Evening Republican, Volume 21, Number 131, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 19 June 1917 — WHAT CAN WE DO? [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

WHAT CAN WE DO?

just as the family is the group on which all modern civilization is based, and of which counties, states and nations are formed, so the chapter is the unit on which is basfed the great work of the American Red Cross. The aim of this article is to tell, as clearly and briefly as may be, the best way to form a chapter. A small group of persons—three or four or half a dozen, or even tenshould hold an informal meeting and reach a mutual understanding of what is to be done. They must understand that the Red Cross chapter is not a sewing society, nor a physicians’ club, nop a nurses’ organization; nor a political or religious group of any kind. It is a union of the brightest and strongest men and women of any community, formed to prepare for the alleviation of human misery. This being true, those who form the chapter must be men and women who command the respect of the community. It has been found W'ell to have in this group a representative of the local chamber of commerce or whatever business organization the community affords. Physicians, lawyers, clergymen, educators, bankers, business men —whoever are leaders in the daily life of the community—make good material for Red Cross work. Politics and creed are never considered at all. It is preferred that each county have a chapter, usually located at the county seat, but there is no hard and fast rule. In any case, those who wash to form a chapter should agree on a course, form themselves into an organisation committee, choose a chairman and secretary, and write to "the Division Director of the Red Cross for permission to organize a chapter. In the letter asking this permission, a brief account should be given of each of those in the movement, for the director invariably makes inquiry, before granting permission, to make sure that the chapter will be in capable and trustworthyhands. . The division director will send a blank form petition, which is to be filled out with the names, addresses and other items concerning each of the

How to Form a Red Cross Chapter

petitioners, and returned to him. If it appears that responsible and representative men and women are back of the movement, he will grant authority to organize a chapter. The next step is a meeting of the group, already organized Into a committee on organization, together with a few other of the strongest men and women of the community, but not a public mass meeting. At this meeting a board of trustees of from 12 to 36 is usually elected, one-third to hold office one year, one-third two years, and one-third three years. This board then elects a central committee of ten members, the central committee chooses the chapter chairman, and the chairman with the aid of the central committee names the principal committees. It has been found best to elect an experienced business man and capable executive as chairman. In only a few instances, have women been chosen. The secretary must be familiar with the work of keeping records, and carrying on businesslike correspondence with men whose every minute is valuable. The treasurer is usually the president of a strong bank. Chairman, secretary and treasurer are usually ex officio members of the executive committee. When the chapter has been fully organized, a certificate of organization and election, made out on blanks which will have been furnished, will be sent to the division director. If he finds it regular, he will forward it to the Director of Chapters, at Washington, it will be taken by him before the central committee, and a formal recognition of the new chapter wilt be granted. From that moment the chapter is the official representative of the American Red Cross in the territory over which it has jurisdiction. The name of the chapter is usually that of the town in which it is formed. The name must be geographical, and the territory over which the chapter wishes jurisdiction must be dearly set forth in the petition, and will be as clearly defined in the authority to organize, and in the formal recognition by the central committee.