The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1922-02-15
Work Of the Red Cross
The Red Gross being E&cel-
lent Work But Needs
More Assistance


especially interested in the work OF
the Red Cross. My attention was
brought TO the work that is being
done through the reports Of the
.Eunior Red Cross and subsequent
M through. reports that. We're made
by. Miss Wheeler. the Red Cross
secretary. I was so deeply inter
ested in the stories that Were
brought 10 my attention that I
asked if those who told these
stories would not procure from the
parties interested permission to
publs,7 then: without mentioning
any names. This VAS. readily
granted from a feeling Of gratitude
and appreciation.
We are so likely to think Of the
work that is being done by our Va
rious charitable organizations in
vague and, abstract terms instead
Of as concrete instances. l know
Of no other community where more
effective work is done by the sew
cral organizations of our city in be-
half Of those who are. needy, but I
believe that even this work would
be increased: and would he done
more heartily if we could be
brought face to face with actual il
lustrationS from real life. The
Red Cross secretary said to me the
other day: There are so many
calls for assistance and these calls
are SO urgent and SO necessary that
feel almost desperate
Before the Christmas holidays
the members OF the-Junior Red
Cross brought to the school build
ing a large number Of essential ar
ticles 10 be distributed among those
who needed them most. Two OF
the young ladies' who We're sent to
visit a. certain home We're call
toned, to- be Jus. as bright and
cheerful as possible. and to carry
TO those in need not only subs1an
tiai gifts but the. bright cheer OF
Christmas. When they came back
rhey made the following report:
Yes. we found her, an old wo-
man Of seventy-fve years, very
badly crippled from having fallen
down ,shile trying TO bring in a lit
tie. wood, her back SO seriously
hurt that She could scarcely walk
without help. She was living in a
little room not more than l2Xl0.
The room was very ;scantily fur
Gished, HAVING no chars at all only
boxes 10 sit on. The stove was the
smallest we Ever saw but II was
large. enough for. the little pile of
wood that she had by it. We Of
fered to go out and bring in
some wood for her but she said
that that was all the wood, she had.
j f;e,. covering, although the day was
! intersely cold: she had only old
clothing. You told us TO be sure
and be bright and cheerful. but
when we looked around that desc
!; iate room both Of us burst cut cry
ing.'',,
OF. the many cases Nthat Miss
Wheeler has reported We have Sc
lected. three or four.
There iiss family with four
members, father, mother, and two
daughters. The older fourteen
years, Of age, and the younger ;f2.
The, mother has. been IL very poor
health. for a long time, and had a
VERY serious operation sereral.weeks
ago: The hospital was exceedingly
kind, but could not admit her as
/ an absolutely free patient on ac-
co,>nt of not being resident of
Sumter. The city nurse. and4I paid
the necessary expenses. The moth
es IS doing finely now The father
works at lumber mill receiving
SIS per week Both Of the. daugh-
ters are. nowir school and Sunday
/ schook Six dollars per week Will
not buy proper food. They need
! more clothing ana. all need shoes,
dresses and skirts. would be exceed
| ingly welcome by all the members
of this family who, are very appFe-
ciarire and do the best they can.
The second family IS Il family
! Of four. father. mother, and two
chilhren. Both of the children
have been, sick, and the father is in
the hospital, and before he went
I there he was not making enough
20 paya his expenses. The relatives
of thls family have helped as
! much as they could and everybody
! is getting better nov, but it Will
be al least IL month before the
man. is, able to work. The Two
little children are four and two
years old, respectively.
The third family is widow liv-
ing in the country. People living
on the farm are exceedingly good
/ TO, her giving her food, but there
are many other needs. There are
seven children ay.6 four Of them
have defective eye sight. Their
eyes have De"n examined and the
specialist will very kindly operate
without cost Just as soon as ar
ranSmentS can be made. All Of
the children need glasses The
home conditions of this family are
deplorable There is !. .ncighbor
who could let her have u quart of
milk every day il there w;s soile-
one 10 take it TO her.
The fourth c,lse is lliat of sf'l
,wenty-one years OF age who start
cd out to walk from Richmond.