Study – The Juliette Low Story

Juliette Gordon Low, the founder of Girl Scouts of the USA, was born on October 31, 1860, in Savannah, Georgia. Nicknamed "Daisy" by her friends and family, Juliette was the second child of six children. Daisy was multi-talented; she wrote poems and plays, acted, painted and sculpted, and even blacksmithed. Juliette lost most of her hearing in one ear because of improper treatment for an ear infection. In 1886, Juliette married William Low. At their wedding, she lost hearing in her other ear after a grain of rice, thrown for good luck, lodged in her ear and caused an infection. The couple moved to England; William died in 1905. In 1911, Juliette met Sir Robert Baden Powell and his sister, Agnes Baden Powell, the founders of Boy Scouts and Girl Guides. She was intrigued by the new organizations and served as a Girl Guide leader in Scotland. Wanting to share the new idea with girls in America, Juliette Low returned to the United States and telephoned a cousin saying, "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!" And so she did! On March 12, 1912, at the age of 52, Juliette Gordon Low registered 18 girls as the first troop in the US. Each year we celebrate March 12 as the Girl Scout birthday, and the week which includes the 12th is known as Girl Scout Week. In 1913 we became known as Girl Scouts. Juliette sometimes exaggerated her deafness when she pretended not to hear friends who tried to bow out of commitments to work for Girl Scouts. She was eccentric and loved stunts. Once she trimmed her hat with carrots and parsley. At a fashionable luncheon she asked "Oh, is my trimming sad?" as the vegetables drooped on her hat. "I can't afford to have this hat done over...I have to save all my money for my Girl Scouts. You know about the Scouts, don't you?" Soon all America did. Juliette Gordon Low died of breast cancer at her home in Savannah at the age of 66. She was buried in her Girl Scout uniform at Laurel Grove Cemetery in Savannah. The home in Savannah where Daisy spent her childhood has been restored by Girl Scouts of the USA and is known as the Juliette Gordon Low Girl Scout National Center. It is sometimes referred to as the Birthplace and offers hands-on programs for visiting troops. Contact birthplace@girlscouts.org Let's Review: 1)  True  False  The nickname of founder of Girl Scouts of the USA was Blossom. 2)  True  False  The founder of GSUSA learned about the idea of "scouting" from the brother and sister pair, Robert and Agnes Baden Powell. 3)  True  False  Juliette Low had a severe hearing loss, but it didn't keep her from reaching her goals. 4)  True  False  The Girl Scout birthday is celebrated on March 12, to honor the date of the first US troop meeting. 5)  True  False  Juliette Low's home in Rochester offers programs for girls.

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