PEACE SCOUTING FOR GIRLS.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 901, 22 August 1910, Page 11

PEACE SCOUTING FOR GIRLS.

■ ■ 7' ). '"'"WHAT IT 'AIMS' AT./ '■' , WeCall /know, .about.-.the Boy.'': Scout movement--of how it was' started some •few 'years'. agb"to','teach' boys many things that they did not learn by the cadet, movement, which-dealt principally With;- the /technical ■ $art of the work.' 'As the; movement grew. it was- found that/there, was much in it from which girls;could benefit' very, .considerably, ' and .-/accordingly- tho scheme was -modified: in :Some ways to suit them,, and has'now proved an admirable one for their.'; moral, physical, and intellectual training, as/well as one that 'teaches them ; tho : duties of good "citizenship. It'has-been taken up with the/greatest enthusiasm in England, Australia,. and elsewhere, and is gaining 'ground' in New'; Zealand, especially since the miscohceptions..that had gathered around it are : being cleared away. , There aro troops registered at .Wanganui, Greytown Featherston, Obakune/ Napier, Oncli'ungo, and Wellington, and in all there are. over 1000 girls who have reported''themselves as having joined. Wherever the work has been taken- up it has been reported that the girls we're, enthusiastic,, and-that, .there ' was ' a noticeablo difference; in' their conduct. In;: Wellington there.' are so far ninetysix girls l who have" joined, and numbers ■are waiting their opportunity to do so. Only? last Saturdayvpatrols were formed of girls,so anxious to become members that-they insisted'upon.being sworn-in at Hhe- Botanical Gardens, ' where tho ceremony-was-to take place, despite tho rain that pitilessly,'; descended moan-.! while.'Every six girls form a patrol, and-thesegirls are never allowed-'to go out-without a scout mistress. Nor. are they/ ever •allowed,, to bo out at night .wandering'-abbut streets—that is .against rules, ..Every patrol is /formed, as much as possible, of girls who- live near/each other, arid,is called after tho name of a bird. Before ever sho is allowed, to join, a girl .'has. the schema explained to her, and then she takes, the'oath,' which is as follows:—On"myhonour 1 promise that: — . ,- (1) l will be loyal to' God and tho ■■■■:-i King. ■•■?«. - ■ -/ ■■"/-?. -/ (2) I 'will try to help other's at all . ■'; times. '.•'■.,..■'.'■■ . (S) I 'l know .^the Scout law. and will ,! .- -. ' '~;•'.:■ ,| Rather a quaint illustration i of tho enthusiastic way in which some girls are constantly upon the look-out to help jrasjshowuv the other day at Brooklyn. They, .happened- to .see..; an old : lady . fllinpiy bundled up-with parcels.get out 6f. ; ,the car/and proceed to walk Tip the hilLy At once they r went - up : to her,' tookher'.parcels, and helped her with . them-till she reached her home. v ,That old/lady is-now.-a'-- most enthusiastic supporter of' the movement, and was deeply, grateful to tho girls for their, welcome aid..";'. Another "important feature'about it is that first and foremost, the'duties at home must be fulfilled 1 before-.they r ;., gq/'out;; -with.; the; Scout Mistresses";'also they must always be neat, and fresh about their perirenal, appearance. '-.The .uniform, of l course;, will, be of khaki—blouse and skirtp-a wide-brimmed felt hat, brown boots; and brown washing gloves, and ■ the/ Girl Scout, always, when out,. wears the badge, which denotes whatever her in the -service. ■•-.• - • Major D. Cossgrovo, in the '• South' Island, was responsible for tho origin of the movement in-New Zealand, and his., book;.', "."Peace i Scouting-:for ! Girls,".-.is : most instructive,.as. to .tho nature of the movement; .His letter, which is printed below, explains fully the/aim's of Peace Scouting for girls. Miss'-Skelly is the organising.secretary . for.-the workVin:..Wellington. ,'/ : .- 5 ; /' V ''";; ':-;./pro';the Editor.] ''■/.' ". Sir,-: Will you allow, me through the ■ medium of your, valuable paper to explain ,to" parents and others interested m >the education and training of girls the aims and objects of tho movement called/"Peace Scouting for Girls" ?. It is a scheme for the moral, mental, and physical training -of girls and young women.: It aims at", true and peaceful citizenship, and its object is preparedness ;for, ;any -situation- or emergencythat; riiay: occur inlife. The method of training is that suggested by Lieut.-Gehe'raT-Sir-Baden-Powell- in his book, "Scouting for.Boys." Girls fromtwelve to' twenty years .of age are eligible to . become , scouts, though many even older/, than that have enrolled. ' On becoming scouts they promise on their "honour" to'.bo loyal to! God and their King; to'do'good to others at all times, and to obey the -'Scout Law." From' this law we learn that a girl's honour is, trusted. She is straightforward and'truthful. She is self-sacrific-ing! and. thinks-of the good of others 'rather'than her' own pleasure or comfort. /.'She is kind and courteous to all, but especially to"the aged and helpless, She is not a snob, for character and not self or social position weighs with her. She is kind to animals, for they are God's-creatures, and is ever on the alert to save them from wanton acts of cruelty;",,. She is cheerful and happy at all times, and never allows adverse: cir-. cumstances; difficulties, or dangers to ; daunt her, and she is thrifty with a view to being independent of the help ' of others, as well as to being ablo to help.those who' are in;need. She is taught, all those things by means of games, exercises, and competitions in a .fascinating manner. Her training makes her a ready-witted, resourceful, intelligent, and useful woman, an upholder of all that is good and noble in ■the characters "of her companions, deciding over on the side of truth and righteousness, and an uncompromising opponent of everything low, mean, and vulgar. Sho regards it as her duty to set, a high standard of morality for her young men friends, and never, willingly; h behave unmaidenly in their presence. She is taught among otherthings to tie simple knots, to pitch a tent, camp cooking, camp sanitation,' path-finding by the sun and by the stars, hill-climbing, and watermanship. Her field work is in the form of practa :

