The Waterbury Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1917-1946, 1937-03-31

Your
Children
BY Olive ROberts Bart0n

AS this Is the silver Anniversary
Of the Girl Scouts In America, It Is
timely for us to give them . cheer
Mrs. Juliette Low Of Georgia,
twenty-five years gao, was alert to
the tremendous advantages being
harvested by the boys in four
year-old movement started in Eng
land cher new home) by Sir Robert
Baden Powell, who became to grow
ing youth what Frobel had been to
the little child, one Of the greatest
educators Of character since time
began.
Miss Low went on the theory,
and commercially, that girls and
boys alike need the same funda-
mental development, that charac-
ter building is not q matter Of sex,
and innate qualities are the same.
However, 1t is not my purpose
| to dwell on history, but to write
into this tribute some thoughts Of
my own on q movement that cna
stand up under almost any analy-
sis and deserves the heartfelt
thanks o the nation.
Something Missing
Long an observer Of conditions,
find a peculiar situation In our
education and home conditions
that leaves a gap in the child's or
youths life.
Home and school both accent
the ideal of the individual" We
have almost completely lost sight
of the word cooperation" as
parents and teachers are largely
intent on building up the boy or
gilr as person, with his own in
terests at heart Even the group
or sports interest Of our schools
cannot cancel this entirely, be-
cause the youth wants to shine in
his group, as well as to gain for
his group.
I want to quote a line or ty'1
from the credo of the Girl Scouts
ITO be, good is Of little interes
to the GIRL. To do good is anotle-'
matter -. Believes in the i'm
mense educational value Of the
small group, managing its OWL
affairs and making its own plars
as far as possible, and learning i
this way the first lessons of c.
| operation and good citizenship !.
There are certain patterns for the
women If tomorrow that we slicil
GO well to Sc. before ourselves"
Family First
The woman of tomorrow. That
is it, altogether. Only so far are
our schools preparing the mothers
and wives Of tomorrow The en-
tire tendency is to individualism
that does no. include tie mani
fold other things that go into the
making of a good wife or good
mother. The mothers attributes
should be directed to the small
group or family, and develop Tic
same ideas Of service and Loyalty
in her family. -
Co operation. Service. The UNI
selfish interest in the small-small,
mind you-group. The home is the
intimate world that must be worked
for and that should come eternaliy
before self.
Above this Is the patrol" that
stands in miniature for all social
| dJlO sCAVAC 1dW, JloU ap f-tAt9g uOAIlc
must conform to law and order,
and work for the good Of the
community.
Were it not for such organiza-
tim as the Scouts and ts.eir in
s'u,l ce on everything they touch,
yvlist would there be to bridge the
gap between the self-interest Of
the child and the ideals we build
up and expect him to meet later?
Parents need help, and thus they
are being helped, by having their
children trained in positive" so,Nl
behavior. and in the elements OF
character that puts self first only
in honor, and forgets self in ser
vice.
Copyright, 1887, MA Service, Inc9