Milford chronicle., 1951-11-23
improvements Sought
By Stockley Head
Resident Doctor, School Are Need
ed, Commission Is Told

The Delaware Colony at Stockley
needs resident physician, a
physiotherapist, and several other
new staff members, plus wide
spread improvements in physical
facilities and equipment, George w.
Bryan, acting superintendent OF the
institution, told the Delaware Com
mission for the Feeble-Minded. at
its meeting on Monday.
Recommendations that these and
other major changes be made in a
long-range program, were present.
ed in report on a general survey
of the institution, made bv Mr.
Bryan since he took over his duties
on October /.
Among other major recommended
tions submitted by Mr.. Bryan were
these:
l. That the old superintendent
home be made into a school for
final training of girls about to be
sent out on home placement.
s 2. That a new, properly equipped
school building be provided.
3. That in addition to a resident
physician, the institution have a
consulting staff of five specialists.
4. That medical record librarian
be employed to maintain the insti-
tution's records.
5. That kitchens be mOdernized.
plastic tableware be substituted for
aluminium ware, and that a we'll
trained dietitian be obtained.
6. That an employee and a visit
Ors' handbook be prepared
Z. That job evaluation and job
classification be undertak
throughout the institution, and that
salaries be revised.
In only a few instances Mr..
Bryan's report comes out and states
that conditions have not been good;
in most of the report he simply
suggests basic changes to improve
existing conditions.
Mr.. Bryan did not estimate the
costs of the changes he suggested.
Commission members expressed
general approval of the reporter
dered several recommendation put
into effect. commended Mr.. Bryan
for making the study after having
been at the institution only about
six weeks. and said it will be dis
cussed further at future meetings.
Another highlight of the meeting
on Monday was an explanation
from DR.. M. A. TarumianZ, superin-
tendent of the Delaware State Hos
pital, on the nature of the study to
be made by a Medical Society of
Delaware committee of which he is
chairman.
DR.. Tarumianz said the Medical
Society is mot interested in an in
vestigatiOn" and is not concerned
with the internal affairs of any in
stitUtiOn. He explained that the so
ciety will study the problem Of
mental detectives in the state, in
Guiding those at StOckley and those
not in the institution. He estimated
there are between 5000 and 5000
feeble-minded children and adults
in Delaware. of whom only about
500 are at the colony.
Schools and childrens homes will
be visited to gather information on
the numbers of retarded children
known to them, and on what is be-
ing done for those children.
Dr.. Tarumianz said he intends to
suggest to the committee that at
least three well-qualified psy-
chiatrists who are SuDeriDtendents
of institutions caring for mental de-
fectives be consulted in the study.
He also assured the commission
that the medical society wants to
help the commission. He asked that
committee be appointed by the
commission to consult with the
medical sOciety's committee before
the final draft of its report is pre-
pared