(Beehive) Girls Just Wanna Have Fun – 1916

In 1916, the Beehive Girls were Latter-day Saint young women ages 14 and 15 (the 12- and 13-year-olds were still in Primary). Older teens, and even the mothers of Beehive Girls, could learn the same skills and earn the same badges of honor, if they chose to.

Beehive Girls from Thatcher, Arizona

In those days, the Beehive program mirrored many of the activities and trappings of the Boy Scouts: as the girls completed requirements for various skills, called “filling cells” (as if with honey) in their lingo, they won hexagonal-shaped badges to sew onto a sash. Those activities included spiritual goals, homemaking skills, camping, competency with tools, development of physical strength and health, animal care, etc. Their range of activities was easily equivalent to the Boy Scout program — with art needlework and childcare added, and with their hikes made in bloomers or skirts.

These pictures from 1916 show the girls engaged in projects to fill cells, proclaiming their pride in the program with parade floats they built themselves, cooking breakfast in the canyons, playing baseball, and sometimes just clowning around for the camera.

Ladies and gentlemen, our grandmothers!

Malad Stake, Idaho

Binghampton Branch, California

Blackfoot, Idaho

Chester, Idaho

Sandy, Utah

Malad Stake, Idaho, at Lava Hot Springs

Pocatello, Idaho

Bingham 2nd Ward, Utah

Logan 7th Ward, Utah

Wayne Stake, Utah

Teton Stake, Idaho

Hyrum Stake, Utah

North Sanpete Stake, Utah

Blackfoot, Idaho

Providence 1st Ward, Utah

Hyrum Stake, Utah

Chester, Idaho

Pella, Idaho

Granite Stake, Utah

Weber County, Utah
(three stakes combined to sponsor float)

Mt. Pleasant, Utah

Ephraim, Utah

Preston, Idaho
(joint “Day of the Troop” Scout and “Day of the Swarm” Beehive Parade,
15 September 1916)

Spring City, Utah

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Cross-posted from Keepapitchinin — click here for comments.

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