Bee-Hive Girls
The Bee Hive Girls program started in 1913 (after a brief adoption of the Camp Fire Girls program) for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints girls. It was a distinct program with unique awards, lasting many years and like many programs, went through many changes. It was a highly structured program, each month had a special program to follow.
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Bee-Hive
Girls - the early years
Started: 1915 Sponsoring Organization: the YLMIA, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints Membership: age 14 and up only. In 1929: Girls who were 12 were allowed to be Nymphs, and were considered Bee Hive Girls, allowed to wear the pin and uniform, but not work on the ranks. Originally: Bee-Hive Girls (note the hypen) Open to LDS and non-LDS girls Ranks: Builder in the Hive (color:brown), Gather of Honey (blue), Keeper of the Bees (gold) Watchword: Womanho (Wo = work, man = mankind, ho = home) Official colors: brown, light blue and gold Uniform: khaki skirt, middy blouse and blue neck tie or a khaki dress and blue tie. |
Bee-Hive Girl enrollment pin. A girl had to earn the 25 cents to purchase the pin. The pin spelled WOMANHO and MIA. Later pins did not have MIA.  Bee-Hive Girl Promise: On my honor each day I
will
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Sterling Silver Chain
Award, provided to give something of permanent value to the
girls. First sold in segments, later (1921) as a complete
chain. Image from handbook.
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Bee Hive Girl Pin, for girls and leaders, was introduced in 1921. A special silver version was offered during the 25th Anniversary of Bee Hive Girls. |
Bee-Keeper 3-Year Service Pin, discontinued in 1951
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Bee-Keeper 5-year Service Pin, with chain, would be attached to loop on 3-year Service Pin. BHS = Bee-Hive Swarm. A "swarm" is a group of Bee-Hive girls. Discontinued in 1951. |
Bee-Hive Girls from 12th edition handbook. The familiar sash is shown on the left and the girl on the right appears to be wearing a uniform. The hats and sash are azure blue.
1927 brought big changes to the program. The requirements for progression were greatly eased, to be more in line with other girls programs, such as Girl Scouts and Camp Fire Girls.
In 1934 these changes were approved:
Membership: 12,13 and 14 year old girls
Ranks changed to: Builder in the Hive (age 12), Gatherer of Honey (13) and Guardian of the Treasure (14). Honor Bee Hive Girl was the highest honor a girl could earn.
In 1940 Bee-Hive Girls blue sashes had the special Silver Jubilee emblem.
In 1950 the program changed to a 2-years program with 2 ranks; Gatherer (age 12) and Guardian (age 13). Girls who wished to could work on additional honors as Worker Bee and Honor Bee.
After 1951 the rank titles were dropped, and girls were simply first or second year Bee Hive Girls.
Uniform: Azure Blue Sash over a white blouse, dark blue skirt. This was modified later to allow white skirts, as long as all the girls of the group wore the same color skirt.
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This Bee Ring was the highest honor a Bee Hive Girl could earn until the metal shortages of WWII, then a special felt award was introduced. Bee Hive Girls continued to have various charms and pins to earn and wear for many years. In March of 1949 a charm bracelet was introduced, with 7 charms to earn, one for each field of study, plus one charm for Honor Bee. |
Honor Badges from 1943 to 1954 these designs were either discontinued or renamed in 1954.
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  Busy Bee Hive Girl Characters |
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  2 vintage Bee Hive Girl sashes |
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Honor Badges, new names 1954
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Felt emblems of rank: brown bee hive and gold hexagonal cell for a girl just joining, 2 blue violets were awarded after completing "Trial Flights", and the gold Queen Bee awarded at the beginning of the Guardian rank. These were worn on an azure blue felt sash. |
 Individual Girls Award, introduced in the 1960s. |
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The LDS youth program for girls continues to use the Bee Hive term, but not along the very structured trail as the early years. Shown below are some modern fictional tales related to the Bee Hive Girls.
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Bee Hive Girl Handbooks
Early Bee-Hive Girls Handbooks were issued yearly
12th edition, note the hyphen continues, but the YLMIA has changed to YWMIA. This makes this edition 1934 or newer.
1938 Bee-Keepers handbook
late 1940s and early 1950s cover of Bee Hive Girls handbook - note that it says Bee Hive as two separate words, no hyphen.
Various Beehive Girls Handbooks - note that these each say Beehive as one word
