Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1912-07-05
TIE CALL OF THE GIRLS.

THE CALL OF THE GIRLS.
When / first returned from Japan.
after six years in land whose girls
and women were not allowed 10 even
raise their voices in animated discus
sion. the yodle OF the grammar school
girl rather startled me. But IL was not
long before learned TO listen for the
clear call and answer from two girls
who met at my corner.
since then I've learned to listen for
-WOhelo. Wohelo. Wohelo." and the an
swer. as clear as an echo. 'Wsp, o." that
comes back from some cOmrade Of the
Camp Fire
These Camp Fires are spreading and
win soon be as numerous as the Boy
Scouts They are not only introducing
the girls 10 the beauties OF camp life,
but are also teaching them the response
bilities OF life. Camp Fire Girls see
the romance OF home life. and they real
~ get more out Of a summer in the
woods than they ever have in the past.
.'HOnors" are bestowed for prOwess in
2 the home as well as on the athletic
field, The law Of the Camp Fire Girls
is. seek beauty-Give service-Pursue
knowledge Be trustworthy-Hold on
To health. GloTify work-Be happy"
"WOhelo" is their password and is
formed from the first two letters of
work. health, love, the three best things
IN life. and IL runs like an Indian call
The monthly meetings are called Coun-
ell Fires and are attended with various
ceremonials that are adapted from In
dian customs Their costume is brown
galatea cut in Indian style with fringes
and must be made by the girl herself,
unafded. and made by pattern furnish.
ed from the national headquarters.
Look about you this summer and see
II you find any girls with Indian beads,
for the beads mark the honors. The col
or differs TO mark the degree. and a
girl wearing six colors has achieved not
only a pretty ornament but something
worth while
The Camp Fire Girls chose Indian
names full OF significance Sometimes
II Is for a well known weakness, such
as sensitfveness. quick temper, and when
they are graduated from that class the
name is changed.
There are now about 10000 Camp Fire
Girls and most OF them are trying 70
earn health beads, little round red ones
like the healthy corpuscles Of the blood,
or adding TO their necklaces that are the
same color as the blue sky, or brown
like the pine cones The novitiates are
Wood gatherers. they are expected TO
provide the food for the fire, and the
Camp Fire is her chief joy. To build
IL. Indian fashion. is a requirement.
There must be the hole in the ground
to hold the ashes. the logs must be
stacked in a gable above the small
branches 20 let the flames dance merrily
through Around il the girls sit and
tell stories and sing songs far into the
summer night When the last gable
crashes in. good nights are said and the
glowing Goals are left TO keep watch.
But suppose one cannot go to the
voodsg' asks the Business Girl. MY
~--aticn IS spent in my home. it's the
SLY time / see home from years end
r years end
The girls in the city may earn their
eads by walking TO and from business
al keeping an accurate weather rec
orc, she may sleep in a tent OF on the
tack plaza Her campfire may be a
rz1=t- IN ner extra effort TO one time
70 q tha woods and make the real
candle on her bedroom floor. But its
~sorth an extra effort to one time
Indian tepee And Oh. how good the
food tastes when cooked in the ashes
OF hickory boards or fat stones.
Ine wood-gatherer must know how TO
hEht the council <hre as the Indian I'D.
~ rubbing sticks together. and she
must advance many steps in work,
health. love. She must buy. cook and
serve two meals either at home or In
camp without help or advice. She must
know how TO darn stockings. hem dish
towels: she must keep an accurate &C
count Of money received and spent for
at least one month. md she must
tie a square knot at least FIVE times IN
succession quickly and correctly. So
much for work
In the requirements for health. she
must sleep with windoys open in win
ter and outdoors in summer. take half
an hours daily exercise outdoors and
give UP candies and soft drinks be-
tween meals for at least one month.
that counts for the fortItuue and self
denial OF the Indian maiden.
Now comes the last word. love. which
gives the last Of her password. WOhe-
lot She must be able 10 help others IN
their hours OF need. in cases OF drown
ing accidents. OF fire and cuts. She
learns the principles of -andaging and
what a girl should know about herself
She studies infant mortality and how
e. really be the Little Mother il Occa-
sion demands
Every prospective firemaker must
fpresent twenty ~honOrs" beside those in