GIRL SCOUT MOVEMENT.

Auckland Star, Volume XLIII, Issue 301, 17 December 1912, Page 5

GIRL SCOUT MOVEMENT.

ARCHBISHOP'S CRITICISM. MORAL AND PHYSICAL DANGER. (By Cable.—Press Association.—Copyright.) (Received 10.15 a.m.) MELBOURNE, this day. Archbishop Carr, at a confirmation function, denounced the girl scout movement. He hoped that parents would not forget their duty so far as to allow their daughters to become scouts. The movement required girls to be far distant from their homes without parental control, and besides physical danger there were grave moral objections to conditions inseparable from camping out. Owing to somewhat disorderly conduct on the part of an undisciplined section of the "Girl Scouts" of Melbourne recently, public attention has been drawn to the movement, and as an outcome of the scrutiny serious statements have been made, not se much with regard to the behaviour 01 the girls, but as to the danger they run when on excursions through the interference of a certain type of men—and even of women. The authorities controlling the Victorian section of the Boy Scouts' Association do not recognise the "Girl Scouts" or "Girl Guides." An official notice was issued from the London headquarters to the following effect: —"The Council is in sympathy with the objects of the Girl Guides, but would remind all district commissioners and scoutmasters that the Girl Guides are an entirely separate organisation, under ladies' management, and it is most undesirable that Boy Scouts and Girl Guides should be trained together." The Guides in Melbourne have, therefore, not the advantage of the status and authority of the Boy Scouts' Association, which has passed through a period of disorganisation, and is now subject to discipline that ensures good conduct in its members. The danger in the Girl Guide movement lies in lack of organisation. There are several troops independent of one association, and if a girl is dismissed from a troop for misconduct there is nothing to prevent her from joining another. Interviewed on the subject, Miss Gipps, leader of the principal troop, said that efforts are being made to bring the troops together in an association, so that better discipline may be exercised. She did not know how else to put a stop to the rowdy conduct of the girls on the outskirts of the movement. In her troop a girl was not permitted to speak to a boy Scout unless first spoken to, although she was taught to regard him with a sisterly feeling. In the undisciplined troops, however, cases had been known where the girls, on meeting a patrol of Boy Scouts, had rushed to them, thrown their arms round the lads' necks and behaved quite riotously. Such girls would not be allowed to remain in any troop belonging to a well-organised association. It was much better to keep the Girl Guides and the Boy Scouts apart in their training. She hoped the association would lie formed, although at present, owing to various interests and jealousies, there was not much light ahead.