The Miller press. [volume] (Miller, S.D.) 190?-current, 1920-11-04
SOUTH DAKOTA
and RED CROSS
Fourth Red Cross Roll Call From
November 18th to November 25th

Many people ask What has the Red
Cross lone since the war, and why
should we support the Red Cross when
there is so much to be done at homer"
In answer to these questions, it might
be well to tell just what the Red
Cross has done in South Dakota since
the adoption Of it's Peace Time Pro-
gram.
Local chapters of the Red Cross
have established twenty loan closets
in South Dakota which are equipped
for emergency relief. These loan
closets consist of a supply of hot wat
CT bags: bed pans; first aid materials;
IN invalid's chair; stretchers, blank
cts; sheets, pillows; pajamas and 9TH
err sick room and emergency supplies,
so hat when a disaster or epidemic
does occur, the necessary supplies are
always available. The local chapters
outfit and maintain these loan closets.
Through the Red Cross, the local
chapters in South Dakota have m
ployed twelve public health nurses.
Ten of these nurses are entirely fin
anced by the Red Cross and two are
affiliated services. The duties of these
nurses includes: making a health
survey of all children of school age;
establishing health clinics; instruct
ing mothers in prenatal care, the cor
rect food for the growing child; and
other infant welfare advise; bedside
nursing; organizing and conducting
classes in First Aid, Home Hygiene
and care of the sick. Due to the lack
of public health nurses, there are
many chapters who wish nurses that
have been unable to secure them.
Because of this shortage of public
health nurses and the great need of
them, National Red Cross Headquarters
has appropriated $4,000 to pay the
salary of an instructor for the course
in Public Health Nursing, which is
beIHS given dl tue OnlNeIsily VI oouIh
| Dakota at Vermillion. As the cost
of the course is $1,000 a year, local
Red Cross chapters through the state
have donated $500.
The course is under the supervision
OF Miss Hughes and, though still in
its infancy, is achieving splendid re-
suits. Many chapters are offering
scholarships for this curse. South
Dakota registered nurses, who would
not have entered public health work
if they had had to go TO Minnesota or
some other state university outside of
South Dakota TO take this training,
are entering at Vermillion.
Over 1900 women in the state, feel
ing their lack of knowledge in caring
for sick members of their families,
enrolled in Red Cross classes in Home
Hygiene and Care of the Sick during
the past year. 1852 women received
certificates. There were also twelve
classes in First Aid, and $50 students
completed the course. Six counties
IN South Dakota have established reg
ular courses i'm Home Hygiene and
Care of the Sick in their high schools,
and at the normal school i'm Aberdeen
the teachers in training are compelled
to take this course.
With the cessation of production
activities, many Of the chapters turn
ed their work-rooms into rest-rooms,
making them a light, airy, well fur
nished room where people can go to
rest and clean up after long drives
to town. These rest.rooms are main
tanned by the local chapters.
All chapters in South Dakota are
extending information service to ex-
service lei This service includes
help with, compensation papers. con
version and Reinstatement of insur-
ance. vocational training, federal aid
and all other governmental matters.
5000 cases have been handled by the
Red Cross for ex-service men within
the past year Six OF the South Da-
kota county chapters employ trained
executive secretaries who take care of
this work.
At the McKeenan hospital in Sioux
Falls where there are 25 ex-service
men, who are medical and surgical
patients, the Red Cross has employed
Miss Margaret Sharp as Red Cross
worker. In addition to furnishing re-
creation for the patients, Miss Sharp
takes care of all matters pertaining
TO governmental aid.
The Red Cross, through the Civilian
Relief department, has been of great
assistance in helping the disadvantag-
ed families to get back on their feet.
after being overtaken by sudden dis
aster. This work Of the Home Service
department cannot be measured in
monetary value alone, and has proven
to be of inestimable value to the COM
mupitv ac we'll az IN fhoco mora n III;