The Midland Journal

Sale Begins Drive Officially Opened On Thanksgiving Day—Seals Ready For Mailing

The Christmas Seals are all ready for mailing to the people of the state according to the reports of the chairmen of the various counties of Maryland, and should be delivered shortly after Thanksgiving, the day upon which the sale officially commences.

Henry F. Baker of Baltimore, is general seal sale chairman for the state, and each county, with exception of a few of the smaller ones, also has its own local chairman. The work of these chairmen has been unusually enthusiastic and their efforts indicate a successful sale for 1937.

The Christmas Seals make possible the fight to prevent tuberculosis in Maryland. They finance such state-wide activities as the free chest clinics, the Miracle House, health education, medical research, the purchase of diagnostic equipment, and special work among the colored. The funds that are raised by the sale of these seals in the various counties are spent in the counties in which they were raised with the exception of a small percentage which is used to finance the program of the State Association.

This program has been instrumental in decreasing the tuberculosis death rate in Maryland by almost two-thirds in the last thirty years.

William B. Matthews, managing director of the Maryland Tuberculosis Association, said that many schools throughout the state were participating in the Christmas Seal sale activities. Through an educational unit supplied by the association, many of these schools are celebrating Wednesday, November 24th, as "Thanks for Health Day". The unit is based upon 'bell ringing', a subject closely connected with the design of the Christmas Seal.

Mr. Matthews further stated that November 28th will be celebrated in many of the churches of the state as "Christmas Seal Sunday". He said, "It is hoped by the various chairmen in the several counties that the clergy of the respective counties will assist in the observance of Christmas Seal Sunday by calling to the attention their congregation on the work that is being made possible by the seals."

Approximately 27,000,000 Christmas Seals have been prepared for mailing. These will be sent to 150,000 people in the state. "If everyone would buy and use seals sent to them" Mr. Matthews said. "the Maryland Tuberculosis Association and its affiliated county associations would have sufficient funds to put on an intensive anti-tuberculosis program that would speedily offset the recent slight rise in tuberculosis deaths."

"Last year Montgomery County had the best per capita record and Baltimore County raised the largest total. The chairmen and committees of the other counties are trying to match the records of these two during the 1937 sale". Mr. Matthews concluded.