October 31, 1860 - Juliette Gordon Low, founder of Girl Scouts of the USA, was
born in Savannah, Georgia. Juliette’s was better known as Daisy by family
and friends.
December 21, 1886 - Juliette married William Mackay Low, a wealthy
Englishman. They lived in England and she divided her time between
England and America.
1905 - Juliette’s husband died. She spent several years drifting looking for
something.
1911 - Juliette met Lord Robert Baden-Powell, founder of the Boy Scouts and Girl
Guides, and became interested in the new youth movement.
1912 - Juliette returned to the United States and called a friend saying, "I’ve got
something for the girls of Savannah, and all America, and all the world, and
we’re going to start it tonight."
March 2, 1912 - Juliette gathered 18 girls together to organize the first two
American Girl Guide troops. The first Girl Scout uniform was blue. Daisy
Gordon, Juliette’s niece, is registered as the first Girl Scout in the United
States.
1912 - Girl Scouts started their cookie tradition by selling home baked cookie.
1913 - American Girl Guides was changed to Girl Scouts. The first handbook was
published called How Girls Can Help Their Country.
1914 - Trefoil design for membership badge is patented. The Girl Scout uniform
was changed to Khaki.
1915 - First national Council meeting is held in Washington, DC. Girl Scout
Constitution and bylaws are adopted. Juliette Low is elected President.
1916 - The Girl Scout national headquarters was moved from Washington DC to
New York City. The First troop of girls aged 7-10 is organized as "Junior
Scouts" in Marblehead, Massachusetts. Also the first Girl Scout council
charter was issued to Toledo, Ohio.
1917 - troops were founded for girls with physical disabilities.
1917 -1979 - Girl Scouts published a magazine for girls called The American Girl
[called The Rally from 1917-1920.] Currently G*I*R*L started publication
in 1995 in cooperation with Scholastic, Inc.
1918 - a film produced by the Girl Scouts called "The Golden Eaglet," the first Girl
Scout film, is shot on location at Central Valley Camp in upstate New York &
was shown in movie theaters in the United States.
1919 - First nationwide celebration of Girl Scout Week is held in November.
1920 - Juliette Gordon Low’s birthday, October 31, is officially designated as
Founder’s Day.
1922 - Brownie Book, a manual for leaders, is released as experimental material,
looking toward development of a standardized Brownie program for the
United States.
1923 - Field News becomes the Girl Scout Leader.World War I and II - Girl Scouts served their country on the homefront by collecting waste fat and scrap iron, growing Victory Gardens, & selling defense bonds.
1920’s - African-American Girl Scout troops were formed in New York.
1925 - Campsite at Briarcliff Manor, New York, is presented to the Girl Scouts in
memory of Edith Carpenter Macy by her husband.
January 17, 1927 - Juliette Gordon Low died.
1927 - Thinking Day was established at the Fourth International Conference.
1928 - World Association of Girl Guides and girl Scouts (WAGGGS) is formed at
Fifth International Conference.
1929 - Our chalet in Adelboden, Switzerland, is announced as gift to the World
Association from Mrs. James J. Storrow of Boston.
1930’s & 40’s- American Indian & Asian troops were founded
1930 - World Flag, designed by Karl Aas of Norway is adopted.
1930 - Olave as appointed World Chief Guide.
1931 - B-P and Olave went on a world tour.
1932 - March 12th is designated as official Girl Scout birthday.
1934 - Mariner program, a sailing program, is launched.
1935 - Brownie Girl Scout Handbook is issued.
1936 - the first commercially-baked Girl Scout Cookie took place in Philadelphia
council
1937 - Silver Julibee Encampment, first international gather of girls in the United
States if held at Camp Andree Clark (Macy property) in New York.
1938 - Three age levels were established in Girl Scouts; Brownies, ages 7-9;
Intermediates, aged 10-13; and Seniors, aged 14-17. Over 18,000 girls
register for the first time in Senior Girl Scout troops.
1939 - because of failing health B-P and Olave moved to Kenya. Our Ark, the
second World Center opens in London. Our Ark offered refuge to many
members of the Girl Guide and Girl Scout movement forced to abandon their
homes during the Second World War.
1940 - First Girl Scout troops from institutions for people with mental and social
disabilities are registered.
January 8, 1941- Lord Baden-Powell dies in Nairobi, Kenya at his home "Paxtu"
(Swahili for "complete peace") and is buried in Nairobi.
1942 - First course in Wing Scout program, for 29 leaders from 15 states is held in
Philadelphia.
