Moment in History Twenty-two Girl Scouts have served the organization as national
president
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Girl Scouts
often think of service as projects for troops. Indeed every
troop is expected to include service projects in their activities.
It wouldn’t be Girl Scouts without service. It’s
part of teaching girls (and adults) to care about the world
around them. Sometimes when thinking of service we also think
of individuals who serve the organization. Pondering how to
interpret the theme sent me to the dictionary for an official
definition. I’m not sure that helped. My Random House
dictionary has 34 different meanings for ‘serve,’
the verb. For ‘service’ the noun, there are 33 different
meanings. I felt back to square one.  My
decision is to write about some individuals who have served
our organization. Girl Scouts of today owe a great deal to those
who started our organization and whose decisions have served
us well, especially our past presidents. Although Girl Scouts were established by Juliette Low in 1912, our first president was not elected until 1915. For the first few years Juliette Low and those she appointed made sure the organization grew and thrived. Even the financial support came from Juliette Low. In 1915 at the very first national convention, the organization took shape with a board of directors and officers. Juliette Low was elected the first president and her goddaughter, Anne Hyde Choate, was elected vice president. Juliette Low had earlier recruited her goddaughter to start a Girl Scout council in Pleasantville, New York, just north of New York City. Although Choate tried to say ‘no,’ Juliette used her deafness to her own advantage and chose not to hear the ‘no.’  They
served together until Juliette stepped down in 1920 to devote
her time to the growing international organization which became
the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts (WAGGGS).
Choate was president until 1922 when Lou Henry Hoover became
president and Choate returned to being vice president. Anne
Choate was also a strong supporter of the international movement.
She was a member of the committee that began the Juliette Low
World Friendship Fund (JLWFF). She was also an original member
of the World Committee and chaired the committee governing Our
Chalet. When asked about her work in international Girl Scouting
she said “the Scout movement is certainly a great movement
for the peace of the world.” She was also a Girl Scout
troop leader at home. Anne Choate was one of only three American Girl Scouts who were awarded the Silver Fish by the British Guide Association. It was given to adults who gave outstanding service to the Movement. Lou Henry Hoover followed Anne Choate as National President. She served from 1922 to 1925 and again from 1935 to 1937. In addition she served as honorary national president from 1929 to 1933, when her husband, Herbert, was president of the United States. She is the only person to have served in both of |
these positions. She was a troop leader
from 1922 to 1932. This means she was a troop leader when she
was First Lady and lived in the White House!  For
the first 20 years of their married life the Hoovers followed
his work as a mining engineer all over the world. In 1917 Juliette
Low invested Lou Henry Hoover into Girl Scouting. She was an
active Girl Scout until her death 27 years later. She often
said, “Herbert, the boys (their two sons), and Girl Scouts
are the most important parts of my life.” She poured a
great deal of energy, time, and love into the organization.
According to an article by Mary Rothchild in the Spring 1982 Girl Scout Leader, “(Lou) worked hard in her various positions and believed the “volunteer quality” of Girl Scouting was one of its great strengths. She felt volunteer work helped build individual initiative and was necessary for a democratic state.” All 22 women who have served as national president for Girl Scouts have been women of accomplishment and dedication. |