In addition to the work of the day camp this year the funds raised by the Red Cross Christmas Seals will be devoted to the open-air classes for anemic children in the public schools. There are open-air classes in eight of the public schools now in Brooklyn. About 300 children attend these classes and all of them are given some extra nourishment in the morning and afternoon and a warm lunch at noon, and some extra clothing was provided by the Board of Education. Special examinations by private physicians, visits to homes, employment of cooks, supervisor, etc., come out of the Red Cross money.
The plan adopted in Brooklyn has been to keep the Red Cross money in a special fund and devote it to some specific work, which interests the thousands of people who buy seals at Christmas time. Without the help of the sale of the seals it would have been impossible to have done some of the most valuable work which has been done for tubercular patients in Brooklyn.
“FERRY BOAT CAMP.” THE SCHOOL AT PLAY.
First Aid Department
One of the most successful campaigns conducted by the First Aid Department of the American Red Cross has been that on the Missouri-Pacific System, which was completed at Texarkana, Arkansas, on January 4, 1913. It was begun at Omaha, Nebraska, on the September 16, 1912. A great part of the Missouri-Pacific System was covered during the ensuing two months and a half, meetings being held at points in nine different States. The total number of meetings was 234, the total attendance 14,050, and the total travel 5,752 miles. The employes of this railroad system were generally greatly interested in learning first aid. As the direct result of this tour the entire system is to be outfitted with first aid supplies and the instruction of men in their use is to be continued systematically.
It is gratifying to be able to record the fact that in the course of this campaign many public meetings have been held both in Car No. 1 and in town halls. Several opportunities have been offered to speak on first aid at high schools, and in one or two towns this subject will be adopted as part of the curriculum. Many fire and police departments have been represented at meetings as well as a good number of industries.
Dr. Mackey, in charge of Car No. 1 on his arrival at Texarkana, Texas, on January 6, made arrangements to hold meetings at schools, factories, etc., in that town while awaiting a new railroad schedule. The high school and normal school attendance during this period amounted to 995 persons. The school board of Texarkana has adopted first aid to the injured as a regular course of study in the high school. The Y. M. C. A. has installed a complete course and the Texarkana Normal School (colored) has decided to take up this work. On leaving Texarkana on the 17th of January, 1913, Dr. Mackey, with Car No. 1, resumed his railroad work on the St. Louis Southwestern Railroad of Texas. This was continued until the end of February with a total attendance of 2,085, a total of 30 meetings, and a total travel of 1,274 miles.