The Belva Lockwood Patch

Calling All Girl Scouts! Earn the Belva Lockwood Fun Patch!

We’re thrilled to join forces with the Girl Scouts of NYPENN Pathways on a special adventure! Together, we’re launching the Belva Lockwood Fun Patch program, designed to inspire future leaders by exploring the remarkable life of lawyer, politician, and social reformer Belva Lockwood.

Who was Belva Lockwood?

A trailblazer for justice and equality, Belva Lockwood defied convention. A lawyer, politician, and social reformer, she championed causes that resonate deeply to this day. This program delves into her remarkable life, exploring the issues she bravely fought for, including her historic bid to become the first woman President of the United States – not once, but twice.

What will you do?

The Belva Lockwood Fun Patch Program offers a variety of activities that cater to different age groups. You can:

  • Unravel Belva’s story: Research Belva’s life, the women’s suffrage movement, and the fight for equal rights. Additionally, explore the historic Belva Lockwood Inn, once a female seminary (school for girls) she owned. Here, young women defied societal norms by learning math, science, physical education, and public speaking – subjects rarely offered to females at the time.
  • Express yourself creatively: Design campaign materials, create a time capsule, or organize a debate.
  • Get hands-on: Troops visiting the Belva Lockwood Inn can participate in activities like mock trials, suffrage sash making, and historical scavenger hunts (optional).

There’s something for everyone!

No matter your age or interests, there’s a way for you to participate in the Belva Lockwood Fun Patch Program.

Ready to get started?

Check out the program requirements for your age level and dive into the world of Belva Lockwood! Once you’ve completed the requirements, contact Brie Woods, owner of the Belva Lockwood Inn, to schedule a day visit and earn your patch in person, or have it mailed to you.

Level Requirements:

  • Daisies & Brownies: Complete 4 requirements, including #1.
  • Juniors: Complete 6 requirements, including #1.
  • Cadettes: Complete 8 requirements, including #1.
  • Seniors & Ambassadors: Complete 10 requirements, including #1.

Requirements:

  1. Belva’s Life: List 10 facts about Belva Lockwood’s life.
  2. Belva’s Story: Choose one option:
    • Read a Book: Read one of the following books:
      • Belva Lockwood Wins Her Case by Drollene P. Brown
      • Before the Supreme Court: The Story of Belva Ann Lockwood by Terry Dunnahoo
      • The Girl Who Ran for President by Laura Kerr Nelson
  3. Write a Report: Write a 200-word report about a significant event in Belva Lockwood’s life.
  4. Belva’s Seminary: Learn about the Belva Lockwood Inn in Owego, NY, which Belva owned and operated as a women’s seminary. Sketch or take a picture of the historical marker outside the inn.
  5. Belva’s Portrait: Visit the National Gallery in Washington, DC (in person or online), and find the portrait of Belva Lockwood. Make a list of women who were contemporaries of Belva. Can you search for them in the National Gallery?
  6. Making Precedents: Explain in your own words what Belva Lockwood meant by the quote, “The glory of each generation is to make its own precedents.”
  7. Sharing History: Learn the ” Belva, Dear, Belva, Dear!” song about her presidential campaign and teach it to younger Girl Scouts.
  8. Women’s Roles: Research and describe what a woman’s typical role was in the 1840s and 1850s, and explain why Belva Lockwood objected to this role.
  9. Important Words: Explain the meanings of “temperance” and “women’s suffrage” in your own words.
  10. Campaigning Today: Belva ran for president in 1884 and 1888. If possible, look at pictures of her campaign materials. Design a set of campaign posters, buttons, and slogans that Belva might use if she were running for president today.
  11. Speaking Up: Write and present a 5-minute speech to your troop about the suffrage movement, Belva’s life, a women’s issue you care about, or what you would do as the first female US president.
  12. Belva’s Bicycle: Learn the story of Belva and her special bicycle, and share it with your family or other Girl Scouts.
  13. Belva on a Stamp: Research and find an image of the Belva Ann Lockwood US postage stamp.
  14. Legal Careers: Research the legal profession:
    • What different jobs are available?
    • What education is required for each job?
    • What is the salary range for each job?
    • Is there a significant salary difference between men and women in these professions?
  15. Women in History: Read about at least 3 women who lived during Belva’s time (e.g., Susan B. Anthony, Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Lucretia Mott, Lucy Stone, Carrie C. Catt) OR read about 3 women who were presidential candidates or Supreme Court justices.
  16. National Women’s Hall of Fame: Visit (online or in person) the National Women’s Hall of Fame in Seneca Falls, NY. Look for Belva Lockwood and other important women you know about.
  17. Write a letter: Imagine you are Belva Lockwood and write a letter to a young girl today sharing your experiences and advice.
  18. Organize a debate: Organize a debate within the troop, with girls taking on opposing viewpoints regarding women’s suffrage or another issue Belva championed.

 

Optional Hands-on Activities at the Belva Lockwood Inn

Learning Through Doing: Troops will organize a half-day field trip to the Belva Lockwood Inn and enjoy an age-appropriate hands-on learning experience.  Troops will earn the Belva Lockwood Patch at the end of the day with a short ceremony. (Preliminary requirements met.)

