Delicate china, linen fans and hoop skirts were just a few of the items to be seen at Girl Scout Troop 19179’s Victorian Day on Sunday afternoon, April 25, at Cokes Chapel UMC. The nine Junior and Cadette scouts completed two years of preparation for their Bronze and Silver Awards by serving as hosts for the Victorian Day event, which was planned to benefit the foster children program at Coweta County’s DFACS office.
As guests arrived, they were directed by Troop 19179’s Girl Scouts, all dressed in Victorian-era costumes of elegant dresses with hoop skirts, provided through the generosity of Southern Oaks in Fayetteville. Guests began by embellishing linen fans with crystals and beads, decorating wide-brimmed straw hats with tulle, and making ribbon clip-ons for shoes or hair.
The guests then were seated at beautifully-arranged tables complete with tablecloths, fine china settings, and china teapots, creamers and sugar bowls. Three-tiered servers held the traditional array of scones, savories (sandwiches), and sweets. The Troop 19179 girls explained the intricacies of serving guests during the Victorian era, including an explanation of proper manners and tea etiquette.
Following the tea, the girls demonstrated one of the typical formal dances of the time, and taught the steps to the attendees. A professional photographer, Linda Edmonds of Precious Memories studio, took both group and informal photos of the event. As a finale to an enjoyable afternoon, the guests participated in ‘Hide the Slipper,’ one of the popular parlor games of the Victorian era.
“It was fun to help the other girls make their crafts, and watch them learn how Victorian people carried out their tea parties,” said Miranda Bauer, a Junior Scout with Troop 19179.
Haley Barnett, another Troop 19179 Girl Scout, studied the Victorian style of dancing, and helped teach the guests. “My favorite part was teaching everyone the dance for the song,” she explained.
The Troop 19179 girls were inspired to create the Victorian Day event as their service project after experiencing similar activities led by Michelle Cox at Southern Oaks, a historic home in Fayetteville which hosts teas, weddings and receptions, birthday parties, and other special activities. Each summer Southern Oaks runs weekly History Day Camps for children ages 8-12, including a camp just for teenagers.
The Girl Scouts earning the Silver Award were Shelbi Miller and Regina Bauer, and earning the Bronze Award were Haley Barnett, Miranda Bauer, Morgan Carr, Sarah Edmonds, Bailey Maloney, Taylor Morris, and Lindsay Warren.
Troop 19179 is based in Coweta County, Service Unit 610, and is under the umbrella of the Girl Scouts of Greater Atlanta Council.
