IRVINGTON — The Bona Thompson Center, 5350 University Ave., will host a special reception celebrating the 100th anniversary of Girl Scouts in Indianapolis on Sat., March 24 from 1 to 4 p.m. Troop #1 began in 1917 with 20 Irvington girls meeting in the home of Mrs. Anna Marie Ridge, 23 S. Johnson. The troop became official in 1918, when it registered with the National Girl Scout organization.
Troop #1 was not the first troop in Indiana, Crothersville and Brownstown both formed troops shortly after Juliette Gordon Low established the first troop in 1912, but the idea caught fire in Indianapolis. In two years there were 25 Indianapolis troops with 500 members.
During the buildup to the U.S. entry into the war, there was a great deal of activity by private citizens supporting the WWI troops. Newspaper articles talk of many fundraising efforts for the Red Cross and Lucile Ridge’s photo album includes pictures of soldiers at Fort Benjamin Harrison. At a single showing of a silent movie at the Irving Theater, the Girl Scouts raised $40 (worth $800 in today’s dollars). Yet, the group played a part in the social lives of the Scout with dances and garden parties.
The Irvington Historical Society received records about that initial troop, complete with addresses. This allowed us to learn more about these young women. They ranged in age from 12 to 17. The leaders were Anna Ridge and Anna Daily Mendel. They were white yet ethnically and religiously diverse. They lived within walking distance of each other and probably all attended the Irvington School, later IPS #57. A third of them went on to college at Butler, graduating between 1924 and 1927.
The exhibit at the Bona Thompson offers vintage Girl Scout and Brownie uniforms and memorabilia. It includes pictures of members of that first troop and other troops who were associated with the Presbyterian, Methodist, Catholic and Christian churches here in Irvington. There will also be a showing of the original 1918 Girl Scout silent movie, The Golden Eaglet, which Troop #1 used as a fundraiser. The new CEO of Girl Scouts of Central Indiana, Danielle Shockey, will visit the reception. The Scouts from Our Lady of Lourdes helped research the original troop members, baking cookies from the original Scout recipe and will be helping hostess during the reception.
The event is free.
