The Mist That Falls At Night

2

I filled the soul of Clarissa Harlow Barton. She was the woman who started the American red cross, founded schools for poor children, saved countless lives, and got over shyness and loneliness.

Clara was the face of hope for impossible dreams. She inspired many and made nursing a desired profession. 

Clara was born on December 25, 1821 in North Oxford Massachusetts. She was the 5th child out of 6. As a kid wasn't cared for by her mother and grew up instead under the care of her siblings.

Growing up on a farm, she learned to sew, cook, clean, tie knots, pitch a ball, ride horses, use tools, run fast, and do easy chores. At the age of three she even learned to read! But growing up as a tomboy was not very easy. She was generally shy as a child and she didn't enjoy doing all the things the girls enjoyed. Finally, at the age of 17, Clara's parents decided that she needed to get over her shyness. They made her teach summer school.

At first Clara hated it. She was put in a  room full of strangers ranging from elementary to high schoolers. Eventually though, she loved it! At recess she enjoyed running with the students (or ahead of them) and proving her strength.

Soon enough word got around that she was good at teaching for all ages. Clara was asked to teach at tons of places for tons of people. By the next year she was asked to teach full time. But there was a catch. The school board was planning to pay her as much as a summer school teacher! Clara said she would only become a full time teacher if she was payed like a man. Finally they agreed to her terms. So Clara became a teacher.

Upon hearing of her small victory, Clara's mother Sarah was very proud of her daughter. Sarah was a women's right activist. She and her husband Stephen both agreed that women and men deserved the same rules and opportunities. 

After teaching for a while Clara wanted a change in scenery, she also wanted to get more of an education. So she took a big step. At the age of 29 she enrolled into Clinton Liberal Institute. It was her first time leaving home but she enjoyed the experience. Sadly, while she was away her mother died. She was stricken with grief and came home only for a short time after leaving again.

This time Clara decided to move to Hightstown, New Jersey to live with some of her friends from Clinton. While there she got a job at a boy's school in Cedarville, New Jersey. People were amazed at how fast she was to discipline the boys. A year later in 1852 Clara was in Bordentown, NJ when she saw some young boys. She asked why they weren't in school and they replied that they didn't have enough money to go to school. Clara thought that that was awful. She believed that all people deserved to have a good education.

So as soon as she could she fought to make a free school. After some meetings she struck a deal. If she taught for free then they would open up the old school house for free.

It only took a couple weeks for the new school to be opened. Within a year the school went from 4 students to 200 and 400 on hold. She now was also being payed $250 per year (that's now worth about $7,812.50) due to her amazing work! They now had to get a bigger school house soon or the current one would over flow. They also needed more teachers. So in 1854 the new school was opened... with a new principal? That's right! The idea of Clara's was now not hers. A man was in charge instead. The job of a principal was considered to hard for a woman at this time.

Clara sank into depression. She couldn't eat or sleep. Eventually she decided that she should move away, and in February of 1854 that's just what she did. 

She moved to Washington DC with her friend Fanny Childs who had been helping her the whole time during her teaching career. In DC Clara got a job as a clerk at the US Patent Office. Now she was making $1,400 a year which is now worth $40,000! She still believed in equal pay and was being payed like a man would be at the time.