The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1934-12-21


responsible for its 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 HolboeI, Danish
postal clerk, in 1904 conceived the idea of deco
rating Christmas letters and packages with a
penny seal to raise money for a much-needed
hospital in Copenhagen; how his idea was ap-
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 on letter from his
homeland Upon learning the reason for 1t, 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 in the sale Of Christmas seals a solu-
ton to her problem.
That was in December, 1907 and $4,000 was
raised. The pavilion was built AS result of this
first successful sale, Miss Bissen was able to
induce the authorities Of the American Red
Cross to undertake nationwide sale Of tuber-
culosis Christmas stamps in 1908. Influenced by
various publications well local Red Cross
chapters gave their support to the sale. By such
united and enthusiastic effort more than $780,
600 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
few funds for their work. To strengthen the
organizations effort, the American Red Cross
Na~4N
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
in which the funds were spent. The Red
Cross gave the undertaking its moral and fnan-
cial backing, its emblem and its name. The value
Of such sponsorship at a time when the tuber-
culosis movement was struggling for existence
would be difficult to estimate.
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 double-barred 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 efforts on the annual Roll Call, begun
during the World Because IL did not wish
to appeal to the public for funds twice a year,
new arrangement was made whereby the Ma
uonal tuberculosis association conducted the
sale alone and used as the sole emblem the
seals the double-barred cross Since 1920 the
seals have been Tuberculosis Christmas seals"
There is ne longer in the United States any Red
Cross seal
Through the increasing power of the Christ
mas seal, state after state has formed an or
ganized group of men and women to control
tuberculosis These state associations have en-
tered the larger cities and counties and formed
local groups, all working together with a we'll
organized program. Together, led by the national
body and supported by the annual Christmas
seal sales, the state and local associations have
brought into existence practically all Of the
present-day community machinery that combats
the disease.
Christmas seal funds help pay for free clinics
nursing service, preventoria, tuberculin testing,
Xrays, rehabilitation and other important work
such as medical and social research. Public opin-
ion has been aroused to the need for institutions
that can be maintained by official agencies, state,
county, municipal federal Through intensive
educational work health laws have been passed
and are being enforced; printed matter on health
protection is circulated In schools. homes and
factories; and there Is an increasingly active
public interest in tuberculosis control in all parts
of the United States. The movement has also
allied itself with federal and other official agen-
cies such as the United States Public Health
service Veterans bureau, United States bureau