The Girl Scout Birthday is coming up on March 12, 2014, and the Alabama Women Bloggers’ March Madness Blog Challenge is focusing Wednesday’s on National Women’s History Month; therefore, I am going to focus my first post about a woman from history on Juliette Gordon Low, also known as Daisy to family members.
Young Daisy Gordon developed what was to become a lifetime interest in the arts. She wrote poems; sketched, wrote and acted in plays; and later became a skilled painter and sculptor. She had many pets throughout her life and was particularly fond of exotic birds, Georgia mockingbirds, and dogs. Daisy was also known for her great sense of humor.
Juliette Low was very athletic. From her childhood on, Daisy was a strong swimmer. She was Captain of a rowing team as a girl and learned to canoe as an adult. She was also an avid tennis player. One of her special skills was standing on her head. She stood on her head every year on her birthday to prove she still could do it, and also celebrated nieces’ and nephews’ birthdays by standing on her head. Once, she even stood on her head in the board room at National Headquarters to show off the new Girl Scout shoes.
Juliette Gordon Low founded Girl Scouts on March 12, 1912, when she gathered 18 other girls in Savannah, Georgia to register the first two patrols (troops). The next year, the name was officially changed to Girl Scouts. Juliette’s movement brought girls of all backgrounds the opportunity to become self-reliant and resourceful. She not only believed in girls taking on the traditional role as a homemaker, but also the possibilities of girls and women in future professional careers outside of the home. How correct was she with her hopes and plans?
There are more than 2.4 million Girl Scouts between the ages of 5-17. 80% of women business owners were Girl Scouts, 69% of female U.S. senators were Girl Scouts, and virtually every female astronaut who has flown into space was a Girl Scout.
She knew what she was doing! I am very grateful and proud to be a current troop leader for some girls in my area. Everything Juliette hoped to accomplish in teaching girls often comes true before my eyes! Help me as we celebrate National Women’s History Month and encourage a Girl Scout somewhere. Oh, and buy some cookies from her.
Southern Mom Life 