USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Somerville > Report of the city of Somerville 1959 > Part 11
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1 Mary Lou Clancy 1956
3 Estelle Brennan 1950
Kdgn. Helen T. Brooks 1946
3 Helen Constant 1951
Asst. ºMrs. Eileen Sheehan 1957
2 Martha Stanton 1951
BENJAMIN G. BROWN SCHOOL Willow and Josephine Avenue
John W. Healey,
Principal 1931
2 Anne Brennan 1959
5 Gertrude E. Macdonald 1926
2 Ruth Kelley 1931
6 Edward G. Murray 1954
6:5 Mrs. Gertrude T.
1 Andrea Driscoll 1944
McNamara 1940
4 Mrs. Evelyn M. Flynn 1956
4:3 Mary T. Smith 1956
3 Bernice E. Kingdon 1959
1 M. Virginia Jennings 1953
Kdgn. Elizabeth V. Colbert 1933
Asst. ºMrs. Mary R. Chiulli 1957
4 Anne B. Mullin
1930
1 ¡Mrs. Catherine E. Lewis 1946
1 H. Jeannette O'Brien 1947
4 Jane Bonia 1959
171
SCHOOL COMMITTEE
TEACHERS IN SERVICE, DECEMBER 31, 1959 - Continued HERBERT CHOLERTON SCHOOL Highland Avenue and Grove Street
Began Service
Name
Service
John W. Healey,
5 John J. McSweeney
1956
Principal
1931
6
Ernest J. Bennett
1953
5 Daniel P. Severino
1957
6 Ann F. O'Leary 1959
4 Georgina Bennett 1958
6 *George Ellison 1954
Kdgn. Mrs. Margaret Grady 1947
(WILLIAM H.) HODGKINS SCHOOL Holland Street
Edward L. Smith,
3 Isabelle G. Porter 1928
Principal
1930
2 Mary M. Diskin
1938
6
John J. Madden
1953
2 Abbie M. Brown 1923
5
Mrs. Helen B. Donahue
1943
1 Doris F. Tomlinson
1947
5 Helen B. Hesson
1930
1 Mrs. Sarah Talbot 1956
4 Stella G. Bucknam
1917
Kdgn. Louise Gartland 1926
4 Helen M. Merry
1936
Asst. Mrs. Corrine A. Cremins .. 1950
S. NEWTON CUTLER Powder House Boulevard near Raymond Avenue
Edward L. Smith,
2 Pauline Emery 1925
Principal
1930
2 Nora F. Keniry 1941
6
Mary A. Ahern
1928
2 Rose Santosuosso 1953
6 Elaine T. Healey
1958
1 Mrs. Nancy G. Higgins 1950
6 Mrs. Monira Blodgett
1921
1 Muriel P. King 1929
5 Alice A. Libbey
1919
1 Rosemarie Saldanha 1958
5 Eugenia Carver
1922
1 Mrs. Carol Hanley 1958
5 William P. Fedele
1956
Kdgn. Catherine M. Hagan 1943
4 Evelyn J. Bucknam
1943
Asst. Mrs. Ada Mawhinney
1951
4 Eliza 1. Patterson
1919
Asst. Mrs. Alice B. Burkhart 1947
3 Mrs. Mary D. Manning 1945
Asst. ºMrs. Rita Fitzpatrick 1957
MARTHA PERRY LOWE SCHOOL Morrison Avenue near Grove Street
John W. Healey,
Principal 1931
2 Mrs. Margaret Cody 1957
4
Marion A. Cannon 1928
2 Mary L. Stiles 1959
3 M. Justine Cook
959
1 Selena G. Wilson 1922
3 Mrs. Mary D. Girouard 1958
1 Helen J. Dervan 1928
LEON M. CONWELL SCHOOL Capen Street
Edward L. Smith,
3 Eileen M. Dewire 1950
Principal
1930
2 Alice J. McNally 1942
4
