Girl Scouts: A Study of Entrepreneurship
April 12, 2010
by Kathryn Ciano
|The opinions expressed herein are those of the author, and not necessarily those of The New Agenda.
Girl Scout cookies, arguably the most delicious American delight, represent an equally delightful history of feminism.
Just a few years after the Girl Scouts tradition launched, troops began selling cookies to finance their endeavor. In 1922 the official Scouts magazine, The American Girl, published a recipe. Girls baked their own wares, and sales followed the girls who baked the best cookies.
During the butter and sugar rationing that came with World War II, young women sold calendars instead of cookies to keep their troops alive. Thus began a tradition of entrepreneurship, rather than baking expertise. When the War ended, cookies returned. In 1948, 29 American bakeries provided cookies for Scouts to sell.
Every year Girl Scouts find new methods and venues for selling their cookies. In the 1950′s the rise of the suburbs meant that girls resorted to hawking cookies in malls rather than knocking on neighbors’ doors. Thus the evolution of Girl Scout traditions traces not only social evolution, but also changing cultural mores. Through learning subtle changes in social norms, Scouting prepares girls to become adults sensitive to what society expects and, indeed, what the neighbors will buy.
Similarly the 1970′s proved another decade full of lessons for young women. With the rise of government intervention came Scouts’ understanding of economic strategy. In the late 70′s the Scouts limited bakeries licensed to bake Girl Scout cookies to only four. The Scouts’ rationale for this business decision was to “ensure lower prices and uniform quality, packaging, and distribution.”
In the 1990′s the Girl Scouts again honed the business end of their enterprise, focusing even further on saleswomanship rather than niceties, by cutting the number of licensed distributors again, this time to only two. Cookie varieties swelled to eight, including new low-fat and sugar-free options to reflect the tastes of the times.
This year Girl Scouts responded to recession sensibilities by shrinking box sizes on three cookie varieties. In these tough economic times, the thinking goes, Americans hardly need the extra centimeter of cookie goodness Scouts permitted in a more expansive era.
Indeed, economics lessons are only part of the benefit to salesmanship through cookie lore: cookie sales also expose American Girls to marketing and a debate that would pass them by were it not for the Do-Si-Do culture. This year Girl Scouts discover the Internet Age and negotiation with the growing intervention of Big Scouts.
When Girl Scouts attempted to sell cookies via YouTube, Girl Scouts headquarters cracked the whip on internet sales, while permitting “marketing” online unrelated to individualized sales. On its website, Girl Scouts formally bans Internet sales because “[t]he safety of our girls is always our chief concern.” Also, “Girl Scout Cookie activities are designed to be face-to-face learning experiences for the girls.”
Headquarters preserves the notion that girls should have to approach and learn to get along with neighbors in order to sell cookies. Disparaging Internet interaction makes sense for a group responsible for the well-being of very young women, while protecting them from evolving mores can only last so long.
Girl Scout cookie sales have long traced social development and, indeed, provide a microcosmic illustration for evolving feminism itself. This year while enjoying your frozen Thin Mints — the undisputed Queen of cookies — thank the Girl Scouts for teaching young women about entrepreneurship and social grace. Most of all, thank goodness that the evolving sense of womanhood allows young ladies to learn both social skills and salesmanship, all while promoting an annual learning tradition American cookie monsters have grown to love.
One question. Do you know to what extent the average Girl Scout has a say or participate in what cookies are sold or discontinued? Just curious.
I only see Girl Scouts selling in front of stores these days. The adult with them usually handles the entire transaction and I rarely get a thank you from the child. I wonder how many Girl Scouts actually enjoy selling cookies.
Let’s not forget Camp Fire Girls. “Camp Fire Girls was the first nonsectarian, multicultural organization for girls in America. It was founded on March 17, 1910. Camp Fire Girls was created as the sister organization to the Boy Scouts of America.” I was one and had to go door to door selling mints (in the suburbs in the 60′s). I handled the entire transaction while my mother waited in the street.
I have been a member of the Girl Scouts for over 40 years and have sold or helped girls sell thousands of boxes of Girl Scout cookies. Our favorite venues for selling our cookies were at our town’s annual meeting where buying a box of cookies that you opened and shared with your neighbors got you a free cup of coffee or on a Saturday morning at the dump. I personally have sold cookies from the operating table while awaiting anesthesia to take hold. Unfortunately, today’s culture makes it difficult to send children out unaccompanied to sell door-to-door like we used to do when I was a child, but leaders today try to find safe venues where the girls can be the salespeople, which is why so many choose malls and grocery stores.
If you’d like to make your own “original” GS cookies:
1 cup butter
1 cup sugar plus additional amount for topping (optional)
2 eggs
2 tablespoons milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups flour
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons baking powder
Cream butter and the cup of sugar; add well-beaten eggs, then milk, vanilla, flour, salt, and baking powder. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour. Roll dough, cut into trefoil shapes, and sprinkle sugar on top, if desired. Bake in a quick oven (375°) for approximately 8 to 10 minutes or until the edges begin to brown. Makes six- to seven-dozen cookies.
Patti,
I was a Campfire Girl too up until 7th grade. Our troop was about 7 girls from when we were Bluebirds up until Jr. High. I remember selling the mints too. My favorite memory was when my father tied my scarf around my neck when we were moving up to be full fledged Campfire Girls. What great friends I had with that organization. Many happy memories.
Thanks for the recipe, samanthasmom. I hope they don’t send the Girl Scout Police after you! They better not, considering your long and dedicated service.
Optixmom, that’s a sweet memory. It was a lot of fun. I never was a Bluebird. How’d I manage that? I’m thinking it was due to my age (I started in the 5th grade).
Great article, Kathryn. I have such fond memories of being a Girl Scout and it was nice to read your article about the business end of it. Yes, it’s hard to sell cookies door to door these days but a neighbor of mine accompanies his daughter while she goes door to door. He stands away while he allows his daughter to take care of the whole transaction: the sales pitch, the math, the money exchange, the social graces, etc. It is indeed wonderful experience!
I also credit my being a Girl Scout with my relative saviness in the wilderness. While my husband has no idea how to set up a tent, start a fire, cook outdoors, etc. I know how to do these things! And I find it quite cool that I can naturally jump in and be the leader in these situations and teach others. My daughter is just two now but I really hope to be a Girl Scout Leader some day.
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