GIRLS' PEACE SCOLT MOVEMENT.

Otago Witness, Issue 2902, 27 October 1909, Page 17

GIRLS' PEACE SCOLT MOVEMENT.

I Many may not be aware of. the i origin of the Boys' Scout movement. It was at the siege of Ladysmith that General Baden-Powoll, being 1 short of men for tho work — especially for the messages 1 to be done, — enlisted a. number of boy 6 for the emergency. These lack did their work so >vholß-heart3dly and i>o successfully tha: out of the effort 4 he General initiated tho Boy Scout movement, which, though of i only a few years' growth, now numbers j in Britain and the colonies (Stise on 300.000. Major Cossgrovo, of Tuakiwi, Christchurch, in his interest in furthering, the welfare of girls, developed fro.n this scheme one which has met with very hearry approval from General Baden-Powell himself and from many of the- authorities at Home. This scheme is entitled the Girls' Peace Spout Movement, and already numbers 300 I girls in Now Zealand (and very enthusiastic I «couts they arc), while Liverpool and Manchester can each count its thousands. The seheine aims at the moral, intellectual, and physical improvement of the girls, and especially at their instruction in goodcitizenship, providing at the same time the ■nost enjoyable and profitable occupation for leisure and recreative hours that it is possible to give, and securing a happy system of obedience as well as of command that will prov<» invaluable to the girls both now and in later jears. # Girls from 12 to 20 year*** of age are eligible as scouts and scout leaders. Six girls form a pntrol, and three patrols a troop, commanded by a scout-mistress. Ench scout promises on her honour three things: (1) To be loyal to Gc.d and the King; (2) to do good to others at all times; (3) to obey the scout law. She is encouraged to be straight forward and truthful, self-denying and considerate, ( kind and couiteous, brave mcl cheerful, thrifty and independent, ready-witted and resourceful ; an upholder of all that is good in the characters of others, an opponent of al! that is mean or vulgar. These graces are fostered by means of games, exercises, and competitions, all of which aro of an atfcraetho nature. The girl scout sets a high standard of morality for her young men friends, and when wilh them behavea in maidenly fashion. To quote \Jajor Cossgrovo himsolf: "She is tauc.hr, among other thing's, how to tie simple knots, to pitch a te^t, camp saniiation, camp cook- ■ )«r, v- at b-fin-'iiie by the s,un and by the stars, hill-rlimbiiitr, and watermanship Her field work is a form of practical Nature-sludv. She loams the names of native plants and animals, as -.veil as of Mujir value a.s foods P'h<? learns first aid. Hfo-savinsf kno'vkdge en land and water. fr> restore the apparently drowned, and what remedies to apply in the case of roiso-iin<j. Sh<» is taupht practical rules fo- tko care of her own health, ju-jits". s»]f-d-°fenee tricks, homo nursinf care avii ! man:L<rement of infants. and invalid "-nkery. Th^sp lessons, too, lire tauglit ■incl^r the fsceinaiinjr term of scoutinjr. T'i<j trirls' YintHv.vord is 'Be always ready.' | They arc nnsl'i i«>d&v in mind by their fraiiii"- to ho rcr.dy for any situation or "inoryenry th.it i;iay occur. They are mad* I "^adv in hi Jy by the enre they take of I th^ir henlrh, so that, tnov arc able and I -viMing to do the right th;r? tt the right t.mp. The" ya nover nt a lo^i how to act in timrvs of dancer. a«s they h.r\e trained 'homs^hes to look <\t thinis cnlm!? and i^> n et f'!ly. Tn tVs wav fhev V>ecurr><» {rood, 'iS'jfi:' md hoHp women, with n !ovo for I'nrriP lif" thl an .-ipp-pciation of the riuii^s ,f ,\ 'Mri'i'il-norl I'i-if •■><-> r-th*r f^9'-n:fii*'^n can hope to toach them. During the i ;ist 12 months I hn\v> r^c'ved many in "i:i:rir"s f'-or'i *ho=p inW^W. ;n tlio train- ■ n<r of jriiT<! .-»bnut th-r> trirl r"mci"cn^. and, nfter con.«Mltat : o-i with General Boflcr 1 .- Po\pll, I hay» rl rafted (h<» New Z^.tl-tn'l ichorno. t-allod ' Po.T'e FVcut'T* for Girls.' , whil n h^ })2« dnftorl me nn similar lin.^.s U>" Erin-land, filled ' Girl Ou'df? ' A handbook for Nfv Z^alirrl should rench th»» Dominion noKt month '* The erir><s never !:)'vt th" boy diirinar 'heir srnmrs and co"^p<?tit:ons; also good, earr^st, capable »on.p - i .T-e seler^d as sooi't-mistrpsaps. Parent" can oa.siH' soe t^e fsr-rpachipg l>3n"fi!s ff 'hip Qcheme. -'tnd »ro rt\itoc] to !''rd nil thpir influonf/> townrd innking it a sufceys for their "-irK Mi>s Moc^orcr?, ortranisin'r wcrs'aw for Dun^din flistn'rt. <v;ll 1>» r;lfd <o re^iv fhe naw"! r f Jadio* 'vi'liri^ fo b»in in thi^ vott int-^r^f in«j work n< wol' as of girls desirous of join ing the mo\cmen^