It’s that time of the year when all the troops are rallying — Girl Scout troops, that is.

Nowadays there is quite an array of scout troop hierarchy, all falling under Girl Scouts. It used to just be Brownies and regular ol’ Girl Scouts with those brown and green uniforms, respectively. There were troops. They met at what used to be called the Youth Center in Fair Haven, at churches sometimes, and often at the nursery school on the Episcopal church property that was knocked down to make way for homes a few years ago.

The youngest ones in the 1960s were the Brownies. Now there are troops of Daisies. Then, when you earned it and reached a certain age, you graduated to Girl Scouts. Oh, there were meetings, singing, snacks, pledges and learning skills to earn pins, badges, patches and awards. And there were leaders, fearless moms, spearheading it all, including keeping a gaggle of girls happy on any given afternoon troop meeting, camping trip or outing.

But, it all started with those Brownies. What an outfit. Brown, with those troop number patches, orange ties and little berets that usually got tossed off wiggly little girls.

Memories of scouting in the 1960s are vague, but all good for most, except Judy Russell, who ate acorns at camp in some bold experiment of her own and got sick all weekend. Somehow that was indelible for all her troop mates … and her, too, we’re certain. Poor Judy.

But the good was golden. So, here’s a look back at a happy little troop of Brownies in the 1960s. Do you remember which troop it was? Recognize anyone? Judy is in this pic. They just may have been on a trip all set to sing “Make new friends, but keep the old. One is silver and the other’s gold.” Well, they made friends, and many of these girls are friends to this day.

How about those scout songs? What was your favorite? Remember the pledge? Anyone?