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Lou Henry Hoover
Girl Scout
Scholarship in Gardening

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This scholarship was announced by it's founders - the Women's National Farm and Gardening Association in the fall of 1930. Named in honor of Mrs. Henry Hoover, the First Lady and longtime Girl Scout advocate & volunteer. The $1,000 scholarship was originally to cover the complete cost of 2 years of tuition and maintenance at the School of Horticulture for Women in Ambler, PA.

Gardening clubs raised funds for the scholarship. At one time the Women's National Farm and Gardening Association had a stated goal of an endowment of $10,000 for the continuation of the scholarship, but no information was found on whether or not they met their goal.

This scholarship was only awarded to one Girl Scout every two years. Applications were only accepted every two years. Applicants had to be between the ages of 17 and 21, have a high school diploma or equivalent, 3 years of active service in a Girl Scout troop, be a First Class Girl Scout, have the recommendation of their troop captain and local council and apply by June 1.

Through the years the amount of $1,000 for a 2-year program didn't change, but was later listed as only being able to cover tuition. By 1968, the winner of the scholarship only got $500 as a freshman at the Ambler Campus, but would need to prove her performance was "meritorious" to get the second year's amount. By 1984 the winner could invest her time in studies leading to an associate in science degree in horticulture or landscaping.

1984 is the last information I have found on this scholarship. Ambler Campus is part of Temple University and has an active horticultural studies program, but no Lou Henry Hoover Girl Scout Scholarship in Gardening is listed in their scholarship programs. However, some online "scholarship aid" websites list this one, and that it's up to $2,000 (renewable) and applicants must have earned the Gold Award.

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Daphne Savage
Born North Carolina
Won while in Norfolk, VA
1st
winner
1931-1932
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As shown left, Daphne wore her Girl Scout uniform for her for her senior picture, and amazingly - her signature is there. She was only 16 when she won the scholarship!  Because it was the first year, maybe the rules weren't written in stone yet.

  •  1940 Federal Census, she is working as a Field Director for the Girl Scouts in Rochester, NY. Her highest level of education was 4 years of college. She was single and born in North Carolina.

  • 1941 - While working in the Girl Scout office with 3 other directors,  a thief entered and stole 2 purses. She ran after the thief, but slipped on the ice and was unable to catch him.

  • 1941 - Assistant Camp Director of Camp Beech-Wood of Sodus Point, Lake Ontario.

  • 1945 - District Secretary

  • 1947 -  District Director

  • 1949 - Assistant Executive Director of the Rochester and Monroe County Council of Girl Scouts

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2nd
winner
1933-1934
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Gladys Hilda Baumann
Scranton, PA

Gladys worked with her father Carl's landscape architecture business for a few years. She is listed in the city directory of Scranton as a horticulturalist until 1942. She married, moved to New Orleans, LA and died in 1996.

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3rd
winner
1935-1936
Betsy Atwood, Seattle, WA
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Not much coverage of Lucille Hall's win for the 1937-38 term
4th winner 
1937-1938


5th
winner
1939-1941

 
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Barbara Brown, Oceanside, NY
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6th
winner
1942-1943

Ruth M Aselin, Roselle Park, NJ

After this, winners were not announced in the newspapers, except occasionally.
 
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Janice Hemmer, of Hewitt, NJ
was the 12th winner, 1954-1955
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16th winner
1963-1965

Nancy Bullock 
Towanda, PA

She lost all her belongings when a fire destroyed her dormitory, but as a Girl Scout, I'm sure she handled it and continued on.
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