News
Second-grader gives presentation to local Red Cross
May 25, 2007 2:40 PM
By Tannika King - Faculty
Second-grader Katie White visited the local Red Cross Chapter on May 23 dressed as little “Clara Barton.” Staff members gathered to listen to her read her handwritten report on the life of American Red Cross founder Clara Barton — a project she had worked on for Elaine Smith’s second-grade class. White's turn-of-the-century costume included an antique Red Cross pin and nurse’s cap, both loaned to her by Molly Collins, emergency services director for Rome’s Coosa Valley Chapter.
Read below an excerpt from Katie White's report:
... There had been many battles in the war, and Clara had helped thousands of injured soldiers by bandaging their wounds and giving them food and water. She had often used her own money to help to buy the food and supplies these men needed. Finally, in April 1865 the Civil War ended. Many soldiers were missing after the war.
Clara wanted to help families find their missing soldiers. With permission from President Abraham Lincoln, she began this new task and again used some of her own money to get started. She worked four years and found 22,000 missing or dead soldiers.
After the Civil War, Clara traveled across the ocean to the country of Switzerland to rest from all the hard work of the war. It was there she learned of a wonderful new organization called the Red Cross that taught people how to help victims of war. Red Cross workers gave food, clothing, and medical help to soldiers and townspeople who were going through a war. The Red Cross workers always helped needy people no matter who they were - they didn't take sides. The United States had never heard of the Red Cross. Clara decided she would try to get the United States to start the Red Cross here in our country.
But it was not easy to convince the U.S. to start the Red Cross. In fact, she had to talk to lots of men in the government, including three presidents, before her goal was reached. It took nine years of work, but on May 21, 1881, when Clara was 59 years old, our country became part of the International Red Cross, and she became its first president.
The Red Cross was meant to help people in times of war, but Clara added a new idea that the Red Cross uses all around the world now - helping people who are victims of floods, forest fires, tornadoes, and hurricanes. She also taught people the importance of learning first aid. She continued actively helping others until she died of double pneumonia on April 12, 1912 - two days before the Titanic sank. She had lived to be 90 years old.
Clara Barton should be remembered for being a loving sister, a fun and caring school teacher, the "Angel of the Battlefield," and the founder of the American Red Cross. Even though she was small and shy as a child, she grew up to do big things for the whole world.
Read below an excerpt from Katie White's report:
... There had been many battles in the war, and Clara had helped thousands of injured soldiers by bandaging their wounds and giving them food and water. She had often used her own money to help to buy the food and supplies these men needed. Finally, in April 1865 the Civil War ended. Many soldiers were missing after the war.
Clara wanted to help families find their missing soldiers. With permission from President Abraham Lincoln, she began this new task and again used some of her own money to get started. She worked four years and found 22,000 missing or dead soldiers.
After the Civil War, Clara traveled across the ocean to the country of Switzerland to rest from all the hard work of the war. It was there she learned of a wonderful new organization called the Red Cross that taught people how to help victims of war. Red Cross workers gave food, clothing, and medical help to soldiers and townspeople who were going through a war. The Red Cross workers always helped needy people no matter who they were - they didn't take sides. The United States had never heard of the Red Cross. Clara decided she would try to get the United States to start the Red Cross here in our country.
But it was not easy to convince the U.S. to start the Red Cross. In fact, she had to talk to lots of men in the government, including three presidents, before her goal was reached. It took nine years of work, but on May 21, 1881, when Clara was 59 years old, our country became part of the International Red Cross, and she became its first president.
The Red Cross was meant to help people in times of war, but Clara added a new idea that the Red Cross uses all around the world now - helping people who are victims of floods, forest fires, tornadoes, and hurricanes. She also taught people the importance of learning first aid. She continued actively helping others until she died of double pneumonia on April 12, 1912 - two days before the Titanic sank. She had lived to be 90 years old.
Clara Barton should be remembered for being a loving sister, a fun and caring school teacher, the "Angel of the Battlefield," and the founder of the American Red Cross. Even though she was small and shy as a child, she grew up to do big things for the whole world.
