Polk County news. [volume] (Benton, Tenn.) 191?-1983, 1920-11-18
YOUTH OF SOUTH
SET EXAMPLE IN
RED CROSS WORK
With Opening Of Schools, Thou
sands Join Junior
Organization

Roll Call that children OF the soutl
are displaying in renewing their al
legianee to the Junior Red Cross, the
southern division will show d RECORD
number of Red Cross members wheI
the Roll Call ends.
+ TrHly, children are learning the WaJ
for the grewnups. in joining the Rec
Cross, according to figures given out
today at Red Cross division headquar
ters in Atlanta.
Reorganization of the Junior Rec
Cross was begun when schools opened
this fall Now, although but little
more than month has passed, more
| than twenty thousand children in the
southern division have renewed theit
membership in the Red Cross, and be.
fore Christmas, it is expected triple
that number will have enrolled.
The Junior Red Cross, while auxil-
larry to the American Red Cross. is a
| separate and distinct organization,
! with it's own program of service. 1t is
! organized through the schools, where
| it is one of the most popular and high
| " regarded of student activities. The
Juniors have their own roll calls,
the time varying with the different
schools.
Many Juniors had their roll calls
when school first opened this year.
That the children are more enthusiast
tic than ever in Red Cross work is
demonstrated by. the fact that, while
less than 1000 had joined the Red
| Cross by'November l, 1919, more than
10000 have joined already this year,
Last year the Junior Red Cross in
the southern division had a total mem.
bership of 1G2SO7. Judging by the
way in which children are enrolling
this year, the 1920-21 membership will
go well beyond 100000.
The purpose of the Junior Red
Cross and its activities could not be
better explained than by James N
Rule. national director of the Junior
Red Cross He says:
THE Junior Red Cross is the child
hood of America modified through the
schools-public, parochial and private
for the purpose of intoxicating ideals
and habits of service among children
the world over, with the idea that the
men and women Of tomorrow will, as
a result of this childhood practice.
think f1i terms of service. to others;
J for heepurpose not merely OF training
in citizenship for the future, but OF
making unselfish, useful young citi
far
ing. respect and obedience to the law
of the land, and for the purpose OF
transmitting America to succeeding
generations cleaner, healthier and
happier than it was found.
1.-THE requirement for membership
is solely. one of service. There is nc
individual membership fee. The use.
fulness of a Junior Red Cross auxit
larry in alternating want and suffering
among children at home and abroad
depends on the initiative and enter
prise of the classroom group and the
teacher, the latter being the auxiliary
leader,
Everything done is by cooperative
effort of teacher and class, whether ii
be in raising money by some entertain
ment or industry; the making of gar
ments, furniture, toys, scrapbooks, OF
in a community betterment activity
Training in Citizenship Through Serv
ice and Happy Childhood the World
Over are slogans of the Junior Red
Cross which broadly characterize its
mission
Formed in 1917 to help win the
war. the Junior Red Cross, with mem
bership of 1O,0OO,000 produced inl
twenty months $15,000,000 worth OF
useful articles for American soldiers
sailors, marines and war stricken
people of other lands. But in this
service the childhood of America was
only awakened to a consciousness OF
its power for good, with the result that
Armistice Day, 1918; sounded to this
unprecedented childhood's organiza
ton as Clarion call to carry on
since then the Junior Red Cross
has grown to approximately 100000
members; has raised considerably
more than a million dollars in money; |
has produced countless articles OF prac
tical use for destitute families at home
and abroad, these articles including
layettes. clothing toys, tables and
chairs. and has distributed free milk
and other food in various forms.
Essentially a school organization,
the Junior Red Cross operates along |
educational lines, its relief projects
being introductions for the promotion
of Goodwill. good citizenship and al I
truism.
"Forty per cent of the auxillary
funds raised by group cooperation is
devoted to purely local relief among
needy children. Sixty per cent Is FOR
warded to National Headquarters IN
Washington, where it is administered
without overhead expenses.
This is being used for orphanages
schools. gardens and health and play
ground activities in Albania, Montene'
gro. Belgium. Czecho-Slovakia, France
Greece. Italy, Palestine, Poland. Rou
mania. Serbia, Siberia, China and the
Virgin Islands. Fully 100000 OF the
q mn nm n,auhers of the Junior Reu !