How Girls Can Help Their Country. Baden-Powell Agnes
Table of Contents
1. A Girl Scout's Honor Is to be Trusted
If a Scout says, "on my honor it is so," that means that what she says is as true as if she had taken a most solemn oath.
2. A Girl Scout Is Loyal
to the President, to her country, and to her officers; to her father, to her mother, and to her employers. She remains true to them through thick and thin. In the face of the greatest difficulties and calamities her loyalty must remain untarnished.
3. A Girl Scout's Duty Is to be Useful and to Help Others
She is to do her duty before anything else even if she gives up her own pleasure, safety, or comfort. When in doubt as to which of two things to do she must think, "Which is my duty?" which means, "Which is the best for other people?" and do that at once. She must be prepared at any time to save life or help the injured. She should do at least one good turn to someone every day.
4. A Girl Scout Is a Friend to All, and a Sister to Every Other Girl Scout.
Thus if a Scout meets another Scout, even though a stranger to her, she may speak to her, and help her in any way she can, either to carry out the duty she is then doing or by giving her food, or as far as possible anything she may want. Like Kim a Scout should be a "Little friend to all the world."
5. A Girl Scout Is Courteous
That is, she is polite to all. She must not take any reward for being helpful or courteous.
6. A Girl Scout Keeps Herself Pure
in thought, word, and deed.
7. A Girl Scout Is a Friend to Animals
She should save them as far as possible from pain and should not kill even the smallest unnecessarily. They are all God's creatures.
8. A Girl Scout Obeys Orders
Under all circumstances, when she gets an order she must obey it cheerfully and readily, not in a slow, sullen manner. Scouts never grumble, whine, or frown.
9. A Girl Scout Is Cheerful
under all circumstances.
Scouts never grumble at hardships, nor whine at each other, nor frown when put out.
A Scout goes about with a smile and singing. It cheers her and cheers other people, especially in time of danger.
10. A Girl Scout Is Thrifty
This means, that a Scout avoids all useless waste of every kind; she is careful about saving every penny she can put into the bank so that she may have a surplus in time of need. She sees that food is not wasted, and that her clothing is cared for properly. The Girl Scout does not waste time. She realizes that time is the most precious thing any one of us has. The Girl Scout's time is spent either in useful occupations or in wholesome recreation, and she tries to balance these two harmoniously.
SELF-IMPROVEMENT
A Great Law of Life
One of the most fundamental laws of life is that, in the natural course of things, the influence of women over men is vastly greater than that of men over one another.
This is what gives to girls and women a peculiar power and responsibility, for no Girl Scout or other honorable woman—whether old or young—could use her influence as a woman excepting to strengthen the characters and to support the honor of the men and boys with whom she comes in contact.
Kipling, in Kim, says that there are two kinds of women—one kind that builds men up, and the other that pulls men down; and there is no doubt as to where a Girl Scout should stand.
This great law is nothing to make a girl feel proud or superior to men; but, on the contrary, the understanding of it should make her humble and watchful to be faithful to her trust. Many a boy has been strengthened in his character and his whole life made happier by the brave refusal of a girl to do wrong; while the opposite weakness has been the cause of endless misery and wretchedness.
To gain and always retain the power to be a true woman friend to the men who belong in her own sphere of life is not always an easy matter for a girl, for she cannot do it unless she keeps a watch over her own faults and weaknesses so that the best of her is always in control. You can not fight for the right in the life of another unless you are first fighting for the right in your own life.
The chief difficulty in acquiring this happy and cheerful dignity comes from the desire to be admired, which is a tendency inborn in the great majority of women. It stands in the way of their greatest strength and usefulness, because it takes away their real independence and keeps them thinking about themselves instead of about others. It is a form of bondage which makes them vain and self-conscious and renders impossible the truest and happiest companionship between men and women friends.
"Be prepared," therefore, to do a true woman's full duty to her men by never allowing the desire for admiration to rule your actions, words, or thoughts. Our country needs women who are prepared.
Prepared for what?
To do their duty.
Be Strong
Have you ever stopped to think that your most constant companion throughout life will be yourself? You will always have this body, this mind,