Wing Scouts in Northern California
In 1959, Girl Scout Council in North San Mateo County was presented with an offer from United Airlines San Francisco Management Club President J. L. Burnside to start an aviation program for Senior Girl Scouts.
At that time, the council had been in search of a program that would challenge the interest of Senior Girl Scouts.
- "We felt this high caliber type program assistance merited more than our own local girls, so we invited girls from surrounding councils to join us. This afforaded us the opportunity of working not only with the Central San Mateo County Council with whom were about to merge; but also San Carlos, Redwood City, San Francisco, and Alameda. ... When girls from Fremont, Livermore, Walnut Creak, Pinole, and Sacramento came -- we felt very rewarded; and that our far reaching goals were justified and had been reached. The program received recognition Nationally, in the Leader Magazine. As a result, we received inquires from many Councils, including one from a Council just outside of Washington D.C., concerning our procedure plans."
- --personal recollection
One of the highlights of the Wing Scout program was the courtesy flight provide to Senior Girl Scouts using United Airlines' jets. For many of the girls, this was the first time they had flown in a plane.
The Wing Scout program was not for show, participating girls took it very seriously. As a result of their proficient training and ability, Senior Girl Scouts who had been in the program for three years were given the opportunity to take over the controls during flight in a small aircraft.
The program continued into the 1970s, when it was discontinued after United Airlines experienced financial setbacks.
Read more about this topic: Wing Scout
Famous quotes containing the words wing, scouts, northern and/or california:
“Two such as you with such a master speed
Cannot be parted nor be swept away
From one another once you are agreed
That life is only life forevermore
Together wing to wing and oar to oar.”
—Robert Frost (1874–1963)
“it pleaseth me when I see through the meadows
The tents and pavilions set up, and great joy have I
When I see o’er the campana knights armed and horses arrayed.
And it pleaseth me when the scouts set in flight the folk with
their goods;
And it pleaseth me when I see coming together after them an host of
armed men.”
—Bertrans De Born (fl. 12th century)
“For generations, a wide range of shooting in Northern Ireland has provided all sections of the population with a pastime which ... has occupied a great deal of leisure time. Unlike many other countries, the outstanding characteristic of the sport has been that it was not confined to any one class.”
—Northern Irish Tourist Board. quoted in New Statesman (London, Aug. 29, 1969)
“It shone on everyone, whether they had a contract or not. The most democratic thing I’d ever seen, that California sunshine.”
—Angela Carter (1940–1992)