The Girl Scout Slogan Is “Do a Good Turn Daily”

Girl Scouting in the United States of America began on this day, March 12, 1912, when Juliette Gordon Low organized the first Girl Scout troop meeting.  At this first troop meeting in Savannah, Georgia, 18 girls were present.

• 1912 – Juliette Gordon Low comes up with the idea for an organization that will groom the courage, character, and confidence of young girls.
  • The organization’s original name was the Girl Guides of America
• 1914 – During World War I, Girl Scouts contributed by growing and harvesting their own food, canning perishable goods, and assisting the Red Cross. They made surgical dressings, knitted clothing for soldiers, and created scrapbooks for wounded servicemen.
• 1917 – In 1917, the Mistletoe Troop in Muskogee, Oklahoma, initiated the first known Girl Scout cookie sale.
• 1920 – By 1920 there were close to 70,000 members
• 1920s – Girl Scouts could earn a “Telegrapher” badge. This badge required girls to learn Morse code and operate telegraph equipment, reflecting the technological skills valued at the time.
• 1922 –  A sugar cookie recipe was published in The American Girl magazine as a suggested recipe for Girl Scouts to make.
• 1930 – By 1930 there were over 200,000 members
• 1930s – During the Great Depression, the Girl Scouts participated actively in relief efforts and helping those in need.
• 1936 – The first national cookie program and the licensing of Girl Scout cookies began in 1936 with the Trefoil shaped shortbread cookie
• 1940s – Girl Scouts launched conservation programs, planting trees, cleaning parks, and educating communities about nature. These efforts instilled environmental stewardship values that continue in today’s programs.
• 1951 – The Chocolate Mint (or the Thin Mint) debuted in 1951.
• 1970s – The Girl Scouts elected Gloria D. Scott as the first African American president of the board.
• 1990s – As computers become more popular and incorporated into daily life, the ‘Technology’ badge is introduced for Girl Scout Juniors.
• 2005 – By 2005 there were over 3.7 million members
• The Girl Scout mission is to “[build] girls of courage, confidence, and character, who make the world a better place.”
• Their pledge to “be ready to help out wherever they are needed”
• The Trefoil, a three-leafed emblem, represents the three parts of the Girl Scout Promise: serving God and country, helping others, and living by the Girl Scout Law. It symbolizes the core values and unity of the organization.
• When you join the Girl Scouts, you learn a variety of skills that can only be experienced by doing.
• It has been estimated that, since its inception, 50 million girls and women have been a member of the organization
• The Girl Scout slogan is, “Do a Good Turn Daily”
• The Girl Scout handshake involves shaking hands with the left hand while making the Girl Scout sign with the right. The left hand is closer to the heart, symbolizing friendship. This tradition connects Girl Scouts across generations and cultures.
• Several former Girl Scouts became astronauts, including Dr. Sally Ride, the first American woman in space.
• These amazing women, who are Girl Scout alumnae, include Taylor Swift, Hilary Clinton, Venus and Serena Williams, mother-daughter actresses Debbie Reynolds and Carrie Fisher and more!
• SWAPS stands for Special Whatchamacallits Affectionately Pinned Somewhere. SWAPs are a Girl Scout favorite, with troops all across the country making and exchanging them as they make new friends.

Sources:

National Day Calendar

National Today

Days of the Year