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Girl Girl Scouting in the United States was founded by a remarkable woman named Juliette Gordon Low. In the late 1800’s, Juliette Low was something of a revolutionary – not the kind who destroys, but the kind who creates. She was an environmentalist and a crusader, a woman dedicated to the service of others. Above all, she was certain that the future belonged to the young and they had better start right now to do something about it.

Juliette was born on October 31, 1860 into the wealthy Gordon family of Savannah, Georgia. She was known to her family as Daisy, and was a sensitive and talented youngster. She spent a happy childhood in her large Savannah home (which has been purchased and restored by GSUSA and is now a registered historic landmark).

Daisy developed an avid interest in the arts. She wrote poems, sketched, wrote and acted in her own plays, and later became a skilled painter and sculptor. In her teens, Daisy attended private schools in Virginia and later a French school in New York City.

After her school years, she traveled extensively in the United States and Europe while broadening her education. On December 21, 1886, Juliette married a wealthy Englishman named William Low. They moved to England and Juliette continued her travels, dividing her time between the British Isles and America.

After her husband’s death in 1905, she traveled aimlessly for several years. In 1911, she met a man named Sir Robert (later Lord) Baden-Powell, an English general and war hero who was the founder of the Boy Scouts. The Boy Scout movement had caught on instantly and spread to several countries.

In England, girls took the initiative to organize into groups similar to those their brothers had joined. There was so much interest among the girls that Baden-Powell asked his sister, Agnes, to begin a formal organization for the girls. Agnes officially established an association of Girl Guides in 1910. By the next year, there were Girl Guides or Scouts in Australia, South Africa, and Finland. By the next year similar groups had been formed in Sweden, Denmark, Poland, and Canada.

Juliette became interested in the new youth movement, and soon she was leading a Guide troop of her own. As her interest in the Girl Guides grew, Juliette became eager to introduce the program to American girls. Not one to waste time, she returned to the United States. She immediately telephoned a friend and said, “Come right over. I’ve got something for the girls of Savannah, and all of America, and all the world, and we’re going to start it tonight!”

On March 12, 1912, Juliette Gordon Low began the first troop of American Girl Guides with 18 girls. Daisy Gordon, Juliette’s niece, was the first registered member. The name of the organization changed to Girl Scouts the following year.

Through Girl Scouts, Juliette brought girls of all backgrounds into the out-of-doors, giving them the opportunity to develop self-reliance and resourcefulness. She encouraged girls to prepare for both traditional homemaking and for their future roles as professional women, encouraging active citizenship outside of the home.

The first Girl Scouts used the English Girl Guide handbook and later an adaptation written by Walter John Hoxie, an American naturalist. Although the writing now seems old-fashioned, the book even then reflected such present-day concerns as ecology, organic foods, organic cosmetics, physical fitness, and pollution control.

Juliette wrote the 1916 version of the handbook. It made provision for an aviation badge, at a time when aviation was still in its infancy! Juliette already saw a role for women in many exciting fields. Disabled girls were welcomed at a time when they were excluded from other activities. This was quite natural to Juliette, who never let her own deafness keep her from full participation in any activity.

After the first Girl Scout meeting, troops began forming everywhere. By World War I, there were enough Girl Scouts in the United States to make a real contribution to the war effort. These girls helped display Juliette Low’s dream of girls learning to be active, vital citizens. Juliette Low believed that girls could and should plan their own program, make their own decisions, and run their own troop. She saw their adult leaders as helpers and advisors, never as directors.

Whenever a new program idea was suggested and some adult committee member questioned whether it would work, her answer was to always ask the girls. She not only loved the girls, but respected their judgments and preferences. Juliette maintained her contacts with overseas Girl Guides and Girl Scouts, which helped to lay the foundation for the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts (WAGGGS).

After Juliette died on January 17, 1927, her friends honored her by establishing The Juliette Low World Friendship fund, which finances international projects among Girl Guides and Girl Scouts around the world. Every year, Girl Scouts across America give money to the fund, usually on her birthday or on Thinking Day, February 22nd.

Girl Scouts in the United States also honor Juliette Low in other ways. Each year on October 31st, Girl Scout troops celebrate her birthday with a variety of ceremonies and projects. On March 12th, Girl Scouts celebrate the Girl Scout birthday. The week in which March 12th falls is designated as Girl Scout week.

Juliette Low has also been highly honored by the United States government. For example:

Juliette Low is remembered as a woman who worked for peace or goodwill. Her dream was to have young people make the world a friendly, peaceful place. She wanted to give something special to the world, and that was Girl Scouting.

In the final paragraph of her will she wrote,”...I leave and bequeath to my family my friendships, especially my beloved Girl Scouts.” She never had any children of her own, but her “adopted family” of Girl Scouts numbered 167,925 at the time of her death. Today the “family” has grown to more than three and a half million members; it is the largest nonprofit organization for girls and has influenced over 50 million girls and adult men and women who have participated in Girl Scouts.

Every one of them owes a debt of gratitude to the woman who made it all possible, Juliette Gordon Low.