Ipswich High School - Tiger Yearbook (Ipswich, MA)

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signed the treaty, and the American Red Cross was formed with Clara Bar- ton at its head. Although the Red Cross had been started for the purpose of aiding wound- ed soldiers at the battle front, gradually it widened its scope. It aided the vic- tims of the Michigan forest fires. It worked during the flood seasons with the people living in the valleys of the Ohio and the Mississippi. Perhaps its greatest contribution to the cause of humanity was in 1906 at the time of the great San Francisco earthquake and fire. A year before the San Francisco dis- aster Theodore Roosevelt had approved a charter that established the Red Cross as the American National Red Cross and placed it under government super- vision. The president of the United States is now always the president of the Red Cross. The United States, however, has never yet passed any laws regulating Red Cross work. The real test of the strength of the Red Cross came during the world war. The Red Cross remained absolutely neutral, and wounded soldiers of all nations were cared for alike. All the nations promised to recognize the red cross as a symbol of mercy, and am- bulances carrying this sign could not be fired upon. Although there were numerous reports circulated during the war that the sign was deliberately fired upon and that, in some cases, the flag was being used as a screen by enemies with hostile intentions, they were never proved and are decidedly open to doubt. The Red Cross proved its worth. Not only did it send thousands of nurses, but it also established hospitals and ambulance companies. Women at home, under Red Cross supervision, made rolls of bandages. Red Cross canteen women followed the soldiers to the front. Food and clothes were sent to seven- ty-two prison camps in enemy terri- tory. After the war the Red Cross cared for the wounded veterans and their families. In speaking of the Red Cross, we should not leave out the Junior Red Cross which President Wilson organ- ized in 1917. This organization has now spread all over the world. These junior societies learn how to live health- ily and how to accept civic responsibil- ity. I need not tell any more of the his- tory of the Red Cross. Its heroic deeds are well known by everyone. We know that in time of flood, fire, drought, or storm, the Red Cross is always ready to serve. It has on its roll the names of many efficient social workers who will help in time of need, and thousands of well-trained nurses ready to volunteer their services. Its local societies are kept busy making surgical dressings, hospital supplies, and knitted garments. The Red Cross is not, as many people believe, international. Each of its fifty national organizations is in- dependent although they meet together 21

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cannot overemphasize the importance of this cooperation and loyalty among the American people, for in order for the nation to survive, the ideals of de- mocracy must be preserved. We have a solemn duty to live up to the ideals which have made the past history of this nation so glorious. May nothing happen through our timidity or un- worthiness to mar its future. THE AMERICAN RED CROSS By Charlotte Lindgren I N all parts of the world today, in America and war torn Europe can be seen that symbol of mercy, the red cross. During times of peace and times of war the Red Cross continues its work. Now when so many countries are engaged in warfare and the safety of so many others is menaced, the Red Cross is be- coming of even greater importance as it always becomes whenever there is a lo- cal or national crisis. The Red Cross has been in existence only a little over sixty years, but in that space of time it has served millions of lives. Whether the danger lies in floods, fire, or war, the Red Cross is always ready to serve. The idea of the Red Cross was first conceived by Henri Dunant, a young Swiss, who was travelling in Italy dur- ing the battle of Solferino. The battle had raged furiously until finally the French army forced the Austrians to retreat. After the battle thousands of men were dying for lack of proper nurs- ing. Dunant organized a group of peasant women to care for the wound- ed, and although they hesitated to care for their enemies, Dunant insisted that the wounded of both sides be treated equally. He did a magnificent piece of work at Solferino, but he did not stop there. After leaving Italy he wrote a book “The Souvenir of Solferino”, which was translated into several langu- ages. In it he stated his plan of having a neutral band of people ready to serve the wounded of all nations. In 1863 sixteen countries met at an international conference in Geneva, Switzerland, to formulate a plan. They decided to honor Switzerland by adopting (for their symbol) the Swiss flag with its colors reversed. Since that time there has been but one objection to using the symbol of the red cross. Mohammedan Turkey, because of the religious signi- ficance of the cross refused to use it. The organization goes under the sign and by the name of “The Red Crescent” in Turkey, Egypt, and part of Russia. Since America was busily engaged in the Civil War at the time of the forma- tion of the Red Cross, she refused to meddle in what she considered foreign affairs. Clara Barton had received recog- nition for her nursing during the Civil War, and at the outbreak of the Franco- Prussian War she was asked if she would aid the Red Cross. After the war she tried to convince the United States that it should join such a worthy organization. Finally in 1882 America 26

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every few years at international confer- ences. There is also an international committee at Geneva that arranges for meetings of the Red Cross organizations of different countries. People who wish to help in Red Cross activities can do various types of work, for today the Red Cross covers a large range of activi- ties. One of the most important depart- ments of the Red Cross is the nursing service. Only the highest trained nurses are allowed to become Red Cross work- ers. If a red cross nurse dies, her rela- tives must return her badge to head- quarters unless the nurse wishes to have it buried with her, for no one except a regular red cross nurse is allowed to possess a red cross badge. If the nurse is physically able, she must promise to serve in times of em ergency. In America, today, ships are arriving con- taining hundreds of refugees, many of whom are ill. These refugee ships are met by red cross nurses and each per- son is examined. Sixty cases of dysen- tery were found on one ship recently docked in New York. Another very necessary part of the Red Cross work is its First Aid Classes. When improper help is given to people injured by accident, more harm is done than good. Realizing this, the Red Cross is trying to instruct people in the correct manner of caring for the injured. Even more important is the effort made by the organization to pre- vent accidents. Every school child to- day is familiar with the Red Cross check list that reminds people of the many hazards to be found at home and on the farm. It is also necessary to send workers trained in First Aid to Britain. There are no anesthetics in many of the improvised hospitals that have been set up, and there are more people ill than can be handled by regular doctors and nurses. Of course caring for disabled veterans is still one of the main purposes of the Red Cross. The Red Cross started its home service during the World War. It cared for the dependents of wounded World War veterans and helped these veterans to make out their claims for disability. Then the Red Cross began transcribing books into braille. New hope was given to blind veterans. Braille, for the most part, is transcribed by hand for it is too expensive to do by machine. Today, all over America, men and women volunteers are copying books into braille to enable blind soldiers to have more extensive reading. There is no question in our minds as to the greatness of names prominent in Red Cross work. The names of Henri Dunant, Florence Nightingale, and Clara Barton are familiar to us all. Sometimes, however, we fail to appre- ciate all that the Red Cross is doing today. A call has recently gone out for more volunteer blood donors to give transfusions so that the blood plasma could be sent to England to save the lives of war victims. During the past 28