Clara Barton Fansite

You’ve probably heard about Clara Burton’s myriad accomplishments. You’ve heard how she helped the wounded in the American Civil War – regardless of which side on which they fought – and how she was the pioneer behind bringing the Red Cross to the United States.

But where did it all start? What did the Clara Burton education consist of?

In fact, not that much. Her early education was provided almost exclusively by her brothers, her sisters (all older, of course) and lots of reading. Apparently that was enough to let the bright girl teach, and she was doing so in Massachusetts while still just a teenager. She stopped briefly in 1850, mind you, but that was only so she could go to school to learn how to be a better educator in New York. She was back by 1852, having started a school that grew to 600 students within a year.