The Girl Scout Cookies had their earliest beginnings in the kitchens and ovens of our girl members, with mothers volunteering as technical advisers. The sale of cookies was a way to finance troop activities began as early as 1917, five years earlier Juliette Gordon Low started Girl Scouting in the United States. The earliest mention of a cookie sale found to date was that of the Muskogee, Oklahoma, which baked cookies and sold them in its high school cafeteria as a service project in December 1917.
In the 1920's and 1930;s, they still baked their own sugar cookies with their mothers. These cookies were packaged in wax paper bags with a sticker, and sold door to door for 25 to 35 cents per dozen. The ingredients for baking six to seven dozen cookies was estimated to cost 26 to 36 cents at this time.
In 1936, Girl Scout organization began the process to license the first commercial baker to produce cokies that would be sold by girls in Girl Scout counsels. By 1937 more than 125 Girl Scout councils reported holding cookie sales, because the enthusiasm had spread nationwide for the cookies. The cookies were sold annually until WW2 when sugar, flour and butter became scarce, so they sold Girl Scout calendar's to make money.
By 1951 the cookies came in three varieties, sandwich, shortbread and chocolate mint (which is now known as thin mints). In 1956 the baby boom expanded Girl Scout membership and sales.. Also in 1956 licensed bakers began wrapping the cookies in printed aluminum foil or cellophane to protect the cookies and preserve the freshness.
In 1978 the Girl Scouts of America supplied the bakers with a standard cookie package layout and pictures. For the first time in their history all Girl Scout cookie boxes featured the same designs and depicted scenes of Girl Scouts in action, including hiking and canoeing.
In 2008, 15 year old Jennifer Sharpe from Dearborn, Michigan sold 17,328 boxes of cookies, setting a new record for her troop and possibly an all time record. Now a days the price for a box of Girl Scout cookies is $3.50 .
Girl Scouts is a familiar part of American culture for almost a century. Girl Scouts enthusiastic support from their family has helped ensure the success of Girl Scout cookies and activities. The sale of cookies has helped Girl Scouts have fun, develop valuable life skills and make the world a better place by helping suporting Girl Scouting in their communities.
This will help all of us understand what the Girl Scouts efforts have done for us and us for them. We all have a favorite Girl Scout cookie. Maybe you have had a little Girl Scout in your life and reading this will bring back memories and also understand what a big part she is in such a large organization. God bless them and may they prosper forever.
In the 1920's and 1930;s, they still baked their own sugar cookies with their mothers. These cookies were packaged in wax paper bags with a sticker, and sold door to door for 25 to 35 cents per dozen. The ingredients for baking six to seven dozen cookies was estimated to cost 26 to 36 cents at this time.
In 1936, Girl Scout organization began the process to license the first commercial baker to produce cokies that would be sold by girls in Girl Scout counsels. By 1937 more than 125 Girl Scout councils reported holding cookie sales, because the enthusiasm had spread nationwide for the cookies. The cookies were sold annually until WW2 when sugar, flour and butter became scarce, so they sold Girl Scout calendar's to make money.
By 1951 the cookies came in three varieties, sandwich, shortbread and chocolate mint (which is now known as thin mints). In 1956 the baby boom expanded Girl Scout membership and sales.. Also in 1956 licensed bakers began wrapping the cookies in printed aluminum foil or cellophane to protect the cookies and preserve the freshness.
In 1978 the Girl Scouts of America supplied the bakers with a standard cookie package layout and pictures. For the first time in their history all Girl Scout cookie boxes featured the same designs and depicted scenes of Girl Scouts in action, including hiking and canoeing.
In 2008, 15 year old Jennifer Sharpe from Dearborn, Michigan sold 17,328 boxes of cookies, setting a new record for her troop and possibly an all time record. Now a days the price for a box of Girl Scout cookies is $3.50 .
Girl Scouts is a familiar part of American culture for almost a century. Girl Scouts enthusiastic support from their family has helped ensure the success of Girl Scout cookies and activities. The sale of cookies has helped Girl Scouts have fun, develop valuable life skills and make the world a better place by helping suporting Girl Scouting in their communities.
This will help all of us understand what the Girl Scouts efforts have done for us and us for them. We all have a favorite Girl Scout cookie. Maybe you have had a little Girl Scout in your life and reading this will bring back memories and also understand what a big part she is in such a large organization. God bless them and may they prosper forever.
10 comments:
I was a Cub Scout Den Mother for my boys and let my younger daughter tag along. Finally she was old enough to join the brownies. She attended a few meetings then announced that she liked boy scouts best. LOL The thin mints are our favorite girl scout cookie.
This is another excellent post Margaret, the sort I love to read, full of information.
Hope you are well.
Have a good week.
Yvonne.
coming from a different country(India)..i really dont know much about girl scout cookies...so its good info for me..what we have here is National Cadet Core(NCC), which is engaged in scouts and other activities for the youth and its run by the armed forces.
you can check out their link - http://nccindia.nic.in/
Oh do I have some fond memories of my scouting days. Fabulous post Margaret and thin mints are my fave. Living way out here off the beaten path no little girl scouts ever ring my doorbell. :(
Thank you Margaret for calling by, much appreciated, as for putting myself with my book on my blog I can't very well blow my own trumpet.
Take care.
Yvonne,
Very interesting, Margaret! Makes me think that I need to pick up my girl scout cookies from my sister at some point. We always buy them long distance and then pick them up some months later. Still good as always.
Have a nice week. Hope Spring is making its way there for you.
Linda
I never knew the history. Thanks Margaret. How interesting. I sold many a box of cookies in my younger days, and now my granddaughter sells them. Unbelievable how the price has jumped, but then again hasn't everything.
B.
We did just buy a box of Girl Scout cookies a couple of weeks ago. What timing, Margaret! Thank you for this history.
Hi Margaret ~~ Interesting post about the girl scouts and the history of the cookies
they baked over the years. But how the price has gone up. But then wages have too.
I also loved the previous post of very Interesting Facts. That was great.
I am enjoying the TV in the kitchen and not burning food, as you say, it is too expensive Sorry your grand-daughter has to
deal with rude people at the deli.
I am glad you enjoyed the jokes and stories. Take care, my friend, Love, Merle
Hello Margaret,
Excellent post packed with information.
In India we don't have an organization like this.America has been in the forefront of many things very useful for the development of individuals and community at large.
I enjoyed reading this interesting post.
Joseph
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