 of Dansville, the home of the
president, felt that if she were engaged in some public movement, they
too might at least offer to aid. Accordingly, on her return to them in
midsummer, they waited upon her with a request to that effect, which
resulted in the formation of a society of the Red Cross, this being the
first body in aid of the National Association formed in the United
States. It is possible I cannot make that more clear than by giving an
extract from their report of that date, which was as follows:

  In reply to your request, given through the secretary of your
  association, that we make report to you concerning the inauguration
  of our society, its subsequent proceedings and present condition,
  the committee has the honor to submit the following statement:

  Dansville, Livingston County, N.Y., being the country residence of
  Miss Clara Barton, president of the American Association of the Red
  Cross, its citizens, desirous of paying a compliment to her, and at
  the same time of doing an honor to themselves, conceived the idea of
  organizing in their town the first local society of the Red Cross
  in the United States. To this end, a general preliminary meeting was
  held in the Presbyterian Church, when the principles of the Treaty
  of Geneva and the nature of its societies were defined in a clear
  and practical manner by Miss Barton, who had been invited to address
  the meeting. Shortly after, on the twenty-second of August, 1881, a
  second meeting, for the purpose of organization, held in the
  Lutheran Church and presided over by the pastor, Rev. Dr. Strobel,
  was attended by the citizens generally, including nearly all the
  religious denominations of the town, with their respective pastors.
  The purpose of the meeting was explained by your president, a
  constitution was presented and very largely signed, and officers
  were elected.

  Thus we are able to announce that on the eighteenth anniversary of
  the Treaty of Geneva, in Switzerland, August 22, 1864, was formed
  the first lo