Philomena C. Lombardi 1929
1 Barbara M. Lee 1951
6 Mrs. Minnie E. Lougee 1922
Kdgn. Katherine R. Austin 1945
5 Jefferson G. Cicia 1959
EVENING SCHOOL PRINCIPAL
James J. McGowan ... 1958
Began
Name
5 Anne M. Doherty 1932
6 Arthur Hughes 1955
3 Gertrude O. Kohler 1929
3 Mrs. Alice W. Heffernan .. 1954
4 Ruth Brooks 1943
172
ANNUAL REPORTS
TEACHERS IN SERVICE DECEMBER 31 1959 -- Continued DIRECTORS, SUPERVISORS AND SPECIAL TEACHERS SUPERVISOR OF ELEMENTARY GRADES
Name
William J. Crotty
1926
REMEDIAL READING
Director
A. Teresa Diotaiuti
1942
Teachers
Gertrude M. Bell
1951
Shirley A. Mckenzie 1949
Frances Cronin
1956
Mrs. Winona Neal
1953
Dorothy M. Lally
1950
M. Lillian O'Neill 1936
COORDINATOR OF GUIDANCE SERVICES
James J. Noonan
1934
SCHOOL PSYCHOLOGIST
Winifred M. Ford
1927
EDUCATIONAL TESTING
Eleanor Rose
1942
TEACHER OF SPEECH AND HEARING HANDICAPPED
Marion C. Moran
1929
TEACHER OF SPEECH
1958
AUDIOMETER
Helen A. Moran
1919
Albert G. Ciampa
1958
MUSIC DIRECTOR
Paul O. Kelley
1946
SUPERVISOR - ELEMENTARY GRADES
William Howard
1936
Carol Lysaght
VISION TESTER
Began Service
173
SCHOOL COMMITTEE TEACHERS IN SERVICE, DECEMBER 31, 1959 - Continued TEACHER - FIELD MUSIC
Name Bart E. Grady, Jr.
Began Service
1945
TEACHER - BAND AND ORCHESTRA
Arthur J. Bizier
1953
ART
Charles R. Khirallah, Director
1951
PENMANSHIP
Anna M. Dee, Supervisor
1928
SEWING
6-5 Mary Swansey
1937 6-5 °Mrs. Ruth M. Murphy ...... 1958
6-5 Pia M. Fortini 1930
MANUAL ARTS
Melvin T. Carver, Supervisor
1936
Charles A. Dickerman, Director
ATHLETICS
1925
AUDIO - VISUAL AIDS
Edward J. Harrington, Supervisor
1950
PHYSICAL INSTRUCTION
John St. Angelo, Director
1928
SPECIAL CLASSES 1958 - 1959 DIRECTOR
Edward M. McCarty
1939
TEACHERS
PRESCOTT SCHOOL
Mrs. Eleanor J. Gagan .. 1955 Mrs. Helen Maclean ..... 1956
KNAPP SCHOOL
Mrs. Mary M. Sullivan
1956
174
ANNUAL REPORTS
TEACHERS IN SERVICE, DECEMBER 31, 1959 - Continued EDGERLY SCHOOL
Began
Began
Name
Service
Name
Service
Mrs. Margaret E. Sullivan ...
1936
Muriel H. Albanese
... 1949
Mrs. Louise Gordinier ... 1953
Margaret Connors 1935
FORSTER SCHOOL
Mrs. Dorothy Merrifield
1953
BINGHAM SCHOOL
Katherine E. Dooley
1950
CHOLERTON SCHOOL
Elena Alberghini
948
Suszanne Lombardi 1946
SOUTHERN JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL
James Keefe
1938
Wilson E. Whittaker .... 1949
Donald G. Jones 1948
THRIFT
E. Bella Weisman, Director
192]
Eva Palmer 1930
AMERICANIZATION
Rita J. DeLeo
1944
NON-ENGLISH SPEAKING CLASS
° Mrs. Patricia Kelley
1958
PHYSICALLY HANDICAPPED
Eunice F. Lanigan
............
1942
Mrs. Madeleine Scammell
....
