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312066 0344 2016 3 1955 ANNUAL REPORT V81 Governor of the Virgin Islands To the Secretary of the Interior FOR THE FISCAL YEAR ENDED JUNE 30 Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2009 with funding from Boston Library Consortium IVIember Libraries http://www.archive.org/details/annualreportofgo1955virg 1955 ANNUAL REPORT Governor of the Virgin Islands TO THE SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR FOR THE FISCAL YEAR ENDED JUNE 30 STACK UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR Douglas McKay, Secretary TERRITORY OF THE VIRGIN ISLANDS Archie A, Alexander, Governor UNITIJD STATES GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE, WASHINGTON, D. C. For sale by the Superintendent of Documents, U. S. Government Printing Office Washington 25, D. G. - Price 30 cents CONTENTS Page administration and some of its problems ...;.... 1 agriculture and labor: labor: workmen's compensation 5 wages and hours 6 veterans' AFFAIRS 6 JOB CLASSIFICATION 7 employment SERVICE 7 education: general statistics 8 finance: GENERAL 12 tax administration and enforcement 14 new accounting system 14 revenues 15 statistics 16 health: PERSONNEL i 16 MEDICAL SERVICES . . . . ; 18 DENTAL HEALTH 23 SANITATION SERVICES 24 MENTAL HEALTH 25 NUTRITION 26 PUBLIC HEALTH NURSING 26 LABORATORY SERVICE 27 STATISTICS 29 HEALTH EDUCATION 31 MEDICAL CONTROLS 32 INSTITUTIONS 35 PLANS AND NEEDS 38 INSULAR affairs: PROCUREMENT AND SUPPLY 39 PERSONNEL 40 REAL PROPERTY 44 iii iv ^ CONTENTS \y ^ 1 PUBLIC safety: ' ^' '^4- I^S Pag« POLICE DIVISION 45 ST. JOHN 46 STATISTICS ''J'\y.i{ 47 PRISON DIVISION 49 FIRE DIVISION 49 CIVIL DEFENSE 50 HOME GUARD 50 POLICE COURTS 51 PUBLIC works: GENERAL 52 ST. THOMAS TELEPHONE SYSTEM 56 ST. CROIX TELEPHONE SYSTEM 57 HARBOR DIVISION 57 SOCIAL welfare: GENERAL 58 HOME FOR THE AGED 61 EXPENDITURES 62 PUBLIC ASSISTANCE 62 CHILD WELFARE 69 TOURISM AND TRADE: ST. JOHN 75 Annual Report of the Governor of the Virgin Islands 1955 Archie A. Alexander, Governor . ix ^ i^ ADMINISTRATION AND SOME OF ITS PROBLEMS ON July 22, 1954, the President of the United States signed Public Law 517 revising the Organic Act (1936) of the United States Virgin Islands. This revised organic act provides, inter alia: 1. For a legislature composed of 11 Senators, two from the District of St. Thomas, two from the District of St. Croix, one from the District of St. John, and six Senators at large; 2. That the Governor of the Virgin Islands shall fiU any vacancy in the Legislature by appointment ; 3. That there shall be a regular session of not more than 60 calendar days, commencing on the second Monday in April each year ; that the Governor may call special sessions of the Legislature; that no special session shall continue longer than 15 calendar days and shall not in any calendar year exceed 30 days ; 4. That the laws of the Vngin Islands be codified; 5. That the Secretary of Interior shall appoint a Government Comptroller who shall audit and settle all accounts and claims per- taining to revenues and receipts from whatever source, and other duties as prescribed in the Act; 6. That a sum equal to the otal amount of revenue collected by the Government of the Virgin Islands during the fiscal year, as certi- fied by the Government Comptroller of the Virgin Islands, shall be matched by the Federal Government from the amount of taxes im- posed and collected during the fiscal year by the Federal Government under the Internal Revenue laws of the United S< ates on articles pro- duced in the Virgin Islands and transported to the United States; 7. That all articles, the growth or product of, or manufactured in, such islands, from materials grown or produced in such islands or in the United States, or both, or which do not contain foreign materials 1 2 -^ REPORT OF GOVERNOR OF THE VIRGIN ISLANDS to the value of more than 50 per centum of their total value, upon which no drawback of custom duties has been allowed therein, coming into the United States from such islands shall be admitted free of duty. At the end of the fiscal year the structure of the executive branch of the Government was still in the process of being reorganized into not more than nine departments as prescribed by Section 16 (a) of Public Law 517. This reorganization will be completed by July 21, 1955. The first election of Senators to the Legislature under the revised Organic Act was held on November 2, 1954. The first legislature of the United States Vngin Islands under the revised Organic Act con- vened on January 10, 1955 at Charlotte AmaJie, St. Thomas, Virgin Islands. This body considered 121 bills and passed 101. The Gov- ernor approved 49 bills and vetoed 41, The legislature was called to a special session on April 18, 1955 to consider appropriation bills vetoed by the Governor during the regular session. At the end of the fiscal year the Departments of Education, Public Works and Insular Affairs were without appropriations because of nonapproval by the Governor and will have to revert to the previous year's appropriations as prescribed by the revised Organic Act. The appropriation bill for the legislature was also vetoed. The revised Organic Act is not yet fully in effect aud has not yet been completely