SCOUTING FOR GIRLS 
7 
She feels, too, a special responsibility toward the very 
old, who represent what she may be, some day ; toward 
the little children, who remind her of what she used to be ; 
toward the very poor and the unfortunate, either of 
which she may be any day. The sick and helpless she 
has been, as a Scout, especially trained to help, and she is 
proud of her handiness and knowledge in this way. 
V. A Girl Scout Is Courteous 
This means that it is not enough for women to be help- 
ful in this world ; they must do it pleasantly. The great- 
est service is received more gratefully if it is rendered 
graciously. The reason for this is that true courtesy is 
not an affected mannerism, but a sign of real considera- 
tion for the rights of others, a very simple proof that 
you are anxious to “do as you would be done by.” It 
is society’s way of playing fair and giving everybody 
a chance. In the same way, a gentle voice and manner 
are very fair proofs of a gentle nature; the quiet, self- 
controlled person is not only mistress of herself, but in 
the end, of all the others who cannot control themselves. 
And just as our great statesman, Benjamin Franklin, 
proved that “honesty is the best policy,” so many a suc- 
cessful woman has proved that a pleasant, tactful man- 
ner is one of the most valuable assets a girl can possess, 
and should be practised steadily. At home, at school, 
in the office and in the world in general, the girl with the 
courteous manner and pleasant voice rises quickly in 
popularity and power above other girls of equal talent 
but less politeness. Girl Scouts lay great stress on this, 
because, though no girl can make herself beautiful, and 
no girl can learn to be clever, any girl can learn to be 
polite. 