1951
SUPERVISOR OF SCHOOL CAFETERIAS
° Mrs. Patricia M. Fitzpatrick Claire McAnneny, Clerk
SUPERVISOR OF ATTENDANCE James G. Hourihan
VISITING TEACHER Estelle M. Walsh
ADJUSTMENT COUNSELOR
Catherine J. Russell
.... 1959
CUSTODIAN SCHOOL COMMITTEE ROOMS Leo J. Callahan
MATRON SCHOOL COMMITTEE ROOMS Mrs. Margaret M. Manning
175
BOARD OF HEALTH
REPORT OF THE BOARD OF HEALTH
January 4, 1960
To the Honorable, the Mayor and the Board of Aldermen of the City of Somerville
Gentlemen:
We respectfully submit the following, which is a summary of the work of the department for the year 1959, as the eighty- second annual report of the Board of Health.
RECORD OF LICENSES AND PERMITS ISSSUED
SLAUGHTER POULTRY - One application for a permit to slaughter poultry under the provisions of Section 139a of Chapter 679 of the General Laws was received and granted.
MELT AND RENDER - Two licenses to carry on the busi- ness of melting and rendering were granted.
COLLECT GREASE - Ten applications for a permit to collect grease were received and all were granted.
MASSAGE - Eleven persons were licensed to practice massage.
BOTTLING CARBONATED BEVERAGES - Four licenses to engage in the business of bottling carbonated beverages, soda water and mineral spring water were granted. A fee of twenty dollars is charged for each license, ten of which is paid to the Commonwealth.
CONVALESCENT OR NURSING HOMES - In accordance with Sections 71 to 73 of Chapter 111 of the General Laws, six applications for the renewal of license to operate Convalescent or Nursing Homes for the Aged were approved and forwarded to the State Department of Public Health for licensure.
176
ANNUAL REPORTS
MORTALITY
There were 675 deaths and 25 stillbirths during the year, as specified in the following tables:
Deaths at the Central Hospital
88
Deaths at the Somerville Hospital
193
Deaths at Home for Aged Poor (Highland Avenue) 17
Deaths at Other Institutions
88
DEATHS BY AGES
Male Female
Total
Under one year
28
7
35
One to five years
0
3
3
Five to ten years
2
1
3
Ten to fifteen years
1
1
2
Fifteen to twenty years
0
0
0
Twenty to thirty years
1
2
3
Thirty to forty years
9
4
13
Forty to fifty years
20
9
29
Fifty to sixty years
50
28
78
Sixty to seventy years
66
51
117
Seventy to eighty years
98
94
192
Eighty to ninety years
54
114
168
Over ninety years
8
24
32
Totals
337
338
675
January
February
March
May
June
July
August
September
October
November
December
Totals
1. Infectious and Parisitic Diseases
10
2
6
3
2
7
4
5
6
1 7
58
2. Cancer and Other Tumors
3. Rheumatism, Diseases of Nutrition, Etc.
4. Diseases of Blood Forming Organs ..
5. Chronic Poisoning and Intoxication
12
14 3
41 27 35 27 26 23 19 26 31 30 26 31 342
7. Diseases of the Circulatory System
7
8 7
8
7
4
3
6
2 5
4
9
70
8. Diseases of the Respiratory System
1
2
1
2
1
1
2
2
2
4 1 ....
21 11
9. Diseases of the Digestive System Diseases of the Genito-Urinary System
2
1
1
1
2
1
2 ....
....
.
.
....
..
. .
..
..
..
....
..
..
..
...
....
....
....
10.
Diseases of Pregnancy, Childbirth, Etc.
1
13.
Diseases of the Bones and Organs of Movement
2
1
2
3
1
2
3
2
1
3
1
18
15. Diseases Peculiar to First Year of Life
1
....
..
..
....
....
4
1
1
3
2
....
....
1
1
3
2
5
....
....
....
13
18.
I11 Defined and Unknown Causes
..
..
..
..
1 5 01- April
1
....
1
1
1
2
....
....
..
..
....
....
1
..
...
....
.. ....
. .
..
....
..
7 7
4 12 7
97
6. Diseases of the Nervous System and Sense Organs
.
...
.
.
..
..
..
..
. . ..
..
....
..
....
....
....
..
..
..
....
....
11.
12. Diseases of Skin and Cellular Tissue
1
....
....
..
..
...
. .
..
. . ..
....
. .
. .
..
....
..
..
2
1
8
14. Congenital Malformations ..
....
