By Kim Henry, Program Director
“Make new friends, but keep the old. One is silver, the other is gold.
A circle is round, it has no end. That’s how long, I will be your friend…
Across the land, across the sea. Friend forever, we will always be.”
This quoted Girl Scout friendship song is a classic – perhaps you are even humming along now. Well, here at Girl Scouts – NC Coastal Pines, we know that songs have been a treasured part of Girl Scouting since the beginning. Girl Scouts use songs to start meetings, to fill time transitioning from one activity to the next, and to close a special ceremony or troop meeting.
Anyone who grew up as a Girl Scout usually remembers a favorite song of two from their childhood. I can vividly remember a meeting years ago when I was a Girl Scout Brownie. I can still picture the school cafeteria where we met. I remember that I had been upset earlier about something, but then, when we closed the meeting my feelings all changed. Our troop gathering in our closing friendship circle and started singing and acting out “Alice the Camel.” Who can stay upset after a few rounds of that song??
Anne Smith from Girl Scout Troop #394 shared some of her beloved song memories:
“I’ve been a Girl Scout since 1978. Girl Scouting has always been a big part of my life. My mom was a Girl Scout. I am a Girl Scout. Both of my daughters are Girl Scouts. The happiest memories for me have been the songs. I remember romping around Camp Apasus as a 7-year-old singing the songs my mom taught me. I grew up in a different council so the songs we sing here are variations of the songs that I learned as a child.”
One of our favorite songs to kick off a Brownie troop meeting is the Brownie Smile Song. It’s a short and simple song that reminds the girls to have fun. Sometimes during a meeting you just need to get the wiggles out!
Girls Scouts have a never ending supply of silly songs. Check these out for your next Girl Scout gathering!
And what better time to sing Make New Friends or TAPS (in ASL) when you close your troop meeting with a friendship circle! And here’s a great Song Leading mini-workshop from Girl Scout University. For more ideas ask your sister Girl Scouts young and old, and remember to have fun!
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