1943 - First Girl Scout calendar, dated 1944, is produced by the national
organization for council fund raising.
1947 - Name of national organization is changed from Girl Scouts to Girl Scouts of
the United States of America.
1948 - The national organization begins a plan to establish councils throughout the
United States, reaching every part of the country.
1950 - Girl Scouts of the United States of America is reincorporated under
Congressional charter on March 16.
1951 - "Be Prepared" is adopted as the Girl Scout motto.
1954 - Annual Girl Scout Week is changed from October 31 to the week that
include March 12.
1956 - Juliette Gordon Low birthplace is restored to the period of the 1870s and is
dedicated as a national program center for Girl Scouts.
1956 - Our Cabana is Mexico is dedicated by the World Chief Guide, Lady
Baden-Powell, as an international center for girl Guides and Girl Scouts.
1957 - Our Cabana, the third World Centre opens in Cuernavaca, Mexico. "Our
Ark" in London moves to a bigger building and is renamed Olave House in
honor of Lady Baden-Powell.
1960 - Celebrations are held all over the US for the 100th anniversary of Juliette
Low’s birth.
1962 - Fiftieth anniversary of Girl Scouts of the USA. The Golden Blossoms
project beautified homes and communities by planting yellow flowers of all
kinds. During the project a yellow floribunda rose was dedicated as the Girl
Scout Rose, and the Brownies gained the Brownie Girl Scouts Marigold.
1963 - the biggest organizational change took place with four separate age levels for ages 7-17 - Brownies, Juniors, Cadettes, and Seniors.
1964 - Girl Scout handbooks in Braille are published by the American Printing
House for the Blind.
1965 - Juliette Gordon Low’s childhood home, now known as the Juliette Gordon
Low Girl Scout National Center, was designated as a National Historic
Landmark by the National Park Service. It is the first building in Savannah to
receive landmark status. SafetyWise, a book on health and safety principles,
Girl Scout program standards and standards for Girl Scout camping is
published.
1966 - Sangram, WAGGGS fourth World Centre opened in Pune, Indian. The
Centre was named Sangram, which means "coming together" (as of small
rivers which flow into one main stream).
1968 - Campus Girl Scouts, comprised of young women college students, is
officially recognized.
1969 - U.S. Secretary of Interior Walter J. Hickel deeds 640 acres of federally
owned land to Girl Scouts National Center West in Wyoming.
1970 - Olave retired from the movement due to ill health.
1973 - Juliette Gordon Low portrait, a gift from the Girl Scouts of the USA, is
presented to the Smithsonian Institution’s National Portrait Gallery.
1974 - Portrait bus of Juliette Gordon Low is accepted by Georgia Governor
Jimmy Carter and placed in Georgia’s Hall of Fame in the State Capitol at a
special ceremony on October 31st.
June 25, 1977 - Olave died.
1978 - a redesigned Girl Scout Trefoil was officially launched.
1982 - Girl Scouts celebrate their 70th anniversary with "Gift of Water" service
projects to their communities. First annual Girl Scout Leader’s Day.
1983 - President Ronald Reagan signs into law a bill naming a new federal office
complex in Savannah for Juliette Low. It is the second federal building in
history to be named for a woman.
1984 - Daisy Girl Scouting was started
1987 - Girl Scouting’s 75th anniversary is celebrated, "Tradition with a Future" is
the theme. A 75th anniversary Girl Scout Commemorative stamp is issued by
the U.S. Postal Service.
1991 - After closing in 1989, National Center West is closed and sold.
1991 - Pax Lodge, the newest World Centre, opens in London, England. This
replaces Olave House, but is part of what is now called Olave Center. The
World Bureau is also found at this center.
1994 - Junior Girl Scouts have a new look in their uniforms, handbooks and badge
books.
1995 - Cadette and Senior Girl Scouts have new, separate handbooks as well as
new uniforms.
1997 - Nearly 90,000 Girl Scouts gather on the mall in Washington D.C. to
celebrate Scouting’s 85th anniversary. Billed as the largest Sing-Along ever.
1998 - A Commemorative stamp is issued by the U.S. Postal Service for Boy
Scouts and Girl Scouts in the USA.
In developing the Girl Scout movement in the United States, Juliette brought girls of all race, creed, and ability and they were welcomed in Girl Scouting. Girl Scouting gave girls the ability to learn about nature, develop self-reliance, resourcefulness, and prepare them not only for traditional homemaking roles, but for possible future roles as professional women.
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