implemented by the Insular Government. It is too soon to even attempt to evaluate the ultimate effect Public Law 517 will have on the economic and political features of the United States Virgin Islands. The return of "matching funds" will certainly be a boon to the economy of the islands, especially in the field of public improvements. However, sound, aggressive and unselfish leadership, with foresight and imagination, is essential for the continued economic and political development of the Virgin Islands. With the revised Organic Act we must set our sights on the entire structure and accom- plish those projects which are for the good of the whole, rather than the few entities which occasionally fog our vision. The most immediate, most pressing problem we face today in the Virgin Islands is the shortage of fresh water. This is a problem that has prevailed since 1917, and has plagued all of the Governors of the Virgin Islands since that time. During the occupation of the Islands by the Navy, and during the war years, large numbers of servicemen were stationed here. The occupation of the Islands by the service personnel created a continuous water shortage, and as a result the Navy regularly barged water from Puerto Rico to St. Thomas to take care of this drain on the local supply. During the past few years the shortage has continued to be serious, with the rise of tourism and the increase in persons moving from the REPORT OF GOVERNOR OF THE VIRGIN ISLANDS -f 3 continental United States to the Virgin Islands. As these trends continue, the water shortage may be expected to become increasingly acute. This summer was particularly bad because of the extreme drought. To meet that situation it was necessary to ask the Navy to bring exceptionally large quantities of water from Puerto Rico until late in August M^hen heavy rainfall raised the water level in the storage tanks above the danger point. As stated, this island had previously suffered from recurrent water shortages, so there was nothing new about the dUemma, although it took an extreme form this summer. It is quite clear that we should no longer depend upon emergency assistance from the Navy or other outside sources. It is time for us of the Virgin Islands Government to face up to our own problems, and to solve them with our own resources. It is our hope that we will be able to proceed promptly to take whatever measures are necessary to prevent a repetition of our ex- perience this summer. Since any other proposal depends ultimately on rainfall, which is disastrously unreliable, the weight of informed opinion at present appears to favor some method of extracting potable water from the sea. Regardless of the means we will employ to pro- vide these Islands with a stable, adequate water supply, we intend to do everything possible to correct the situation. During the next fiscal year a contract will be entered into with an outstanding water engineering firm from the United States to make a survey with a view to solving this problem. This survey will include all processes of water distillation, conservation and storage. Funds have been ap- propriated for this study. For many years these Islands have been in urgent need of a realistic real property assessment system. The Geological Survey Bureau of the Department of the Interior has completed a topographic survey of St. Thomas, and the maps will be available January 1, 1956. I am very hopeful that the legislature this year will appropriate funds to make a topographic survey of St. John and St. Croix, and also to em- ploy a mainland organization to conduct a survey of our real property assessment system, correcting deficiencies, and training our personnel. The General Accounting Office and the Department of the Interior have loaned the Virgin Islands Government since 1953, from time to time, personnel to devise a modern accounting system for this govern- ment. With the installation of this system, we are hopeful that one of the major needs of the Islands will have been achieved through these efforts. It will be necessary for us to have inservice training for the personnel who will operate this system, to attain maximum results. This we will do. 4 -f REPORT OF GOVERNOR OF THE VIRGIN ISLANDS Many of the wealoiesses of past administrations stemmed from the dire lack of trained personnel m the technical, accounting, and management fields. There are no colleges or schools of business administration here, and many Virgin Islanders who go to the con- tinental United States for such training do not return. This, too, is a problem we must face up to and attempt to solve. During this year the airstrip on St. Croix has been extended from 4,000 feet to 5,000 feet, with a 1,000-foot overrun. Pan American World Airways has transferred their major landings in the Virgin Islands to St. Croix and are now landing in St. Thomas but once each week. It is believed that Pan American will discontinue the one flight per week to St. Thomas in 1956 and concentrate on sending DC-6's into St. CroLx with Caribah making shuttle flights to St. Thomas. The economy of St. Thomas and St. John is almost entirely dependent upon tourism. This trend in ah transportation in the Virgin Islands and the fact that Civil Aeronautics Administration officials feel that the airport