"You must never so much think as whether you like it or not, whether it is bearable or not; you must never think of anything except the need, and how to meet it."
About Clara Barton
Clara Barton — Life and Legacy
Clara Barton, a dedicated nurse and humanitarian, is best known for founding the American Red Cross in 1881. Her commitment to providing care during the Civil War and her advocacy for the rights of soldiers and their families marked her as a significant figure in American history. Barton's philosophy centered around compassion and service, which is evident in her quote, 'I may be the first to do it, but I won’t be the last.' This reflects her understanding of the importance of leading by example in humanitarian efforts, encouraging others to follow suit. She believed that losing oneself in the service of others was the path to true fulfillment, as captured in her assertion that 'The greatest way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others.' This perspective not only shaped her work but also laid the groundwork for future generations of humanitarian leaders. Barton's legacy continues to resonate today, as her quotes inspire individuals to engage in acts of service and compassion, reinforcing the idea that every effort counts in making a difference.
Quote collection
Clara Barton quotes (page 1 of 2)
35 quotes — follow a thought to its full quote page.
"I may be compelled to face danger, but never fear it, and while our soldiers can stand and fight, I can stand and feed and nurse them."
"It irritates me to be told how things have always been done. I defy the tyranny of precedent. I cannot afford the luxury of a closed mind."
"The door that nobody else will go in at, seems always to swing open widely for me."
"The Red Cross in its nature, it aims and purposes, and consequently, its methods, is unlike any other organization in the country.It is an organization of physical action, of instantaneous action, at the spur of the moment; it cannot await the ordinary deliberation of organized bodies if it would be of use to suffering humanity,[ellipsis in original] it has by its nature a field of its own."
"I have an almost complete disregard of precedent, and a faith in the possibility of something better. It irritates me to be told how things have always been done. I defy the tyranny of precedent. I go for anything new that might improve the past."
"I may sometimes be willing to teach for nothing, but if paid at all, I shall never do a man's work for less than a man's pay."
"If I were to speak of war, it would not be to show you the glories of conquering armies but the mischief and misery they strew in their tracks; and how, while they marched on with tread of iron and plumes proudly tossing in the breeze, some one must follow closely in their steps, crouching to the earth, toiling in the rain and darkness, shelterless themselves, with no thought of pride or glory, fame or praise, or reward; hearts breaking with pity, faces bathed in tears and hands in blood. This is the side which history never shows."
"Offering a hand up is not a hand-out."
"This conflict is one thing I've been waiting for. I'm well and strong and young - young enough to go to the front. If I can't be a soldier, I'll help soldiers."
"Although its growth may seem to have been slow, it is to be remembered that it is not a shrub, or plant, to shoot up in the summerand wither in the frosts. The Red Cross is a part of us--it has come to stay--and like the sturdy oak, its spreading branches shall yet encompass and shelter the relief of the nation."
"Everybody's business is nobody's business, and nobody's business is my business."
"I have never worked for fame or praise, and shall not feel their loss as I otherwise would. I have never for a moment lost sight of the humble life I was born to, its small environments, and the consequently little right I had to expect much of myself, and shall have the less to censure, or upbraid myself with for the failures I must see myself make."
"While soldiers can stand and fight.I can fight and feed them"
"A ball had passed between my body and the right arm which supported him, cutting through the sleeve and passing through his chest from shoulder to shoulder. There was no more to be done for him and I left him to his rest. I have never mended that hole in my sleeve."
"People should not say that this or that is not worth learning, giving as their reason that it will not be put to use. They can no more know what information they will need in the future than they will know the weather two hundred years from today."
"The surest test of discipline is its absence."
"If woman alone had suffered under these mistaken traditions [of women's subordination], if she could have borne the evil by herself, it would have been less pitiful, but her brother man, in the laws he created and ignorantly worshipped, has suffered with her. He has lost her highest help; he has crippled the intelligence he needed; he has belittled the very source of his own being and dwarfed the image of his Maker."
"The patriot blood of my father was warm in my veins."
"An institution or reform movement that is not selfish, must originate in the recognition of some evil that is adding to the sum of human suffering, or diminishing the sum of happiness."