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Pioneer Girls

In the early days, their "brother organization" was the Christian Service Brigade

Started: 1939 as the Girls' Guild

Name Change - 1941

The Christian centered Pioneer Girls Club began in 1939 in Illinois and was called the Girls Guild. This group was for girls of all ages and had four ranks; Royal Helper, Royal Maiden, Royal Lady and Royal Princess. They could earn badges in four fields; outdoor, nature, music and hostess. The program was the sister-program of the all-boy Christian Service Brigade.

 

In 1941 the program's name was changed to Pioneer Girls and the program was revamped. Girls under the age of 10 were Pilgrims and could earn a star and two badges; music and nature. Girls 11 and older were Pathfinder, Homesteader and Harvester ranks. Generally speaking girls 15 and older were considered Explorers, but at this time it was not a rank.

Later the Pioneer Girls had 3 age levels; Pilgrims, Colonists and Explorers, and in 1974 there were 5 age levels.

Through the years the program continued to grow and change.

 

Finally the Pioneer Girls and the Christian Service Brigade merged to become the Pioneer Clubs and continues today.

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Early Years

Pin is a log cabin house

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Although Pioneer Girls in high school weren't an official rank yet, they did have their own embroidered emblem and were called Explorers.

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In 1959, Moody Press released Pioneer Girls adventure books by Bernard and Marjorie Palmer, followed by others:

  1. Pioneer Girls and the Strange Adventure on Tomahawk Hill - 1959

  2. Pioneer Girls at Caribou Flats - 1959

  3. Pioneer Girls and the Mystery of the Missing Cocker - 1959

  4. Pioneer Girls and the Mystery of the Oak Hill Mansion - 1959

  5. Pioneer Girls and the Secret of the Jungle - 1962

  6. Pioneer Girls and the Mysterious Bedouin Cave - 1963

  7. Pioneer Girls and the Dutch Mill Mystery - 1968

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1963 - Changes in the program;

Pilgrims and Colonists become 2 separate programs and the

Explorer program is officially added

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Pilgrims were now sub-divided into 2 groups; 3-4th graders and 5-6 graders. 

Pilgrim badges continued as words embroidered in red on blue fabric.

 

Badge list for all Pilgrims: Book, Citizenship, Handcraft, Kitchencraft, Loyalty, Nature, New Life, Outdoor, Pets, Safety, Sewcraft, Song, Water, Advanced Water

Badge List for 5th and 6th grade Pilgrims: Advanced Kitchencraft, Air Riflery - Marksman, Air Riflery - Sharpshooter, Bible, Campcraft, Collections, Drawing, Games, Garden, Hiker, Home Care, Intermediate Swimming, Memorization, Missions, Naturecraft, Nature Exploration, Sightseeing

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Colonist: In addition to a new rank and new badges, there were also now "group badges", to be earned in a group setting.

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Explorers - The new rank of Explorer was added in 1963, and was for girls in high school. However, the term Explorer had been part of Pioneer Girls from the early days.

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1974 - Changes in the program

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n 1974 the Pioneer Girls program changed it's program age levels:

  •  Voyager (2nd grade)

  •  Lavalier (3rd, 4th grade)

  •  Trailblazer (5th-7th grade)

  •  Shikari (7th-9th grade)

  •  Explorer (9th-12th grade).

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During this time, Pioneer Girl badges were round, blue embroidery on yellow fabric. Examples;

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1963 era Pioneer Girls Explorer Jacket

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Pioneer Girls

Charm

Pioneer Girls Ring

Pioneer Girls Bracelet

Pioneer Girls Songbooks, the purple one is 1972

The Slender Thread

Stories of the Pioneer Girls' First 25 years

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Pioneer Girls Wagon Pin

All summer camps for Pioneer Girls' were named Camp Cherith

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1981 - Pioneer Girls becomes Pioneer Ministries, also known as Pioneer Clubs, and completes an evolution to co-ed

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