Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1918-08-08
This message from the Committee on Nurs-


ing is addressed to all young women Of Amer
ca who are well educated, physically capable
and otherwise able to put their full time and
energy into some definite form of national ser
vice. If you are so equipped, then this mes
sage is addressed to you personally.
We shall assume at the outset that you are
not simply dabbler or sentimental dreamer,
but serious, practical, patriotic girl or woman
sincerely anxious to throw your energies and
your abilities into some form Of work that is
really going to count. Your brothers and
friends have been called into the Army and
Navy and are now getting ready for long
period OF hard and dangerous service for their
country. You are just as eager as they are to
give up your own personal pleasures and pursuits
and accept any of the sacrifices that may be call
ed Tor, but you do not want to squander your
energy and waste your time In futile and I'M
productive forms of effort You want to know
how you can get into real job.
Now there is one form Of national service for
women which seems more nearly the equivalent
of the Army and Navy service and training than
any other. Not only does it provide direct
outlet for patriotic impulses but it is also probab-
ly the most vital and satisfying form of service
which any woman can render in critical times
such as these. 1t is the work of the nurse. She
stands side by side with the fighting forces in
the first line Of defense, and out Of the fearful
waste and havoc of war she saves numberless,
precious lives. She hel ps to protect our men
from the scourge Of disease, which is often more
deadly than bullets. She greatly mitipates the
suffering and horror Of war hospitals and helps
to keep alive the faltering courage and spirit of
wounded and battered men. In all these ways
she actually mulipies the fighting resources Of
her country and helps to stop the exhausting
drain Of its precious lifeblood
But her work does not end here. Back Of
the fighting line is the great body Of industrial
laborers and food producers and other workers
whose services are just as essential TO the sue
cessful issue OF the war as the work Of the sail
ors on the high seas and the soldiers in the
trenches of France. Here also life must be
made safe and health must be conserved par
ticularIy the lives and health Of the children,
who are the future strength Of the Nation. A
large part of this work Of conserving and pro-
tecing human life falls on nurses. In hospitals,
the tenements, In schools and factories, in crowd
ed cities and in lonely pioneer settlements this
army Of women is fighting necessarily reIent-
less battle with disease and death, struggle
which is just as important. though less spectacle
lar, than the work on the firing line in France.
Should ST Mary's fail to furnish her quota
Of ten Of the Student Nurses, the loss in pres
tage to the old county would be serious one,
but we would consider it secondary to the
economic loss suffered by the young women who
miss the wonderful and unusual opportunity
that is offered them.
Every young lady in the county who IS
situated so that she could possibly take up this
work should enroll at once at the Red Cross
Headquarters. Leonardtown, open every Tues
day and Saturday, Of communicate with Mrs
Vim. Meyerell Loker, who is in charge Of the
enrolment and who Can furnish ali information
regarding II. l'rrtainIy Il offers MANY neclliarI