[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 112 (Friday, August 1, 1997)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1610-E1611]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




  85TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE GIRL SCOUTS OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

                                 ______
                                 

                             HON. VIC FAZIO

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, July 31, 1997

  Mr. FAZIO of California. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to commemorate and 
celebrate the 85th anniversary of an organization that has been 
providing young women with skills and opportunities that enable them to 
reach their full potential, the Girl Scouts of the United States of 
America.
  For nearly a century, the Girl Scouts have been empowering young 
women to make decisions that will enhance their life, to develop self-
esteem, and make a contribution to their communities. The Girl Scouts 
are the largest voluntary organization for girls in the entire world, 
with more than 8,500,000 girls in more than 130 countries.
  In particular, I want to recognize a special group of Girl Scouts 
from my district and the surrounding area, the Tierra del Oro Girl 
Scout Council. The Tierra del Oro Girl Scout Council serves more than 
19,500 girls in fourteen counties: Amador, Calaveras, Colusa, El 
Dorado, Glenn, Nevada, Placer, Sacramento, San Joaquin, Sierra, Solano, 
Sutter, Yolo, and Yuba. I know that many of my constituents have 
benefited from belonging to such an outstanding organization.
  This year, the Girl Scouts of the United States of America [GSUSA] 
celebrate their 85th anniversary. The Girl Scouts were founded in 1912 
by Juliette Gordon Low in Savannah, GA. Ms. Low's vision was hopeful 
and far-reaching: to provide opportunities and partnerships between 
young girls and adults, to

[[Page E1611]]

accumulate knowledge and skills, that will carry them forward to a 
productive life, and to allow them to widen their horizons and explore 
their world. Ms. Low's vision is just as relevant today as it was in 
1912. The Girl Scouts are all about learning, experience, service, and 
above all--opportunity.
  Throughout the 1910's and 1920's, membership in the Girl Scouts 
continued to grow. From 5,000 in 1915, the Scouts grew to more than 
88,000 in 1921. In 1927, following the death of Ms. Low, the Girl 
Scouts established a fund in her name to support projects and events 
dedicated to promoting international understanding, global awareness, 
and an appreciation of pluralism.
  During the years of the Great Depression in the 1930's, the Girl 
Scouts used their resourcefulness to battle the adversity of that era. 
They worked hard in the Depression relief effort and refused to turn 
away any girl because of her inability to pay dues or buy equipment. 
Out of the need for extra funds during this time period, an idea was 
born, an idea which has become an American institution: the sale of 
Girl Scout cookies.
  As the Girl Scouts became accessible to more and more girls during 
the 1940's, membership grew to more than 1 million and began to include 
girls with mental disabilities. The year 1950 saw the organization 
reincorporated under a charter from Congress. As the Girl Scouts 
entered the 1960's, the diverse organization responded to the civil 
rights movement by further broadening their commitment to reach out to 
young women of color. The GSUSA allocated special funds to broaden 
membership in urban areas in particular. A similar outreach to Latinos 
resulted in the publication of the Girl Scout Handbook in Spanish. 
Another edition of the handbook was produced in braille for the 
visually impaired.

  Around the same time, the organization extended their outreach toward 
older age groups. The Girl Scouts began to cosponsor a project funded 
by the U.S. Department of Labor to teach older women the necessary 
skills to secure office jobs. Also, the Campus Girl Scouts, composed of 
college women, was registered for the first time in 1968.
  As the organization moved into the 1970's, a time when women's 
advocacy groups began to take on a larger social and political role, 
the Girl Scouts confirmed their already strong commitment to the 
positive development of young women by establishing programs like 
Careers to Explore. Also, the Scouts turned their effort toward 
environmental action, establishing Eco-Action, a nationwide 
environmental education and improvement program. Also during the 
1970's, the Girl Scouts expanded their outreach effort to Mexican-
Americans, Native Americans, and migrant worker families.
  In the 1980's and 1990's, with volunteer efforts increasing in record 
numbers, the Girl Scout of the U.S.A. began to expand into the younger 
age groups, establishing the Daisy Girl Scouts. Daisy Scout membership 
reached 61,000 in its very first year.
  Recent years have also found the GSUSA introducing a series of 
programs to address contemporary issues like substance abuse, teen 
pregnancy, youth suicide, child abuse, and family crises. The Scouts 
have also taken steps to encourage girls to pursue interests in math 
and science.
  The achievement of the Girls Scouts of the U.S.A. throughout this 
century have been nothing short of outstanding. A 1991 study showed 
that of the 473 women in Who's Who in American Women, 64 percent had 
been Girl Scouts. These women today are involved in diverse fields such 
as law, medicine, journalism, education, politics, finance, and 
science.
  It is impossible to gauge the positive effect that the Girl Scouts 
have had on America--because that positive effect is so widespread. The 
Girl Scouts of the U.S.A. and the Tierra del Oro Girl Scout Council 
have been helping girls grow up to be caring, competent, confident 
women since 1912. The Girl Scouts are an American institution. The 
purpose of Girl Scouting is to inspire girls with the highest ideals of 
character, conduct, patriotism, and service that they may become happy 
and resourceful citizens. The Girl Scouts of the U.S.A. have succeeded 
gloriously in this goal, and we wish them all the best as they approach 
the 21st century with purposeful optimism and an enduring belief in the 
power of the individual.

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