I moved around a lot when I was growing up. Fortunately, I was able to see much of the world at a young age; unfortunately, I was never able to put down roots anywhere. I missed out on joining teams, clubs, and school organizations. The Girl Scouts was one group I wish I could have joined because it offered so many opportunities to learn new things and grow.
The Girl Scouts of the U.S.A. is an organization devoted to furthering the development of girls and young women as productive citizens and individuals. March 12th commemorates the day in 1912 when Juliette Gordon Low officially registered the organization’s first 18 girl members in Savannah, Georgia.
The Dallas Girl Scout Council was established in 1920 and later merged with other area councils to become the Tejas Girl Scout Council. The Archives of Women of the Southwest houses the Tejas Girl Scout Council records, which consist of the correspondence of Mrs. Margaret Scruggs Caruth, one of the first Tejas Girl Scout Council members; minutes, financial records, printed materials, which include Girl Scout handbooks, training guides, camping guides, activity guides, and newsletters; photographic material; scrapbooks; and audio recordings.
Established in 1993, the Archives of Women of the Southwest is one of the special collections of DeGolyer Library. The primary mission of the Archives of Women of the Southwest is to document the historical experience of women in the Southwest, with special emphasis on Dallas and North Texas, as well as a regional focus.
Contact Samantha Dodd, curator of the Archives of Women of the Southwest for additional information or assistance with accessing the collections.
For access to these collections or to learn more about the women of the southwest, be sure to visit the DeGolyer Library and check out our books, manuscripts, pamphlets, and photographs.