St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1917-05-02
RED CROSS WORK.
Directions for Organization In Report
Read BY Mrs. Bigelow At Local
Meeting.

meeting of the Red Cross at Burling-
| ton was read by Mrs. Florence Bige-
low at the meeting of the local society
at the Arnory Tuesday. 1t gives the
plans of work agreed upon at Bur
| lington.
| Delegates from branches represent
ing more than 5000 members of the
| Red Cross were in attendance at the
meeting held in Burlington last week
In the morning the executive commit
tee met for the purpose of re- organic
ing the chapter. and in the afternoon
presented the following recomm enda-
tons which were adopted by the dele
gates:
| l. That the Vermont chapter shall
consist of branches and auxiliaries
composed of mem bers of the Ameri-
can Red Cross as provided in the
resolution of the chapter adopted at
the annual meeting November 8. 1916.
2. The jurisdiction of the, chapter
| shall be the limits of the State of Yer
mont
8. The rules and regulations of the
American National Red Cross shall
govern the Vermont chapter.
4. The annual meeting of the
chapter shall be held in the first week
Of the chapter. $50
5. There shall be an executive
committee composed of the officers
and five or more members which shall
conduct the business of the chapter.
This committee shall meet monthly.
g.. There shall be a chapter council
composed of chapter officers execu-
| tive committee and one member from
and designated by each branch Of the
chapter, and the council shall meet
twice a year, once in May and on the
day of the annual meeting of the
chapter. The duties Of the council
shall be to make such recommended
| tons to the chapter as it deems best
for the best interests and welfare of
the Red Cross work.
(The executive committee has au-
thority to increase ITS m EN- berShip
and fill all vacancies.)
These nominees, which were made,
were elected in the afternoon: Chair
man, Redfeld Proctor of Proctor;
vice chairman, William w. Stickney
Of Ludlow: secretary, H. S. Howard of
burlington; treasurer, H. T. Rutter of
Burlington; executive committee, c. S.
Emery of Newport, Dr.. E. G. Twitchell
of Burlington, Miss Bertha Cary of
Proctor, Mrs. J. J Estey of Brattle-
boro, and Mrs. I. L. Reeves of North
field. f.
The old state boards, which former
~ existed, are now abolished in all
states, including Vermont, said Mr..
Nutter in his afternoon address.
Afternoon Meeting.
The afternoon meeting was opened
by Hon. Redfield Proctor, who in
troduced Mr.. Nutter. The latter ex-
planned the forms or organization of
the Chapter and the Branch. There
can be only one Chapter in the state,
but there may be a Branch wherever
there are enough people to organize
one. Besides these two units there
are two forms of auxiliary, the auxil-
larry to the Chapter and the auxiliary
at large Each branch should have
three committees, finance, member
ship and publicity. Mr.. Nutter thought
a man should be at the head of each
of these committees. Instruction in
Red Cross nursing should include
home nursing, first aid, dietetics, sur
| gical nursing and sanitary detachment
At the head of the last named there
| should be a physician.
The growth Of the Red Cross has
been large over many parts of New
England. Mr.. Nutter told how in
Brunswick, Me-, 3 per cent of the
population has joined. Providence
and Newport, R. l., are other com
munities that have made large in.
creases. Membership campaigns are
contemplated, though not yet decided
| in To
Vermont, directed from division head
quarters.
Surgical dressings, said Mr. Nutter
are no longer needed for our army
| but they are required abroad as usual
During the past year 10000 dressings
were shipped abroad by the Rec
Cross alone. The speaker advised the
| delegates that the Red Cross was g
symbol which could not be worn by
any but Red Cross nurses, ETC., ano
with one exception was the symbo
exclusively of the organizations. I
was illegal as well as against the rule:
of the Red Cross for those not au.
thorized to use the symbol.
Mr.. Nutter said the fact to keep ii
mind was that the Red Cross did ne
1 charitable or philanthropic work, bu
i a work of preparedness for emergen.
cies either civil or military, like feed
i ing. clothing, housing, etc. He spok,
/ enthusiastically of the work of Elliot
/ Wadsworth as executive. He describ
ed the two departments of work, mill
tary and civil. In the former Their,
were now 25 base hospitals, nearly al
of them completely equipped with 50t
beds each and all other necessary ar
ticles Under the former department
the selling of Red Cross seals was al
4 important feature. From 1905-15 tn
Red Cross received and distribute,
Sic, 100000. The relief afforded il
times of peace in large disasters lik,
the San Francisco earthquake an,
Ohio floods was the big work durin;
peace. fee Eayse @
He found there were four common
public fallacies regarding the natur
of the Red Cross organizations: First
that it was an organization solely 70
women. when, as q matter of fact,
was designed for both sexes. fifty
fifty; second. that it was an organiza
ton for nurses; third, that an oblga
ton to serve as in war time was in
voIved; fourth, that dues go abroad
No dues go abroad, there is no obIiga
ton to serve in the ranks of the so
ciety in peace or war, and anybod
~