South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1921-11-06
HUMAN INTEREST
FEATURES TALK BY
RED CROSS WORKER
Mrs. Sue n. Bauer Tells Of
Great Work by Local Red
Cross Workers.

tic audience of local club women by
Mrs. Sue n. Bauer. home secretary
for the American Red Cross. Mrs.
Bauer was the principal speaker at
a meeting of the Civics department
of the Mishawaka Woman's club.
Simply told. with no dramatics or
rhetoric, but homely earnestness,
Mrs. Rauer's address brought many y
tears to the eyes of her audience.
In opening her remarks Mrs
Bauer said, Il have had an impress
sion for some time and lately Il has
become a conviction that very few II
people realize the numerous activi-
ties of the American Red Cross and /.
the enormous amount OF work done
under it's Peace Time Program \
Every one knows that il is a semi
military organization, working un-
der charter from the government. i
National headquarters is at Wash
ington. and is responsible for the di-
rection of all work done under both
the foreign and domestic operations.
The local work of the American Red /
Cross is carried on through our To-
cal chapters.
When the Mishawaka chapter
petitioned for authority TO carry on
a peace time program. it outlined its
work as Extending 20 the civilian
and his family the same social and I
financial aid it now extends to the
service man over 700 chapters have
extended their work 10 civilian fam
lilies. A chapter may do this, pro-
vided it has the services of a train
ed social worker. This worker is
known as the executive secretary OF |
the chapter. Her work is a personal
one given to the individual family
where there are problems that need /
help from outside the family. Quite |
often there are families who cannot /
afford TO take advantages OF what /
the community offers. medical serv- /
ice, schools, etc. Sometimes there I
are county or state provisions, like /
mothers pensions, tubercular sena- /
toriams or institutions for the |
feeble-minded, which would relieve |
the family of a heavy burden, but /
which they Will not use without sug- !
gestiOns or persuasion because they /
do not know how TO get help, or be- |
cSI1.Ss they are prejudiced.
II Is the duty of the social work |
er TO know what facilities are avail /
able in the community, county and /
state. and help in all possible ways |
In some cases she provides financial !
help, but il is her aim to help solve |
the problem which makes financial 1
help necessary. Every family has its |
own particular problem, sometimes /
it is the need of proper medical at !
tentiOn, employment, sanitation; in |
many cases poor housekeeping and !
bad management. Many girls go to
work at an early age and continue
10 work until they are married, they
have little or no idea of the proper
management of the home, the care
of children or the intelligent ex-
penditure of the household income,
but it is her aim to help solve the
problem which makes financial help
necessary.
1t is the duty of the home service
people to get the community inter-
ested in the families who need help
There should be developed as much
volunteer assistance as possible in
building up community resources
In addition TO the things your
| local chapter has done for the ex-
service men, it extends to the needy
civilian family the same neighborly
care. 1t has supported an American
ization School for the foreign born
and with the help of some of your
devoted women has done much t.
esta blish a better understanding
among those who come to US from
other lands. 1t has done the juvenile
work, having had five girls paroled
70 it during the last two years, ali
Of whom are doing well with one
exception and that was a case where
| il was found necessary L put the
girl in an institution where she would
be guarded Until her mental age
equaled her physical age.
ut has clothed and fed many lit
tie children and made them happy
at Christmas time by handing on TO
them the gifts you and your chill
dren so generously bestowed. 1t has
paid hospital bills for deserted wives
who were about TO become mothers.
whose homes were so devoid Of COM
fort and so unclean that it was not
safe for little new life to come into
existence there. 1t has furnished
fuel to keep little children and old
people warm and comfortable. I,
has given bedside care to those who
needed il. 1t has fitted out and sent
TO Healthwin several patients suff-
ering from tuberculosis, all Of whom
are improving. and one little girl
returned perfectly Well and viii con
| tinue TO be so if she is properly fed
and clothed.
Some Of the things your score /
tary hears are heartbreaking and
many times she breathes a prayer
Of thankfulness for the existence of
/ this chapter For instance. one
morning a man came into the Office
stating he had been out OF work for
some time had used up all Of his
money and had nothing 10 eat but
/ a few potatoes. He was told that
some one would come to see him
/ within a short time and do what
/ they could 70 relieve him. He start
ed 10 the door and then came back
| saying. "Will you come soon ." You
| see ] have a babE. il is a bottle baby
and he hasn't any milk today
Some Of the dollars you have SO
/ generously given to the Red Cross
went TO buy milk for that baby. We
! became responsible for the needed
rood for that family. gave the mother
clothes for the baby and his four
/ year old brother: fortunately we
were able TO secure employment for
this man within a week and he Is
now self-suppoFting.
"Out in Floral Park live family