now located on St. Thomas will be obsolete within 10 j^ears points up the fact that an immediate airport survey and plans to enlarge or relocate the airstrip on St. Thomas are an urgent necessity. In keeping with the trend of a tourist economy in the Virgin Islands, it is essential that a road and highway program be formulated at the earliest possible date. Many of the roads to the most beautiful places in the Islands are either inaccessible or hazardous. Such a program should include repairs and the hard-surfacmg of the present arterial roads. The number of connections to the sanitary and potable water system are still far from satisfactory. During the next calendar year it is expected that more of these connections will be made than any pre- vious year. Connection to the potable water supply system is naturally de- pendent upon a solution to our fresh water supply problem. The more connections made, the greater the drain on the available water supply. A solution to our fresh water problem may solve many corollary ills. The April 1955 session of the legislature of the Virgin Islands ap- propriated $2,548,000 for essential Public Works projects. This appropriation was approved by the Secretary of the Interior. In- cluded in this special Public Works program was $470,000 for the construction of the King's Hill School in St. Croix; $350,000 for roads and highways; $80,000 for the expansion of the Potable Water System; $130,000 for the expansion of the sewer system; $210,000 for slum clearance and low cost housing projects; $60,000 for improvement REPORT OF GOVERNOR OF THE VIRGIN ISLANDS ^ 5 of airport facilities; $58,000 for the extension of the Virgin Islands telephone S3'-stem. These projects are presently being engineered, and during the next fiscal year will go forward with all possible dispatch. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE AND LABOR The Department of Agriculture and Labor was created on January 10, 1955. All administrative and operational responsibilities of the department are compartmented into three divisions: Division of Agriculture, Division of Employment Service, and the Division of Labor. An office of veterans affairs was also placed under its juris- diction. The department is administered under the supervision and direction of a Commissioner. At the head of each division there is a division head and, in the case of the veterans office, a Director of Veterans Affairs. Even though St. Croix is primarily an agricultural island, all activities concerning agriculture were centered and carried on by the local government at the Dorothea Experiment Station on the island of St. Thomas. At this station, in order to encourage the production of food crops, the Municipal Government rented to the French farmers, at relatively low cost, several acres of farm land and, in addition, made possible the necessary technical assistance through the services of a horticulturist. Even with a parsimonious budget, new equipment and facilities have been added so as to render the station as efficient as possible. The planting of decorative plants which has been, and still is serving the needs of the community in the year just closed, marked a period of continued progress at the Experiment Station. An earthen dam of some 600,000 gallons capacity was built by the Federal Government at the station. This has increased the storage to 800,000 gallons of water and has trebled the storage capacity of the past. In the neighborhood of 40,000 gallons of water is consumed by the station and growers weekly. A sound and workable agricultural program for the Virgin Islands, predominantly St. Croix, is now in its formative stages. Division of Labor Workmen's Compensation Administration.—The compensation officers, in the year just closed, received four hundred and seventy- three (473) injury reports. Under this section of the Officers' activ- ities, four hundred and fifty-fom- (454) cases were disposed of in- volving medical costs or compensation for disability in the various classifications listed hereunder and issued five hundred and fifty-three (553) orders awarding a total of $21,505.57. There are nineteen (19) cases on the dockets pending the submission of additional information, 37157,5—56 2 O ^ REPORT OF GOVERNOR OF THE VIRGIN ISLANDS as required by law. The adjudication of the cases necessitated two hundred and fifty-four (254) pubhc hearings, and cases in which only minor medical attendance was involved were disposed of without formal hearings. Even though employment was at its peak in the Virgin Islands during this period, the decline in the number of injury reports filed with the division was largely due to the relentless efforts, through daily inspections, carried out by our safety inspectors. During the course of the fiscal year recently ended, the safety inspectors made 1,416 inspections and were instrumental in the dissemination of advice and information regarding safety precautions to employees and employers. The Wage and Hour Zaws.