Throwback Thursday

Throwback Thursday ... the day of the week in which I expound upon how much and how little things have changed since I was a mere lass. In other words, I'm reminiscing. But since there are no days of the week that begin with R, we have Throwback Thursday or perhaps the occasional Way Back Whensday...

Today's post is about the Brownies.
On Wednesday I met my Brownie Troop. You can see two of the members of it, in the picture at the top of this blog. The Brownie Vest or Brownie Sash has replaced the Brownie Uniform. They do have things like a Brownie Shirt or Brownie Knee Socks, but to be official you just need the vest or the sash. Oh, they also have official Brownie Rubber Bands for hair. They cost $4.75 for a pack of 10. I know this because I bought them.

You need a vest or a sash in order to place your badges. Yes, Brownies now have badges. They are called both Try-Its and Journeys. I have no idea what the difference is, except that Journeys allow you to work on one thing and get multiple badges, while Try Its means you work on one thing to get one badge.

When I was a girl Brownies did not have badges. Or sashes or vests. We did have Brownie Beanies which they still sell today. I didn't buy them though because as cute as they are, I don't think Hannah or Lizzie would wear them. Ever.

One other change is that all girls recite the Girl Scout pledge holding up three fingers. When I was a girl we held up two fingers as Brownies and three fingers as Junior Scouts. Oh, and there doesn't seem to be any saluting. I remember at an investiture ceremony when I was a Brownie I was complimented on my ability to salute crisply, just as my father had taught me. It was a skill that I have to admit, I've never used since -- and one that has apparently lost its place in scouting.

Other than that, though, Brownies is largely unchanged. At our first meeting we learned the pledge, the Girl Scout Handshake and the friendship circle where you send the squeeze around. We ate cookies and learned the "Brownie Smile" song.

There's a Gal and Pal dance at the end of October that used to be called the Father/Daughter dance, but with families being what many are today, now it's Gal and Pal.

I remember going to the Father/Daughter Dance when Aunt Anonymous and I were both in Brownies (and Mom was the Brownie leader). Since there was only one father, my date was Mr. Pauli, our next door neighbor and he brought me a corsage.

Until my wedding shower I think it was the only corsage I ever received from a man. The dance was some sort of square dance and Mr. Pauli was a bit of a crazy guy, so it was very very very fun to have him as my partner. Also I thought it was cool that Aunt Anonymous did not get a corsage.

So this year Hannah and Liz will go to the Gal and Pal dance with their dad and their Uncle Dude (who may not know this yet, so SURPRISE UNCLE DUDE!)

It's nice to think that some things haven't really changed since the 1960s. That girls can still get together and enjoy the innocence of their youth without all the hectic running around that life has become. There's still a place for girls to learn about leadership and sing campfire songs and make friends who could literally carry them across the Appalachian Mountains (or stand under a huge tree on top of mountain in a thunderstorm which is something and my other not-so-bright girl scout pals did one summer while hiking the Trail).

One thing that should have changed though is all that sitting cross-legged on the floor. I had to sit cross-legged on the floor at our meeting and it took me a good 2 minutes to get up to standing position again. But you know, anything for the Girl Scouts.

And speaking about anything for the Girl Scouts, cookie time begins in February. You've been warned.