cal Nature study. She learns the names of native and introduced plants and animals, as weir as their value as food. She learns first aid to tho injured, life-saving, how to restore tho apparently drowned, and what remedies to apply in the case of poisoning. She is taught practical rules for the care of her own health, ju-jitsu, selfdefence tricks, home-nursing, care and management of infants, .and invalids' cookery. These lessons, too, are taught under the fascinating term of "scouting." The girl's watchword'is, "Be always ready. They are prepared in mind to bo "ready" for any .situation or. emergency that-may occur. They are mado "ready", "in body by!tho care they take of their own health, so that they are able and willing to do the right thing at the right time. • They are never at' a loss • to know how to act in times of danger, for they' havo trained themselves to

look at things calmly and,to act coolly. In this way they become good; useful, and noble women, with a love' for home and country/and an appreciation of womanhood that'no; other organisation can ever hope to teach" them. During'the past twelve months I have received many'inquiries from those interested in/the training of girls about the girl/movement from all parts of the Dominion, including your own town, and patrols representing over 400 girls are already enrolled by me. In (England the girl movement bids fair to rival the boys in numbers, and popularity. V I earnestly, hope 'that■ parents mil see from the above explanation that the movement is a good one, and that they, will-give their daughters every encouragement to become "Girl Peace Scouts." In conclusion I may' say that the girls never meet tho boys during their, games or competitions, and that good and earnest • and capable, women are selected for scoutniistresses.

I shall be glad to receive the names of ladies in your town and district who aro willing to • help on this national movement; as well as .the names of girls desirous of; forming patrols, in order that I may put them' in the way of the work. I can-promise all tho most-in-teresting and happy times they have over had. —I am,.etc.,. D. COSSGROVE, Major. Dominion Chief Scout. '■ Tuahiwi, Christchurch, December 1.