—The fiscal year just closed has wit- nessed a number of complaints concerning wages, hours of work and other conditions affecting employment in the Virgin Islands. These violations generally may be placed in three groups: those who wilfully violate; those who are in violation because of ignorance of the law; and those who inadvertently misapply the provisions of the law, thus committing technical violations. In the ensuing months, it is our earnest hope to be able to con- centrate on development of a standardized inspection program in the Virgin Islands designed to operate on the division's objectives and experience. Veterans Affairs The Office of Veterans Affairs rendered invaluable assistance to all veterans and their dependents, and aided them on all matters relating to benefits to be derived from both Federal and insular laws. Efforts are being made to encourage greater participation by vet- erans in the evening classes, now being conducted at the Christiansted High School. Courses offered include Auto Mechanics, Plumbing, and Electricity. Plans are now in the making for the extension of these courses throughout the regular school year. Minimum qualifications necessary for participation in two types of loans available from the Federal Government, through the Vet- erans' Administration, have not been met by our veterans in the Virgin Islands, in most cases. This is due primarily to the low- income status of the applicants. Natives and residents of every territory and possession of the United States have had the privilege and honor to attend the Acad- emies of the various branches of the Armed Forces. In recent years this opportunity has also been granted to citizens of friendly countries. As of this date, this privilege has not yet been given to American citizens in the Virgin Islands. It is urged that the Congress of the REPORT OF GOVERNOR OF THE VIRGIN ISLANDS > 7 United States devise some method whereby candidates from the Virgin Islands may be appointed to the Academies of the Armed Forces. Job classification by industries in the Virgin Islands—1954-55 Number ofpersons employed Wholesale establishments 73 Retail establishments 644 Construction 734 Newspaper publications 26 Amusements (theaters) 44 Bakeries 54 Transportation (airlines, trucking) 115 Banking 60 Communications 19 Hotels and guest houses 623 Shipping 352 Auto repair and service stations 151 Manufacturing 369 Other 127 Total 2,391 Division of Employment Service Nonagricultm-al placements were approximately 63 percent higher than in the previous year. The increase was due to the increased volume of steady employment offered in private construction, new and enlarged tourist businesses, and in small government projects. Work- ers and employers are depending more and more on the services offered by the Virgin Islands Employment Service to bring jobs and the best qualified workers together. The Virgin Islands Employment Service endeavors to assist veter- ans, especially the disabled, who are returning to the labor market, older workers faced with the problem of competing with younger workers, youth just entering the labor market, and the physically handicapped. The Islands need the services of all of these workers. It is our duty to help them realize their work potential and, if possible, to help them plan a learning program to strengthen these potentials. Three hundred and thirty-two (332) men and women over the 45- year range have found employment within the last fiscal year through the efforts of om- Seivice. Although a number of physically handicapped have, from time to time, been successfully counseled and placed by the Employment Service, much remains to be done in this field. Whether it be in work demanding technical and scientific knowledge, creative skill, or domestic or manual labor, whether it be counseling 8 -. REPORT OF GOVERNOR OF THE VIRGIN ISLANDS the veteran, the older person, the teen-ager, or the handicapped, the Service strives to instill a sense of personal responsibility and a realization of the importance and worthwhileness of the work in which he is or hopes to be engaged, to the end that he may achieve a sense of satisfaction and serenity of spirit from the knowledge of work well done. The Virgin Islands Employment Service continues to give prefer- ential treatment to veterans at the local office level. We have adhered strictly to the policy of recording veteran registrations on distinctively colored cards easily distinguishable from cards of nonveterans. At the end of the fiscal year our active file showed a count of 164 veterans, about 0.18 percent of the total males in the active file. Seventy-six veterans were placed during the year, about 15 percent of the total number of males placed. Employment Service statistical summary of basic services for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1955: Placements (agricultural) 38 Placements (nonagricultural) 2, 091 Professional and clerical 171 Service 786 Skilled and semiskilled 632 Unskilled 502 Clearances alien (recommended) 302 Agricultural 101 Extensions 90 Nonagricultural 111 Total workers cleared 1, 118 DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION The early days of this fiscal year were clouded for education by uncertainty and disheartening financial circumstances due to manda- tory and drastic reductions in budget estimates and, ultimately, municipal appropriations necessitating curtailment or suspension of certain phases of the educational program, and providing inadequate support generally. Despite this, there was an underlying optimism