Location: Irvington Presbyterian Church, 55 Johnson Avenue, Indianapolis.(Marion County, Indiana)
Installed: 2004 Indiana Historical Bureau and Girl Scouts of Hoosier Capital Council, Inc.
ID# : 49.2004.3
Text
Side one:
In 1917, Anna Marie Ridge founded in Irvington the first troop in Marion County; it was registered in July as Indianapolis Troop 1 by Girl Scouts, Incorporated. In 1937, Troop 1 was meeting here at Irvington Presbyterian Church. India J. Wilson began a second troop in Irvington in fall of 1917; registered as Troop 2 in 1918.
Side two:
Indianapolis Marion County Girl Scout Council chartered 1921 by Girl Scouts, Incorporated. Marion County now part of Girl Scouts of Hoosier Capital Council. Basic goals--including community service, ideals of conduct, patriotism, diversity in membership--have remained; badges and programs have changed with society.
Keywords
Women, Arts and Culture
Annotated Text
Side one:
In 1917, Anna Marie Ridge founded in Irvington the first troop in Marion County; it was registered in July as Indianapolis Troop 1 by Girl Scouts, Incorporated.(1) In 1937, Troop 1 was meeting here at Irvington Presbyterian Church.(2) India J. Wilson began a second troop in Irvington in fall of 1917; registered as Troop 2 in 1918.(3)
Side two:
Indianapolis Marion County Girl Scout Council chartered 1921 by Girl Scouts, Incorporated.(4) Marion County now part of Girl Scouts of Hoosier Capital Council.(5) Basic goals--including community service, ideals of conduct, patriotism, diversity in membership--have remained;(6) badges and programs have changed with society.(7)
Notes:
(1)Enrollment Blank, July 27, 1917, Archives, Girl Scouts of Hoosier Capital Council (GSHCC), Indianapolis. This document indicates Troop 1, which is the designation Ridge wanted. The group first met in private homes. Anna Marie Ridge's Application for Commission as Scout Captain, National Headquarters Girl Scouts, New York City, N.Y., marked "Received … Sept. 17, 1917", Archives, GSHCC. Indianapolis Times, June 3, 1918 indicates troop is "Red Clover Troop No.1."
In 1918, Indianapolis Girl Scout Troop No. 1 was awarded a flag for selling over $6, 000 in bonds during a Liberty Loan drive. Indianapolis Times, June 3, 1918; Irvington Review, March 11, 1937.
(2)According to the Irvington Review, March 11, 1937, Troop 1 was meeting in the Irvington Presbyterian Church, and Troop 2 was meeting in the Downey Avenue Christian Church.
(3)Registration Blank, Troop no. 2, June 21, 1918, Archives, GSHCC. India W. Lundy to Mrs. Banks, May 1, 1966, Archives, GSHCC. According to Noraleen Young, August 25, 2003: Mrs. Banks "was probably a volunteer working on the 50th anniversary celebration. She has several letters to various women who were either staff such as India Wilson Lundy or actual girl members in those first years." "Forsakes Architect's . . ., " undated clipping [1922?], Archives, GSHCC.
(4)Lundy to Banks; Council Charter, Girl Scouts, No. 212, May 14, 1921, Archives, GSHCC.
(5)Girl Scouts Hoosier Capital Council Web site (accessed 10/31/03); the Council serves more than 25, 000 girls in seven and one half central Indiana counties. In 2002, there were thirteen councils in Indiana and 316 at the national level. Noraleen Young, e-mail, August 25, 2003.
(6)GSHCC Web site (accessed January 22, 2004); "Girl Scouting in Indiana, " The Indiana Historian (March 1997), 4; Highlights in Girl Scouting, 1912-2001 (New York, 2002), 41.
(7)"Girl Scouting in Indiana." 5.