The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1942-09-11
THE STUDENT RED CROSS
ROLL CALL
BY DIR. HAROLD TASCHER

BY DIX. HAROLD IASCHEh
Editors Note: The following is
DR.. Tascher's fifth article on the
Social Work Laboratory at the Uni
versity of Montana at Missoula.)
The American Red Cross is one of
lour leading national social service or
CARNATIONS. In peace and war, 1t
strives to meet human needs on the
home front; and the war front. 1t
has generous moral support of the ma
tional government. 1t depends upon
the widespread support of the Amer
lean people to provide it with funds
and generous help to carry out its
program. Each year, 1t administers
its famous Roll Call The people by
knowing its program and by having
the habit of contributing maintain it's
strength in the national community.
Do colleges and universities have an
obligation to help maintain the Amer
clan Red Cross? Should they strive
to educate students about its program
and to help it secure much needed
funds?
Lab Co-operates With Red Cross
The Social Work Laboratory in
1898 launched the Student Red Cross
Roll Call ION the campus of Montana
State University. The annual roll
call has already become tradition
on the campus. Besides, the Amer
lean Red Cross has recognized the
Montana experience as sufficiently
significant to warrant its effort to
encourage similar efforts in colleges
and universities generally.
How Project Was Started
The 1888 Roll Call project was
started pretty much by chance. The
Lab Director attending meeting of
the Montana chapter of the American |
Association of Social Workers in |
Helena met the Montana field repre-
of the Red Cross. We were |
friends of long standing. We ar
ranged to lunch together to explore
the possibilities of student activity
project with the Red Cross. The idea
Of student roll call to supplement
the regular roll call of the Missoula
chapter seemed to the most practical.
The field representative presented the
idea to the midwestern manager at
st. Louis. He supported the idea and
even sent the assistant manager in
charge of the area to Missoula to help
plan the project. This flattered us a
ot because it gave us the chance to
work with a national agency.
Student Participates in Planning
The conference with Red Cross Off
;ials was a delightful experience.
Those attending were the assistant
manager of the midwestern office, the {
Montana field representative, the stu s
lent in the Laboratory who would {
manage the project and myself. We /
at around the table and planned the [
oil call together. The student had |
he chance to gear into the project {
lized as an important cog in the de- ]
yeloping- machine. This 19-year-old
enior had a thrilling experience. She :
vas participating in responsible ex- s
and helping to plan an activ- I
ty which would affect the entire stu |
ent body, the faculty, the American t
led Cross and perhaps many other n
ollege students in the nation. Was 6
his an educational opportunity for
er? Would she learn as much from =
his as she would from an assign I,
lent in text books or from lectures? n
road Project Purposes Selected e
The purposes of the Student Roll d
all was outlined at the conference. O
was to provide practical experience Ii
organizing and conducting social 8
-elfare drive as developed under the :
merican Red Cross, to interpret the
rogram of the Red Cross to students 8
n the campus, and to pioneer in the q
ED of Red Cross and college rela- 5
onships. There were the additional g
lrposes of securing funds for the q
ed Cross and more important still, to 8
ain students with form of "pre- g
iratory participation" and thus give 8
lem a wider viewpoint about social 3
'ograms while preparing for key 8