In Leslie Paris’ thoroughly researched and fascinating book on the rise of the American summer camp -Children’s Nature – she refers to the Golden Eaglet: The Story of a Girl Scout as the first of the “more polished and ambitious promotional camp films.”
Ambitious, indeed. At just under 20 minutes, the film promotes the benefits of a Girl Scout summer camp experience through slow-moving footage of girls hiking, marching, swimming and practicing semaphore and a narrative that shows the fictional Margaret transformed through her camp experience from bored town girl to model citizen.
If you make it through the first part above, click HERE to watch as the plot thickens in part two.
