Photoessay #464 - Camp Alice Merritt 1946

My mother has always been active with the girl scouts. An avid scout herself, the girl scouts helped financially to send her to college in the depths of the depression. She worked as a staff member and camp director until her marriage in 1950. Shortly after her marriage, they begged her, please come and be the camp director. "But I have a husband now" she exclaimed "Bring him along" they said and for a summer, they lived at the camp and he drove to work every day from the camp. My father always loved to play the piano; he could play the piano in the evenings in the lodge.

In the summer of 1946 when my mother and her friend Sue were given a CIT program. They went off by themselves and worked on, I don't know what, but they seemed to have a great time out in their own little unit. They were supposed to prepare them to be camp counselors. Campcraft? I think they are roasting dough on an open fire. I don't believe my mother is in this picture but she can likely identify all the campers.

Ilana and Naomi's experienced CIT training very differently. They participated in all parts of the camp and were in the units with the campers and the regular counselors.

Myself, I never could get the girl scouts. My mother signed up first thing to be a Brownie leader. I endured it. My social skills weren't that great and I had a hard time getting along with the other girls. I didn't like camping, I was lousy at crafts. I went to camp but I never liked that either. I would rather be reading a book. I dumped the whole thing at first opportunity and never looked back. I'm sure I disappointed my mother.

Now my two younger daughters (who are genetically related to me) never saw a girl scout activity they didn't like. They went to camp and LOVED it. Ilana participated in troops, Naomi not so much. Ilana went on some trips and two Wider Opportunities (one to Minnesota and one to Colorado). Both girls went through CIT training and both have worked at the local camp as counselors. Naomi will likely be back this summer. Ilana returned to the Canoe Base in Minnesota where she had the Wider Op taking scouts out on canoe trips on the Border Lakes for 5-7 days at a time. Ilana is also president of the very active Campus Girl Scouts at the University of Washington.

Did I encourage this? Not at all. I let them know that I guess they could be in girl scouts, if they wanted. Dennis is more engaged, in fact he was assistant leader of a Brownie troop last year.

A genetic component? The Girl Scout gene skipped a generation. Seriously, I truly believe in the Girl Scout gene. My girls are living proof.