..
1
...
2 2 2
5
....
22
16. Senility ..
17. Violent or Accidental
....
....
76 62 56 55 59 43 43 57 51 53 61 59 675
Totals
....
1
1
7 10 7 7
...
.
.
BOARD OF HEALTH
177
8
....
2
1
3
....
....
....
3
..
1
178
ANNUAL REPORTS
DEATHS DURING THE LAST TEN YEARS
1950
828
7.88
1951
868
8.48
1952
806
7.88
1953
799
7.63
1954
760
7.43
1955
789
8.19
1956
774
8.03
1957
702
7.28
1958
755
7.84
1959
675
6.96
Average death rate per 1,000 for ten years.
7.76
SPECIMENS AND SUPPLIES
Outfits for specimens to be examined for tuberculosis, diphtheria and typhoid fever, as well as biologicals may be obtained at the office of the Board of Health, City Hall and at the following places:
Reed Drug Co., Inc.
Davis Square
Union Square Pharmacy
23 Union Square
McClure's Pharmacy
Magoun Square
LePore Pharmacy
725 Broadway
Apothecary Hall
152 Highland Avenue
INSPECTION OF SCHOOL CHILDREN
Eight physicians are employed by the Board of Health for Inspection of School Children and to them are referred all children who show evidence of disease or abnormal condition. Children who are found unfit to remain in school are sent home with a notice to the parent or guardian that the family physician should be consulted.
Children in the first and fourth grades of the elementary schools and those in the first year of junior high and first year of senior high school are examined annually and any defects discovered are called to the attention of the parents or guardians.
In accordance with the provisions of Section 57 of the General Laws, Dr. William F. Rosselli was appointed Vision Tester for the parochial schools, assuming the duties of the position on December 1st.
During the year, 4,828 children were examined by the school physicians and 40 were sent home because of illness.
179
BOARD OF HEALTH
The following list will show the diseases and defects, ex- cept those of sight and hearing which have been found.
1. Infectious Diseases 9
2. Diseases of Nose and Throat:
Enlarged Tonsils and Adenoids 224
Inflammatory Diseases 185
Other Abnormal Conditions 170
Total 579
3. Diseases of the Eyes 6
4. Diseases of the Ears 137
5. Diseases of the Skin:
Eczema
2
Herpes
36
Impetigo 39
Dermatitis 18
1
Ringworm
Miscellaneous Conditions 58
Total 154
6. Diseases of the Feet 463
7. Miscellaneous Conditions:
Diseases of the Circulatory System 50
Diseases of the Digestive System 4
Diseases of the Lymphatic System 79
Diseases of the Respiratory System 4
Wounds and Injuries 54
Other Conditions 152
Total 343
FUNERAL DIRECTORS
In accordance with Section 49 of Chapter 114 of the General Laws, thirty-three persons were licensed as Funeral Directors.
NURSES
Eight nurses are employed by the Board of Health, three as Public Health Nurses and Five School Nurses. The work of the Public Health Nurses consists of follow-up work on tuber- culosis cases, post natal hygiene, quarantining for contagious diseases and other related duties. The reports of the School Nurses are included in the report of the School Committee while those of the Public Health Nurses are submitted in detail in subsequent pages of this report.
180
ANNUAL REPORTS
INFANT HYGIENE
Under the supervision of the Board, clinics have been held every Thursday, except when the days were holidays, at the Western Junior High School. The average attendance at this clinic was 4.7 and total attendance 189.
Respectfully submitted,
JOHN A. FRASER, M.D., Chairman CHAS. W. ELDRIDGE N. JOHN ROSSELLI, D.S.C.
Board of Health
181
BOARD OF HEALTH
REPORT OF HEALTH OFFICER
January 4, 1960
To the Board of Health Somerville, Mass.
Gentlemen:
Following is the report of the Health Officer for the year 1959:
During the year patients were admitted to the Haynes Me- morial Hospital as follows:
Measles
1
Chicken Pox
1
TUBERCULOSIS
There were no deaths in the city from tuberculosis, six died in sanatoria and five patients reported as having tuberculosis died of other causes.
