Ipswich High School - Tiger Yearbook (Ipswich, MA)

Page 30 text:

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

Page 29 text:

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

Page 31 text:

year the Red Cross spent over $20,000,- 000. Most of this money was used on aid for Britain. True to its neutral principle the American Red Cross cabled to Germany and asked what she needed. Germany answered that she needed nothing and has not since been asked. For most of us, however, it is both a comforting and an inspiring thought to know that whenever there is a disaster we shall find, alleviating the pain of victims and rebuilding that which is destroyed, that “band of mercy” of which Henri Dunant once fondly dreamed, “The Red Cross.” AMERICAN YOUTH IN THE PRESENT WORLD By Barbara Chapman H OW can the young people of Ameri- ca help to preserve their country and the principles of democracy? This is a vital question im the minds of those in the many graduating classes through- out America. Youth’s job has always been to prepare itself for the heritage given over by its elders, aptly to fit itself to assume the responsibility given over by the preceding generation. To maintain self-support, to take over an increasing share in the government of our country, to work for better social conditions, in short to foster and pro- mote the principles and truths of democ- racy, — to learn these is the fundamental duty of every American youth and has been since the country was founded. We trust that American youth will respond to that call as it has always responded. But in these days of crisis and confusion at home and chaos a - broad, are there not added burdens and duties which youth must shoulder? We are told we must help to preserve de- mocracy. The smug days, when we believed that democracy which we learned about from our first history books had proved its worth and that its privileges had been permantly won, are over, for us as well as for those of maturer years. We realize, now, along with you that these privileges can never be won except at the price of eternal vigilance and sacrifice. The question is what can we as young people do about it. In modern times youth is never asked about the sacrifice. That is de- manded as a matter of course. We have got to be assured, however, that the cause for which we lay down our lives, if necessary, is worth the sacrifice. In this regard we need to clarify our ideas about democracy and restate our atti- tudes toward it. America was formed as a Democratic nation, a government in which all people were to have equal rights. How- ever, democracy is much more than a form of government! It is a way of life or, as Brooks Atkinson says, “men living together with mutual respect for a common destiny.” Youth, therefore, has to face the responsibility of preserv- ing a way of life as well as a political system. 29