The Girl Scout Pioneers of Buffalo - 1917

 JENNIE TRUMBLE FORMED FIRST BUFFALO GIRL SCOUTS' UNIT

January 12, 1923

TROOP 1, Organized by Jennie Trumble in 1917 Five Years 
After the National Organization was Founded

Jennie Trumble

  The oldest and largest and one of the most active of the Girl Scout Troops of Buffalo, is Troop 1, meeting in Babcock Street Community House under the leadership of Mrs. George Trumble. Mrs. Trumble has been captain of Troop 1 since she organized it in St. Peter's Evangelical Church on April 10 in 1917 as the American Beauty Rose Troop 1, with 15 girls as charter members.  "I was always interested in Boy Scouts," said Mrs. Trumble, "as Mr. Trumble was scoutmaster of Troop 37, and I thought it was a mighty fine organization. Why not have it for girls? 

 
I saw an article in a Sunday paper about Philadelphia Girl Scouts. Anyone interested was asked to write to Girl Scout headquarters in New York. This I did and Troop 1 was organized from New York, as there was no local Girl Scout Council in Buffalo at the time. 

  Mrs. Trumble's application to national headquarters for a captains commission was signed by the Rev. T.V. Bode and Mrs. M. Moyer.  In due time the application was approved and Captain Trumble held her first meeting, the girls being taught whistle signals and each girl making for herself a copy of the scout promise and laws. At the second meeting on April 17, Troop 35 of the Boy Scouts, invited Troop 1, Girl Scouts to attend it's next meeting. That invitation was accepted and the boys gave a demonstration of scout work. The Boy Scout troop, at the conclusion of this meeting, presented the Girl Scout troop with a flag. By the time of the May 15 meeting of Troop 1 the membership had grown to 31. This meeting was attended by a field organizer from Girl Scout national headquarters in New York, and Mrs. Daniel K Stucki, treasurer of the newly organized Girl Scout Council of Buffalo, of which Ada M. Gates was the first commissioner. The Girls were given a talk on Scout work by the field organizer, and were taught a number of new games. Miss Ruth Nagel joined the Troop at this meeting as a lieutenant to assist Mrs. Trumble.

Members of Troop 1 Lackawanna, Leona Holstein-

Patrol Leader, Annie Reynolds, Mildred Bowen 

and Elizabeth Radder-Patrol Leader (1922)

  As the pioneer Girls Scout Troop in Buffalo, Troop 1 was being closely observed and was frequently asked to demonstrate Scouting to groups of interested girls and parents. During it's first year 35 girls passed their tenderfoot  examinations. Shortly after celebrating it's first anniversary, the troop went to Dom Polski and gave a demonstration of Scout work. The Troop also demonstrated a model Girl Scout meeting in connection with the Red Cross Pageant. About this time Miss Marie Nicklis succeeded Miss Nagel as lieutenant of the troop. 

  Troop 1's members were active in the Liberty Loan campaigns, one member receiving a bronze medal from the Federal government for selling the largest number of bonds. Other civic good turns performed by members of Troop 1 included the distribution of Liberty Loan circulars and the distribution of more than 3,000 cards during the thrift campaign, and helping in the thrift kitchen on Saturday mornings during the war. The girls had penny savings accounts which they kept active for two years, when they turned their savings into government thrift stamps.

Editors Note: Mrs. Trumble led Troop 1 for 25 years. She also served as the leader of the Park-Delaware District, Girl Scout Council of Buffalo & Erie County and led a troop at St. Mary's School For the Deaf. She retired from scouting in 1947, and passed away Sept. 9, 1970.

Girl Scouts of Western New York Website Link

Lou Henry Hoover

  Did you know that Herbert Hoover’s wife "Lou" served as president of the Girl Scouts and helped coordinate one of the first Girl Scout Cookie Drives in 1935? 

  In the 1920s and 1930s, Girl Scouts all across the country baked their own simple sugar cookies with their mothers. They then packaged their coookies in wax paper bags sealed with a sticker and sold them door-to-door for 25 to 35 cents a dozen.

These facts are from a wonderful Blog Titled: 

THE HISTORY CHEF! Who new that learning about history could be so delicious? (click here) It is history from a unique perspective that is sure to accommodate everyones appetite.

Editor: If you would like the recipe for the original Girl Scout Cookies, 

go to The History Chef directly at this link: 

http://lincolnslunch.blogspot.com/2011/02/lou-henry-hoover-and-first-organized.html

The Girl Scouts Their History and Practice