“On my honor, I will try to do my duty to God and my country…” – these are the words that begin the Girl Scout oath.
Going back as far as the 1920s and 30s there have been active troops of Brownies and Girl Scouts in Casper, Cheyenne and Jackson. Scouts offered character building, wholesome activities for girls. Adults at the time were worried about youth being easily influenced by atheism and communism. Girl Scouts offered an antidote to those threats.
In Casper in 1931 there were more than 500 girls participating in scouting. In addition to the typical hikes and camp outs, the scouts formed a 28-piece band that gave free public concerts. Girls were encouraged to gather donations of food and clothing for Citizens’ Relief. Although it was before the days of Girl Scout cookies, the girls did sell doughnuts.
See the Girl Scout Council of Wyoming records at UW’s American Heritage Center to learn more about the early days of scouting in Wyoming.