First mate's log:

April 2, 1971

I don't always get to watch the news because of the ferry schedule, so I missed Marcia Brady being interviewed, along with Lucy Winter's older sister Judy, for BITV. It wasn't live but was taped at school and then shown on the six o'clock broadcast. Anyway, the reporter wanted to know their thoughts on Women's Lib. Judy didn't say much, but Marcia said that girls should have the same opportunities as boys. The reporter asked if her brothers put her down because she's a girl, and she said they sure do.

Mary Ann told me about it and she said she agrees with some things about Women's Lib, like being able to run her own business. I know I'd sure miss her diner if she ever sold it or something.


Carol Brady's diary:

April 5, 1971

Marcia was interviewed for the local news, which wanted to know what junior high girls, tomorrow's women, think of Women's Lib. I'm very proud of her for articulately stating her beliefs. As for myself, I have never gone marching for the cause, but I agree with some of it, even though I'm a homemaker rather than a working woman. So I am encouraging Marcia in her wish to join the Frontier Scouts. A troop recently started on the island and Greg has joined, since he loves camping.

It turns out that the Frontier Scouts manual has no rule saying a scout must be male. There's just one saying that they must be junior-high students. Mike is troop leader, so he's letting her join, although he thinks it's a little ridiculous. I know Marcia likes camping, but I think it's more about the principle of the matter.


April 8, 1971

Marcia has applied to join the Frontier Scouts, to make a point about "equality." Greg wanted to show her how silly she looks by himself joining her Sunflower Girls troop (sort of like the Girl Scouts), but you have to be ten to fourteen. So he's making Peter join, but Peter's already thinking about quitting. He hates that he has to sell cookies door to door, wearing part of the uniform (he refuses to wear the skirt), including a hat with a sunflower on it.

As for Marcia, she's going to have to pass the initiation, and her father, the scout master, booked a special trip on the ferry to take himself, Greg, Marcia, and the rest of the troop to another island which is still more of a wilderness than this one.


April 10, 1971

Our two Frontier Scouts, and their scout master, are back from a one-day camping trip on another island. (The Skipper and Gilligan took the whole troop over this morning and then came back for them late this afternoon. I don't know what I'll do when Marcia has an overnight with all those boys, but at least her brother and father will be there.)

Yes, Marcia passed her initiation! She had to pitch a tent, start a fire with rocks, dig a hole, and, hardest of all, follow a trail that Greg blazed. She passed but then passed out in her tent, from exhaustion.

Now Marcia has gone upstairs to freshen up for this evening's initiation ceremony. Cindy wants to go, since it's a "great day for girlkind," as Jan put it, but the ceremony is for the troop only.


April 13, 1971

Cindy told me about a "scary" magic act they had at school. She was enjoying it until there was a trick with a lady disappearing from the cabinet. Cindy ran out of the auditorium crying and now she's afraid to sleep with the lights out.

Her parents tried to tell her that magic isn't real, but she's still scared. I talked about when I helped Ginger with a magic act when Cindy was a baby, but she doesn't remember.


April 15, 1971

The elementary school recently hosted a magician as a special treat for the children. Cindy unfortunately developed a fear of the dark and of magic after a "disappearing lady" trick. On the other hand, Peter, who still sort of remembers when the crate of magician's props washed ashore about six years ago, wants to do a magic act for the upcoming school talent show. We've convinced Cindy to be his assistant, in hopes that this will help her get over her fears.

I should mention that Marcia quit the Frontier Scouts, having only wanted to prove a point about equality but not really caring about camping and such to do it regularly.


April 18, 1971

Cindy, even though she's afraid of magic, was going to help Peter audition his new magic act for the school talent show, since he was so nice about protecting her from Buddy Hinton and in some ways is her favorite brother. She and Bobby play together the most, but he played a mean trick on her. Well, I don't think he was trying to be mean. He said he just thought it would be funny to disappear when Peter was demonstrating his magic cabinet. Bobby just hid in the jungle for awhile, but Cindy thought he was gone for good.

Jan told me about this, because she's now going to be Peter's assistant, and she feels bad for both Cindy and Peter, and she's mad at Bobby. I decided not to mention all the pranks Jan was pulling for awhile. Instead, I suggested that maybe she should pretend to twist her ankle right before the audition, and then call home to see if maybe Cindy will help Peter after all.

Jan called me sneaky but maybe she'll do it for a good cause. And I remember Cindy faking a sprained ankle when she didn't know who to invite to her fairy princess play, and Jan is at least as sneaky as her little sister.


April 20, 1971

Well, Bobby played a trick during a magic trick and scared Cindy, who didn't want to be Peter's assistant anymore. But Jan twisted her ankle during Gym class, and Cindy agreed to conquer her fears and help Peter at the audition after all. And since he passed, she'll assist him during the talent show, too. Alice made both kids capes, and she let out Cindy's old fairy princess costume. Mike bought Peter a magician's tuxedo, as well as most of the magic tricks. He even built the cabinet, so I'm glad all that money and effort wasn't wasted. Plus, it's nice to see the kids support each other, even if Bobby was a little stinker.