History in Hawai`i

Girl Scouting began on March 12, 1912 when Juliette Gordon Low, affectionately known as "Daisy," called the first troop meeting in Savannah, Georgia.  Her ambition was to get each of the 18 original Girl Scouts she gathered out of their isolated home environments and into community service.  Juliette helped them develop a love for fresh outdoor air, an interest in exhilarating team sports and physical fitness, and so much more.  The seed was planted and Juliette's dream soon merited national recognition.  On March 16, 1950 the movement was chartered by the United States Congress and spread across the country faster than you can say courage, confidence, and character!

History in Hawai'i

Oahu Honolulu Girl Scout Parade, 1917In 1917, just five years after Girl Scouting was founded, Florence Lowe, a teacher at Kamehameha School for Girls, organized the first official Girl Scout troop here in the Hawaiian islands based out of Honolulu.  At that time there was a second group meeting in what is now Kaka'ako, but according to official records, Lowe's bunch was the first to submit their paperwork.  The groups became Troops One and Two respectively, with Queen Lili'uokalani, the last Hawaiian monarch, as their sponsor.  The queen promised Troop Two her personal silk Hawaiian flag, but became ill and passed away before presenting it to the girls.  Lili'uokalani's flag eventually made it into Girl Scouts of Hawai'i's possession and is now proudly displayed in our council's Honolulu headquarters.

The original Oahu council formally came into existence in 1918, but was not chartered by Girl Scout's national headquarters until May of 1919.  That makes us the oldest council west of the Mississippi River!

In 1926 our first campsite was purchased--five acres of picturesque land on the Pearl City Peninsula, named Camp Haleopua meaning "house of flowers." This site facilitated outdoor programs for fifteen years before World War II made it necessary to relinquish the property.  This change took us to Maunawili Ranch until 1951, at which time Camp Paumalu was donated to the council courtesy of the Hawaiian Pineapple Company.

Big Island In April of 1919 a group of women gathered at the First Foreign Church in Hilo to implement the Girl Scout program. Our charter was received in June of 1919 and Isabel Shaw became the first commissioner. When Shaw was transferred to the mainland she was succeeded by Eva Hendry who was then followed by Charlotte Whittaker.  Whittaker later filled the position of Executive Director for the Girl Scout Council of the Pacific, Inc.

Maui In 1920 Clinton Childs, the Director of the Alexander House Settlement on Maui, heard about scouting for girls and wrote New York headquarters for information. Subsequently, our Maui Girl Scout Council was organized. and F.F. Baldwin was our very first commissioner.  Maui Council's campsite in Makawao was a gift from the Dwight-Baldwins'.  They dedicated it as Camp Piiholo, and we still currently use it for Girl Scouting events.

In 1924 the island of Moloka'i joined Maui's Council. Twice during the history of Girl Scouting on the island, Moloka'i set up an independent council and twice rejoined its strength with Maui's.  Nearly twelve years later in 1936, the island of Lana`i was organized under Maui in similar fashion.

Kaua'i There have only been Girl Scout troops on Kaua'i since 1933, making Kaua'i our youngest council.  Initially girls registered via Oahu or directly with the National Council as lone troops because our first attempt to organize Kaua'i fell through as a result of the war.  In 1950 our first National Charter was received and Sterling Dunsford was elected Kauai's president.

And Beyond In 1963 we changed our name to the Girl Scout Council of the Pacific, Inc. because our jurisdiction was extended to include not only the islands of Hawai'i, but additionally Midway, and Wake. Soon after that decision, however, military dependents were withdrawn from Wake and Midway, depleting the active troop population in those areas.

In April 1990 membership voted to change the name of our council yet again.  This time we would be known as the Girl Scout Council of Hawai'i to reflect the areas we service, encompassing only those islands that make up the beautiful Aloha state.  In March of 2007 we agreed to alter our name one final time, making sure to correctly spell Hawai`i by employing the Hawaiian accent known as the `okina.  This adequately acknowledges and honors Girl Scouts’ deeply rooted history in Hawai`i.

We procured and restored the historic home of the John Thomas Waterhouse, Jr. located in Nuuanu Valley for our statewide headquarters in 1992. Some of its many purposes included being a Service Center for volunteers and girls to meet, it was our Girl Scout Merchandise Shop--we liked to call it "The Beehive," and of course, it held all of our O'ahu executive offices.

Did you know...

• Rose Lum-Lung, Girl Scout from 1917-1918Girl Scouts and their leaders were true channels of service for their country. In 1941 Central Union Church Parish Hall was a canteen where Girl Scouts served meals on a twenty-four hour basis to Boy Scouts and leaders who were assisting in nearby areas that had been bombed during the attack on Pearl Harbor.
• The original island Girl Scouts wore uniforms consisting of all white or khaki.
• Troop Two nicknamed themselves after a flower, calling themselves the "Hibiscus girls," similar to how Juliette Gordon Low was also known as "Daisy."