A Guide to the San Antonio Area Council of Girl Scouts Records, 1926-2000

Historical Note

In 1924, Mrs. A. F. Leifeld made the initial contact with the National Headquarters regarding the formation of the Bexar County Council of Girl Scouts. The organization was created after a meeting in the Menger Hotel in San Antonio attended by interested citizens and Miss Pauline Wherry, a representative of Girl Scouts of the U.S.A. At this time there were four Girl Scout troops in San Antonio, the minimum number required for the organization of a council. The council of Girl Scouts was formed to provide a supportive environment for its members to increase their self-awareness, improve relations with others, develop meaningful values and contribute to the betterment of society. The name changed in 1949 to San Antonio & Bexar County Council of Girl Scouts. In 1966 the council became know by its current name, the San Antonio Area Council of Girl Scouts, and expanded its jurisdiction to include the counties of Kerr, Atascosa, Bandera, Frio, Kendall, Medina and Wilson.

Starting in 1926 summer camps were held in the Texas cities of New Braunfels, Boerne, Bandera and Comfort. The first permanent camps were not created until the late 1940's. Camp La Jita (Utopia, Texas) was created in 1947 after Mr. and Mrs. John F. Camp donated the land to the Area Council. In 1949, Camp Mira Sol (Waring, Texas) was purchased with the help of public donations for use as a camp for African-American girls, the first such camp in the Southwest. In 1952 Camp Cookie (Helotes, Texas) was purchased from that year's cookie sale profits. The property of Norma Friedrich Ward was willed to the council in 1971, and used for the creation of an activity center, which opened the following year. In 1982 Camp Mira Sol closed and later reopened as KIDS (Kids With Individual Differences) Camp. This became the first residential camp in the San Antonio area without restrictions on girls and boys with mental or physical disabilities.

The San Antonio Area Council of Girl Scouts’ early headquarters was located in the Houston Building at 6146 Garfield. In 1957 the headquarters moved into the historic Groos Home at 335 King William Street, which was purchased with cookie sale funds. The new headquarters was renamed Martha Manor in honor of Mrs. John C. Camp’s granddaughter. Amid considerable resistance from some members, Martha Manor was sold in 1981. In 1984 the headquarters was moved to 10433 Gulfdale, its current location.

The San Antonio Council of Girl Scouts caters to girls aged seven to seventeen, and includes several annual events in their program. Rallies are held every year in an attempt to increase membership and establish positive public relations with the community. These rallies usually include educational seminars attended by the girls and their parents. During the annual Fiesta holiday in San Antonio, local troops produce floats for competition in the Shoe Box Floats Parade and participate in a pilgrimage to the Alamo. During the annual charity event, Helping Hands Day, members collect items door-to-door to benefit the Salvation Army Adult Rehabilitation Center of San Antonio.

Various administrative changes occurred within the Area Council during the 1980's, due in part to major transitions within the national Girl Scouts Organization. Nationally, council policies and procedures were examined and changed to accommodate existing Affirmative Action regulations and a more corporate-oriented system. These actions in turn caused similar changes in the local council. As of 2001, the San Antonio Area Council of Girl Scouts continues to grow.

Scope and Content Note

The records of the San Antonio Area Council of Girl Scouts document the organization through correspondence, minutes, reports, photographs, scrapbooks and printed materials. The materials present a complete picture of administrative activities carried out by board and committee members. In this respect, the records show major changes that occurred within the organization over time. The collection is strong in offering information on the Area Council’s programs and activities, which include events in San Antonio and camp activities in the surrounding area. The bulk of the events covered occurred from the 1970’s to 1990’s. A number of the events in San Antonio were concerned with public outreach and with raising awareness of the organization within the community. Also present are details of the organization’s properties acquired over the years through purchase and bequests. The collection is separated into five series: Administrative Records, Committees, Printed Materials, Scrapbooks and Photographic and Sound Materials.

Administrative Records document the everyday operation of the organization. These materials identify the organizational transitions of the Area Council throughout its history. The Committees series contains records produced by various council committees, which report directly to the Board of Directors. Committees are concerned with specific functions of the council such as budgeting and staffing, and with organizing camp activities and other events such as the annual cookie sale. Newsletters represent the bulk of Printed Materials. The most complete run is Scout About, covering the years 1948-1990. The rest of the newsletters tend to be specialized for a particular age group, and represented by no more than a few years each. The Scrapbooks document various activities of the council from soon after it’s founding in 1924 until 1990. The decades between the 1950s and 1980s are best represented. Most of the materials contained in the scrapbooks are local newspaper clippings, but also include programs, photographs and ephemera. While the bulk of the materials document local council events, there is some coverage of council participation in national events. The Photographic and Sound Materials contain photographs of council publicity shots, staff and officers and annual meetings, most of which date from the 1940’s and 1950’s. Also present are slides of the 1983 Round Up, a local picnic event for members and their families, and other undated slides of assorted activities.

Restrictions

Access Restrictions

Researchers are required to wear gloves provided by the Archives when reviewing photographic materials.

Use Restrictions

Permission to publish from San Antonio Area Council of Girl Scouts Records must be obtained from the UTSA Library, Archives.

Administrative Information

Preferred Citation

San Antonio Area Council of Girl Scouts, 1926-2000, MS 80, Archives and Special Collections, University of Texas at San Antonio Library.

Acquisition Information

All the materials in this collection were donated by San Antonio Area Council of Girl Scouts in 1999 (Acc. #1999-002, 1999-006, 1999-028).

Processing Information

Processed by Dale Sauter, Processing Archivist, February 2001.

Detailed Description of the Collection