Sadie North Was Known as a "Human Dynamo"

Miss Sadie North, Red Cross Nurse

Sadie North was born on May 25, 1875 in Brunswick, Georgia although her death certificate and obituary incorrectly list her birth place as Illinois.  Her family left Georgia for Western North Carolina during a yellow fever outbreak in 1884.  After three years in Asheville they moved to Brevard in 1887.

The only child of well-educated parents, Sadie received a college degree through correspondence courses.  She went on to teach school in the county and at Brevard Institute.  She also received a degree in nursing through correspondence school, after which she worked for local doctors and at hospitals in Asheville and Hendersonville.

In March 1934 Sadie North began working as a teacher in the WPA.  Her home-making classes included home nursing.  In July 1935 she was certified in first aid after completing coursework at the First Aid and Aquatic School of the American National Red Cross held at Camp Carolina.  It was from these beginnings that she learned to swim and ride a bicycle while in her 60s. 

In addition to her work in adult education with the WPA Miss Sadie taught first aid on her own time.  Her efforts eventually led to Transylvania being the first county in North Carolina to include first aid instruction as part of the WPA adult education program.

Miss Sadie relaxes in her rocker.

She became the official National Red Cross instructor for Transylvania County, training both pupils and additional teachers.

Miss Sadie would put those skills to good use over the years as she rode her bicycle thousands of miles to visit communities throughout the county were she taught first aid and tended to injured and ill residents. 

March 24, 1949 was declared “Sadie North Day” by Mayor Varner.  Ted Malone of the American Broadcasting Company presented Miss Sadie with a Good Citizen certificate in a ceremony that was broadcast on over 220 radio stations nationwide. 

Life Magazine called Miss Sadie “a 77-year-old dynamo” in a September 8, 1952 pictorial feature showing her mowing her grass with a non-motorized reel mower, weaving, typing, playing the violin, caring for a happy baby, singing in the Methodist church choir, swimming, and pedaling her bicycle down an unpaved road. 

Miss Sadie North passed away on October 12, 1966 and is buried at Oak Grove cemetery in Brevard but many still remember Transylvania County’s Red Cross nurse who rode her bicycle all over the county teaching first aid and who taught hundreds to swim at Camp Carolina.

Photographs and information for this column are provided by the Rowell Bosse North Carolina Room, Transylvania County Library.  Visit the NC Room during regular library hours (Monday-Friday) to learn more about our history and see additional photographs.  For more information, comments or suggestions contact Marcy at marcy.thompson@transylvaniacounty.org or 828-884-3151 X242.