SOME ASPECTS OF THE GIRL GUIDE MOVEMENT

Manawatu Times, Volume LIV, Issue 6920, 28 May 1929, Page 11

SOME ASPECTS OF THE GIRL GUIDE MOVEMENT

ADDRESS BY VISITING OPFICEE. HELP OTHERS EVERY DAY IS THE GUIDE LAW. Members of the Palmerston North Rotary club and their wives, at the club luncheon yesterday listened to a most interesting and entertaining talk upon the Girl Guide movement. The speaker was Miss J. Dalton, a Guide captain from the headquarters of the movement in England, who is spending a year in organising work in the Dominion. . “Nowadays we have a passion for societies of all sorts, but I don't know what we would have done in earlier times when these sort of organisations were not encouraged—probably we should have belonged to a secret society or an association for discovering the elixir of life’’ said Miss Dalton. “Now, .however, societies flourish and amongst the few definitely dealing with children, we have the Girl Guide movement.” The idea which hacl established the Guides had come from Sir Robert Badcn-Powell who on his return from tbo Boer war, had published his wellknown book, “Scouting for Boys.” Sir Robert had not at the time, had any definite idea of founding the boy scout movement but as a result of his publication, troops had sprung up on the lines suggested by him. Theso had become so numerous that they had required organisation with the result that the boy scouts organisation had developed. Origin of Movement.

“But little girls were not going to be left behind” said Miss Dalton, “and they also formed troops and made a most tremendous nuisance of themselves, scouting and climbing trees in days when little girls did not do those sort of things.” From this beginning, tlio Guide movement had developed until to-day it was established in 18 different parts of the British Empire and in 39 foreign countries a 3 well.

This year was a very important one for the Scout movement as it marked tho majority of scouting. To celebrate this, and tbo birthday of the chief scout, thousands of boys from all over the world would assemble at Liverpool for a monster jamboree. The Guides had not yet reached their majority celebration but wero 18 years old. They also had their international camps which were most interesting gatherings which, promoting the exchange of ideas and the formation of friendships between girls of different countries. It was not necessary, however, for guides to go into camp in order to exchange ideas. Girl Guides in New Zealand at tho present time, wero writing to other members of the movement all over the world. The Universal Law.

The Guide uniform was not universal but in countries like China, Japan and India, had to be adapted to the national costume. One thing, however, was universal among all guide troops and that was their law: “Bo loyal to God and to the King, help other people every day, and keep the Guido law.” “People say,” said Miss Dalton, “that Guides and Scouts get into trouble less than other children. I do not think that that is because they are any more virtuous —naughty children are in some ways tho most likely to be attracted by guiding or scouting —but what does happen is that their energies are diverted into other channels. Instead of being naughty they put their spare time into Guido or Scout work.”

The first stage in Guide work was for a girl to become a Brownie. Brownies were the little children who were taught to bo helpful at home. The idea of a Brownie was that of a little fairy in the homo.' “But” added the speaker, “it is not every child who • likes tripping about as a fairy so that they can bo Ecd Indians or pirates if they like.” Guides and Rangers.

When a girl grew out of the Brownie stage, she became a Guide and learnt the Guide law. In guiding, stress was placed on service and on practical work. Guides were taught to bo able and ready to help other people without thought of reward. They were taught not only to be ready to help—anyono could be that—but to be able to help intelligently. A comparatively new branch of the Guide movement wero the Bangers, who were girls of 16 and upwards who had grown out of the Guido stage. The Bangers mado a promise to carry the Guide teachings into the world of business or wherever they were engaged. They were out for social service and to help others in life as they had been taught to do in the Guides. Not on Appearances. “Do not judge Guides by their outside appearance,” said Miss Dalton. “Most people see them only when they arc marching about the streets dressed in what is perhaps rather a misleading uniform. I had an example of that some time ago when a woman told me that she would not allow her girl to become a Guide because she would have to tight -in the next war. There is nothing military about the Guides, they are all for peace. We do not, comparatively speaking, place a great deal of stress on drill, but it is in tlie camp meetings and evenings that Guides should be scon."

Another aspect of the Guide work was the part, it could play in making abnormal and crippled children feel that they belonged to an organisation and in that way were on an equality with ordinary children. Crippled Guidos were taught some form of handwork and when their work became saleable it was sold in a special shop handling this class of goods. The fact iliat they could co-opcruto in this way;

made these children feel that they were of some use. The captain of a Guide troop had a difficult job, for she had to net in the capacity of an elder sistor. She had to bo a person who had not forgotten that it was fun to be a Guide and who could ~oin with the girls in all their interests and pleasures. It was amazing how much a girl could get out of being a Girl Guide for in tho movement she formed interests quite outside those of her homo and school circles. For this reason alone the movement was worthy of support. Sho did not think that too much public support was « good thing for Girl Guides for they should be encouraged to bo as independent as possible and she did not believe in large sums being charged for admission to Guide concerts merely because they were Guido concerts. If tho entertainment was worth sixpence admission, only sixpence should bo charged. At the same time, the movement was very grateful indeed for help from the public for it was felt that apart from any charitable claims it was worth that interest.

The vote of thanks was in tho hands of Eotarian Gcorgp Bennett.