DIPHTHERIA IMMUNIZATION
Clinics for the immunization of children against diphtheria, whooping-cough and tetanus are held on the last Wednesday of the month, throughout the year, at the Old Police Station, 50 Bow Street. Notices are sent to the parents when children reach the age of four months, advising them of the opportunity to have them immunized.
Following are the statistics on these clinics:
Total doses of vaccine administered 1058
Number who completed three doses 308
Number who received two doses
316
Number who received one dose 347
Boosters
87
POLIO INOCULATIONS
A clinic for inoculation against polio is held at the Old Police Station, 50 Bow Street, on the first Wednesday of each month. Children between the ages of four months and six years
182
ANNUAL REPORTS
may receive inoculations at these clinics. Also clinics were held in the schools to give children who had not received any inoculations, an opportunity to be done.
Following are the statistics on these clinics:
Number who received first dose 731
Number who received second dose
702
Number who received third dose 343
Fourth or booster dose
9
Totals
1785
Respectfully submitted,
WILFRID C. MACDONALD, M.D.
Health Officer
183
BOARD OF HEALTH
REPORT OF THE HEALTH NURSES
January 4, 1960
To the Board of Health Somerville, Mass.
Gentlemen:
We submit the following report of the work performed by us in infant hygiene, post natal, contagious and tuberculosis cases for the year ending December 31, 1959.
INFANT HYGIENE
There were 35 deaths of infants under one year of age during the year as shown in the following table:
Prematurity
14
Congential Diseases
4
Pneumonia and Other Diseases 17
Total Attendance at Well Baby Clinics
73
New Registrations
50
Average Attendance
4.7
TUBERCULOSIS
Tuberculosis (all forms) reported
26
Middlesex County Sanatorium admissions
35
Rutland State Sanatorium admissions
2
North Reading State Sanatorium admissions
3
Lakeville State Sanatorium admissions
1
Clinics are held on the first Monday afternoon of the month at the Old Police Station on Bow Street, for x-ray and examina- tion of patients and contacts.
Total attendance at these clinics 344
Average attendance 29
AGE AND SEX OF CASES OF TUBERCULOSIS REPORTED
Male
Female Total
Under fifteen years of age
1
2
3
Fifteen to twenty years of age
0
1
1
Twenty to thirty years of age
1
1
2
Thirty to forty years of age
1
2
3
Over forty years of age
15
2
17
Totals
18
8
26
184
-ANUAL REPORTS
RECAPITULATION OF VISITS
Infant Hygiene
2510
Tuberculosis
1506
Contagious Diseases
127
Miscellaneous
218
Totals
4361
Respectfully submitted,
MARY V. RYAN, R.N. EILEEN A. DAILY, R.N.
185
BOARD OF HEALTH
REPORT OF INSPECTOR OF ANIMALS
January 4, 1960
To the Board of Health Somerville, Mass.
Gentlemen:
Following is my report for the year ending December 31, 1959.
A total of 634 calls were made in connection with 317 dog bites reported during the year.
Respectfully submitted,
E. WILLIAM JOHANSEN, D.V.M., Inspector of Animals
REPORT OF THE DIVISION OF INSPECTION OF ANIMALS & PROVISIONS
January 4, 1960
To the Board of Health
Somerville, Mass. Gentlemen:
Following is a report of the work of the Division of Inspec- tion of Animals and Provisions for the year ending December 31, 1959:
Number of establishments visited
4418
Complaints investigated 578
Notices Sent
126
CONDEMNATIONS
Bakery Products 1,028 lbs. Fruit
36 lbs.
Canned Goods
212 misc.
Poultry
92 lbs.
Fish
36 lbs.
Meat
132 lbs.
Cheese
42 lbs.
Butter
75 lbs.
Cookies
78 lbs.
Eggs
21 doz.
Candy
197 lbs.
Misc. Vegetables 321 lbs.
Ice Cream
12 gals.
Froz. Foods Misc. 128 pkgs.
Respectfully submitted,
THOMAS J. HAGERTY, Supervising Sanitary Inspector
186
ANNUAL REPORTS REPORT OF THE DIVISION OF DENTAL HYGIENE
January 4, 1960
To the Board of Health Somerville, Mass.
