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Mail Tribune 100, Nov. 16, 1922 By Alissa Corman Nov 16, 2022 12:00 AM A A News from 100 years ago The following news items were drawn from the archives of the Mail Tribune 100 years ago Nov. 16, 1922 RED CROSS WORK HERE PRAISED AT FORUM LUNCHEON A large number of people attended the annual Red Cross forum of the Medford Chamber of Commerce yesterday noon at the Hotel Medford, at which time talks on the Red Cross, its advantages and its value to the civilized world were given by Miss Mabel Haynes, local secretary of the Red Cross, W. C. Schuppel, agency supervisor of the Oregon Life Insurance company, Porter J. Neff and B. E. Harder, chairman of the committee which started a general drive for memberships and contributions to raise Jackson County’s quota of $5,000 this morning. Miss Haynes outlined the work of the organization and explained that it was the aim to make every inhabitant of the community an asset. To take people who have been unfortunate and get them back into a position where they will be able to do constructive work again and to reduce the number of dependents and liabilities to society was described as the purpose of the society by the speaker. Miss Haynes declared that many types of dependent cases exist in Jackson County and to show how the Red Cross accomplishes its ends and what those ends are she described the case of a widow with five children. Cases of widows who are unable to give their children proper attention are frequent all over the country according to the speaker and Jackson County is no exception, having many such cases. In this particular instance the court had provided under the state law for widows with families a pension of $25 per month at the time of the husband’s death. Upon investigation by the Red Cross it was found that the amount was nowhere near sufficient and that the mother had been working herself to a point of physical debilitation and exhaustion where she would soon be unable to continue the pace she had been maintaining in order that her children should not be placed at a disadvantage. At the behest of the Red Cross the pension was increased to $40 per month in order that the mother might not have to be sent to a hospital as a result of over-exertion and that she might stay with and care for her family. From an economic viewpoint Miss Haynes pointed out that this action was sound as it would allow the children to have a mother’s care and to continue to receive an education and preparation which would in later years make them an asset in the community to which they belong. — Alissa Corman; [email protected]