Clara Barton

Lead By Example

Clara Barton when she first founded the red crosshttps://www.civilwar.org“I may be compelled to face danger, but never fear it, and while our soldiers can stand and fight, I can stand and feed and nurse them.” - Clara Barton. Though founding the red cross is Clara Barton’s biggest achievement, she is so much more than her legacy and story say she is. Clara Barton was born into a middle class family, and right off the bat she knew she wanted to help people when she got old enough to have a job. Her father was a patriot and encouraged he to help. She dreamt of being more than just what women were perceived of back in those times. So, she worked her way up, from a school teacher to the first battle field nurse, to the president of her own company. A hero must possess the qualities and abilities to work hard, be humble, have kindness, and be open minded. If they aren’t humble or kind, then how are they a hero? Just think of it this way, if a hero always boasts about their achievements, or constantly brags about them, how are they helping anybody? All their doing is bragging about what they  did, and it makes people not want their help. It’s the same thing with kindness, if the hero isn’t kind, then how are they supposed to help the person in need. If herpes don't work hard, how are they supposed to achieve the goals they set for themselves? How are they kind enough to be willing to sacrifice themselves? Clara Barton demonstrates persistence and shows she is a role model through her constant willingness to help people and her achievement of being the first nurse allowed on the battlefield. Her hard work and late nights spent to tend to soldiers to whom she’s never met shows the kindness and compassion she has for people. And her efforts and leadership show through her taking charge of her company to help fix the disasters and devastation people are going through are all ways she is an inspiration and more than just “the women who founded the red cross.”

Clara Barton was constantly turned down by people because she was a woman, or they didn’t think very highly of her, and sometimes they were even jealous of her. However, through all this, she was determined to keep trying and to finish achieving anything she set out to do. Her persistence and determination finally came through when she was able to be the first battlefield nurse ever. “She then sought permission to go directly into the field, a request that was met with overwhelming resistance from those who felt women lacked courage and stamina and would just "get in the way." She persisted, however, and in mid-1862 at last received official permission to serve as a battlefield nurse” (Gale Database Biography in Context, "Clara Barton."). Clara Barton shows determination because she constantly feels the urge and need to assist and help as many people as she could. When she realizes she can help more people by actually being on the battlefield instead of just supplying the items the soldiers need, she tries as hard as she can to achieve that. So, she seeks permission to actually become a battlefield nurse so she could help more people become better. However, when she got turned down and told that she would just ¨get in the way¨, she decided to try harder because she knew that she wanted to help people. This determination to reach the goal she set for herself soon paid off, and was able to get her what she wanted, which soon allowed her to fulfill her dream. She also was constantly working toward breaking the stereotype that women couldn’t do as much as men or work outside of the house. So, when people told her she would just get in the way when she was trying to help, this frustrated her a lot, so she knew she had to be a nurse to help people, and also show the other women that they could work too. Later in her life, trouble  arose again when she was trying to establish the red cross. She was yet again met with people who didn’t think she had the capability to do the things she said she could do. “Her work with victims of the war led to an association with the International Red Cross. Gustave Moynier, the President of the International Committee of the Red Cross, asked Barton to serve as the official bearer of an invitation to the President of the United States to endorse the articles of the Geneva Convention. Barton returned to the United States in 1873 and worked towards that goal, but President Rutherford Hayes ignored the invitation. His successor, President James A. Garfield, offered to support the initiative. Unfortunately, Garfield was assassinated before any action could be taken. Chester A. Arthur, the next President, urged Barton to form a Red Cross Organization in preparation for American accession to the Geneva Treaty”(Gale Biography in Context, "Clara (Clarissa Harlowe) Barton."). As said in the quote, there were men who stood as obstacles in her race to establish her goal. Most people either did not want her to get her success, or didn’t believe she could get where she said she would. So instead of fighting with them to get permission, Clara Barton found people that actually believed in her. Her determination really showed when she kept trying to achieve her goal, even when the president denied her permission to create the red cross. Though the president turned her down on her idea, she kept persisting and wanted to do good. She kept pushing, even when the only person who agree to sign her deal was assassinated. Her determination soon led her to another person who would help her. This is important because her persistence let her reach her goal. Clara Barton was able to show everyone that she was more than they knew her to be. From finding a new person to sign her treaty to getting permission to be the first nurse on the battlefield. Her persistence showed through at the end of the day. Throughout her life, Clara Barton constantly used her ability to push through and get things done for good. This is one of her redeeming qualities that help make her a hero.

