The Democratic banner. (Mt. Vernon, Ohio) 1898-192?, 1917-10-09
FARMERS WIVES
HELP RED CROSS
Franklin (Pa.) Chapter Furnishes
Model for Other Towns.
WOMEN DO HELPFUL WORK
Chapter Headquarters Becomes Meet.
ing Place for Farmers Wives When
In Town--Extension Service Takes
Red Cross Activities to Rural Com
muntics in Surrounding Country.

How Red Cross chapter can be
made servlccable to farmers and farm
crs' wives has been studied with per-
hnps greater success by the Red cross
chapter at Franklin, Pa, than by any
others. What this small town chapter,
in the heart of the farming regions
of western Pennsylvania, hns done Is
model of what can be accomplished
in agricultural counties elsewhere.
The women of Franklin chapter,
who were eager to extend the chap-
ter membership to the surrounding
country, inaugurated an extension
service. This service began work by
making the chapter workroom into
rest and waiting room and let IL pe
known that farmers wives could use
the Red Cross headquarters as u meet
ing place when they were In town.
Many country women therefore feit
themselves welcome at the chapter
room and began to ask questions about
the Red Cross work.
Besides this more or less casual way
of interesting women who availeu
themselves of headquarters hospital
ity, the extension service of Franklin
chapter inserted advertisements IN
the local papers. The advertisement
announced that the extension service
of the Franklin chapter was ut the
disposal of anybody who wished to Or
ganze Red Cross work in his or her
locality. Leaders of the extension
service have IL policy which places the
responsibility for starting Red Cross
work on local people. The service
waits until its help is asked for.
How They Help.
First the farmers wife, who has
/ been used to sewing for the ladies'
| nId society or for the grange, must
feel a desire to do patriotic Work
! Then, when her group feels the call OF
| national service, she writes to the ex
tension service.
Franklin chapter women then so
usually in groups of three, to speak N
the meeting called by local people
one woman will tell of the cryini
needs Of France, and the reason wh.
the Red Cross commissioner in France
has asked for millions of knitted gar
mcnts to save our army from cold ant
tuberculosis. A second will go Int
details of Red Cross work, and how
an auxiliary can be organized. TIL,
third often merely sits quietly ant
knlts. Example Is one way of explain
ing. The women then talk over th
Red Cross work In nearby communi
ties, the general need of the war, an,
what the town folks have been doing
Whenever the extension servic
hears of Il woman who wanted TO com
to Il rural meeting but was prcvente
because her husband had to have III
team for plowng, they pay specin
call ON her. often they have left he
wool enough 10 knit wrstlets.
One such woman was afterwards re
sponsible for Il branch that numbere
20 members. She was accustomed I
gc to n small town nearby to sell he
rusphcrrics. She took her wrstlet
f and her knitting needles with her, an
talked Red Cross work TO all her Gus
toners. Then they got together an
, began work In earnest.
Given Special instruction.
Often Franklin chapter arrange
evening meetings where the farmer
can accompany their wives. TIL
) MAYOR of Franklin hns spoken 0
:, dozens of such meetings, The NEE
n lngs are often combined with socii
: functions of the nelghborhood. Aft'
the first organizing meeting, FrGnkll