6 options
Growing girls : the natural origins of girls' organizations in America / Susan A. Miller.
- Format:
- Book
- Author/Creator:
- Miller, Susan A., 1961-
- Series:
- Rutgers series in childhood studies.
- The Rutgers series in childhood studies
- Language:
- English
- Subjects (All):
- Girls--United States--History--20th century.
- Girls.
- Girl Scouts of the United States of America--History.
- Girl Scouts of the United States of America.
- Camp Fire Girls--History.
- Camp Fire Girls.
- Physical Description:
- 1 online resource (x, 270 pages) : illustrations
- Edition:
- 1st ed.
- Place of Publication:
- New Brunswick, N.J. : Rutgers University Press, c2007.
- Language Note:
- English
- Summary:
- In the early years of the twentieth century, Americans began to recognize adolescence as a developmental phase distinct from both childhood and adulthood. This awareness, however, came fraught with anxiety about the debilitating effects of modern life on adolescents of both sexes. For boys, competitive sports as well as "primitive" outdoor activities offered by fledging organizations such as the Boy Scouts would enable them to combat the effeminacy of an overly civilized society. But for girls, the remedy wasn't quite so clear. Surprisingly, the "girl problem"?a crisis caused by the transition from a sheltered, family-centered Victorian childhood to modern adolescence where self-control and a strong democratic spirit were required of reliable citizens?was also solved by way of traditionally masculine, adventurous, outdoor activities, as practiced by the Girl Scouts, the Camp Fire Girls, and many other similar organizations. Susan A. Miller explores these girls' organizations that sprung up in the first half of the twentieth century from a socio-historical perspective, showing how the notions of uniform identity, civic duty, "primitive domesticity," and fitness shaped the formation of the modern girl.
- Contents:
- Introduction: What is the matter with Jane?
- Fashioning girls' identity
- Mobilizing girl soldiers
- The landscape of camp
- Naturecraft
- Homecraft
- Healthcraft
- Epilogue: A tale of two girls.
- Notes:
- Description based upon print version of record.
- Includes bibliographical references (p. 255-263) and index.
- ISBN:
- 0-8135-4156-5
- OCLC:
- 476125073
The Penn Libraries is committed to describing library materials using current, accurate, and responsible language. If you discover outdated or inaccurate language, please fill out this feedback form to report it and suggest alternative language.