Clara Barton was born in North Oxford, Massachusetts on December 25, 1821. Her birthday had a significant sign to her future. She would later be known as the “Angel of the Battlefield”. She was born to a respected farmer, horse breeder, and politician, and was the youngest of five children. Most of her early education came from her older siblings, which paid off. By the time she was four she could already spell complicated words. Her first nursing experience came when she was eleven years old. Her brother David suffered a serious illness and for two years she was dedicated to him; learning to give him medications and nursing him back to health (Women in history, 2011).
Sunday, July 3, 2011
Life’s Work
Clara was known for her shyness. She was encouraged to become a teacher to help cure it. She began her teaching career in a small Massachusetts town. She taught for ten years until she was offered a position at a private school in New Jersey. While in New Jersey, Clara saw the need for free public education and opened up the first free public school in the state. The attendance grew to over 600 students, so the school board saw fit to hire a man to run it. Clara packed up and moved to Washington D.C. (Civil War Nurse, para, 10). In Washington, Clara received a substantial clerkship working in the U.S. Patent Office. She was the first woman to work in that office. In 1861, the War between the States broke out and Clara decided to resign from her position to volunteer to help with wounded and suffering soldiers. She would gather supplies such as clothes and food, as well as supplying medical assistance to them. Clara offered personal assistance as well such as lifting spirits by reading letters, listening to problems and praying with them. She then found her place to take care of the wounded and suffering rather than behind the scenes in Washington. Clara earned her nickname “Angle of the Battlefield” for delivering a wagon of supplies one night to a field hospital after the battle of Cedar Mountain (American Red Cross, para, 5-6). In 1864, Clara became the Superintendent of Union nurses; she practiced nursing exclusively on sixteen different battlefields experiencing first-hand the horrors of war (Chitty, 2001). After the war Clara worked herself to a physical breakdown and the doctors ordered her to go to Europe and rest.
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The Red Cross
During the outbreak of the France and Prussia war, Clara could not be still knowing the hardships of many French civilians. She joined the relief efforts and an organization called the Red Cross, which provided humane services to all victims during wartime. Miss Barton returned back to the United States and founded her greatest accomplishment the American Red Cross; she persuaded the government to sign the treaty of Geneva to help provide aid to Americans for natural disasters. In her 70’s Clara continued to do relief work in the field and for the American Red Cross. She died at the age of 90 from complications of a cold (Civil War Nurse, para, 22).
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Clara's Influences
Clara Barton never married. She dedicated her life to helping others in need through her bravery and courage. America owes a debt of gratitude to Clara Barton for founding this organization. Through the American Red Cross many citizens have been helped through the years of tragedy our country has endured.
Nursing today certainly differs from the days of Clara Barton. Much more schooling is required to get your degree in nursing. There are more stringent rules in joining the military and joining the military medical profession. Technology has also helped to shape the field. Access to better, more advanced equipment, not to mention sterile working environments, has helped to advance the practice from water, rags, ether, and a saw. Education has also changed over the years. In Barton’s day, it was all on the job training. Now, nursing students can almost be “battle ready” by the time they graduate. This preparedness makes for better quality nurses when they leave school.
References
American Red Cross. Clara Barton: Founder of the American Red Cross. Retrieved from:
Civil War Nurse. Founder of American Red Cross. U.S. Library of Congress. Retrieved from: http://americancivilwar.com/women/cb.html
Chitty, K. (2001). Professional Nursing Concepts and Challenges. Elsevier Saunders.
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