Gentlemen:
I submit the following statistics as the report of the Division of Dental Hygiene for the year ending December 31, 1959.
Respectfully submitted,
ANTHONY F. BIANCHI, D.M.D., Supervising School Dentist
1959
SCHOOL CLINIC PATIENTS 1959
OPERATIVE CASES-
Number Examined
Old
Cases
New
Cases
Emergency
Special
Total
Fillings
Extractions
Cleanings
Treatments
Certificates Granted
Patients
w Extractions
Anesthesia
January
488
122
35
3
648
585
116
101
878
46
1
1
February
319
85
31
0
435
418
79
55
599
49
6
17
6
March
430
110
40
2
582
547
97
83
871
77
11
15
11
April
505
119
47
1
732
662
130
89
936
85
3
9
3
May
529
105
52
0
688
588
123
71
887
84
2
6
2
June
233
71
17
2
333
276
79
33
447
58
0
0
0
July
SCHOOL CLINICS CLOSED
August
SCHOOL CLINICS CLOSED SCHOOL CLINICS CLOSED EXAMINING
0
0
0
October
9,994
4
10
4
November .....
417
231
48
2
698
579
228
197
1,008
21
3
9
3
December . . ..
454
95
33
2
585
560
100
80
868
50
4
11
4
-
9,994
3,375
938
303
12 4,701 4,215
952
729
6,494
470
34
80
34
ZU
Gas
187
BOARD OF HEALTH
September
188
ANNUAL REPORTS
REPORT OF INSPECTOR OF MILK AND VINEGAR
Chemical and Bacteriological Laboratory City Hall, Somerville, Massachusetts
January 4, 1960
To the Board of Health Somerville, Mass.
Gentlemen:
Three hundred and forty stores and restaurants are licensed to sell milk, forty-three dealers are licensed to distribute milk and one hundred and ninety stores are registered to sell oleo- margarine. Three pasteurizing plants located in Somerville are . licensed to operate and thirty-nine plants in cities and towns adjacent to Somerville are also under the jurisdiction of the department. Three hundred and twenty restaurants, stores and distributors are licensed to sell and fifteen dealers are licensed to manufacture frozen desserts or ice cream mix.
An average of 45,000 quarts of milk and 1,000 quarts of cream are distributed daily in Somerville.
Revenue for the department for the year was $971.50.
Samples Collected 159
Bacteriological Examinations
260
Chemical Examinations 315
Phosphatase Tests 177
Total Examinations 752
Respectfully submitted,
PAUL X. MURPHY, B.S.,
Milk Inspector
189
BOARD OF PUBLIC WELFARE
REPORT OF THE BOARD OF PUBLIC WELFARE
May 16, 1960
To the Honorable, the Mayor and the Board of Aldermen of the City of Somerville
Gentlemen:
The Board of Public Welfare herewith submits the Annual Report of the Director of Public Assistance for the year 1959, together with illustrative statistical tables.
Respectfully submitted,
JOHN P. HENRY, Chairman JOHNU. CONWAY, Associate Member EDWARD F. LYONS, Associate Member
190
ANNUAL REPORTS
May 2, 1960
To the Members of the Board of Public Welfare:
Gentlemen:
The following is respectfully submitted as the Annual Re- port of the Director of Public Assistance for the year ending December 31, 1959:
THE BOARD
Mayor Donovan reappointed Mr. John Conway to serve his fourth consecutive three-year term. This action was most beneficial to the Department and the City since it perpetuated an experienced and competent Board for another year. Mrs. Clough had one more year to serve and Mr. Henry had two. The members organized at their meeting of January 20, 1959 by re-electing Mr. Conway to serve as Chairman. Once again the records indicate perfect attendance for all members at both regular and special meetings.
On February 11, 1959 the Board, by unanimous vote, ap- pointed William T. Casey to the permanent position of General Agent. Mr. Casey, who had been employed in the Department since February 2, 1934, was first on the Civil Service list established for this position following examination. He had served as Acting Agent since the death of Mr. John J. Griffin. On June 29, 1959, by Act of the Massachusetts Legislature, the title of General Agent, or Welfare Agent, passed into ob- livion and a new title, Director of Public Assistance, was established.
