Connecticut western news. [volume] (Salisbury, Litchfield Co., Conn.) 1871-1970, 1918-03-14
JUNIOR RED CROSS FOR
NORTH CANAAN SUGGESTED
The Following Appeal for Junic-
Red Cross is Worthy Of More Than
Passing Attention.

President Wilson started the Junior
Red Cross so that twenty-five million
American children in on, schools could
be utilized in helping TO win the war.
There is something every child in
school can do between the ages ct five
and sixteen years. Nothing is more
interesting than to read of the doings
of the ,unior Red Cross all over the
country. Scarcely q city, or town of
any size whatsoever but must have its
school children organized into Junior
Red Cross Auxiliary and have been
waiting and watching for and hoping
tnat Junior Red Cross would be es 3.
tablished here, until I felt I could
wait no longer and perhaps if I wrote
something about it.
Some of those who are waiting and
hoping the same as I am, will take the
initial steps. OF course we all know
there must be the first step or move
made in any direction and wish only
to point ont that we are not usilazine
all our war forces. We have, approx
mately somewhere between $50 and
275 school children in this town from
A years old up TO sixteen years.
Now before going further wish to
state that my authority for making
the following explanations regarding
the Junior Red Gross are from the
highest National authorities Of the
Junior Red Cross itself. Tt is an0ficial
branch of the American Red Gross,
open to every school child tise the
United States. Its purpose is to give
the 30, OCO, 900 million school children
of America. training in the permanent
duties of good citizenship and a chance
to do actual war work.
Schools may get definite suggestions
and directions for organization and
activities by obtaining through any
Red @. oss chapter Junior Red Cross
Manual. This gives complete instruc-
tions for organizing and suggestions
for activities. The initiative i'm organi,
ling is left to thesschool authorities It
is wonderful to eead what the school
children who are organized into a
Junior Red Cross, are doing, especially
the girls, in making; things Of comfort
and help to vile away sadness an
pain among the little refugees in
France
But boys, too, are doing their bit to-
ward making life less wretched for the
Belgian and French boys and girls.
just now there is the great st need for
clothing for babies and children Of 'the
refugees. To read of these is to make
one moan and weap in an anguish of
compassion, but weepingand means do
not lend material aid, that is, feed the
hungry or clothe the naked. The ep-
portunity to utilize all our war ferces
is here The Junior Red Cross provides
"a way for school children in every CITY
and town TO help WIN the war. Our
Canaan school or schools .sho Id be
made, as sooa as possible into an aux
Hilary to the Junior Red Cross cf the
Nation.
Tt is not enough that a small mum
Der of children may do war gardening
this spring, or that mare handful of
boysand girls4in this church or that
church or this circle or that organiza.
tion may do q hit of Red Grass work.
Why not ALL get tsgether ina Junior
Red C1oss as the aother towns are doing?
The JUNIOR Red Gross is aal1ed to aid
both the .solGiere and the children of
sstrickensoountries. This calas for unit
cation IF purpose, sor team mark in our
community, for, as another has said
"there is almost ,Rothing n town can
mot ACCOMPLISH when 1t has the COM
immunity sp&sit." :IEish to point ,out
that our Bed, Cross auxiliary MAS the
result of nni6ed purpose. Each and
every church organization, suffragists,
ant; -suffragists, mems. clubs, women g
clubs, both Rolitioal parties. vets.
drys.-not ons sof these but what can
boast of it's Reas1ross manbers workers
or supporters.
Now then why ;lot,intise same spirit
organize Jnnior Red Cross for onr
school children? Not Sractiou of
chem are doing third of such WAL
work as would be possible for them to
do under a properly organised and
managed Junior Red Gross. Et is not
difficult to organize Ror is it expen
6ive.
cannot take more space to explain
how to organize Junior Red Cross
Doubtless many already know. j can
give to anyone interested in this mat
ter the address of National Junior Red
Gross Leaders, end here is hoping that
the school authorities will take this
matter of establishing Canaan Junior
Red Cross, into earnest consideration.
We are behind the war times and not
conserving our war forces, If we neg.
lect this branch of war service
WOOD THIEVES IN NORFOLK.