supported by the hope of early passage of a revised Organic Act for the Vu'gm Islands, and mcidental thereto, the promise of a new era with respect to education. Promise turned to assurance following approval b}^ President Eisenhower on July 22, 1954, of Public Law 517—83d Congress, an act to revise the Organic Act of the Vu'gin Islands of the United States. Envisioned reorganization of the Virgin Islands Government could not be effected immediately, however; and the "independent" Depart- ments of Education in the two municipalities continued to function as such under separate school boards for the two municipal school REPORT OF GOVERNOR OF THE VIRGIN ISLANDS ^ 9 systems until the latter half of the year. The municipal councils (legislatures) were superseded on January 10 by the legislature of the Virgin Islands, which appropriated funds for the Insular Department of Education for the final quarter of the year. Under provisions of the revised Organic Act, the Governor of the Virgin Islands was authorized to "recognize and consolidate the existing departments," and pursuant thereto, by executive orders, established one Insular Department of Education for the Virgin Islands to be headed by a Commissioner of Education. Under terms of the Governor's executive orders, the municipal school boards were superseded by an Insular Board of Education comprised of seven members. The Department of Education was further organized to include 4 executive divisions and 3 bureaus to be headed respectively by directors of divisions and bureau chiefs. The Program for Improvement of Teachmg in the Virgin Islands under the grant to Hampton Institute from The Foundation for Advancement of Education, which was inaugurated last year, spon- sored its first summer program, "The Experimental College," in St. Thomas. Approximately 80 teachers enrolled in four selected courses offered by outstanding educators recruited for this summer session by Dr. Alonzo Moron, president of Hampton Institute. This was followed by extension courses in Geography of the Caribbean and Social Control, each conducted for one semester in St. Croix, and one semester in St. Thomas (including classes held in St. John) These courses were attended by virtually all teachers and librarians qualified for admission, and able to benefit by participation in this program. In addition, four Virgin Islands students were awarded scholarships to Hampton Institute for teacher training under the scholarship feature of this program. During the year 10 teachers from St. Thomas were on leave for study purposes, 5 of whom completed requirements for the B. S. degree in June. In-service training measures were continued through services of supervisors, chiefly in St. Thomas. It is anticipated that this service will be extended to St. Croix next year as an incidental feature of the Consolidated Department. Construction work on the new high schools in Charlotte Amalie and Christiansted, begun in May 1953 was completed, and these two modern school plants, the first of their kind in the Virgin Islands, were dedicated with fitting ceremonies on April 17, 1955. Eegular school sessions in the new establishments began the following day. In St. Thomas, work was completed on additions and improve- ments to three rural schools. In St. Croix, construction of a 20-rooni elementary school at Christiansted and one rural school was com- 10 -f REPORT OF GOVERNOR OF THE VIRGIN ISLANDS pleted by the end of the year. Progress in St. John has been dis- appointing, however, with work still incomplete on the two improve- ment projects and the two new schools under construction at John's Folly and Cruz Bay. In addition to school construction under provisions of Public Law 510, certain new construction and improvements were financed by Municipal funds in St. Thomas. A new kindergarten in the Polly- berg area was nearly completed by the end of the year, as a work- training project by trade and industry students of the vocational division of the Charlotte Amalie High School. Two kindergartens, the Berg Homes and Carenage, were relocated to improved quarters, and the lunch kitchen was rebuilt at the Jefferson School. Since 1951 when vocational education was organized under an "Insular Plan" to qualify for Federal aid, activities in this field have gained increasing prominence in recognition of challenging commu- nity needs. In Home Economics a total of 423 were enrolled in com-ses in the three school centers participating in the Virgin Islands. Three Chap- ters of Future Homemakers of America were organized and received charters from the National F. H. A. organization, with a total of 110 active members. These chapters were represented also at the F. H. A. Insular Meeting of Puerto Rico on May 12-14. Program development in Agriculture was impeded somewhat due to resignation of one of the two teachers employed in this field in St. Croix. Valued advice and assistance was given, however, by Mr. R. E. Naugher, Program Specialist in the United States Office of Education and by Mr. Rafael MuUer, Acting Vocational Agricul- tural Supervisor in Puerto Rico. The lack of needed equipment for basic plowing and soil preparation has been an obstacle to production on school practice plots, and it is hoped that this deficiency may be overcome in