The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1934-12-14

1US genesis IN denmark,
America has been principally
responsible for it's rapidly increasing and wide
spread popularity. That is the Christmas SEAL
the symbol of health during the Christmas sea-
son.
The story of the origin of the Christmas seal
is a familiar one-how Einar Holboell, Danish
postal clerk, in 1904 conceived the idea of deco
rating Christmas letters and packages with
penny seal to raise money for a much-needed
hospital in Copenhagen; how his idea was APP
proved by the Danish royal family and how the
generous citizens of Denmark purchased enough
seals to finance the building of the hospital and
to provide chance for health for many children
The Christmas seal came to America in this
way: Jacob Riis, the famous Danish-American
author, found one of them a letter from his
homeland. Upon learning the reason for it, the
possibility of using the same idea in this country
Immediately appealed to him. The result was an
article in the Outlook magazine which attracted
the attention of Miss Emily Bissell of Wilmington
Del, who was trying to raise money for tuber-
culosis pavilion for children in her state and
who saw in the sale of Christmas seals solu-
ton to her problem.
That was in December, 1907 and $4,000 was
The pavilion was built. AS a result of this
first successful SALE Miss BisseI was able to
induce the authorities of the American Red
Cross to undertake nationwide sale of tuber-
culosis Christmas stamps in 1908. Influenced by
her leadership, women's clubs, religious groups
various publications. as well as local Red Cross
chapters gave their support to the sale. By such
united and enthusiastic effort more than $780,
900 was raised in the first national sale.
From 1907 to 1910, the National tuberculosis
association had been organizing a nationwide
warfare against tuberculosis. These pioneers had
the support of the foremost scientists, but very
f,xxr DE- %I,Asr m
organizations effort, the American Red Cross
and the National tuberculosis association Joined
forces to conduct the Christmas seal sale to-
gether The tuberculosis association became the
general agent of the Red Cross and assumed
the responsibility for the organization, conduct
and methods of the seal sale; besides supervis-
ing the financial arrangements between national,
state and local groups and determining the man.
ner in which the funds were spent The Red
Cross gave the undertaking its moral and fnan-
cal backing its emblem and it's name
The partnership between the American Red
Cross and the National Tuberculosis association
lasted ten years. During that time the scarlet
emblem of the American Red Cross appeared
on the annual issues of Christmas seals In 1919,
however, the doublebarred cross, international
emblem of the anti-tuberculosis campaign and
trade mark of the National tuberculosis asso-
citation, was also embodied in the design of the
seal.
In 1920 the American Red Cross wished to con-
centrate its effortson the annual Roll Call, begun
during the World war. Because it did not wish
to appeal to the public for funds twice year,
new arrangement was made whereby the Ma
tional Tuberculosis association conducted the
sale alone and used as the sole emblem on the
seals the doublebarred cross. Since 1920, the
seals have been Tuberculosis Christmas SEALS"
This year, for the first time in the history
of the Christmas seal, it depicts something other
than one of the familiar Christmas symbols. Not
only does it commemorate the fftieth anniver-
sary of the tuberculosis sanitorum movement
and the beginning of the first rational study of
the disease in the United States but it also hon.
ors an American health hero, DR.. Edward Liv-
ingston Trndeau
For the picture the 1884 Christmas seal,
designed by Herman Giesen of New York, an
Ohio boy who for number of years has been
drawing illustrations for children's books and
magazines is that of Little Red" as it is famil-
iarly called. one-room cottage at Saranac lake
IN the heart of the Adirondacks, which Doctor
Trudeau built In 1884, just so years ago. There