Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-08-08

i Give service.
Pursue knowledge,
/ Be trustworthy.
Hold on to health,
! Glorify work,
Be happy
These are the rules of a new order
lately incorporated under the title THE
Camp Fire Girls of America, for the
benefit of the girls of this country. For
several years the Boy Scouts have been
we'll established. and many leading men
of the nation have interested themselves
in promoting their work. Now the needs
of the girls have been recognized, and
during the present summer thousands of
girls have joined the new order, and it's
stability is assured.
| The Camp Fire Girls organization was
incorporated in the District of Columbia
last March, but it's national headquarters
are at 12S East 2Sth street. New York
city. The object is to make the girls of
the country healthy. happy, resourceful
and full of initiative. 1t is planned to
give girls a chance for healthy outdoor
sports as we'll as training in all kinds
of feminine accomplishments. which will
fit them for meeting in competent man
ner all the conditions of that society of
which they form a part. The gatherings
may be held around the Out-of-door
campfire. before an open fire in town or
even round burning candles il: The home
or schoolroom. Fire is the center OF
every home. 1t typifies cheerfLiness and
comfort.
Because of the changed conditions of
life many girls do not now have the
privilege of doing the things which
formed a prominent place in the lives of
their mothers and grandmothers The
modern mother no lOnge needs to sew.
since the clothing for her family can be
bought so cheaply Therefore many girls
must be taught to sew outside the home,
if they learn at all Many women do not
teach their daughters to cook. so they
learn that in the domestic science classes
of the school In this way much of the
real pleasure of the work which should
go toward home building is lost. The do
meSttc science cook may know the effects
of all kinds Of food upon the human body
and yet miss the pleasure which comes
from preparing some simple article in
ones own kitchen for the benefit of one S
own family or friends
The Camp Fire Girls in their new or
der get back to the spirit of the primitive
. woman In
) Get Back to Spirit learning to
Of Primitive Woman. p p,n, ,T." home M.
; duties. These women stayed home and
kept the fire burning while the mer
went hunting to provide the food for the
family. This primitive division of labor
seems the natural division in this new
, practical sort Of play, which is designed
} to develop in the girls the highest in.
stincts of wOmanhood. The first division
. of the Camp Fire Girls is known as
) ''The Wood Gatherers.' To be a Wood
. Gatherer girl must express desire te
. follow the law as given above and must
; repeat it before the assembled council.
. The second division is known as 1.-The
. Fire Maker To be a Fire Maker a
; girl must have been Wood Gatherel
. for from one to three months and mus
repeat before the assembled council the
Fire Makers pledge. which is rather
lengthy. She must also fulfill a number
of requirements for qualification. such a:
being able to mend pair of stocking:
or a knitted undergarment and to hen
; dish towel. to keep a written classified
list of all money received and spent dur.
ing a month, to sleep with open window:
or out of doors for month. TO refrain
from candy and sodas between meals fol
. a month. to commit to memory one gooC
. poem or song, and number of similar
for others if desired by the council
The third and last division of Camp
!, | Fire Girls is The Torch Bearer, who
, | expresses her desire in the words:
The light which has been given to me
l desire to pass on to others
The Torch Bearer is an assistant to the
) guardian. who has charge Of the council
She must have organized group of moi
less than three girls as Wood Gatherers
and led them regularly in Camp Fire
| activities for not less than three months
The real test IL the success and enthu-
siasm of the girls she teaches In addi.
ton she must have at least fifteen honors
from the elective list.
X *
These elective honors are given for pro-
ficiency in the different crafts recognized
by the order,
Elective Honors for as well as for
/ Proficiency in Crafts. D atri otism.
They include health craft. home craft.
baby craft. camp craft hand craft, ma
ture lore, patriotism and business. The
health craft honors are given for such
) achievements as being free from colds for
; two consecutive months, not missing
school or business for three consecutive
. months on account of headaches or i'll
; health. for securing first aid diplomas
. from the American Red Cross, as well as
. for many forms of exercises for the de-
velopment of bodily strength.
The home craft honOrs are given for
achievements in any kind of work per-
. tanning to the comfort of the home. such
. as cooking. marketing. preparing menus
; to be followed for a fixed sum, laundry
work. sweeping, busting. caring for hard
wood floors. polishing glassware and sill
verware, putting away woolens and furs
for the summer, taking instruction in q
neighbors house every morning for a
month and actually doing the work, fol
entertainments of various kinds, includ
ing giving a party for a fixed sum. pro
vidng the refreshments and a program
for entertaining.
The baby craft honor requires girl tx
know how to prepare the food for six
month-old baby the causes of infant NOR
tally, the different kinds of baby cries and
8 what they mean. and various other matter!
that would holp her to care for baby in
! diligently. She must care for some baby
for at least an hour day for a month
( The hand craft honors are for achieve
I ment in every kind Of hand work, in
! GLIDING sewing. millinery. dressmaking
! embroidery. basket weaving. clay model
( ing and similar accomplishments. Thu
I camp craft includes the erection OF a ten
ID lit 49,