Brownies (Girl Guides)
Encyclopedia
A Brownie is a member of a section of some Guiding
organisations for girls from their seventh birthday to their tenth birthday. Exact age limits are slightly different in each organisation.
in 1914, to complete the range of age groups both for girls and boys in Scouting. They were first run as the youngest group in the Guide Association by Agnes Baden-Powell
, Lord Baden-Powell's younger sister. In 1918 his wife, Lady Olave Baden-Powell
, took over the responsibility for the Girl Guides and thus for Brownies.
Originally the girls were called Rosebuds, but were renamed by Lord Baden-Powell after the girls had complained that they didn't like their name. Their name comes from the story "The Brownies" by Juliana Horatia Ewing
, written in 1870. In the story two children, Tommy and Betty, learn that children can be helpful Brownies or lazy boggarts.
(where girls of all ages are now called Girl Guides) the Guiding Promise is:
The Brownie Guide Law, prior to 1996, was:
The Brownie Guide Motto, prior to 1996, was:
The Guide Law, Promise and Motto, which are followed by all ages of the guiding movement after 1996, are the Laws, Promise and Motto relating to the guide age group.
, the Brownie Promise is:
The Canadian Brownie Law is:
The Canadian Brownie Motto is:
an Brownie Promise is:
The Singaporean Brownie Law is:
The Singaporean Brownie Motto is:
, the Brownie Promise is:
In 1980, the promise was changed from 'To do my duty to God' to 'To love my God', in order to accommodate different faiths, although atheists are not allowed and this has attracted criticism from the National Secular Society
.
The Brownie Promise, prior to 1980, was:
The Brownie Guide Law is:
The Brownie Guide Motto used to be 'Lend a hand' (LAH). With the introduction of the new programme in the United Kingdom, the motto was dropped for Brownies.
There is also a Brownie song that some packs sing at the beginning of the meeting:
There are slight variations of the song and in some packs it is sung while skipping around a toadstool.
Some packs also sing one of the traditional songs to end a meeting, to the tune of the Cambridge Chimes:
The second verse of Taps
(Day is done...) is also often sung.
Today, British Brownies receive a 'Becoming a Brownie' activity book upon joining. This has a version of the "Brownie Story" that is slightly different. Tommy and Betty are replaced by friends Katie and Sunita.
Girl Scouts are given a choice of "whatever word your spiritual beliefs dictate" in place of the word God.
The Law is:
I will do my best to be,
Honest and fair,
Friendly and helpful,
considerate and caring,
Couragous and strong,
Responsible for what I say and do,
And to respect myself and others,
Respect authority,
Use resources wisely,
Make the world a better place,
And be sister to every Girl Scout.
, the Brownie Promise is:
The Law is:
JAMAICA BROWNIE PROMISE
I promise that I will do my best,
to love God,
To serve my Queen and country,
To help other people
And to keep the Brownie Guide Law
JAMAICA BROWNIE GUIDE LAW
A brownie guide thinks of others before herself and does a good turn every day.
JAMAICA BROWNIE GUIDE MOTTO
"Lend A Hand" (LAH).
Girl Guides
A Guide, Girl Guide or Girl Scout is a member of a section of some Guiding organisations who is between the ages of 10 and 14. Age limits are different in each organisation. It is the female-centred equivalent of the Scouts. The term Girl Scout is used in the United States and several East Asian...
organisations for girls from their seventh birthday to their tenth birthday. Exact age limits are slightly different in each organisation.
History
Brownies were first organized by Lord Baden-PowellRobert Baden-Powell, 1st Baron Baden-Powell
Robert Stephenson Smyth Baden-Powell, 1st Baron Baden-Powell, Bt, OM, GCMG, GCVO, KCB , also known as B-P or Lord Baden-Powell, was a lieutenant-general in the British Army, writer, and founder of the Scout Movement....
in 1914, to complete the range of age groups both for girls and boys in Scouting. They were first run as the youngest group in the Guide Association by Agnes Baden-Powell
Agnes Baden-Powell
Agnes Smyth Baden-Powell was the younger sister of Robert Baden-Powell, 1st Baron Baden-Powell, and was most noted for her work in establishing the Girl Guide movement as a female counterpart to her older brother's Scouting Movement.-Early life:Agnes was the ninth of ten children, and the third...
, Lord Baden-Powell's younger sister. In 1918 his wife, Lady Olave Baden-Powell
Olave Baden-Powell
Olave St Clair Baden-Powell, Baroness Baden-Powell, GBE was born Olave St Clair Soames in Chesterfield, England...
, took over the responsibility for the Girl Guides and thus for Brownies.
Originally the girls were called Rosebuds, but were renamed by Lord Baden-Powell after the girls had complained that they didn't like their name. Their name comes from the story "The Brownies" by Juliana Horatia Ewing
Juliana Horatia Ewing
Juliana Horatia Ewing was an English writer of children's stories.-Youth and marriage:Known as Julie, she was the second of ten children of the Reverend Alfred Gatty, vicar of Ecclesfield in Yorkshire, and Margaret Gatty, who was herself a children's author...
, written in 1870. In the story two children, Tommy and Betty, learn that children can be helpful Brownies or lazy boggarts.
Australia
In AustraliaAustralia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
(where girls of all ages are now called Girl Guides) the Guiding Promise is:
- I promise that I will do my best;
- To do my duty to God,
- To serve the Queen and my country
- To help other people
- and keep the Guide law.
The Brownie Guide Law, prior to 1996, was:
- A Brownie Guide thinks of others before herself and does a good turn everyday.
The Brownie Guide Motto, prior to 1996, was:
- Lend a hand
The Guide Law, Promise and Motto, which are followed by all ages of the guiding movement after 1996, are the Laws, Promise and Motto relating to the guide age group.
