Mary+A.

Clara Barton Have you ever heard of the woman who founded the American Red Cross? The woman who shared her medical supplies with both sides of the wars? Hi, I am Clarissa Harlowe Barton, but most call me Clara. I am also called Miss Red Cross and Angel of the battlefield. I assume you are wondering why all the names? My life started in Oxford, Massachusetts. My birthday is December 25, 1821. When I was a child I was called shy because of my timidness to others. My family was all very generous considering they were all more than 10 years older than me. My older sister Sally was 10 years old when I was born. Just older than her are Stephen and David. Oldest is Dorothy. My parents are Stephen and Sarah Barton. I also had a faithful dog named Buttons. He attended all of my tea parties while my siblings were at school. When I was 4 years old my brother put me on his shoulders and carried me to a one-room schoolhouse. I begged him to take me home. I did great in school. Always got good grades. Later my family sent me to boarding school. Though I got good grades there too I was lonely. After many letters home my family consented to bring me home. After this I was homeschooled. Soon I went to teach school in a one-room schoolhouse. At first I was nervous because some of the children were as old as I was. The girls trusted me very quickly. I befriended the boys by teaching them how to play “real” baseball. I had to thank David for this. He taught me all sports. When I was 10 or 11 David fell from our barn roof. I was so worried. Finally my mother taught me to nurse him. After two years of nursing him I knew all I wanted to do was help others. When the civil war started I went to the government to send in supplies. Soon I went to the actual battlefield and helped nurse the men. When the war ended I became very sick. My doctor said I needed to have a long rest. So I traveled to Switzerland. But before long I was visited by the president of the Red Cross. He told me that the Red Cross was a group of men and woman who helped in times of need. Soon I was up and gathering supplies for new needs. Once I had traveled back to America I contacted all my friends who agreed to help me with the American Red Cross. After wars I would go and find all registered men who went missing during the war. Finally after a few years the American Red Cross became a real organization. When I was too old to go to the battlefield I wrote books about my experiences. I died on April 12, 1912 in my home in Glen Echo, which is now a national historic museum.