In 1937 at the National convention, the American Legion Auxiliary organized Girls State as a national Americanism activity. It is designed to teach young women responsible citizenship and love for God and Country. Since its inception, nearly one million young women, nationwide, have had the opportunity to learn firsthand how their state and local governments work.
Virginia Girls State was organized by Liza Crush in 1947 who was also the first Director. The American Legion Auxiliary sponsors girls from the state who have completed their junior year in high school to attend Virginia Girls State. This interactive program teaches the formation and operation of city, county and state government entities. The participants vote and carry out elected and appointed positions in the Girls State government. The program gives participants the experience of living together as self governing citizens with the privileges, rights and responsibilities of American citizenship, as well as the opportunity to gain knowledge of the American Legion Auxiliary.
From Falmouth, Kate Waller Barrett was a was a prominent Virginia physician, humanitarian, philanthropist, sociologist and social reformer.
Virginia Girls State is comprised of 14 cities, each named after a famous citizen of Virginia. One is named to honor Dr. Kate Waller Barrett of Falmouth, the second National President of the American Legion Auxiliary. She was also Virginia’s first Department President.
The full list of cities and historical relevance:
Barrett – Named for Dr. Kate Waller Barrett, the first Department President of the American Legion Auxiliary and the second National President of the American Legion Auxiliary.
Clark – Named for William Clark, who was chosen by President Thomas Jefferson to explore the Louisiana Territory with Meriwether Lewis.
Crush – Named for Liza Crush, an organizer of the first Virginia Girls State in 1947. She was the first director of Virginia Girls State.
Draper – Named for the wife of John Draper, Bettie Draper, who was captured by the Indians and taken into Indian country. John Draper found her in the Ohio Valley living with the family of an Indian chief. He paid the chief to let him bring her home.
Ingles – Named for Mary Draper Ingles, the wife of William Ingles. She was captured by the Indians along with Mrs. Draper but escaped and found her way back to Draper’s Meadows.
A small outpost in southwest Virginia called Draper’s Meadow, at the present day Blacksburg.
Lewis – Named for Meriwether Lewis, a frontier scout who was chosen by President Thomas Jefferson to explore the Louisiana Territory with William Clark.
Madison – Named for James Madison, the fourth President of the United States.
Monroe – Named for James Monroe, the fifth President of the United States.
Pocahontas – Named for Chief Powhatan’s daughter who saved John Smith and helped Jamestown survive. She later married John Rolfe.
Preston – Named for Colonel James Patton Preston who was the Governor of Virginia from December 1816 to December 1819.
Randolph – Named for Edmund Randolph, Governor of Virginia and delegate to the Constitutional Convention. He was the first Attorney General of the United States.
Pocahontas was a Virginia Indian notable for her association with the colonial settlement at Jamestown.
Tyler – Named for John Tyler, Jr., the tenth President of the United States.
Vance – Named for Verna Vance, the former director of Virginia Girls State from 1977 through 2004. She attended Virginia Girls State as a delegate, representing Churchland High School. Verna Vance dedicated over 50 years of service to Virginia Girls State.
Wilson – Named for Woodrow Wilson, the twenty-eighth President of the United States.
Virginia Girls State is held on the Longwood University campus in Farmville Virginia.
Hundreds of young women from all over Virginia attend this program every year.
