First Girl Scout: The Life of Juliette Gordon Low

This volume is the biography of Juliette Gordon Low (1860-1927), a remarkable woman with ideas that were ahead of her time. She witnessed important eras in U.S. history, from the Civil War and Reconstruction to westward expansion to post-World War I. And she made history by founding the Girl Scouts of America, the first national organization to bring girls from all backgrounds into the out-of-doors. Low created controversy by encouraging young girls to prepare not only for traditional homemaking but also for roles as professional women--in the arts, sciences, and business--and for active citizenship outside the home. Her group also welcomed girls with disabilities at a time when they were usually excluded.