The Washington herald., 1922-01-29
WRITER DESCRIBES
WORK OF AMERICAN
JUNIOR RED CROSS
Juniors Have Given New
Hopes to Scores of Hun
CRY Children.
BY WALTER S. GARD.
In The Junior Rec Cross News


Two boys stood watching a cir
Gus leaving the cars in which it
had rolled into town. They saw a
group of men move from car to car.
swing open the doors and place the
runways. The moment this was
done, teams of horses appeared al
most miraculously and in a minute
more the wagons were off the cars
and rumbling toward the show
grounds. Following the wagons to
the vacant lot where the tents were
to be pitched. the boys gazed in
wonder at the orderly confusion
which prevailed on every hand.
There appeared to be a place for
everything and everything was in
its place.
Those lads had witnessed the eff
cheney of organization. The die
tionary defines organization as,
The systematic union Of indivi-
duals in a body whose officers,
agents and members work together
for a common end" The Junior
American Red Cross is part of a
great organization whose members
are working together for a common
end which is to be achieved through
acts of unselfsh service for others.
This organization, the American
Red Cross. has its foundation in
the Federal Government, being
chartered by a formal act of Con-
gress. Under the terms of this
charter 1t reports upon its opera
lions annually to the Congress, just
as do the governmental depart
departments.
The organization of the Red
Cross provides for directing COM
mittees and managers who SUPER
wise IL many activities. such as aid
to veterans Of the world war, ex-
tension of medical relief to suffer-
ing children in Europe, relieving
distress due to great disasters at
home and abroad, promoting the
country's nursing service, CO.
operating with health agencies and
doing much humanitarian work.
In order to do this effectively, the
country Is divided into eight great
divisions, each with a complement
of officials under the supervision
of national headquarters located at
the Nations Capital.
OF the many channels for doing
good which have been opened to
this organization, one of the great
est Is the Junior Red Cross, whose
membership consists of the school
girls and boys of the country, more
than 100000 of them, under the
direction of $4,000 teachers in 3D.
AIS schools. Each Junior Red
Cross auxiliary is under the Juris-
diction of a chapter with which it
co-operates in every way, and is
Immediately supervised by the
chairman of the chapter school
committee.
The Junior Red Cross has been
built up, step by step. until its in
fiuence Is felt around the world.
1t came into existence when the
United States entered the world
war as a means of speedily organ
izing the immense energy of the
school girls and boys anxious to
help in providing care and comfort
for the soldiers and sailors. When
peace came. the children's branch
of the Red Cross was soon busted
with acts of service for less for
tunate children both at home and
abroad. So helpful was the ex-
ample set by the school pupils of
America that the League of Red
Cross Societies Is actively forming
Junior Red Cross organizations in
the countries represented in the
league.
When those two boys watched
the men putting up the circus tent
they saw a group with sledges in
their hands gather about a stake
and. swinging their hammers in
regular order, pound it into the
ground with wonderful skill and
speed. When every one in an Or
ganization does his part, the or
organization will succeed, and be-
cause of this valuation of indivi-
dual service the Junior American
Red Cross has provided a member
ship roll upon which each boy and
girl who has contributed something
toward the success OF the organiza-
ton may inscribe his or her name.
The Junior Red Cross has given
rise to new hopes and aspirations
in the breasts of thousands of
children, hungry and ragged in
lands across the sea, and ii has
brought the thrill of friendship to
children in America.
Isn't it worth while to belong to
such an organiZation2