GIRL GUIDES

Hawera Star, Volume L, 21 February 1931, Page 15

GIRL GUIDES

NOTES BY “GUIDER” GENERAL HISTORICAL SKETCH (Continued.) Still more countries- became known to the International council. Among these were Austria, Egypt, Esthonia, Finland, Hungary, Persia and Spam. The total figures for 1920 amounted to: Great Britain 195,533, British Dominions and Colonies 25,815, _ other countries (approximately) 112,18 a, total 321,533. , Now that the effects of the war no lono-er made travelling difficult, Rangers” as British senior Guides were now called, began to plan trips abroad and Miss Bewiey, their head, at that tune, writes: “Companies are not all satisfied to confine their studies to their own. country, and several are planning expeditions across the channel for next year The educational possibilities ol camps and trips to foreign places are enormous, and one feels that Rangers should be the pioneers in this adventure, as there is less risk of failure with older girls. It is the wide view 1 of Guiding at which we should ami with Rangers, showing them that it is through co-operation, without clnS'S' 01 country, that the Guide spirit can best [be expressed.” . Tlie Danish Girl Guides Association held its first leaders’, conference in 1921 at Brahe Trolleberg. In Egypt, Lord and Lady Baden-Powell on January 19 while on their way to India, inspected the first Egyptian company at Port Said and enrolled its captain. Un their wav hcick from tho chief also went to Cairo and inspected the Guides, who had been formed there m April by Mrs Barber in the English school. Guides were later started, also. 5 iu Alexandria, The Swedish K.F.U.Iv. Association was formed in August, 1921, having ten companies embodying 259 members. Brazil had five companies which were officered by the original company formed in 1920 as an O.T.C. The Cardinal formally received the first five com- ! panies, and gave them his Messing. In the United States of America the Girl Scouts held a membership campaign throughout the United States, Alaska Porto Rica and Hawaii from j November 4to 15. The parade in New York consisted of 6000 Girl Scouts, all of whom carried fruit and vegetables which were later, to be taken to the hospitals as a harvest offering. An international group was led by Estricl Ott, a Danish'Girl Scout who walked bareheaded in her national Scout uniform., waving the Danish flag. She was followed by Italian, Scotch, Mexican, Hungarian, French. Chinese, Bohem- | ian, Russian, Syrian, Armenian and ! Spanish Girl Scouts. They marched in I groups of three, one girl in national I costume carrying her flag between two American Girl Scouts with the American flag. Mrs Choate, Mrs Rippin and Mrs Low reviewed the parade at I 59th Street. | The report of China in the minutes I of the International Council of May 13. 1921, shows that “the work of the past year has been very encouraging. At the beginning of last year there was only one company of about 15 Guides and now there are seven companies including one composed of Chinese girls, ad two packs of Brownies. In all over 240 Guides, and 55 Brownies.” Of the Netherlands it "'as said that the Girl Scout. Gomlpanies were registered in 21 towns, and that in smaller places 1 Lone Patrols were pioneering with success. “Our blind girls are getting on very well and their club house is being built now.”

The first company of Japanese Guides 1 was enrolled about now, and altogether ! Japan had four companies. Poland showed that there were Gild Scout troops scattered throughout the country, and a. conference of Girl Scout trainers was held in Cracow and was attended by some 200 of them, the first time that women had met alone there. 1922. , The year 1922 brought the Second i International. Conference which,. oomI bined with the Imperial one, was held [at Nfeiwnham. College Gamibridge in ! July. It was attended by over 100 I members, of whom 18 were from the British Dominions and colonies, and 31 from other countries. Thirty-six British Commissioners were present and j several members of the International ' and Imperial Councils as well as members of the British headquarters’ staff. Most of the foreign delegates arrived | two days before it opened, and were ' entertained by the English Commis- ! sioners, many of them being present at j rallies held in Kent, Essex and Hiun- ■ tiivgdonshiire, thus seeing something of I the work of the movement in England, i Mrs Kerr in her report describes how “Tho Chief Scout opened the conferI enco by speaking on the aims and i ideals of the Guide Movement; he emj phasised the wonderful opportunity , afforded by Scouting and Guiding to those who were working for peace j throughout the world; here, in this ; very conference, wo had tho germ of a j living, active League of Nations, and it was impossible to measure tho pos- * sibilities wbidi lay before ns in the future. The Chief Scout made a. strong I plea far unity in our own ranks, and urged all those wlio believed in the Guide ideals to draw closer together and to work shoulder to shoulder for ( the good of the girls in their own I countries and the world.

“All the sessions were of great interest, more especially tho reports given

by tho delegates from their own countries, These have now been published in hook form by British headquarters, arid are well worth reading.

“Practical demonstrations of Guide work were given during the conference. One of the most delightful features was the ‘specimen evening’ carried oat by the 2nd Cambridge Company under M iss do Beaumont, and, on the last- day of the conference, the members attended a rally of the Cambridge Girl Guides, which was of great interest to the visitors from abroad. Oil the last evening Madame Oyfer, of tli? Netherlands, made a charming speech, and presented to tho Chief Guide a, gold chain bracelet of 28 links, symbolising the 28 countries represented. Everyone of those who were present at the conference drew from it a. firm conviction that the Guide movement is' a chain which can draw the scattered' nations of the earth together in n closer fellowship with peace and good will.”