The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1921-07-04
Women of America
Study Nursing and
Sanitation at Home

WASHINGTON, D. C.-American
women and girls are displaying an
unprecedented interest in home care
of the SICK How widespread is the
inNease of their enthusiasm is shown
by the announcement by the Ameri-
can Red Cross that enrolment in it's
chapter classes in home hygiene and
care of the sick is growing at the rate
of more than 800 per cent annually.
Eighteen hundred Red Cross instruc-
tors, in urban and rural communit-
les turnout the country, are now en-
gagged in teaching home hygiene and
care of the sick.
While figures for the current year
are not yet available, reports reach
ing national headquarters from the
field indicate that the total number
completing the course for this year
will far exceed that of the fiscal year
ending June 80, 1920, which was
92,033. Even this figure for the
year, large as 1t is, by no means re-
presents the total number that re-
ceived instruction, for thousands
more were enrolled and received in
struction. but for various reasons did
not compete TO the certificate. For
the fiscal year 1918-1919, the num-
Der awarded certificates was 34,033.
Virtually every type of school in
the United States has embraced the
opportunity to give instruction in
the proper methods of safeguarding
health in the home and minimizing
the dangers of disease and epidemics.
High schools, grade schools, voca-
tional schools, bible schools, Ameri-
canization schools, continuation
schools, schools for the deaf and
schools for the blind are offering Red
Cross courses in home hygiene and
care of the sick. Universities and
colleges have also made such couses
part of their curricula.
In girls camps, in Industrial
plants, commercial organizations,
churches and in neighboring groups,
wherever located, the effect of such
teaching is making itself apparent
in the broadening interest in COM
munity health problems.
The types of class-rooms in which
the instruction is given vary as
greatly as the character of the
groups themselves. From the uni
versity, college and city school rooms
to the attic Of country school, an
unused quarter Of county Jail or a
small community fire department are
to be found the teaching centers.
In addition to the national charac-
ter OF the work, there is the inter-
national aspect. In the disrupted
nations of Europe, wherever the
of the American Red
Cross have been felt, there follows
instruction in home hygiene. In the
lnsular possessions of the United
States, in Alaska and elsewhere re-
ports come to national headquarters
Of the completion of courses and the
Institution of new classes.
The Red Cross textbook used in
the course, Home Hygiene and Care
Of the Sick" already has been trans
lated into Russian and Korean.
Copies of the manual, in these
tongues form an interesting exhibit
In the museum at national head
quarters. In addition portions Of the
have been translated in
pamphlet form into Japanese, Span
sh, Polish and Slovak and Bohemian
lialects.
AS direct result Of the opportun-
ty for service to humanity revealed
" such classes, many young women
IRE pursuing their studies further
With the intention OF becoming
lurses.