Timeline

1864

First Girls Club opens its doors in Waterbury, Connecticut.

1895–1936

A number of girls clubs are formed throughout the northeast.

1936

Dora Dodge, Executive Director in Worcester, Massachusetts, calls the first regional conference, seven people attend from Worcester, Pittsfield, and Springfield, Massachusets.

1945

Girls Clubs of America (now Girls Inc) is founded by 19 Charter Girls Clubs on May 18, 1945 in Springfield, Massachusetts. Total assets of the fledgling organization are $72.64, and its headquarters is the guestroom of the founding president, Rachel Harris Johnson of Worcester.

1952

First national award established: “Young Homemaker of the Year”

1953

Mrs. Mamie Eisenhower agrees to become the first honorary chair. Each First Lady has since accepted this honorary position with the organization.

1955

10th Anniversary of organization is celebrated at National Conference in Washington, DC.

1959

Reader's Digest National Career Key Scholarship Awards established. The professional association of Girls Clubs of America is created to raise professional standards and ensure the professional growth of staff within the organization.

1967

The first in a series of eight “Fit for Life” institutes prepares 576 instructors to teach fitness in their local Girls Incorporated affiliates.

1970

The organization celebrates its 25th anniversary with the announcement of a $ 1 million grant from DeWitt Wallace, founding editor of Reader's Digest.

1972

First national TV spot airs, giving the organization a boost of visibility.

1974

Girls Incorporated is called upon to testify at congressional hearings on behalf of girls in juvenile justice and youth employment.

1977

The office of Juvenile Justice and Deliquency Prevention presents a three-year, $1 million project grant, the first step toward nationally developed programs. Donna Brace Ogilvie, a national board member since 1964, is named chair of the board.

1978

The “Today's Girls, Tomorrow's Women” conference at Wingspread brings together eminent scholars, educators and leaders to explore girls' issues.

1981

With generous grants from the Fleischman Foundation and Lilly Endowment, the Girls Incorporated National Resource Center opens its doors in Indianapolis, Indiana. The nation's largest research facility dedicated to girls' issues becomes the research foundation of Girls Incorporated programs.

1982

The first “What Do We Know About Girls?” seminar is held in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

1983

Girls Incorporated adopts its first set of national policy statements.

1984

Work begins on Operation Smart, a career- awareness and skills-development program in science, math and relevant technology, Preventing Adolescent Pregnancy, a four-part program to help girls, and young women avoid early pregnancy, and Sporting Chance, a national sports program for girls.

1985

The organization celebrates its 40th anniversary with a National Conference theme: The 37 Cents Solution: Equalizing Girls' Options for Economic Autonomy. Action Agenda for Equalizing Girls' Options is published.

1987

Going Places, a comprehensive overview of the organization's spirit and work, is published to articulate the philosophy, approach, and of Girls Incorporated programming.

1989

Friendly Peersuasion, a substance-abuse prevention program for girls, is introduced.

1990

Organization changes its name to Girls Incorporated. Collaboration begins with YWCA of the U.S.A. to deliver Girls Incorporated programs to girls at YWCAs.

1991

U.S. Representative Pat Shroeder speaks at the release of “Truth, Trust and Technology,” a promising evaluation of the Preventing Adolescent Pregnancy program. National attention follows, establishing Girls Incorporated as an expert on teen pregnancy prevention.

1992

Girls Incorporated Scholars Program is established.

1993

“It's My Party,” a two-day conference for practitioners and policymakers on gender issues in substance-abuse prevention, is held.

1994

Girls Incorporated establishes a training department.

1995

Girls Incorporated celebrates its 50th anniversary as a national organization; Strong, Smart, and Bold for the 21st century.

1996

First Los Angeles Luncheon held.

1998

New York national offices move to new building on Wall Street.

1999

Work begins on Girls Dig It, an Archaeology Program for girls ages 12–14.

2000

The National Council elects first male national board president -Francis X. Burnes III. Girls Inc. announced the appointment of Joyce M. Roché as its new President and Chief Executive Officer.