracks, people, vehicles, etc. Also any peculiar smells of plants, animals, manure, etc.; whether gates or doors were open or shut, whether any smoke from chimneys, etc._

_Send Guides out in pairs._

_It adds to the value of the practice if the instructor makes a certain number of small marks in the ground beforehand, or leaves b.u.t.tons or matches, etc., for the girls to notice or to pick up and bring in as a means of making them examine the ground close to them as well as distant objects._

PRACTICES IN NATURAL HISTORY.--_Take out Guides to get specimens of leaves, fruit, or blossoms of various trees, shrubs, etc., and observe the shape and nature of the tree both in summer and in winter._

_Collect leaves of different trees; let Guides make tracings of them and write the name of the tree on each._

_In the country make Guides examine crops in all stages of their growth, so that they know pretty well by sight what kind of crop is coming up._

_Start gardens if possible, either a patrol garden or individual Guides' gardens. Let them grow flowers and vegetables for profit to pay for their equipment, etc. Show all the wild plants which may be made use of for food. Find yew trees; report if any good branches to make archers' bows of._

_Encourage the keeping of live pets, whether birds, animals, reptiles, insects. Show how to keep ill.u.s.trated diary-records of plants, insects, birds, etc., giving dates when seen for comparison following year and showing their peculiar markings, etc._

_If in a town take your Guides to the Zoological Gardens, menagerie or Natural History Museum, and show them particular animals on which you are prepared to lecture. Not more than half a dozen for one visit._

_If in the country get farmers or shepherd to help with information on the habits of farm animals, e. g., how a cow lies down and when. How to milk, stalk rabbits, water voles, trout, birds, etc., and watch their habits._

SECTION VI

FORMS FOR SCOUT CEREMONIES

1. ENROLLMENT

Before a girl may become enrolled as a regular Girl Scout she must be at least ten years old, and must have attended the meetings of a Troop for at least a month, during which time she must have pa.s.sed her Tenderfoot Test. The Captain must have prepared the candidate for enrollment by explaining the meaning of the Promise and the Laws and making sure that she fully understands the meaning of the oath she is about to make, and that she also comprehends the meaning of "honor." The following is a convenient form for enrollments.

(1) The Scouts stand in the form of a horseshoe with the officer who is to enroll at the open side, facing Scouts.

(2) Officer addresses troops on the subject of what it means to be a Scout.

(3) Patrol Leader brings candidate to officer and salutes and returns to place.

(4) Officer addresses candidate in low tone: "What does your honor mean?"

Candidate answers.

Officer: "Will you on your honor, try: To do your duty to G.o.d and to your Country; to help other people at all times; to obey the Scout Laws?"

Candidate and officer both salute as candidate repeats Promise. Officer: "I trust you on your honor to keep this Promise."

(5) Officer pins Tenderfoot Badge on the new scout, explaining what it stands for, that it symbolizes her Scout life, and so forth.

(6) Scout and officer salute each other. Scout turns and troop salutes her, scout returning salute, and then goes alone to her place.

(7) All Scouts present repeat Promise and Laws.

Troop then breaks ranks to take up some Scout activity.

When many scouts are to be enrolled, four at a time may be presented to the officer, but each should singly be asked and should answer the question: "What does your honor mean?" All four repeat the Promise together and the officer addresses all together in saying: "I trust you on your honor to keep this Promise," but speaks to each separately as she puts on the pin.

A Captain may perform this ceremony or she may ask some higher Scout officer to do so.

2. _Presentation of Other Badges_

The following form of ceremony was devised for special use in the presentation of the highest honor attainable by a Girl Scout, the Golden Eaglet, but the same outline may be followed for giving Merit Badges, and First and Second Cla.s.s Badges, or any other medals or honors.

_Presentation of Golden Eaglet._--As the presentation of the Golden Eaglet is an important occasion in the life of a Scout and her Troop, it should take place at a public Scout function, such as a District or Community Rally, a reception to a distinguished guest of the Scouts, or possibly at the time of a civic celebration.

The Court of Awards is responsible for all details of the meeting, and it is suggested that it invite parents, friends and other persons interested in the Scout movement to be present. The medal may be presented by the Chairman of the Court of Awards, some other member of that Committee or by a higher Scout officer.

Arrangements for the ceremony should be planned so that during the presentation of guests, the Court of Awards, the Eaglet's troop and the Color Guard form a hollow square, with the Captain at her post three paces in front of the Troop, the Lieutenant at her post "center and rear" of the Troop. The ceremony should be rehea.r.s.ed wherever possible, so that all action and form shall be as smart as possible.

1. The Court of Awards enters and takes its place at right angles to the a.s.sembled guests.

2. The Captain enters, takes post, and gives all commands.

3. The Color Guard (bearer of the American flag, bearer of the Troop flag, and two guards) followed by Troop to which the Eaglet belongs, enter and march two paces in front of the Court of Awards. The lieutenant is at the left of the leading file. The Troop marches in single file, by twos or in Squad formation according to the number, and the s.p.a.ce available.

When the Troop is very large, or the s.p.a.ce restricted, the Eaglet's Patrol may take the place of the Troop. As the Colors pa.s.s, the Court of Awards should rise, stand at attention, and if Scouts, salute.

4. When the Color Guard at the head of the column has pa.s.sed the Court of Awards, the command "Column left, MARCH!" is given. When the last file has completed the movement, the following commands are given:

(1) "Scouts, HALT!"

(2) "Left, FACE," or

"Squads, left, MARCH, Squads, HALT," according to the formation of the column.

(3) "Right, DRESS, FRONT!"

5. At the command "Left, FACE," or "Squads, left, MARCH, Squads HALT,"

the Color Guard makes a left turn, marches forward until on a line with the Court of Awards, again makes a left turn, immediately halts and grounds flags.

6. When the Troop and Color Guard are in position, the Captain gives the command "Patrol Leader and Eaglet, forward, MARCH!" The Patrol Leader escorts the Eaglet to the Captain, salutes the Captain and returns to her position in line.