Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1918-12-12
Annual Report of the jefferson County
Chapter of the Red Cross.

In July, l6lI tneIe was OikahiL@e "a
auxiliary-at-large Of the American
Red Cross, under the able leadership o.
Miss Lorraine Murphy. At meeting
of those interested in various forms o.
war relief work, it was decided that i
would be best to join the Red Cross, an1
Miss Lorraine Murphy was unanimous
ly elected chairman. A room was ther
secured, and regular meetings held fol
the making of surgical dressings anc
hospital garments. A membership
campaign resulted in the enrolment o.
several hundred members, and a cam
paign for subscriptions to war wori
brought in a considerable sum Of mon
ey. At that time we had not been Ions
enough in the war for the county as
whole to realize what it meant to US
and the contributions came from com
paratively small number of persons
AS time went on, however, and the
drafted men were called, their families
and friends began to feel that they
wanted to help.
In November, 1917. the annual con.
vention Of the Potomac Division Of the
A. R. G. was held in Baltimore, ant
was attended by some Of the member
of the Jefferson County Auxiliary. II
was decided at that convention that il
would be best to have an organized
chapter in each county of the Division
which should be a center for the coun-
ty's work. The director of development
Mr.. David A. Brown, named Charles
Town as the headquarters for Jefferson
county.
To the great regret of all the Red
Cross workers and members, Miss Lor
raine Murphy resigned as chairman as
she was leaving the county for the win
ter, and at a regular meeting Of theme
chapter the following officers were
elected:
Miss Katherine Riddle, chairman
Mrs. F. L. Jordan, vice chairman; w.
o. Norris, treasurer; Mrs. Beltzhoover,
secretary, and an executive committee
consisting of Miss Sallie Powell, Mrs.
Frank Lynch, Mrs. Robert Browse, Mrs.
Geo. B. Shaull; Mrs. James Tabb; Miss
Annie Locke and Mr.. James Grantham
Shepherdstown, which had the first
Red Cross work in the coun-
ty was made branch Of the chapter, as
was also Harper's Ferry. and the fol-
lowing auxiliaries were established
Junction, Middleway, Rip
pom, Kabletown, Leetowp, Summit Point
and Kearneysville.
Also five colored auxiliaries at John
sontown, Kearneysville, Charles Town
Bolivar, Middleway.
The first work of the new chapter
was the Christmas campaign for men,
bers, which added 1,727 to the mem
bership. Under the new propaganda of
the teams engaged in this work the Red
Cross became much better known in the
county, and in many homes the red cross
n the window showed to all who passed
hat the inmates were part of this work.
The demand for relief becoming great
er all the time, the horrible condition
of the refugees from the devastated
the frightful number of cas-
lalties and great loss of life taxed our
resources to the utmost and a call was
sent out for more and better trained
Surgical dressing classes were
formed and Miss Fannie Brady, train
ID instructress, kindly taught them free
,f expense to the chapter. About fifty
workers availed themselves of this
and three instructresses wer,
graduated. Our chapter has been on
he Roll of Honor ever since.
The work of the chapter in making
hospital relief garments has been as
gratifying as in surgical dressings.
As surgical dressings cannot be made
except in an especially equipped room
he various auxiliaries have had 10 de-
yote themselves TO the making of gar
nents as they can be taken into the
homes and there are few country COM
where a surgical dressings
'oom can be supported. Since the first
II January, 1918, We have sent out:
Hospital garments, consisting OF pa
amas and clothing for French ant
Italian children, 7,7l4. Garments for
Belgian sufferers 3,000ibs. Woolen
garments, such as sweaters socks, wrist
cts, and bed comforts 1900. Surgical
dressings, 35,463.
Everyone OF our county boys, as far
is we know, has been furnished with
sweater and comfort kit.
The home service department has
.ried to look after the families Of the
soldiers and many have been visited
and helped.
In the spring of 1918 the drive for
the war fund resulted in the collection
Of S11,757, more than four times our
allotment.
The hardest work We have had to do
has been in connection with the terri
BILE epidemic that has just visited us
with the distribution OF milk
and broth to those i'll and not able to
help themselves, it was soon found that
there were many who needed nursing
and the vestry of the Episcopal Church
giving US the use Of their parish house.
an emergency hospital was opened url-
der the direction of Mrs. Allan Bodir
and Miss Florence Murphy. both OF
whom had had training as nurses. The