Clara Barton

Clara Barton (https://www.nps.gov/anti/learn/historyculture/clar ())

          Clara Barton was a hero because she served in the Civil War and later founded the American Red Cross. Clara Barton was born on December 25, 1821 in North Oxford, Massachusetts. She was the youngest of six children. She first began nursing when she had to take care of her brother who was very sick. She was 11 years old at the time. Later she began teaching and opened her own free public school in New Jersey. One year later, she moved to Washington DC to work in the US Patent Office.

Clara Barton helping injured soldiers. (http://civilwarrx.blogspot.com/2013_12_01_archive. ())

          Clara Barton was willing to serve others even in the danger of the Civil War. In 1861, Clara helped take care of soldiers who were injured after the Baltimore Riot. She continued to work in city hospitals nursing soldiers back to health. In 1862, Clara left to work in the field hospitals, bringing wagons of much needed supplies with her. She continued helping in the midst of the war, and came close to death many times. Once, while she was helping an injured soldier, she "felt her sleeve move - a bullet had gone through it and killed the man she was tending" ("Clara Barton"). On March 11, 1865, Clara was appointed by President Abraham Lincoln to help search for missing soldiers. She set up the "Friends of the Missing Men of the United States Army" and helped identify about 22,000 missing soldiers.

Sign by the house where the Red Cross began. (http://himetop.wikidot.com/american-red-cross-firs ())

          Clara Barton founded the American Red Cross to give help to people involved in disastrous situations. Clara visited Europe hoping for some rest and relaxation. While there, she helped at the International Red Cross. Clara came back to America in 1881 and established the American Red Cross. A few weeks later, Clara was elected as the leader of this organization. The Red Cross provided relief for victims in awful disasters. The first official project of the Red Cross was to provide funds and clothing to the victims of a forest fire in Michigan. In 1892, Clara and the Red Cross shipped 500 railroad cars of Iowa cornmeal and flour to Russians who were suffering from famine. In her last relief operation in 1900, Clara "distributed over $120,000 in financial assistance and supplies to survivors of the hurricane and tidal wave that struck Galveston, Texas" ("Clara Barton I American"). Clara Barton died on April 12, 1912. America lost a great hero.

          A hero to us is someone who puts others in front of them. Someone who acts for the good of others. Someone who inspires the people around them. Clara Barton fits this description in every way possible. She established the American Red Cross to provide relief to people in natural disasters and epidemics, and even before that served as a nurse in the army, saving many lives.

        When I (Elena) volunteered for the Red Cross, I installed fire alarms to houses that can't afford them. This made me realize that the Red Cross will always be there if something tragic happens. I (Annabel) have never volunteered specifically with the Red Cross, but I have volunteered other places and know that something small can make a big difference. Clara put others before herself and was always looking for ways to help people. She is not only a hero to us, but a hero to this country and an inspiration to the world.