 

  1. Suffrage Sash Making:  Girls will design and create their own sashes with messages related to women’s suffrage or Belva Lockwood’s quotes.
  2. Campaign Button Design:  Girls will design their own campaign buttons promoting Belva’s candidacy or a cause they care about.
  3. Historical Scavenger Hunt: Girls will find hidden clues and/or riddles around the Belva Lockwood Inn related to Belva’s life, the building’s history, or the women’s suffrage movement. The girls can work in teams to solve the clues and learn more about Belva while exploring the Inn.
  4. Mock Trial:  Girl Scouts will be divided into groups and assigned roles in a mock trial related to one of Belva’s legal cases or a fictionalized case highlighting gender inequality. They can prepare opening statements, present arguments, and reach a verdict.
  5. Create a Time Capsule: Gather small items representing the day’s activities and Belva Lockwood’s legacy (photos, quotes, drawings). Encourage the girls to contribute their own items and write short messages about what they learned. Bury the time capsule at the Inn or keep it on display.

Level Requirements:

  • Daisies & Brownies: Complete 4 requirements, including #1.
  • Juniors: Complete 6 requirements, including #1.
  • Cadettes: Complete 8 requirements, including #1.
  • Seniors & Ambassadors: Complete 10 requirements, including #1.

Requirements:

  1. Belva’s Life: List 10 facts about Belva Lockwood’s life.
  2. Belva’s Story: Choose one option:
    • Read a Book: Read one of the following books:
      • Belva Lockwood Wins Her Case by Drollene P. Brown
      • Before the Supreme Court: The Story of Belva Ann Lockwood by Terry Dunnahoo
      • The Girl Who Ran for President by Laura Kerr Nelson
  3. Write a Report: Write a 200-word report about a significant event in Belva Lockwood’s life.
  4. Belva’s Seminary: Learn about the Belva Lockwood Inn in Owego, NY, which Belva owned and operated as a women’s seminary. Sketch or take a picture of the historical marker outside the inn.
  5. Belva’s Portrait: Visit the National Gallery in Washington, DC (in person or online), and find the portrait of Belva Lockwood. Make a list of women who were contemporaries of Belva. Can you search for them in the National Gallery?
  6. Making Precedents: Explain in your own words what Belva Lockwood meant by the quote, “The glory of each generation is to make its own precedents.”
  7. Sharing History: Learn the ” Belva, Dear, Belva, Dear!” song about her presidential campaign and teach it to younger Girl Scouts.
  8. Women’s Roles: Research and describe what a woman’s typical role was in the 1840s and 1850s, and explain why Belva Lockwood objected to this role.
  9. Important Words: Explain the meanings of “temperance” and “women’s suffrage” in your own words.
  10. Campaigning Today: Belva ran for president in 1884 and 1888. If possible, look at pictures of her campaign materials. Design a set of campaign posters, buttons, and slogans that Belva might use if she were running for president today.
  11. Speaking Up: Write and present a 5-minute speech to your troop about the suffrage movement, Belva’s life, a women’s issue you care about, or what you would do as the first female US president.
  12. Belva’s Bicycle: Learn the story of Belva and her special bicycle, and share it with your family or other Girl Scouts.
  13. Belva on a Stamp: Research and find an image of the Belva Ann Lockwood US postage stamp.
  14. Legal Careers: Research the legal profession:
    • What different jobs are available?
    • What education is required for each job?
    • What is the salary range for each job?
    • Is there a significant salary difference between men and women in these professions?
  15. Women in History: Read about at least 3 women who lived during Belva’s time (e.g., Susan B. Anthony, Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Lucretia Mott, Lucy Stone, Carrie C. Catt) OR read about 3 women who were presidential candidates or Supreme Court justices.
  16. National Women’s Hall of Fame: Visit (online or in person) the National Women’s Hall of Fame in Seneca Falls, NY. Look for Belva Lockwood and other important women you know about.
  17. Write a letter: Imagine you are Belva Lockwood and write a letter to a young girl today sharing your experiences and advice.
  18. Organize a debate: Organize a debate within the troop, with girls taking on opposing viewpoints regarding women’s suffrage or another issue Belva championed.

 

Optional Hands-on Activities at the Belva Lockwood Inn

Learning Through Doing: Troops will organize a half-day field trip to the Belva Lockwood Inn and enjoy an age-appropriate hands-on learning experience.  Troops will earn the Belva Lockwood Patch at the end of the day with a short ceremony. (Preliminary requirements met.)

  1. Suffrage Sash Making:  Girls will design and create their own sashes with messages related to women’s suffrage or Belva Lockwood’s quotes.
  2. Campaign Button Design:  Girls will design their own campaign buttons promoting Belva’s candidacy or a cause they care about.
  3. Historical Scavenger Hunt: Girls will find hidden clues and/or riddles around the Belva Lockwood Inn related to Belva’s life, the building’s history, or the women’s suffrage movement. The girls can work in teams to solve the clues and learn more about Belva while exploring the Inn.
  4. Mock Trial:  Girl Scouts will be divided into groups and assigned roles in a mock trial related to one of Belva’s legal cases or a fictionalized case highlighting gender inequality. They can prepare opening statements, present arguments, and reach a verdict.
  5. Create a Time Capsule: Gather small items representing the day’s activities and Belva Lockwood’s legacy (photos, quotes, drawings). Encourage the girls to contribute their own items and write short messages about what they learned. Bury the time capsule at the Inn or keep it on display.