their wants with untiring energy, and yet be a failure in the highest sphere of all, as a wife and mother, were she not a follower of Christ. "The Parables of Jesus" show Christ as the man who was always seeking to enlighten his people, as the one great teacher. In "Mark's Life of Christ" is portrayed a fuller view of the life of the Saviour. "Out of Doors in the Bible" will remind us that God has manifested himself all about us. His voice may be heard in the storm, the waters, the heavens. Many are the nature stories connected with Christ's teachings. It brings the girls out of themselves into a broader realization of God's power. Our girls have studied missions, too, and have learned how the word of God and the teachings of Christ have uplifted the women of foreign lands. Through the study of Korea, Japan, and China we gain a knowledge of geographical conditions, a knowledge of the people, their customs, religions, and above all their need of "the joy ful news." 藥 Camp Fires in the the wrist brings light to the electric bulbs hidden beneath the red crepe. paper. And this indoor fire of the twentieth century becomes the center of the council meeting of the Camp Fire Girls. Shall we follow them through the ceremony of their council fire, the ceremonial so picturesque in its symbolism, so joyous in its spirit, and yet so rich in the deeper spiritual meaning? Shall we watch the varying expressions of fun and seriousness and earnest purpose that flit over the young faces, as they sing their songs, give their cheers and listen to their guardian as she talks of some point of the Camp Fire law? We hear the roll call by tribes-twenty camps in all, and the "count" of the last council, given in the Hiawatha rhythm. New members are welcomed and standing together they take the vows of the Camp Fire and repeat the Woodgatherers' Desire. And those who have won the honor of the second degree become Firemakers, promising faithfully to "tend the fire that is called the love of man for man and the love of man for God." Perhaps there is an Indian legend. told by one of the maidens; then the "Torch" is read amid breathless in Girls' Department terest. For this paper of one copy is Catherine P. Emerson* W° O-he-lo!" The musical call brings an expectant hush over the restless crowd of girls in the hall. "Wo-he-lo," they answer softly, as one by one the Indian file crosses the big gymnasium and the girls take their places in a semi-circle around their guardian. At a signal, four Woodgatherers bring the faggots and sticks, and give them to the Fire-Makers, who lay them on the pile before them. There are no Torchbearers as yet, so after the beautiful Ode to the Fire, the guardian bends over, and with a quick turn of *Miss Emerson is girls' secretary in the Toledo Association. edited, written and illustrated by the girls themselves and tells of the happenings of the past month in the various camps. There are reports of "bacon-bats" and parties, stories of honor winning, jokes both true and fabled, personal items, poems and prose and pictures, each of which is of most vital interest to some girl of the group around the fire. The frequent applause and waves of suppressed laughter witness that many of the sallies have reached their mark. After more singing the fire is out and the girls and guardians are ready for the folk dances and merry games. They make a pretty picture, these three hundred or more young girls, dressed in the fringed and beaded Indian dresses, with hair in braids and foreheads bound with bands which their own fingers have woven. And the shining faces and contagious laughter prove their enjoyment of the Camp Fire Council. In Toledo there are about thirty groups of Camp Fire girls in the Association council. The question is often asked, "What is the value of Camp Fire organization to the Association?" Undoubtedly it is of value, but more as a means than an end in itself. In itself it has much to commend it. The ideals are high, the activities are beneficial, and the system of honor winning is very practical. The romance of the great out of doors and the play spirit make it most popular. It binds together into a very tangible sisterhood girls of every rank and creed. It breaks down caste between the girl who works in the store or factory and the sometimes snobbish school girl. The standing of a Camp Fire Girl is based not upon what she has, but what she is, and the beads of honor stand for deeds ac complished. One of the members of a school Camp came to her guardian the other day, very much delighted. "What do you suppose? Last week when I was shopping with mother in -'s, we saw that one of the cash girls wore a Camp Fire ring. I made friends with her right away and she's awfully nice!" Another phase of the work is the social service. The Woodgatherers' law of "Give Service" finds a ready echo in the lives of the girls both as individuals and as club members. One Camp Fire dressed dolls for the Christmas tree at the city mission. Another made bootees for the children of the free gymnasium class. Several girls gave an afternoon each week to help with settlement classes. And in the time of an emergency, such as the neighboring flood disaster of last year, the Camp Fire Girls can be depended upon to work valiantly. The many acts of service, both big and little, make the organization a power for good. WHERE THERE IS SPECIAL THE HISTORY OF A GIRLS' DE- Kansas