PERSONNEL
A staff of fifty-three workers, including the Director, main- tained the work of the Department during the year. The cost of salaries was $225,509.12, of which the Federal Government reimbursed $102,717.20. No new positions were created dur- ing the year and despite a great deal of illness among the staff, which caused long periods of absence, we were able to keep up our schedules without the use of temporary replacements. In March, a female worker was injured while entering the City Hall and in December, a female social worker was injured when she fell down the cellar stairs in the dark hallway of the home of a recipient. Various transfers of personnel from one divi- sion to another were made in the interest of finding the most efficient team of workers.
191
BOARD OF PUBLIC WELFARE
INTAKE AND LEGAL SETTLEMENT DIVISION
On April first, we started the operation of a new Intake Division within the Department. For the first time since 1930, when the Department began to expand because of the depres- sion, we now have one section where all applicants are inter- viewed and determination is made for the type of relief for which they qualify. Heretofore applicants were interviewed by a Receptionist, usually a Junior Clerk, who referred the person to the division of relief for which she thought they qualified. The Intake Division is in charge of a Supervisor with an experienced Social Worker as Chief Interviewer. In addi- tion, there are two Social Workers who visit homes and hos- pitals to accept applications from persons unable to come to the office. Four other Social Workers perform the work of taking the actual application. Between applications, these four workers do legal settlement work, both on the cases which we aid in our city and on the notices received from other cities and towns for aid granted to persons who formerly lived in Somerville.
For many years an Intake Division had been strongly recommended by the State Department of Public Welfare. Con- tinual postponement occurred because it was felt we lacked sufficient personnel to man a new Division. Careful analysis indicated that such a Division could be operated with almost no additions to the present staff because case workers would be relieved of the time-absorbing task of taking applications and determining eligibility. Almost from the first day of opera- tion, it was evident we had made a good move. Less confusion exists for the applicants since all the information is taken in one office. Efficient and experienced workers create confi- dence in the Department on the part of the troubled applicant. This confidence is important in the future when the case worker offers advice and help in solving his problems. Our relationship with the public is also improved, especially with hospitals in Greater Boston. Because of our previous loose system, applications for hospitalization and medical care were anything but efficient, resulting in continuous disagreements with the hospitals and very often, loss of reimbursement for the City.
It would be an injustice not to mention the credit due Mrs. Kathryn MacCarthy, Social Worker, who is the Chief Inter- viewer and has worked so diligently and tirelessly to make the project a success.
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ANNUAL REPORTS
EXPENDITURES AND INCOME
Cost of Public Relief continued to climb in 1959. Our total expenditure for the year amounted to $3,553,282.99 of which $225,509.12 was for salaries for personnel. The over- all increase from 1958 amounted to $219,387.73 of which $1,396.65 was attributed to salaries for personnel. The pay- ment of $143,789.54 to other cities and towns for Old Age As- sistance and General Relief given to persons residing in those cities and towns, but who had a legal settlement in Somerville, absorbed much of the increase. This figure was $123,624.75 more than the amount expended for this purpose in 1958, when only $20,164.79 was available. The balance of the in- crease can be attributed to higher hospital rates, higher medical costs and an increase in the number of persons receiving Aid to Dependent Children and Disability Assistance. During the year, the number of persons receiving Old Age Assistance de- creased and the number receiving General Relief remained about the same as in 1958.
Income for 1959 on all categories of relief showed a pleasant increase of $159,101.42 over 1958. In General Relief we received $41,448.05 more reimbursement during 1959 than in the previous years for aid given by Somerville to per- sons legally settled in other cities and towns. This figure reflects results of some concentrated work by our legal set- tlement workers to clear up many old cases on which a final determination had not been made. During the months of June and July your Director spent several evenings each week re- viewing these cases and making suggestions for obtaining information to prove our claims. Cooperation of other Public Welfare Directors and Settlement Clerks brought about the happy results shown above. Miss Honora Kelley of the city of Boston was especially helpful in this project. As fast as we submitted information, she reviewed it, and as fast as she ac- cepted our claims, she put them through for payment.
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