Clara Barton

– American Red Cross Essay, Research Paper

Imagine being a soldier in the Civil War. You get shot in the leg and there is no way you will be able to survive without help. There are no surgeons or nurses around to assist you and no proper materials to mend the wound yourself. Clara Barton grew up as a young schoolteacher moving from place to place. Later in life, finding out that much help was needed during times of war and disaster, she started the American Red Cross. Clara Barton was remembered and honored for her service she gave in times of need, she is a good remodel to all.

Clarissa Harlowe Barton was born on Christmas day, December 25, 1821. She was born in a small hospital in North Oxford, Massachusetts. Clara was born to Stephen and Sara Barton. She was the youngest of five children; she had two brothers and two sisters. Clara’s parents thought she was special because she was a Christmas child. (”The True Heroine” 1)

Clara’s parents decided when she was 3 years old that Clara should start going to school. So at the age of 3, Clara enrolled in school for the first time. Clara’s teachers saw her as a very promising student. The teachers gave her much attention and praise all during school. (”The True Heroine” 1)

All through Clara’s life her father, Stephen, had his children sit around the living room listening to his stories. When Clara was 11, she learned a great deal about military etiquette, battle strategy, and first aid tips (Hamilton 17). So when Clara’s brother David fell from the barn rafters, Clara left school to take care of him at home (”The True Heroine” 2).

At the age of 13, Clara realized that there were many families that were in need of help. Clara helped nurse poor families and tutored children. She could not become a certified nurse because there were no nursing schools, so she had to learn everything she knew while on the job (Hamilton 39). Nursing was hard for Clara, not knowing what she was doing. So when Clara turned 16, Doctor Lorenzo Fowler, a phrenologist, told her parents that Clara should start teaching school (”The True Heroine” 2).

Following Doctor Fowler and her parents advice, Clara started teaching at a small school in her town. While Clara was teaching, she found the school supplies to be very inadequate for the children. She knew she had to do something about it so she made a plan to bring this to the town meeting. She was granted her request to improve the school and within the year Clara was very pleased with her first big accomplishment. (”The True Heroine” 2)

Though Clara liked teaching, she didn’t feel she was doing enough. She felt like she should being doing more for herself, her future, and her family. In 1845. Clara started a school on her own for the mill workers. She started a free public school, a building was built for her. She was denied the position of principal because she was a women. They found a male principal. Clara was upset about this and left the school. (Curtis 1)

When Clara was 25, she was unemployed. That is when her brother David became seriously ill with a fever. Her family could not afford to get him a nurse to stay at the house and her parents were too busy to stay at home with him. Clara was given the task of nursing her brother. She learned about all of his medications from the doctor and about what to do when there were serious problems. (Hamilton 21) After Clara’s brother recovered in the mid-1840s, Clara began helping the less fortunate and families in trouble (”The True Heroine” 2).

Clara went back to school to learn more on how to help the less fortunate. She left home in the early 1850s to go back to school. She went out of state to Clinton Liberal Institute out of state. However, Clara’s mother, Sara Barton passed away in July 1851 and Clara was left with many difficulties on her shoulders. She was burdened with the family’s financial problems, so she that knew she could not go to school. She knew that she would have to go to work instead, so she moved in with some of her friends in Highstown, New Jersey and started teaching again in a local school. (”The True Heroine” 2)

The Civil War broke out in April 1861 when Fort Sumter was fired upon. Clara heard and went right there (”The True Heroine” 3). According to William D. Hasley, author of Collier’s Encyclopedia, “She rented a warehouse, filled markey baskets, and petitioned friends in New England and New Jersey to send comforts for the soldiers” (645). The knowledge Clara gained about the battlefield from her father’s inspiration in his stories to help her out with the war. Women were not allowed to be on the battlefield, but Clara knew she had to manage somehow. Once Clara was allowed to help out the surgeons. (Hamilton 40)

The first time Clara was in a fieldhouse was on August 2, 1861 when she delivered supplies to Fredericksburg. Clara was disgusted with how dirty the hospital and supplies were. Clara aided in the war effort by getting provisions for the soldiers in Washington. When Clara helped the soldiers by making bandages, preparing food, cleaning hospitals, and assisting in many surgeries. Clara had seen enough surgical procedures to be able to do them herself. (”The True Heroine” 3) The U.S. Sanitary Commission provided the Civil War with nurses, supplies, bandages, and clothing. The U.S. Sanitary Commission watched over the nurses to make sure tha