Milford chronicle., 1920-12-03
ANNUAL REPORT OF THE BURRAU
OF MOTOR CORPS SERVICE
1919-192O

4 AoAo-lO%V
During the war and the year afte
the signing of the Armistice the Mo
tor Corps in Wilmington and the vol
unteer Corps through the State ha,
done splendid and in many cases he
rolc work. There were groups O
women who were used to discipline
who had contracted the habit, the de
sire to be of service to the public thru
an organization unlike any other
Should these groups be demobilizeC
and be known only as a mushroom
growth, the result of the war? AL
through the country this question was
being asked. The Red Cross Execu.
tive Committee decided to continue
this organization, provided first-that
the need for volunteer service could
be demonstrated, and second. that
Motor Corps could be organized in
deterrent communities, where the need
for such service existed. Delaware
has, therefore, given her answer to the
National Red Cross with a spirit and
will unequaled by any other state
in the Union.
The work of investigation and or
ganization was begun with an imme-
diate response from Wilmington, Mil
ford, Georgetown and Seaford, where
there are now fiourishing Motor
Corps, with groups of volunteers in
tensely interested in their work.
In Lewes, Middletown, Claymont and
Greenville nurses operate Red Cross
cars under the service, all reporting
mileage and costs to the Home Office.
After ten months of service there is
total mileage during the period
amounting to 58,318 miles.
Now what has been accomplished by
this mileage? What has been the eff
feet upon the state, upon the commun-
ity life? To ascertain the benefits de-
rived it would be necessary to take
trip through the state, visiting the
homes where these cars are a well
come sight. At first our trips were the
subject of much criticism, but the
knowledge of the nature of our SER
vice has changed that. The girls al
ways meet with great courtesy on the
road. Many times men who have been
in khaki come stiffly to attention, and
very gravely salute the Red Cross In
sigma, children invariably wave and
cry, Hello, Red Cross" and members
hand over crippled and sick children
to the uniformed messengers, knowing
that even on long trips from one end
of the state to the other where hospi-
tai treatment or operation awaits
them their children are in safe hands.
More and more our cars are called
upon to do semi-ambulance duty.
From Georgetown, an insane pa
tient was brought all the way to Farm
hurst, several children needing oper
ations for adenoids and tonsils were
taken to the Delaware hospital.
Countless other errands pertaining to
matters of public health are constant
ly being performed by the Corps here.
In Seaford the Motor Corps was
called upon to take very i'll woman
and baby from the train to her home
far in the country; a man with a bad
ly injured foot was taken to doc
tor; many children were brought to
the hospital for operation.
In Milford a regular schedule is
the car being used by the
Nurse, Reconstruction
Nurse, and the Red Cross
Home Service worked in the county.
In Wilmington three cars are con-
in use, one every morning by
The Home Service Department, and
he others for work in the Delaware
Hospital Clinics, Sunnybrook Cottage.
Hope Farm, Edgewood, Children's Bu-
eau and the various Health Centers
In Middletown the car is operated by
Reconstruction Commission Nurse, /
where the car is looked upon as a |
car. A typhoid patient, I
everal maternity cases, a man with .
fractured skull, and many sick and
rippled children are some of the
,rateful beneficiaries of the service
here.
In Claymont the community nurse
makes many trips to the sick and
eedy, and the car, coupe has been
cen many times crowded to overflow
lg with six children being brought
lto the hospitals for examination or
1r operation.
In Greenville the nurse has just
tarted her work.
In Lewes the T. B. worker under
ne Sussex County Commission has
riven our car into parts of the coun-
? where a car rarely goes, and her
ork of education and alleyiation has
cen of untold benefit. This car will
n November 1st, bear the insignia
I the Anti-Tuberculosis Commission,
lstead of it's Red Cross.
After nearly year of activity the
ed Cross Motor Service is definitely
established in the public mind as an
sency for helpfulness. Where a year
20 we met with community criticism,
DIV we feel that the community has
1t only accepted the car and the gray
Informs, but that everybody there is
sense of pride and ownership in the
rvice. No real emergency call Will
-er be refused by a Motor Messen-
II in the State. The Red Cross, still
e Greatest Mother of the World, ty-
fed by the nurse holding in her arms
e crippled child, and calling to her
lie the old, the lame and the needy,
S as her aide the Motor Messenger,
at Red Cross volunteer, who with
of the spirit of the Crusa-
+ brings these suffering ones with
the shadow of the Red Cross where
otection and help are afforded.