Women's History Commons^™

Moral Subjects: The Girls' Friendly Society, Empire, And Modern Girlhood In Canada, C.1920s, Marshall Cosens

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

In 1875, Mary Townsend founded the Girls’ Friendly Society (GFS) to reinforce in young girls the qualities of self-control, purity, and their responsibility to become dutiful mothers and wives. By the 1920s, the Society had established itself across the British Empire and promoted imperial unity through emigration, social service, and missionary work. In white, self-governing dominions like Canada, the organization played a pivotal role in shaping young girls through social purity campaigns and educating members about their imperial responsibilities. In the face of rapid social change, the GFS represented a conservative counterattack to shifting definitions of morality, femininity, and womanhood …