How Girls Can Help Their Country Part 5

These badges being the registered designs of the Corps, do not belong to the girls who have pa.s.sed the tests.

The equipment does not belong to the girl except by special permission.

Any person wearing Girl Scouts' badges without permission is liable to be prosecuted according to law, and may incur a penalty. Offenses, such as people who are not enrolled saluting, outsiders wearing Girl Scouts'

badges, or "Monkey" patrols wearing Girl Scouts' uniforms, must be dealt with by trial at a Court of Honor to determine the forfeit or penalties to be imposed on the culprits.

Captains have the power to dismiss a Scout, and the badge and the b.u.t.tons of her uniform must then be returned.

BADGES AND AWARDS

The Badge

[Ill.u.s.tration]

The Girl Scout badge is a clover leaf, the three leaves representing the Girl Scout promises: (1) To do her duty to G.o.d and her country. (2) To help other people at all times. (3) To obey the Scout law.

When to Wear the Badge

A girl asked me what were the occasions on which she might wear her badge, thinking it was not for everyday use. The reply was, "You may wear your badge any day and any hour when you are doing what you think is right. It is only when you are doing wrong that you must take it off; as you would not then be keeping your Scout promises. Thus you should either take off the badge, or stop doing what you think is wrong."

The "Thanks" Badge

The "Thanks" badge may be given to any one to whom a Girl Scout owes grat.i.tude. Every Girl Scout throughout the whole world when she sees the thanks badge, recognizes that the person who wears it is a friend and it is her duty to salute and ask if she can be of service to the wearer of the badge.

[Ill.u.s.tration: The "Thanks" Badge.]

The approval of National Headquarters must be obtained before a thanks badge is presented to any one.

Medals for Meritorious Deeds

These medals are granted only by Headquarters, or by the President on special recommendation from the captain, who should send in a full account with written evidence from two witnesses of the case.

These are worn on the right breast, and are awarded as follows:

Life-Saving Medals

The Bronze Cross. (Red Ribbon.) Presented as the highest possible award for gallantry, this medal may be won only when the claimant has shown special heroism or has faced extraordinary risk of life in saving life.

The Silver Cross (Blue Ribbon) is given for gallantry, with considerable risk to herself.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Bronze and Silver Cross for Saving Life.]

The Badge of Merit (Gilt Wreath. White Ribbon), for a Scout who does her duty exceptionally well, though without grave risks to herself, or for specially good work in recruiting on behalf of the Girl Scout movement, or for especially good record at school for one year in attendance and lessons is awarded when full records of such deeds accompany the claim.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Gilt Medal of Merit.]

How to Become a "Golden Eaglet"

To secure this honor a Girl Scout must win fourteen of the following badges: Ambulance, Clerk, Cook, Child-nurse, Dairy-maid, Matron, Musician, Needlewoman, Naturalist, Sick-nurse, Pathfinder, Pioneer, Signaler, Swimmer, Athletics, Health or Civics.

In examining for tests one of the Court of Honor should, if possible, be present.

The Local Committee should be satisfied, through the recommendation of the girls' captain, that the tests were satisfactorily performed.

TESTS FOR MERIT BADGES

A girl must become a Second Cla.s.s Scout before she is eligible for the proficiency tests. Merit badges are issued to those who show proficiency in the various subjects listed in this chapter. These badges are registered at Headquarters and are issued from no other source.

The purpose of the various tests is to secure continuity of work and interest on the part of the girls.

The girl who wins one of these merit badges has her interest stimulated and gains a certain knowledge of the subject. It is not to be understood that the knowledge required to obtain a badge is sufficient to qualify one to earn a living in that branch of industry.

Merit Badges 1. Ambulance. (Maltese Red Cross.)

[Ill.u.s.tration]

To obtain a badge for First Aid or Ambulance a Girl Scout must have knowledge of the Sylvester or Schaefer methods of resuscitation in cases of drowning.

Must pa.s.s examination on first three chapters of Woman's Edition of Red Cross Abridged Text Book on First Aid.

Treatment and bandaging the injured (p. 131).

How to stop bleeding (p. 133).

How to apply a tourniquet (p. 134).

Treatment of ivy poison (p. 134).

Treatment of snake-bite (p. 59).

Treatment of frost-bite (p. 135).

How to remove cinder from eye (p. 124).

2. Artist. (Palette.)