History:  The Eau Claire Camp Fire Girls, Eau Claire, WI, 1914

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History of Camp Fire Girls Written in Segments

    The history of Eau Claire Council Camp Fire Girls, can be written in
two segments, beginning in the early 1900's and the late 1940's.
    Camp Fire Girls date back to 1910, when the organization was founded
at South Casko, Me., by Dr. Luther Halsey Gulick as an educational and
recreational program for girls.  It was widely discussed, in the
beginning, in magazines and editorial pages, for its goal to develop
"mainly" women offered a challenge and not a little bit of comment.
    Since the young ladies could hardly go hiking and open-air camping
in ground-dragging, heel-catching hobble skirts and corseted bodices,
the blue serge walking bloomers and white middy blouses became the
official uniform of the pioneer Camp Fire Girl.  This uniform and the
program had attained international status by 1914, and in 1914, came to
Eau Claire.
    Miss Ruth Hass, a doctor's daughter and Misses Cornelia and Kate
Ingraham, sisters, brought up the Camp Fire Girl idea among their circle
of friends, all in their late teens.
    The first Eau Claire Camp Fire Girls were known as the Ojibwas, and
Miss Laura Olsen, long-time city librarian, was their Guardian.  She was
assisted by Mrs. James Cahill, (Cahill was connected with the YMCA).
The girls learned gymnastics and folk dances.  The First and Ninth Ward
Schools and the Community House, First Congregational Church, were early
meeting places and the group's plays were performed at the YMCA.
    Members of the Ojibwas included Minnie Forseth, Hazel Lawrence,
Marie Peterson, Fay Green, Nina Cook, Esther Lund, Lola Johnson,  Amanda
Carlson, Inga Forseth, Helga Kittelson, Frances Timbers and Judith
Hysen.
    The group seemed to lose interest and disbanded in the 1920's, but
was revived in March, 1946, as the Eau Claire Council, Camp Fire Girls,
Ind.,  a group chartered by the national council.  Virginia Bell was
first secretary for the Eau Claire Council.
    Mrs. Donald Skamfer is president administrative secretary, assisted
by Mrs. George Kruger, full time group organizer.  Camp Fire Girl
membership has steadily increased since 1946, and has nearly doubled in
the past six years.  There are more than 500 girls registered in the
program now, with 50 leaders, 50 assistants or sponsors, and 30 combined
board and council members.
    During the past year the Eau Claire Council has increased its
working territory to include the Altoona Consolidated School district.
The move was made following requests from that area, and at present,
second through seventh grade girls have joined the program from Altoona
schools.
    Some of the adults who have dedicated a good number of years service
to the Camp Fire Girls program in Eau Claire include Mr. and Mrs. George
Jevne, Mrs. George Krueger, Edwin Baker and Cecil Beede.  Mrs. Willie
Olson, who teaches in Alaska, and contributes stories to the Hi-Lites
Section of the Eau Claire Leader-Telegram, has been recognized by the
Eau Claire Council as a staunch backer.
    This group will join the national organization as marking March as
birthday month.

--Taken from the Eau Claire Leader / The Daily Telegram, Progress Edition,
1968