Henderson daily dispatch., 1938-11-08


~ Red Cross Roll Call Mrs. r. G.
9 navis reports that she has in her
- all the records of the War
pnd influenza work OF the Vance
oorntv Chapter of the American Red
Cnoss This includes a written his
t"rv compiled by Mrs. N, p. Strause,
.hor secretary, and signed by Mrs:
noyis chairman, Mrs. r. j. Jones
and Mrs r j. Corbitt Twenty years
otter. many of the citizens will recall
their valuable war work through a
hrief resume of this history:
"Our Vance County Chapter was or
oanized by members of the health
denartment of the Woman's club,
headed by Mrs. r. ]. Jones, June 8,
1o17 Nine branches and one auxil-
ioyv 70 a branch were established in
Vance County: Kittrell, Mrs. T. H.
ccudup. chairman; Middleburg, Mrs.
Robin Carroll, followed by Mrs. H. M.
Church: Bobbitt, Miss Alice Rogers;
Rearpond-Gillburg, Mrs. j. E. Gill;
Epsom. Miss Val Aston; South Hen
derson, Miss Mamie Allen; Cephas
Springs, Mrs. j. p. Satterwhite. Col
ored: Clara Barton; Mrs. Pauline
Baxter; Home Makers Auxiliary, Mrs.
Sarah Epps. Later Townsville organ
led a separate chapter.
"A work room was opened in the
old Chamber of Commerce. Every
kind of surgical dressing was made;
in all 140,223 dressings were made
and sent; $40 hospital garments, also
1855 knitted garments. DR.. H. H.
Bass and DIR. Goode Cheatham in
structed first aid classes.
when the Vance Guards left for
the Mexican border, at the request of
Captain ]. w. Jenkins, the chapter
furnished each soldier with overal,s,
also cigars and cigarettes. In Sep.
TENDER 1917, 224 sweaters and 226
pairs of socks were knitted and given
to Vance county soldiers. 103 Christ
r.1 packages were sent to France.
I'm answer to the first call of cloth
ing for the Belgians, total of 1875
pounds were sent, exceeding the al
lotment by 1872 pounds. This CON
sisted of 1888 articles. For the Sec
ond call, 10 bags of clothing and two
bags of shoes were sent, amounting
to $40 pounds.
For the first war drive for the Anne
r;can Ped Cross, Mrs. ]. H. Brodie
was chairman and E. F. Shaw, secre-
tary and treasurer. $13,144.24 was rails.
ed, the total number of contributors
were 1876. Professor j. A. Cotton, as
chairman, raised $207 among the
colored people. For the second Red
Cross drive S. T. Peace was chairman
and E. F., Shaw again served as Sec
rotary and treasurer. $14,222.31 was
raised, making total for both drives
$27,366.55. 1t was estimated that this
was $1.33 per capita for the twenty
thousand people in Vance county, and
this was not exceeded by any other
chapter in the state. Mrs. Geneva
Barnes Chatham assisted in collect
ing and only one-tenth of one per
cent remained unpaid.
"The finances of the local chapter
were increased by donations of to-
bacco on the warehouse floors. In this
way over five thousand dollars was
raised. After the war, the local chap
ter supported a Public Health nurse
for number of years. At this time
Vance county had no Health Depart
ment.
THE first Roll Call in December
1917 enlisted 1,163 members. The sec
ond Roll Call, in the midst of the in
fluenza, enlisted 1922 members.
Soldiers were given tobacco and
presents on every troop train that
stopped in Henderson. Four hundred
Vance county boys were given pack
ages or presents. When the soldiers
returned in April 1919, Colonel Albert
Cox with $50 men, accepted an in
vitation to stop in Henderson, and all
were served food and drinks. The
returned soldiers of Vance county
were given banquet and celebration
at Liberty Park. The Clara Barton
branch did the same for the colored
coldiers.
During, the influenza epidemic
which LASTED in Vance county from
october to- April, the Vance county
chapter kept % nurses on call, bear
ing,the expense when it could not be
paid. Ninety quarts of nourishing
soups, ETC., were distributed daily,