The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1922-02-25
CAMP FIRE GIRLS
Miss Edith NJ. Kempthorne,
National Secretary to Visit
Sumter

~ l$S fIQltn NJ. NcIlptIipI Dt. " llO
is now touring the principal south
crn cities organizing Camp Fire
Girls groups where there has been
Il constant demand from girls and
parents alike has covered more
than 100000 miles in the interest
of this evcrSrowinG organization.
In the last year alone. Miss
Kcmpthorno travelled 20.0n0 ,nlles
and as rcsul; WAS able to announce
tho establishment OF headquarters
at Liverpool for the Camp Fire
Girls of the British isles. In the
Unitcd States. Miss kcmpthornc has
organized groups of Camp Fire
Girls in Maine, New Hampshire.
Massachusetts. Connecticut, New
York. Pennsylvania, New .Je:SeEE,
Ohio. Michigan. Indiana. Illinois,
Wisconsin. Iowa. Missouri. Mime
sofa. Kansas, Nebraska. North Car
olina. Colorado Montana. Wash
ington. Oregon. California, and
Alaska
Miss Kempthorne on this south
ern trip plans TO organize new
Camp Fire groups for there is
Camp Fire in every state in the
Unjon-in Virginia. North Caro-
lima, South Carolina, Georgia. Ala
bama. louisiana, Texas and Flori-
da.
There arc now 10000 Camp Fire
Girls all over The country, in Alas
ka. Porto Rico. hawaii and else
where. with daughter organiza-
ton in Great Britain which has
established headquarters il Liver
pool. There the Camp Fire move
ment has won an unqualified en-
dorscment from George Harvey.
l. S. Ambassador to Great Britain.
Sir auckland Geddes, Lady Astor
and John OXcniialn. the novelist.
English girls have taken up the
Camp Fire program with a Vim.
Camp Fire Girls arc organized
into Camp Fires from six to twenty
in each. with Il Guardian as their
head. The guardian is either d
business or professional woman or
mother. The girls must be over
II years. The Camp Fire program
now in use for the last ten years
provides the girl with an outlet
for her desire for outdoor play and
work, her instinct for home build
ing and making things for her
self which Will add 10 the attrac-
tivencsS Of her appearance, but al
SO makes q liberal allowance Tor
her Imagination. The ceremonial
gown which she receives when she
Joins the Camp Fire girls. the three
ranks of Wood Gatherer. Fire Max
CT and Torch Bearcr--all arc part
of the symbolism With which Camp
Fire makes OF all duties chain
of romance.
Camp Fire symbolism is founded
on Indian symbolism, but it has
been expanded and beautified
/! Each girl as she joins Camp Fire
| finds a name for herself which eX-
| presses some ambition or ideal. Size
weaves her deeds. her desires. hey
dreams in more symbols with
! beads and leather ornaments on her
ceremonial gown. Zach design on
/ that gown stands for something
which the girl has actually done,
from making the supper for the
family to saving a drowning per-
son. For the Camp Fire girl is the
all round sirl-a girl both moth
cr and father are proud Of. girl
! that even brother Bob doesn scott
at because she's tenderfoot. NC
! Camp Fire girl is a jendcrfoot. She
can hike her ten miles any day and
she can cook fourcoursc meal.
besides.
Both President and Mrs. Harding
phoncd this message from the
! White House to Mrs. Oliver Harri-
man. national president OF the
Camp l'irc Girls during its second
annual conference in New York.
we want The Camp Fire Girls
TO know that our interest and con-
;idcncc in their work increases Us
know more Of their character
and usefulness. They are accom-
pliSiling a true service for .\meri-
can womanhood. The future ~lll
recognize their worth.
In a separate message to the
Camp Fire Girls, Mrs. Harding
said
i have ncvcr been able to inl-
!asinc the reason why the Camp Fire
Girls should not be just as useful
an organization for tho girls as
the Boy Scouts Moreover. it seems
TO mo that girls need this Kind OF
iuducement to open air life and
healthful games and occupations,
quite as much as the boys. The
part that women play in The world
has been greatly changed even in
my own generation. it has broa@-
cncd and enlarged and we viii
ln wise il we recognize that q
larger consideration for the health
and physical advancement OF the
girls viii better fit them for thu
role they must assume. Just SucA
activities a< these of the Camp i.'irc
Girls are calculated 10 produce pre-
cisely the desirahie result and !
can not too earnestly assure YOU
OF my approval and endorscm"ni
for their efforts.
Signed: Florence King Harding.
Lee Rl,amr Will Play Professional
Bali.