The Washington times., 1912-07-22
CAMPFIRE GIRLS
GET INSTRUCTION
IN USEFUL LIVES
Work Being Carried on in
Public Fairgrounds
This Summer.


young girls will be ready for enrolment
In the chapters, local and separate Or
sanizations, known as 'campfres."
The Rosedale Campfire. which centers
its activities about Noel House under
the conduct OF distinguished leader,
Miss Helen Taft; the Y. w. c. A. Camp
fire, thriving organization; the camp
fires OF the Emery and other schools
will oil receive many recruits when the
heated term is over and the playground
work ends for the season.
Campfire instruction on the play-
grounds this. summer is to be in general
charge of Miss Ellen Hope Wilson, who
has the direction of all young feminine
activities on the sandlots and grassplots
which constitute the public Fairgrounds.
She will be assisted by the young wom-
en- who are assigned to particular play
grounds and, after a time, by a class of
girl who are to be given special instruc-'
ton in Campfire work as 1t relates
to Fairgrounds. and who will be quail
ihed In short time to assist the regu-
lar playground mistresses in their task.
Work for Betterment.
THE object Of the Campfire movement
b to add the power of organization to
the development OF the health, work.
and play Of the American girl and to
give the charm Of romance TO the ac-
tivities of her daily hfe."
Interpreted, the foregoing means a
campaign to teach the girls of this coun-
try the principles which make for per-
feet womanhood, perfect home-making,
and perfect motherhood.
Anyone nearing a playground this
summer where Campfire activities have
progressed at all will hear the word
Wohelo' sung out as a call by cne
'Wohelo' is obviously a coined word
in which has been condensed the es-
sence OF the spirit of the society. The
word Is made up by taking the first
and love-" From this battle cry. SO to
speak. have been evolved the laws of
the campfire, which enjoin upon its
followers to seek beauty. give service.
pursue knowledge, be trustworthy. hold
on to health, glorify work. and be
happy"
Difficult Tasks Set.
90 hand in hand. according to the ritual
of the Campfire Girls. Some of the
tasks set for regular Campfire members
ground children. To gain honors and
throughout the country have such tasks
as these set for them: ~ '2
Take care Of horse and stable for
at least one month.
Cook meat four ways.
Prepare six salads.
Use fireless cooker successfully
on cereals, meats, and vegetables.
Have party Of ten with refreshments
costing not more than 81
Keep accounts
Know how milk must be prepared
for the bottle of six-months-old baby.
Identify and describe any fifteen
know three different ways Indians
have Of testing eyesight.
Earn So and give 1t to some worthy
cause.
community in connection with beauty
ing front yards, conservation of
streams, birds, and trees.
participate in organizing and carry
ing through a proper celebration Of the
Fourth of July. Washington's Birth
day, and other patriotic affairs.
Know the history and meaning OF
the American flag and that of the flag
of the country from which your an
cestors came"
It is with games and small beginnings
of practical domestic arts with which
the work on the Fairgrounds will be
started. Little fingers will be taught
basketry, sewing, and perhaps work in
hammering brass and copper.
Some of the Easy Tasks.
Among the laws required of fulfill
rnent for these younger children who
cannot possibly progress farther than to
achieve the first degree Of the Campfire.
that of ''woodgatherer," are these:
Repair stockings or tear; patch q
knitted undergarment and hem a dish
towel.
all money received and spent for at
least one month.
cession correctly and without hesitation:
s"Sleep with open windows. or out OF
doors, for at least one month"
1t is not believed that during the sum-
mer season the injunction TO sleep with
the windows open will be a particularly
difficult one to enforce, to put It mildly.
nor will the little playground girls be
vastly bothered by the keeping OF ac-
counts. An occasional nickel spent for
for an ice cream cone will rpresent
much of the outlay. and the income and
expenditure probably will neatly bal
aHce.
Advancement Is Difficult.
From Wood Gatherer to the next de-
gree, that of Fire Maker, is a long step,
and 1t is more than doubtful II the
playground girls can achieve the dis
tance owing to the shortness of the
time and the handicaps due to youth
and inexperience. Not many of the
older girls in the Rosedale Y. NJ. c. A.
or Emery School camps have yet come
within striking distance of the degree
OF Fire Maker, beyond which Is still to
be attained the rank OF Torch Bearer,
and even beyond that OF Leader, who
is known as Guardian OF the Fire.
For older Pirls there will be regular
weekly meetings of the Camp Fire,
preferably held in the open. with picnic
suppers to be prepared, and something
like this may be arranged occasionally
for the children. In the line Of cooking
rrenaring food, many OF the young,
er children have had some practical
experience because of domestic necessity
at home.
The younger children can certainly
practice some of the self-denials which
the Camp Fire ritual names as worthy
of exercising, and which performed
count toward higher degrees. Abstain
ing from candy is one such renunciatory
act more spiritual injunction is the
last law OF the Camp Fire:
IF you have pain. hide It: II others
are suffering, be quick to relieve them"