City, Mo. Cecile Bowman, Girls' Secretary. The Girls' Department of the Kansas City Association began its existence in 1909. At this time there were no grade school junior clubs in any Association in the United States, and to Miss Glenna Sturtevant must be given the credit for doing pioneer work here. Following an inspiration she received at Lake Geneva she led a group of girls from the Switzer School to the Association rooms. Their weekly meetings during the winter brought an average attendance of about thirty. Later Miss Sturtevant formed a club of about eighty members in the Humboldt School. In September, 1910, a group of girls from the Morse School, under the leadership of one of their teachers, asked to be admitted to the Association as a club and were accepted. The reason given for this request was their observation of the wonderfully good sportsmanship shown by the Switzer School girls when defeated in a basket ball game. Meanwhile the work at the Humboldt School had increased so rapidly as to require forming a junior and a senior club. The latter held its meetings after school at the Association. Twenty minutes' gym nasium work was followed by the business meeting of the club, then by a good story, a few minutes spent in writing comfort powders for "shut-ins," or in other plans to make people happy. During the winter each club held its separate business meeting and gymnasium class, but united to hear Mrs. Heilge tell the Bible stories of the Old Testament. At about this time the girls began practicing the choruses of the "Golden Hair" cantata. It was an interesting picture to see a group of girls listening to one of Mrs. Heilge's stories and at the same time keeping their fingers busy twining paper flowers on dry branches for the woodland scenes of the cantata. One of the best results of the cantata was that the three distinct clubs had become so firmly welded together during the long hours of practicing that the girls refused to be separated afterwards. Another result was that a room for the use of the Girls' Department was furnished with curtains, rugs, pictures, games and game tables bought with the proceeds. One of the pleasant occasions during the spring was an Easter egg rolling contest on the lawn at Penn Valley Park, when about fifty children raced down the hill after their eggs, each trying to win out for her school. September, 1911, opened with a number of changes. A new girls' room was very completely furnished with new dark green rugs, cretonne draperies, wicker chairs and tables, book-cases and cupboards in mission oak. The completion of the swimming pool and gymnasium also added new interest to the work. The clubs started in two large divisions and eighty-four gathered for the opening rally. In March of this year thirty girls came to the Association from the Jefferson School and organized a club. They were most enthusiastic and active, especially in gymnastic work. Finally Camp Finally Camp Fire Girls was suggested as a new and promising organization. The girls were much interested in the description given and lived in the hope of becoming members until the latter part of April when the long deferred manuals were put forth. The first camp formed was "Naonsi," composed of older girls from several different schools. At the first council fire, held in the woods late in May, about twelve girls were made Wood Gatherers. During this year the former Senior Humboldt Club developed into an organization called the Candle Lighters. The object of the Candle Lighters was to spread happiness by lighting so-called "candles" of good deeds. One of these was sending a wonder ball filled with Christmas gifts to the girls in a school in Asia Minor. In September, 1912, the Girls' Department held its opening rally with an attendance of about 250. During the year the new groups organized in the various schools of the city brought the number of clubs up to sixteen, all of whose members won Camp Fire honors in a bewildering variety of ways. The work of this year closed with a series of Camp Fire picnics and in June a real live camping party. ་ This year, with about 220 Camp Fire and club girls and more clamoring to come in as fast as we can find guardians, the work is more promising than ever. The fall rally was planned by a committee of the girls. Each Camp Fire group illustrated in pantomime some one of the Camp Fire activities, the one receiving the greatest applause being "the three cries of a baby." Following a basket ball tournament in which six Camp Fires of older girls competed for a championship pennant, the girls have voted to form a federation of the six groups for future contests and good times. EQUIPMENT FOR THE GIRLS' DEPARTMENT. Newark, N. J. Dorothy Clark, Girls' Secretary. The Girls' Department of the Association has only begun to come into its own as a department worthy of scientific study, organization and equipment. In September the Newark Association opened a new building and a new department specially equipped for girls, and "Newark knows how" is the city's slogan. The first thing to consider in planning for a Girls' Department in either a new or an old building is the part of the building to be used. The rooms should be so situated that the girls have to go through as little as possible of the building, and are therefore not tempted to roam into places where meetings for older members are in session. In the Newark building the