All About Thinking Day

(from GUIDESTUFF, February, 1991)

February 22nd: "Happy Birthday!"
BP: "At Your Service" (salute)
Lady BP: (smile and big sweeping curtsey)
Thinking Day: shout it loudly
Guides: "Be Prepared" (Guide sign)
Brownies: "Lend a Hand" (Brownie sign)
World: "Big Round World" (make big circle with hands)
Pennies: (shake container with money inside)

In 1857 BP, Robert Baden-Powell, was born. The date was FEBRUARY 22nd.

In 1889 LADY BP, Olave St. Claire Soames, was born. The date was FEBRUARY 22nd. In 1912 they met on board ship and were married later that same year.

By that time GUIDES had already started in many countries around the WORLD. BROWNIES started soon afterwards.

In 1920 the first WORLD Conference of adults who help GUIDES and BROWNIES was held in England.

In 1926 at the 4th WORLD Conference in the U.S.A. a French lady suggested that the joint birthday, FEBRUARY 22nd, of BP and LADY BP should be celebrated as a special day. What a good idea!

THINKING DAY was celebrated for the firtst time in 1927.

On FEBRUARY 22nd GUIDES and BROWNIES sent greetings to BP and LADY BP and to others GUIDES and BROWNIES all around the WORLD. They had parties, organized ceremonies, prayed for each other and tried to make WORLD Friendship mean somehting.

In 1932, at the 7th WORLD Conference in Poland, a Belgian delegate suggested that every memeber should give a small coin to help poorer GUIDES and BROWNIES. Another good idea! Altogether those THINKING DAY PENNIES would add up to a lot of money that could be used to send trainers and equipment to counties starting GUIDES and BROWNIES, and to help people from those countries travel to other parts of the WORLD.

So teoday is FEBRUARY 22nd and eight and a half million GUIDES and BROWNIES around the WORLD are celebrating the birthdays of our founder BP and LADY BP, and collecting their PENNIES.

And, what do we call this day? THINKING DAY!