Clara Barton

  • Began her teaching career

    Began her teaching career
    Clara passed her examination and began her teaching career in schools near Oxford Massachusets at the age of 16.She was praised because she refused to physically punish her students but all of her students were well disciplined. She excelled as a teacher.
  • Established a free public school

    Established a free public school
    SInce she was so successful in teaching she established the first free public school in Bordentown New Jersey. She was disappointed at first because only 6 kids showed up but throughout the course of the year. word spread about the school. By the end of the year there was over 200 kids.
  • End of her teaching career

    End of her teaching career
    The free public school in New Jersey did so well that they decided to build a $4,000 school. Her position of principal was taken by a man that ended up making twice her salary. After this loss she decided to give up teaching and resigned from the school she had established.
  • Moved to Washington DC

    Moved to Washington DC
    aching job in New Jersey she moved to Washington DC and worked as a recording clerk at the US patent office for Charles Mason. She earned the same pay as the men she worked along side of which was a very big deal.
  • Moved back to Massachusetts

    Moved back to Massachusetts
    Clara moved back to Massachusetts and lived with relatives and friends because her position at the Patent office was eliminated by the administration of president James Buchanan. She lived there for 3 years until she moved back to her job in the Patent office with the election of Abraham Lincoln.
  • Helped wounded soldiers for the 1st time

    Helped wounded soldiers for the 1st time
    The 6th Massachusetts Infantry was attacked . They arrived in Washington, DC, beaten and with several members of their regiment dead. Clara Barton provided supplies of her own and helped them. This marked the start of her heroic career on the battlefield.
  • Received permission to assist on the field

    Received permission to assist on the field
    Although she had been helping the soldiers for awhile this was when she officially had permission to be assisting. This was important because it allowed her to begin to be recognized for the work she had been doing for the troops.
  • The Battle of Antietam

    The Battle of Antietam
    During the battle she was almost killed by a stray bullet that went through her dress and into the soldier that she was tending to killing him. This being the bloodiest battle of the war she was very busy for the entire battle.
  • Addressed the problem of missing soldiers

    Addressed the problem of missing soldiers
    She finally got the approval of Abraham Lincoln to address the large numbers of missing soldiers. She established "The Office of Correspondence with Friends of the Missing Men of the United States Army" This was the beginning of a four year search for these missing men.
  • The Red Cross is established

    The Red Cross is established
    After 4 years of hardwork Clara Barton formed The American Association of the Red Cross. She elected president at a meeting held June 9 in Washington, DC. The Red Cross then went on to help many people in many different crisis and continues to do so today.