Glossary

Belt-hook--A double hook in the form of the letter S. Sometimes called S-hook.

Bight--A loop made by bending a rope back on itself and holding it in place.

Coil--A series of rings, one on top of another, into which a rope is wound.

Cord--A string or small rope composed of several strands of thread or vegetable fiber twisted and woven together.

End--One of the terminal points of that which has more length than breadth. The part of a rope used in leading.

Hemp--An annual herbaceous plant. The fiber, obtained from the skin or rind by rotting the stalks of the plant under moisture is prepared in various ways for twisting into ropes, cables, and weaving coa.r.s.e fabrics.

Knot--An interlacement of twine, cord, rope or other flexible material formed by twisting the ends about each other and then drawing tight the loop thus made.

Life-line--A rope used in rescuing; it should have a Bowline in one end and the other end should be secured to something that will not give.

Loop--An opening through which something can be pa.s.sed.

Manila rope--A rope made from Manila hemp, a fibrous material which is obtained from the leaves of plants which grow in the Philippine Islands.

Rope--A cord of considerable thickness, technically over one inch in circ.u.mference. Ropes are made of hemp, manila, flax, cotton or other vegetable fiber or of iron, steel or other metallic wire. A rope is sometimes called a line.

They are composed of threads which are spun or twisted into strands and the finished ropes have special names, according to the number of the strands, and the various sizes are indicated by the circ.u.mference in inches.

Standing part--The long portion of a rope not used when tying a knot.

String--A slender cord, a thick thread.

Twine--A double thread; a thread made of two strands twisted.

SECTION XVIII

GIRL SCOUT PROFICIENCY TESTS AND SPECIAL MEDALS

For details regarding these badges see the "BLUE BOOK OF RULES FOR GIRL SCOUT CAPTAINS"

CONTENTS

I. Introduction to Proficiency Tests.

II. Proficiency Tests:

*** Subjects marked thus are specially recommended for First Cla.s.s Scouts or girls at least sixteen years old.

**** Subjects marked thus are for Scouts eighteen years and over.

Artist Athlete***

Bee-Keeper Bird Hunter Bugler Business Women***

Canner Child Nurse Citizen***

Cook Craftsman Cyclist Dairy Maid Dancer Dressmaker Drummer Economist Electrician Farmer First Aide***

Flower Finder Gardener Handy Woman Health Guardian***

Health Winner Home Maker Home Nurse***

Horsewoman Hostess Interpreter Journalist****

Laundress Milliner Motorist****

Musician Needlewoman Pathfinder Photographer Pioneer***

Rock Tapper Sailor***

Scribe Signaller Star Gazer Swimmer Telegrapher Zoologist

III. Group Badge

IV. Golden Eaglet.

V. Special Medals: Attendance Stars Life Saving Medals Bronze Cross Silver Cross Medal of Merit Thanks Badge Community Service Award Scholarship Badge

Proficiency Tests and Merit Badges

1. INTRODUCTION

A girl must be a Second Cla.s.s Scout before receiving a Merit Badge in any subject. However, this does not mean that she cannot begin to study her subject and plan for pa.s.sing the test at any time.

Proficiency in these tests is to be determined by the Local Council, or by persons competent (in the opinion of the Council) to judge it. If no Local Council exists, certificates should be secured from persons competent to judge each subject, such as teachers of music, dancing or drawing, riding masters, motorists, electricians, milliners, dressmakers, artists, craftsmen, scientists and so forth. These certificates should be sent to the National Headquarters or to the nearest District Headquarters for inspection. Headquarters will either pa.s.s on these, or indicate the nearest local body competent to deal with them.

The tests as given are topical outlines of what a Scout should know about the subject rather than formal questions. Captains and others giving the tests will adapt the wording to the needs of the particular case.

With many subjects a list of standard references is given. It is desirable that a girl should read at least one of these books, not in order to pa.s.s an examination but that she may be familiar with the general field and the great names and principles a.s.sociated with it.

Where a whole troop is working on a subject, portions of the books may be read at troop meetings, or several Scouts can read together and discuss their impressions.

It is important that every Girl Scout should understand that the winning of any one of the following Merit Badges does not mean that she is a finished expert in the subject.

What does it mean then? It means three things:

1. She has an intelligent interest in the subject

2. She has a reasonable knowledge of its broad principles

3. She is able to present some practicable proofs of her knowledge, so that a competent examiner can see that she has not simply "crammed it up" from a book. Doing, not talking or writing is the principle of the Girl Scouts

One of the great things about these Merit Badges is that they require a definite amount of perseverance. This is a quality in which women are sometimes said to be lacking; if this is a fair criticism, the Merit Badges will certainly test it.

n.o.body compels any Scout to earn these Badges; she deliberately chooses to do so. Therefore, to fail in a task she has voluntarily set herself, comes straight back to her and shows her what stuff she is made of. For while it is of no particular importance how many things you start in this life, it is of great importance how many things you finish! Out OF GOODNESS of heart, or quick interest, or sudden resolution, a girl will start out to master a subject, earn a certain sum of money, make something for herself or someone else, form some good habit or break some bad one; and after her first enthusiasm has died out, where is she?

So that a great many people laugh at a girl's plans--and with reason.

Now while this may be merely amusing, so long as it affects only the girl herself, it becomes very annoying when other people's affairs are involved, and may be positively dangerous if carried too far. If your life depended upon a Girl Scout's efforts to resuscitate you from drowning, you would be very glad if she stuck to it. But if she happened to be a girl who had started to win five different Merit Badges, and had given them all up, half way through, what sort of chance do you think you would have?