Clara Barton and her house holdhttps://jhupress.wordpress.comClara Barton was a hard worker and selfless, she spent many nights working on achieving her goals that she set for herself and tending to the wounded people whom she didn’t know or barely knew. Clara Barton showed that she put 100% effort in everything by investing everything she has into her goal; whether that be self morals, values, or beliefs. She constantly was doing things to help people. “She resigned from the Patent Office at the outbreak of the Civil War and devoted herself to the relief of sick and wounded soldiers, often working with the field surgeons not far from the battlefield. Her admirers said that, despite her love of the Union cause, when she worked in the battlefield, she never discriminated between soldiers from the North or the South”(Gale Biography in Context, "Clara (Clarissa Harlowe) Barton."). Clara Barton devoted herself constantly, despite people trashing her constantly for it. But she kept going, because she knew people would eventually benefit from it and thank her later. Though most people didn’t see how she would help at first, she continued to be the angel in disguise. She tended to wounded soldiers whether they wanted he help or not. Though Barton had an opinion on which side of the war should receive victory, she decided that wasn’t important, and what was important was getting all of the soldiers back on their feet and healthy again. Instead of fighting for what she believed in, she used her hard work and passion for helping people to guide her on the high road. She never discriminated and always helped as many people as she could. After Barton was finished tending in the war, she took on the mission of fighting for women’s rights. Clara Barton was a person who kept going, fixing one thing and then moving onto the next. And once she devoted herself to something, she never backed down. With this devotion came the promise of 100% effort to achieve the goals she set for herself. “It was Barton's wartime service which gave rise to her own feminist principles. During a lecture to a group of veterans, she implored: "Soldiers! I have worked for you- and I ask of you, now, one and all, that you consider the wants of my people ... God only knows women were your friends in time of peril- and you should be hers now." For over 40 years, Barton worked for the women's movement without allying herself too closely and never allowing her name to be used as an officer of the organization. Rather than focus only on women's right to vote, she was concerned with the advancement of women in all areas of life” (Gale biography in Context, "Clara Barton."). Now that the society had recognized Barton’s sentence to service for the community, it was time for the community to do theirs. Clara Barton was finally able to use her selflessness as an example of how most women serve their household, and how much they do for men. children and elders. She argued that women have served men for so long, and stood by their side, and now it’s the men’s turn to do the same. Clara barton was an important figure who fought for what she believes in, and for her fellow women. This shows hard work and selflessness because she has to have the ability to not care about what people think of her and put effort into this protest. Clara barton was a figure who put effort into everything she did. Without her we wouldn’t be where we are today.

Clara Barton with her Red Cross Nurseshttps://www.historyinthemargins.comClara Barton demonstrates persistence and shows she is a role model through her constant willingness to help people and her achievement of being the first nurse allowed on the battlefield. Her hard work and late nights spent to tend to soldiers to whom she’s never mat shows the kindness and compassion she has for people. When she took charge of her company and achieved her goals, her leadership and determination showed through and demonstrated all ways she is an inspiration and more than just “the women who founded the red cross.” Clara Barton was the type of person who you’d want helping you, she was devoted and put everything she has into achieving her goals, she leads by example and doesn’t care what people think of her. Clara Barton shows the world what it means to be a good person. She knew she had the ability to achieve great things, and she held herself to that standard. She didn’t care what people thought of her and was humble. She helped as many people as she could. She kept her opinion out of things and focused on improving the world. She saw what the world could be and did her best ability to turn it into something ever sing person could live in. Clara Barton was a kind woman who had a large heart that lives immortality and beats to fix the imperfections the world has. When Clara Barton is humble, kind, open minded, hard working, caring, and so much more. It is all of these characteristics that make her a hero.

Works Consulted

American Humanist Association. “Finding Clara Barton.” Gale, 2018, go.galegroup.com/ps/i.do?p=BIC1&u=powa9245&v=2.1&it=r&id=GALE%7CA530361154.

“Clara Barton Chronology 1870-1912.” National Parks Service, U.S. Department of the Interior, www.nps.gov/clba/learn/kidsyouth/chron3.htm.

“Clara Barton.” Gale Group, Gale, 1992, go.galegroup.com/ps/retrieve.do?resultListType=RELATED_DOCUMENT&searchType=ts&userGroupName=powa9245&inPS=true&contentSegment=&prodId=BIC&docId=GALE%7CK1607000021&it=r.

“Clarissa Harlowe Barton.” Gale, Gale Group, 2000, go.galegroup.com/ps/retrieve.do?tabID=FeaturedContent&resultListType=RESULT_LIST&searchResultsType=SingleTab&searchType=TopicSearchForm¤tPosition=2&docId=GALE%7CK2643411682&docType=Biography&sort=Relevance&contentSegment=&prodId=BIC&contentSet=GALE%7CK2643411682&topicId=00000000MQLB&searchId=&userGroupName=powa9245&inPS=true.

Charles Scribner's Sons. “Red Cross, American.” Gale, 2003, go.galegroup.com/ps/retrieve.do?tabID=Reference&resultListType=RESULT_LIST&searchResultsType=SingleTab&searchType=BasicSearchForm¤tPosition=3&docId=GALE%7CCX3401803540&docType=Topic+overview&sort=Relevance&contentSegment=&prodId=SUIC&contentSet=GALE%7CCX3401803540&searchId=R1&userGroupName=powa9245&inPS=true.