Canada
In CanadaCanada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, the Brownie Promise is:
- I promise to do my best,
- To be true to myself, my beliefs and Canada,
- I will take action for a better world,
- And respect the Brownie Law.
The Canadian Brownie Law is:
- As a Brownie I am honest and kind. I help take care of the world around me.
The Canadian Brownie Motto is:
- Lend a Hand
Singapore
The SingaporeSingapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
an Brownie Promise is:
- I promise to do my best,
- To do my duty to God,
- To serve my country,
- Help other people and to
- Keep the Brownie Law.
The Singaporean Brownie Law is:
- A brownie obeys and respect her elders.
- A brownie thinks of others before herself.
- A brownie tells the truth.
- A brownie is neat and tidy.
- A brownie is thrifty.
- A brownie plays and works cheerfully.
The Singaporean Brownie Motto is:
- Lend a hand
United Kingdom
In the United KingdomUnited Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, the Brownie Promise is:
- I promise that I will do my best,
- To love my God,
- To serve the Queen and my country,
- To help other people,
- And to keep the Brownie Guide Law.
In 1980, the promise was changed from 'To do my duty to God' to 'To love my God', in order to accommodate different faiths, although atheists are not allowed and this has attracted criticism from the National Secular Society
National Secular Society
The National Secular Society is a British campaigning organisation that promotes secularism and the separation of church and state. It holds that no-one should gain advantage or disadvantage because of their religion or lack of religion. It was founded by Charles Bradlaugh in 1866...
.
The Brownie Promise, prior to 1980, was:
- I promise that I will do my best
- To do my duty to God,
- To serve the Queen
- And help other people,
- And to keep the Brownie Guide Law.
The Brownie Guide Law is:
- A Brownie Guide thinks of others before herself and does a good turn every day.
The Brownie Guide Motto used to be 'Lend a hand' (LAH). With the introduction of the new programme in the United Kingdom, the motto was dropped for Brownies.
There is also a Brownie song that some packs sing at the beginning of the meeting:
- "We're Brownie Guides, we're Brownie Guides
- We're here to lend a hand
- To love our God and serve our Queen
- And to help our homes and land
- We've Brownie friends, we've Brownie friends
- In North, South, East and West
- We're joined together in our wish
- To try to do our best"
There are slight variations of the song and in some packs it is sung while skipping around a toadstool.
Some packs also sing one of the traditional songs to end a meeting, to the tune of the Cambridge Chimes:
- O Lord, our God
- Thy children call
- Grant us Thy peace
- And bless us all
- Good-night (everyone then salutes each other)
The second verse of Taps
Taps
"Taps" is a musical piece sounded by the U.S. military nightly to indicate that it is "lights out". The tune is also sometimes known as "Butterfields Lullaby", or by the lyrics of its second verse, "Day is Done". It is also played during flag ceremonies and funerals, generally on bugle or trumpet...
(Day is done...) is also often sung.
Today, British Brownies receive a 'Becoming a Brownie' activity book upon joining. This has a version of the "Brownie Story" that is slightly different. Tommy and Betty are replaced by friends Katie and Sunita.
United States of America
In the United States of America, the Girl Scout Promise is:- On my honor, I will try:
- To serve God and my country,
- To help people at all times,
- And to live by the Girl Scout Law.
Girl Scouts are given a choice of "whatever word your spiritual beliefs dictate" in place of the word God.
The Law is:
I will do my best to be,
Honest and fair,
Friendly and helpful,
considerate and caring,
Couragous and strong,
Responsible for what I say and do,
And to respect myself and others,
Respect authority,
Use resources wisely,
Make the world a better place,
And be sister to every Girl Scout.
Hong Kong
In Hong KongHong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
, the Brownie Promise is:
- I will promise to do my best,
- To be true to myself,
- To my God, and my country.
- To help others and to keep the Brownie Guide Law.
The Law is:
- As a Brownie Guide,
- I will care for my home, my community and myself.
- I will do a good turn every day.
See also
- Girl Guide and Girl Scout
- Girlguiding UKGirlguiding UKGirlguiding UK is the national Guiding organisation of the United Kingdom. Guiding began in the UK in 1910 after Robert Baden-Powell asked his sister Agnes to start a group especially for girls that would be run along similar lines to Scouting for Boys. The Guide Association was a founder member of...
- Girl Scouts of the USAGirl Scouts of the USAThe Girl Scouts of the United States of America is a youth organization for girls in the United States and American girls living abroad. It describes itself as "the world's preeminent organization dedicated solely to girls". It was founded by Juliette Gordon Low in 1912 and was organized after Low...
- Verily AndersonVerily AndersonVerily Anderson was a British writer, best known for writing the screenplay for No Kidding, based on the book Beware of Children, writing Brownie books and writing the genealogy books about the Gurney, Barclay and Buxton families...
who has written the Brownie Cook Book and may other Brownie Stories.
External links
- Girlguiding UK
- Girl Guides of Canada
- The Brownies And Other Tales by Juliana Horatia Ewing, 1870, from Project GutenbergProject GutenbergProject Gutenberg is a volunteer effort to digitize and archive cultural works, to "encourage the creation and distribution of eBooks". Founded in 1971 by Michael S. Hart, it is the oldest digital library. Most of the items in its collection are the full texts of public domain books...
JAMAICA BROWNIE PROMISE
I promise that I will do my best,
to love God,
To serve my Queen and country,
To help other people
And to keep the Brownie Guide Law
JAMAICA BROWNIE GUIDE LAW
A brownie guide thinks of others before herself and does a good turn every day.
JAMAICA BROWNIE GUIDE MOTTO
"Lend A Hand" (LAH).