Report of the city of Somerville 1959, Part 11

Author: Somerville (Mass.)
Publication date: 1959
Publisher:
Number of Pages: 340


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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