Juliette Gordon Low: Founder of the Girl Scouts

On Wednesday, May 9 at 7:00 pm at Bernardsville Public Library, Living History Presenter Carol Simon Levin will give a performance portraying Juliette Gordon Low (“Crazy Daisy”), the intrepid founder of the Girl Scouts. Low (1860–1927) was an unpredictable, eccentric, nearly-deaf, fun-loving, transatlantic socialite who founded an inclusive movement that has empowered millions of American girls.

A meeting in 1912 with Sir Robert Baden-Powell, the founder of Boy Scouts, inspired Low to establish Girl Scouts that same year. Telephoning a cousin from her home, she announced, "I've got something for the girls of Savannah, and all of America, and all the world, and we're going to start it tonight!" From that first gathering of a small troop of 18 culturally and ethnically diverse girls, Low broke the conventions of the time—reaching across class, cultural, and ethnic boundaries to ensure all girls, including those with so-called disabilities, had a place to grow and develop their leadership skills. The group is now 2.6 million strong—1.8 million girls and 800,000 adults.

Ms. Simon Levin, a “living history” presenter, specializes in bringing to life the lost stories of fascinating and forgotten women. Carol Simon Levin is a Youth Services Librarian, author, storyteller and program presenter based in Bridgewater, NJ. She has always been particularly fascinated by women’s history. Whether she is impersonating the woman who helped to build the Brooklyn Bridge, telling the amazing stories of early women in aviation, expanding on the mathematical and artistic possibilities of a simple square, or sharing the story of a dolphin who learned to swim with an artificial tail, she always strives to create exciting programs that engage her audience’s interests and expand their horizons. She is a member of the New Jersey Storytelling Guild, the New Jersey Library Association, and the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators.

There is no charge to attend the program, but advance sign-up is requested, but not required. Register online at www.bernardsvillelibrary.org and follow the link from Adult Programs, or call the library at 908-766-0118 to sign up.