girls enter by the main doorway, but instead of going up the main entrance stairway through the foyer they use a stairway at the right leading to the ground floor. Immediately at the foot of the stairway on the right is the office of the girls' secretary, and on the left the girls' cloak rooms and club rooms. The office should be so situated that when the door is open the secretary can see every girl as she comes down the stairs, and can also see down the corridor leading to the rest of the building. This is especially important. The ground floor is the best place for the girls, for the very real reason that girls will and should play vigorously aud actively at times, and this cannot be done without noise. Singing and folk dancing cannot be done near an office where people are working. For club work the Newark Association has a large room, long enough to be divided by folding doors into two rooms, and with low ceilings to make it cozy. Windows face west and south, for sunshine and good ventilation are especially needed here. A good maple floor, unvarnished and built to stand hard use, can be marked up for games at any time. One large game table, six small game tables which will fold flat against the wall, plenty of good comfortable, straight chairs, a few leather and wicker chairs, two small settees with bright cretonne cushions, a large book case, a desk and the all-im portant piano complete the furnishings. Pictures are hung low and are chosen for their story value. Such pictures as Maxfield Parrish's "Arabian Nights," bright. colored posters, not too juvenile in character, and pictures of child life, are favorites. The kitchenette-there must always be a kitchenette-opens into the club rooms and is fully equipped. The game equipment consists mainly of playground balls, indoor base balls, bean bags, and other games selected for their possibilities in developing initiative and team play. Quieter table games of all kinds are ready for the quiet times. Song books and dance music are, of course, quite indispensable. But machinery alone never accomplishes anything. The moving force must be greater than the machine if the machine is to be of any use at all. So earnest, effi. cient workers are the most essential part of the equipment of any department, and the measure of success rests with them in the end. In this department perhaps more than in any other is personal contact and guidance sought, appreciated, and real ly needed. CAMP FIRE GIRLS IN CAMP. Gertrude Prack; Girls' Secretary. "Friendships thrive in fullest measure Round our camp fire's ruddy glow." Through the hot months of July and August, Camp Wohelo, at Highland Park, Illinois, meant all this and much more to one hundred and sixty-seven St. Louis girls. When twenty-one tired check girls from one of our largest department stores trooped into camp for the housewarming on July 3, they found a cozy cottage all ready for them. The location, just fifty minutes' trolley ride from the city, ang the one hundred and fifty feet elevation, made Camp Wohelo a very accessible and delightful refuge from the city's heat. Week-end parties furnished occasion for rousing camp fires. Amateur theatricals, written and produced within eight hours were favorite amusements. Not infrequently members of the cast were corralled hour. ly for practice in order to insure the success of the production. A graphaphone, a library of those books which all girls love, and hammocks, furnished quieter amusements when, it grew too warm for anything strenuous. The lease included the use of a tennis court just a block away and an interested neighbor gave the freedom of his croquet grounds. The entire camp family gathered on the front porch for "morning watch." One AT CAMP WOHELO, ST. LOUIS morning we read the first Psalm and the thought was brought out that every time we do or say something, it is easier to do it the next time. Blanche, who had the habit of saying, "Oh, Lord!" a few days after this said, "I've quit saying, 'Oh, Lord!' since we had that lesson at prayers. I tell you we certainly do learn a lot here. I wish we could have morning prayers together somewhere even when we get back to the city." Monday was the most trying day of the whole week, for that was generally the time for returning to the city. After a weekend at camp the girls who appeared at breakfast on that morning were a sad iot. One of them said, "There's only one reason in the world why I want to go home and that is so that I can cook the good things for my family that I've learned to cook here." But frequently the sadness of the breakfast hour changed to joy when the morning mail arrived bringing permission to stay another week and sending another week's board of $1.75 for Association members. Non-members paid $2.25 a week or forty cents a day. This covered the entire expense of the food, which cost ten cents a girl per meal, and the rent of the cottage and the housekeeper's salary were paid by a board member. On the morning of July 4 the "Wohelo Post" came into being and three editions were published weekly. The picture of each new arrival was sure to appear, events of the day were written up in verse, there were announcements of future events, wonderful cartoons and-well, everything that a real newspaper contains. The only difference between it and the ordinary paper was the fact that only one copy was published and that was posted in the living room. |