American Junior Red Cross News 1924-04
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JUNIOR Mmerican RED CROSS April 1924 N EWS ‘I Serve” Set om noha A 5S i. ae oe ’ NEN Set PE Ce Se © doy RI ZN ree) Pe . ANS x SS an J N = ae - i vf - > > ._. Ys ss Pe : oe % me ci -_— ik us e448 ~ St © Harris & Ewing WOODROW WILSON President of the United States (and of the American National Red Cross) from March 4, 1913, to March 4, 1921 He gave utterance to the aspiration of humanity with an eloquence which held the attention of all the earth and made America a new and enlarged influence in the destiny of mankind —President Calvin Coolidge February 3, 1924 [114] APRIL, 1924 THE APRIL NEWS IN THE SCHOOL N HIS proclamation to the schpol children of the The appeal of the American Junior program abroad United States in 1919 (p. 115), President Wilson today is not so much in the particular projects carried said that the Junior Red Cross “has planned a work on as in the results that it is achiev- for peace times even larger and more systematic than A Light that ing. For example, the fact that we the work done during the war.” He also said that Shines Around are giving only $100 to Czechoslo- “people have seen a vision of a different the World vakia this year to help put the Helping to kind of world from the world of the past, Czechoslovak Junior Red Cross Maga- Realize a a world in which nations shall unite for zine on a sound footing and to insure its translation into Vision the purposes of peace and good will as they English may not in itself make a great appeal to the formerly united only for war against an emotions, but the fact that by this small means we are armed foe.’ Do the Juniors in your school understand helping to kindle an illumination that is radiating that, through the Junior Red Cross, they are taking throughout Czechoslovakia, and far beyond its boun- part in one of the most practical enterprises in the daries, should appeal strongly to the imagination even world to help make this vision a reality? With your of young children (see the first item on p. 119). help, this issue of the News may enable them to under- stand a little better why and how this is so. It ought } K 7 HEREAS there was spent from the National to be inspiring both to teachers and pupils to feel that Children’s Fund $420,000 fog the year ending the latter do not have to wait until they “grow up” to June 30, 1921, there is being spent this year have an appreciable influence in the movement for world only approximately $65,000. The expenditures have understanding. “It is proven that youth is meant to thus rapidly diminished and will probably continue to reconcile the different nations,” writes a class of Aus- diminish to the vanishing point. In trian children. It ought to be inspiring to teachers to Increasing the article on “Reflected Rays” (p. know that they must provide the leadership for this Return for 117), you will see that the lights which children’s enterprise. Decreasing our National Children’s Fund “has Expenditures kindled in many countries are rapidly R. AUGUSTUS O. THOMAS, State Superin- growing stronger, but not until they D tendent of Schools in Maine and President of are burning with a full radiance of their own may we the Federation of World. Education Association, withdraw the ray whose reflection has done so much to says: “Perhaps the greatest task which lies ahead of the illuminate the black night that fell upon the children school in all lands is that of lending its energies toward across the sea and has enabled them to ‘see out’ into the the creation of a new order of interna- world of sunshine.” The Great tional friendship, justice, and good will. Task of Upon the public system of education of T IS not desired that any school contribute to the the School each state or nation rests the responsibility National Children’s Fund unless the Juniors in that of enlarging national conceptions, pro- school have a real interest in doing so, and unless moting the ideal of the Golden Rule among the nations the teachers and school authorities are convinced of its of the earth, and of developing a world consciousness.” value to the children who give as well as to those who receive across the sea. This issue of OME schools have refrained from contributing to What Share the News is an appeal to the school SS the National Children’s Fund for foreign service Does Your children and their teachers to seize the on the ground that “the needs at home are so School Have? practical means afforded by the Junior great.” Not only have expenditures for foreign service Red Cross to contribute appreciably to diminished with great rapidity since the war, but very the promotion of world-wide understanding and good great expansion in service in our own will and of an “Americanism with a world perspective.” The Need country has occurred. A very much From the point of view of educational value, national at Home greater proportion of the money raised by and international, it is more desirable that many schools and Abroad Juniors in all parts of the United States contribute in a small way than that a few schools con- is being spent for local purposes than at tribute largely. (See The Service Fund, p. 128.) any time since the war. Moreover, whereas the Na- The cooperation of teachers is necessary to make true, tional Children’s Fund has been, until this year, entirely in each school, the statement (p. 128) that the Service devoted to foreign work, it is now available also for Fund is so called “because it is raised by service as well domestic projects of national importance. For example, as spent for service.” The value to the school of the we are now carrying on an important work in schools financial activities of the Junior Red Cross is derived for Indian children, and have begun a program of serv- as much from the methods by which money is raised as ice in disadvantaged schools for white children. The from the giving of it. desire to give greater attention to the needs that lie im- mediately about us, however, should not exclude entirely “ ATIONAL Féte Days the World Around” (p. our interest in our “world community.” Our needs at N 123) would occupy an appropriate place in a home are indeed great, and one of the greatest of these “Good Will Day” program on May 18. Whether is for a sympathetic understanding and friendliness that or not this “festival” is given, every Junior group in embraces the whole world. Charity begins at home, but the United States should have an active part in making it does not stay there (see p. 128). Good Will Day a success in the local com- Good Will munity. HE real appeal of our foreign program and of Days While planning for the observance of our National Children’s Fund is to be found in Good Will Day, however, be sure that the articles, “Reflected Rays” (pp. 116-117), “The your Juniors get the full meaning of the editorial on Light Burning in Hungary” (p. 118), “Reflections “Good Will Days” on page 122. Cannot your Good Here and There” (p. 119), “Christmas Candles” (pp. Will Day program be used as a means of giving greater 120-121, 125), and the editorial, “Good Will Days” (p. effectiveness to the year-round international good-will 122). Can you help your Juniors to find this appeal? work of the Junior Red Cross? Aprit, 1924 Supplement to Junior Red Cross News The Teachers Page The Appeal of the Foreign Program of the American Junior Red Cross AN any teacher in America read the following extracts from “The Children’s Crusade for Peace” by Rheta Childe Dorr, in The Ladies Home Journal for March, without being inspired by the opportunity for world service that lies before her and her school? Mrs. Dorr’s article is written in the light of several years’ personal observation and experience in Europe since the war. “The Junior Red Cross” the influence of the Junior Red Cross has become within “ OR the past three years I have lived in Europe, the last three years? Do they know that children in and as far as I was permitted I have gone to seventeen countries are corresponding with children in school. I have sat in classrooms and, even to all these countries and in America? Do they know that better purpose, I have talked with ministers of educa- the ideal of the American Juniors—service to others tion, teachers and children in the public schools of Eng- before service to self—is gaining ground in all these land, France, Germany, Italy, Czechoslovakia and Ru- countries ? mania. In all these countries the children are playing “T was in Czechoslovakia when the Junior Red Cross, war, but in most of them they are playing peace, too. under the leadership of Fanneal Harrison, Isabel Me- “It is only fair to say for Europe that the difficulties Neal, Rose Klima and other Americans, was established, in the way of reconstructing education have been and and I watched its perfectly typical progress past the still are almost insurmountable. Poverty is widespread, authorities to the children. Czechoslovakia was just building is difficult, and everywhere the seething tide emerging from a period of starvation and misery which of politics has swept over and drowned most projects of we in this country can barely imagine.