American Legion Auxiliary - East Palo Alto Unit #472


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Girls State History

National History of Girls State and Girls Nation Programs Sponsored by the American Legion Auxiliary

Back in the depression ridden days of the early 1930s, The American Legion grew concerned over public statements to the effect that Democracy was on the skids. How, it wondered, could America train its young people in the process of self-government as effectively as Fascist Italy and Nazi Germany seemed to be training their youth groups in the promulgation of totalitarian forms of government. Deciding that the best way to learn something was by practicing it, American Legionnaires began, in 1935, to gather teenage representative high schools together for a few days each summer in a citizenship training program on the processes of city and state government. They called it Boys State.

As this program succeeded and spread throughout the United States, the American Legion Auxiliary began providing similar opportunities for girls of high school age. Thus Girls State was founded. The first Girls State was conducted in 1938 and since 1948 has been a regular part of the Auxiliary's better citizenship programs. By 1984, Girls State sessions were held in all 50 states.

Girls Nation, the youth citizenship program in the processes of federal government to which Girls States send two senators each, is an annual climax to the Girls State program and has been held in the Nations' Capital for one week each summer since 1947.

Girls State is staffed by American Legion Auxiliary members who volunteer their time and effort to this enterprise. Its administrative costs are defrayed by their Department (state) organizations. All costs for Girls Nation, including transportation, are financed by the American Legion Auxiliary's national organization. Delegates to Girls State are selected with the help of their high school principals on the basis of potential leadership qualities and must be between their Junior and Senior years in high school to qualify. Through these programs, it is estimated that each summer the American Legion Auxiliary is adding 19,000 girls trained in the processes of government to a group that by the end of 2006 will total about 1,103,000.

A Brief Look at California Girls State History

In 1940, the dream of California Girls State became a reality. It was at an Interim Board Meeting of the Auxiliary that Girls State was proposed. Earliest pioneers who helped to create this program include Ruth Mathebat, Muriel Wright, Mary Ann Holt, and others. It was unanimously accepted, visitation at Grant Union High School finalized the plans, and the first Girls State was held June 22-29, 1940.

The 1940 session saw 125 girls in attendance, a $15.00 fee per girl, and a $500.00 working budget for the entire week. The session had only two counties and 4 cities. After the 1941 session, Girls State was in recess due to the war years 1942-1945. It was back in full force in 1946.

The 1950's brought a new location for Girls State. It was moved to California Junior High, Sacramento. The attendance was over 300 girls and the fee per girl was $60.00. It was enlarged to 4 counties and 12 cities. If Girls State was to admit there was ever a bad session it would have to be the 1957 session held at UC Davis. Almost the entire staff and citizens were stricken with the Asian flu. Unfortunately, the flu took its toll on the girls and staff, regretfully losing the Director Ruth Mathebat two weeks after the session.

The 1960's began at the UC Davis campus and had 500 plus girls in attendance. It was now up to our current 4 counties and 16 cities.

With the rise in costs, during the 1970's was a move to Squaw Valley for Girls State. Such a beautiful setting for such a beautiful program! 1971 to 1974 we were at Squaw Valley and these had to be our "Sound of Music" years. The Valley was sold to developers and so we moved again - back home to Sacramento, with 1975 being the first session held on the Sacramento State campus. The fee is now up to $150 per girl and there were 560 girls in attendance.

The 1980s found Girls State adding more instructional parts to the program: school boards, courts system, planning commissions. The limit on the number of girls who could attend was set at 540, assuring Girls State is a quality not quantity program like so many other programs we know. The fee per girl to attend was $250. Due to work being done at Sacramento State campus, in 1988 we moved to Fresno State campus Fresno treated us nicely, and the move helped us to appreciate Sacramento. We were glad to return home to Sacramento State in 1989.

The 1990s included the 50th Anniversary and two more moves. The 1992 session was held at Sonoma State University in Rohnert Park. For the 1993 session the fee was increased to $275, still limiting the number of girls to 540. For the first time in the history of Girls State, the session was moved to Southern California in order to reduce the costs of transportation. At the time, there were a minimum of ten buses used to transport girls from the south to the session. The planners believed that moving the session to the south would reduce the necessary buses to six, thus reducing costs. The 1995 session was held on the campus of Claremont College, a cluster of colleges. The first year session used Pitzer and Harvey Mudd campuses. The following sessions were held at Pitzer and Claremont-McKenna campuses. The number of girls remained at 540 and the fee at $275.

The session continued to use Pitzer and Claremont-McKenna campuses. The fee was $300 per girl and transportation costs continued to be a topic of conversation with the planners. The program continued to grow and adapt to meet the current challenges of our government.

For the 2006 Girls State Session, the program is moving to Fresno State University.

California Girls State has had over 26,500 girls in attendance thus far in its history. Future leaders of California and the United States are born here at Girls State. With deepest appreciation we wish to thank and recognize the accomplishments of the American Legion Auxiliary - without you, Girls State is nothing!

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