International

Guiding for girls has its roots in Boy Scouting, the movement founded by Lord Robert Baden-Powell.

During the Boer War (1899-1902) in South Africa, Lord Baden-Powell enlisted the help of a few boys to carry important messages. These scouts were organised into groups or"patrols" and each patrol had a leader. The scheme was so successful that on his return home, Lord Baden-Powell decided that boys in England should be taught skills of camping, teamwork and leadership,pioneering, stalking and orienteering to prepare them for when they were older. In 1908, he wrote "Scouting For Boys" which described how this was to be done. Not only boys but girls read this book and soon some of the girls wanted to take part in the great game of Scouting.

Lord Baden-Powell recognised that girls could make good Scouts too, but he wasn't quite prepared for bands of girls, dressed in a variation of the Scout "uniform" to be at the Crystal Palace Rally in 1909. Having come face to face with some of the girl scouts at Crystal Palace, Lord Baden-Powell realised that he had to provide a similar game for girls.

He had to think of a name, and soon he remembered that he had been particularly impressed with some "Guides" in India. These men had operated on the North-West Frontier and their main task was to go on very dangerous expeditions.Even when they were off duty the Guides were still training their minds and bodies. With this in mind, Lord Baden-Powell decided that "Girl Guides" would be a good name for these pioneering young women.

A "Scheme For Girl Guides" was published in the Scout Headquarters Gazette and together with his sister Agnes, Lord Baden-Powell wrote the first Guide Handbook called "How Girls Can Help To Build Up The Empire".

In 1910, the Girl Guides Association was formed with Agnes Baden-Powell as the first President.

In 1912, Lord Baden-Powell married Olave St Clair Soames. In 1916 in London, at the first gathering of Commissioners, Olave was elected to the office of Chief Commissioner. In February 1918, she was made Chief Guide, a position she held till her death in 1977.

It is just to remind you when I have passed on, that your business in life is to be happy and to make others happy. That sounds comfortable and easy, doesn’t it? You begin making other people happy by doing good turns to them.  You need not worry about making yourselves happy, as you will very soon find that comes by itself, when you make other people happy.  Later on, when you have a home of your own by making it a bright and cheery one, you will make your husband a happy man…. It may mean hard work for you, but will bring its reward.  If you keep your children healthy, clean and busy, they will be happy.  Happy children love their parents.  There is nothing that can give you greater joy than a loving child. 

I am sure God means us to be happy in this life.  He has given us a world to live in that is full of beauties and wonders and He has given us not only eyes to see them but minds to understand them if we only have the sense to look at them in that light.  We can enjoy bright sunshine and glorious views.  We can see beauty in the flowers.  We can watch with wonder how the seed produces the young plant which grows to a flower which in its turn will replace other flowers as they die off.  For, though plants, like people, die, their race does not die away, but new ones are born, and grow to carry on the Creator’s plan. 

So, do you see, you are the chosen servants of God in two ways; first to carry on the race, to bring children into the world to replace the men and women who pass away; secondly, to bring happiness into the world by making homes and by being yourselves good, cheery comrades for your husbands and children.  That is where as Guides especially come in, by taking an interest in your husband’s work and aspirations, you can help him with your sympathy and suggestions and so be a guide to him.  Also, by strengthening and training the minds and characters of your children, you will be giving them better use and enjoyment of life. 

By giving out love and happiness in this way you will gain for yourself the return love of husband and children, and there is nothing better in this world.  You will find that Heaven is not the kind of happiness somewhere up in the skies after you are dead, but right here and now in this world in your own home. 

So GUIDE others to happiness and you will bring happiness to yourselves and by doing this you will be doing what God wants of you.

Dear Guides, Scouts, Cubs and Brownies and all their leaders and friends,

I shall have left this world when you receive this message, which I leave to express my thanks for all kindnesses and the affection shown to me, and to say how greatly I have rejoiced over the way in which you have all carried out your share in the work of the Movement that my beloved husband invented, for the advancement of boys and girls of all countries, years ago.

I have firm belief in Almighty God and in the life in the world to come, when he and I will be reunited, and together we shall watch over you who have been enrolled as members of this world family, and go on caring for your progress and your well-being.

I trust you will continue fully to use the system of work and play that our Movement provides, keeping up the fun and the friendships made at your meetings and in camps, abiding by the Promise and upholding the Laws that you undertook to live when you joined up.

In that way you will not only advance in body, mind and spirit, but you will affect those around you, in doing what is honourable and  right and wise, in giving out kindness of thought and action, thus striving against ills and helping to make the world a happier  and a better place in which to live.

I trust you will be successful in all your tasks, and may God be with you all in the coming years.