Girl Scout Collector’s Guide: A History of Uniforms, Insignia, Publications, and Memorabilia (Second Edition) - Softcover

Degenhardt, Mary; Kirsch, Judith

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0896725464 ISBN 13: 9780896725461

Publisher: Texas Tech University Press, 2005

Synopsis

In more than nine decades of Girl Scouting, a vast popular and material culture has given rise to a wealth of Girl Scout history collections. More than an identification guide to uniforms, insignia, and other Girl Scout objects, this work also documents when changes occurred and why new items were introduced. Placing these objects in context, this essential guide provides a discerning look at the history and development of the Girl Scout Movement in the United States.

Scholars and aficionados of Girl Scout history, costume history, women’s studies, popular culture, and dress will welcome this indispensable and definitive resource.

This new, expanded edition, with hundreds of illustrations, photographs, and tables, is indisputably the go-to source for information on all Girl Scout uniforms, insignia, awards, and handbooks, as well as dolls, postcards, posters, calendars, and more―from the founding of the Girl Scouts in 1912 through the present day.

“An invaluable resource to Girl Scout councils managing a history collection. And, beyond that . . . an informative and intriguing glimpse . . . into the evolution of a Movement that . . . today is the world’s preeminent organization dedicated solely to girls.” ―Cynthia B. Thompson, chair, National Board of Directors, and Kathy Cloninger, national chief executive officer, GSUSA

“An indispensable reference for collectors; a fascinating resource for anyone interested in Girl Scouting, this comprehensive guide to Girl Scout memorabilia is firmly grounded in the history of the Girl Scouts of the United States. Mary Degenhardt and Judith Kirsch show us what Girl Scouts wore and read, and explain how changes in uniforms, insignia, and publications reflect the evolution of Girl Scout programs and the expansion of opportunities for American girls. Reading this book is like walking through a fine museum where material culture brings the past to life.” ―Anastatia Sims, author of Negotiating Boundaries of Southern Womanhood

About this title

About the Author:

Mary Degenhardt and Judith Kirsch, lifelong Girl Scouts, compiled the original Girl Scout Collector’s Guide in 1987. Degenhardt, now an archivist with the National Historic Preservation Center, GSUSA, and Kirsch, a researcher at the Benson Ford Research Center in Dearborn, Michigan, devoted two years of concentrated effort to this new and expanded edition.

From Booklist:

An appealing, readable compendium, this volume is intended as "an identification guide to official Girl Scout uniforms and insignia used in the United States from 1912 to 2003." The writing is upbeat and informative. The first nine chapters provide an overview of the development of the Girl Scouts and the badges, uniforms, and so on pertinent to each era. Most of the remaining chapters focus on memorabilia: calendars, dolls, postcards, and more.

Throughout the book are numerous tables listing crests, proficiency badges, and components of uniforms. Annotated diagrams picture the correct assembly of sash, badges, scarf, and pins. A biography of Juliette Gordon Lowe and a multitude of drawings and black-and-white photographs add interest. A glossary of terms related to fabrics, fibers, and uniforms and a good index complete the volume. Updating a 1987 edition, this comprehensive work suits the needs of large public libraries and of colleges and universities offering women's studies course work. Mary Ellen Snodgrass
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

About this edition

• Publisher: Texas Tech University Press
• Publication date: 2005
• ISBN 10: 0896725464
• ISBN 13: 9780896725461
• Binding: Paperback
• Edition number: 2
• Number of pages: 608