Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1955-09-29

League for the purpose Of secur-
ing proper housing and care of
the sick, of destitute children, to
study the social and living con-
ditionS of the people, to arouse
general interest in securing ade-
quate provisions for the care of
the needy in homes and institu-
TONS"
Included in the group were a
number of ministers, Rev. Thorn
as ]. Packard Of the Rockville
Episcopal Church, the Rev. John
r. Henderson and the Rev.
James Kirkpatrick. The Inquiry
Club of Rockville also gave i'm
petus to the movement. William
Prettyman was the first secre-
tary.
The newly formed League was
not only the first social agency
in the county but also in the
State, outside of Baltimore City.
DR.. Jacob w. Bird, who was to
serve as its president for 81
years, became a member of the
first Board of Directors in 1909,
IL months after the Leagues or
ganization and three months af-
ter he came to the county to
practice medicine.
DIR. Bird, who resides at San
dy Spring and still serves at
the Montgomery County Gen
eral Hospital, describes the
Leagues primary function as
doing what others cannot do
organizing and establishing
services and then turning them
over to other agencies"
The Social Service League of
Montgomery County was incorpo-
rated in November, 1913, for the
purpose of promoting a careful
study of conditions related to the
care of the poor, of neglected and
delinquent children and especial
ly of tuberculosis cases in the
County, to educate public opinion
as to the causes and prevention
of suffering; to arouse general
interest in securing adequate pro-
vision for the proper care of the
needy in their homes and in suit
able institutions, to receive dona-
tons of money and other things
of value and to purchase and own
land to erect structures appro-
pirate to and sufficient for the
promotion of said purpose.
1t was to take 80 years before
the dream of permanent home
could be realized but finally, in
1871, the building on South Per,
~ opened its doors and heart to
the public.
The original trustees were: Asa
NJ. Stabler, Spencerville; Alban
G.. Thomas, Sandy Spring; JOS
eph L. Janney, Brookeville; Eu
gene S. Stevens, Chevy Chase
DIR. William l.. Lewis, KenSing
ton; DR.. Joseph l.. Lewis, Beth
esda; Mrs. G.. II. McGrew, Silver
Spring; and from Rockville, Mrs
II. G. Wells, Mrs. John B. Brew
er, Joseph Reading, Mrs. Henry
]. Finley and John r. Hender
son.
Old county names such as Cla
gett, Spencer, Garrett and All
mutt were among the subScrib
ers.
At first there were only volun
teers to visit the sick and thu
poor and investigate conditions a
the County Poor Farm on thu
outskirts of Rockville and The
jails. A secretary was hired il
September, 1910 at a very mini
mum salary as the budget tina
year was only $500.
Realization came early i'm the
Leagues history of the import
ance of training for the people
who were TO work with the
sick and the poor. An educa.
ton was found necessary to UNI
derstand the effects of poverty
and hardship on people and the
most effective way of offering
community help to families in
troubles.
The professional staff bcgar
with the hiring of a nurse. Al
this service developed thest
Friendly Visitors" pioneered the
first TB control and physical ex
aminationS in the schools.
The necessity for isolation il
the cure of this killer" disease
led TO the Leagues interest in 6
county TB hospital. The County
Poor Farm was selected as tho
original site but public prejudice
brought such violent opposition
that this idea had to be aban
doned.
The League was instrumental
next in getting a bill through An
napolis, appropriating $4,000 fol-
a TB hospital in Montgomery
County and setting up a specia
committee TO work out the de
tails. But public opinion agar
forced the sale Of the next two
sites chosen. one at Norbeck ant