Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1918-01-11
Public School Activities.
The AMERICAN RED Cross, MONTGOMERY
COUNTY CHAPTER SCHOOL COMM IrrEE.

Rockville, Md, January 7, 1918.
To the Teachers and Pupils of Montgom-
cry County:
The Red Cross activities have been ex-
tended to the school children of America.
AS chairman of the School Committee Of
the Montgomery County Chapter branch
am sending you this letter, realizing that
you are the recognized leaders of the chill
dren of the county and without your sup
port we can do little. This movement has
the hearty endorsement of the greatest
teacher of the American people, Woodrow
Wilson. who sees in the movement an OPP
portunity for service as truly patriotic as
that given on the field of battle.
The manner in which the teachers of the
county have responded to war work has
been particularly gratifying. In this move
ment do not wish to put additional work
on you; it has my official endorsement and
should merely become part of the daily
work. Briefly stated, the scope and plan
for the work are:
l. Teachers to read carefully or study
the enclosed copies of GAY The Story of the
Red Cross, (b) Doctor MacCracken's letter
to Superintendent and Principals of Pub
lie, Parochial and Private Schools of the
United States, (c) Manual on War Relief
Activities for Schools.
2. Regular class instruction of the Red
Cross Movement and the War Saving Thrift
Movement materials and plans to follow
be given in all schools during the week
beginning January 18th. This instruction
to take the place of the regular school work
one day in arithmetic for all classes: one
day, reading for all classes one day, Ian
guage for all classes. ETC.. during the week.
See questions on current activities, which
will be sent with review questions.
8. The organization of an Auxiliary in
each school. Each school organization be-
comes an Auxiliary of the Montgomery
County Chapter American Red Cross. The
steps of organization are GAY Raising a
sum OF money amounting to twenty-five
/ cents, or more. from each pupil For in
stance, school with forty pupils would
have to raise $40. (b) Election of a treas
urer for the school, This officer should be
a teacher. (c) Mailing to the School Com
mittee, Rockville, the Junior Membership"
blank QOrm AZ and the Application for
Enrolment as School Auxiliary" card
Qorm No. 403), both of which are enclosed
a. The money raised should be held by
the school treasurer and used to purchase
materials to be used by the pupils in
making Red Cross supplies. This fund will
be the capital with which to start Add-
tional money may be needed for supplies in
the future. in which event the school may
devise plans to raise the money with the
cooperation Of the community. The School
Committee will undertake through commu-
nifty workers to foster support among the
people for school plans. Additional copies
OF THE Story Of the Red Cross" will be
furnished. free Of cost to the schools, to be
sold to pupils at five cents a copy. The
money from the sales will 90 to the school
auxiliary. This is one way to raise addi-
tional funds.
S. The American Red Cross headquarters
will send handsome membership certf-
cate to each auxiliary.
6. The School Committee will have a
treasurer to keep an account with each
| school, though 1t will handle no actual
money. These accounts will be made from
the reports sent in by the school auxilia-
ries. The School Committee will also sug-
eest the specific articles for the pupils to
make and help about purchasing the nate
rails. This will be done to prevent too
many articles Of any particular sort being
made. and to provide the particular arti-
cles most needed at the time by the head
quarters. All such suggestions and help
/ will be made after the schools have organ
lied the auxliares.
T. The School Committee has fixed the
week OF Washington's birthday for all
schools to organize. Some time during the
week each school should complete the or
ganization. This will. be an ideal way to
celebrate Washinetons birthday. Plans
should be made long before the week. To
raise the money required. we suggest that
pupils save up money to contribute to the
fund and school entertainment arranged
to raise the balance. or any other method
which may suggest itself to the teachers
or pupils. II you can suggest other def
mite plans for furthering the work than
those given in this letter. please do so.
would greatly appreciate articles for the
paper which would be a means of arousng
interest. also articles demonstrating how
Red Cross information may be taught as
part Of the regular school work
Each school should mail promptly after
February 22nd the application blanks. or
return the blanks with detailed state
ment Of the effort to organize when no
auxiliary has been formed All such in
formation will be carefully tabulated and
detailed report published in the papers the
following week.
Schools where auxiliaries have been
formed at the present time may report
them at once and not wait for the drive
week.
Our school accomplishments should find
their natural expression in such activities
as planned by the Red Cross for the chill
dren. Indeed, It is hard to see how teach
ing which does not function in such man
ner can be rated as successful. Education
cannot be measured in terms Of that which
is fruitless and barren. 1t should freely
fuction In real life. This significant prin-
ciple Of teaching may be realized in every
school through the Red Cross Auxiliary at
this time.
No child in our schools should be denied
the opportunity to participate in the work
Of the Red Cross. The child has a right to