the near future. One highly significant development of the year was the establish- ment of the long sought program for training of hotel and restaurant employees, chiefly waiters and chambermaids. This was organized according to plans formulated in collaboration with an Advisory Board appointed by the Executive Director of Vocational Education, the members of which were the Secretary of- the Hotel Association, Executive Secretary of the Tourist Development Board, the Director of the Virgin Islands Employment Service, and the Consulting Director of Vocational Education. We were fortunate in obtaining the services of Mr. E. Leonard Brewer, formerly operator of the Bluebeard's Castle Hotel, and owner-manager of the Blackbeard's Castle Hotel, as Coordinator of the program. REPORT OF GOVERNOR OF THE VIRGIN ISLANDS > 11 The initial program specified a 12-week course of instruction includ- ing 6 weelvs of classroom instruction and demonstration to be fol- lowed by 6 weeks in-service training, covering room service, and front office procedures. Classes were begun on November 29, and 28 enrollees completed the required 120 hours of training and received certificates on February 28, 1955. Enrollment in coiu-ses in trades and industry exceeded that of any preceding year. All courses in St. Thomas were filled to capacity. Enrollment in aU day classes was as follows: St. Thomas St. Croix Total Carpentry Electricity Plumbing Auto mechanics Commercial sewing Unfortunately, we were unable to obtain a qualified instructor for auto mechanics and this course had to be suspended for the year. A most gratifying manifestation of effective development in this field is found in the extent to which trades classes participated in con- struction projects and in making installations for improvement of school facilities. Foremost in this category was the construction of the Pollyberg kindergarten building in St. Thomas, a 25- by 50-foot building, including all electrical, plumbing, carpentry, and masonry work involved; and the renovation and conversion of the old high school plant in Christiansted mto living quarters for approximately 60 persons. The Department of Education now serves primarily the three major islands of St. Thomas, St. John, and St. Croix. In the 3 islands there are 31 public schools consisting of 7 kindergartens, 14 rural schools, 7 city elementary schools, 1 junior high school, and 2 junior-senior high schools. The schools are controlled by a seven member Insular Board of Education and a Commissioner of Education heading the Department of Education organized into 4 divisions and 3 bureaus as follows: 1. Division of Secondary Schools and Colleges. 2. Division of Vocational and Rehabilitation Education. 3. Division of Elementaiy Schools and Kindergartens. 4. Division of Auxiliary Services. 5. Bureau of Special Activities. 6. Bureau of Libraries and Museums. 7. Bureau of Recreation, Total enrollment in public schools was 5,639, an increase of 158 over enrollment for the preceding year. 12 -- REPORT OF GOVERNOR OF THE VIRGIN ISLANDS The per capita cost of $117.86 is low but represents an increase of approximately thirteen dollars over the past year. Education statistics—1954-55 St. Thomas and St. John St. Croix Virgin Islands Number of schools: • Public (including kindergartens). Parochial Private Total School enrollment (June 1955) Public Parochial Private 3,551 761 256 2,088 1,136 54 Total. 4,568 3,278 Public school enrollment: Kindergartens Grades 1 through 6 Grades 7 through 9 Grades 10 through 12.. 325 2,294 567 365 1,552 376 160 Total 3,551 Average pupUs per classroom teacher: Rural elementary Urban elementary High school Average salary of teachers in public schools: Elementary High school (academic) 28.6 38.5 32.5 153. 93 226. 03 35 43 34 182. 12 280. 77 Teacher training (exclusive of vocational): College graduates Normal school (2 years or more) High school graduates Other Total Total expenditures: Municipal appropriations- Federal contributions Other sources Total Grand Total. Aid to college students Average overall cost of school lunch service per pupil partici- pating (including value of USDA commodities contributed). Average daily participation in school lunch program Annual expenditure per pupil, exclusive of school lunch, adult education and community services 114 70 5,639 1,897 310 7,846 325 3,846 943 525 5,639 184 J%Uyl,195J,to Julyl,19S4to Mar. SI, 1955 $350, 443. 58 39, 962. 25 1, 563. 18 391, 969. 01 $5, 900. 00 $46. 54 2,544 Mar. 31, 1955 $200, 579. 51 17, 406. 55 217, 985. 06 $2, 971. 50 $47. 33 1,679 Apr. 1 to June SO, 1955 $237, 114. 76 15, 690. 32 252, 805. 08 862, 759. 15 8, 871. 50 $117. 86 Note.—Total expenditures reported include amounts for college scholarships. Teachers Institute, Public Recreation Division, Public Libraries, adult education, and school lunch service, which, however, were not included in the computation of average cost per pupil in public schools. DEPARTMENT OF FINANCE The Department of Finance has general authority and jurisdiction to exercise general control over the enforcement of the laws relating to finance; to digest and prepare plans, from time to time, for the REPORT OF GOVERNOR OF THE VIRGIN ISLANDS ^ 13 improvement and management of revenues, and for the support of the public credit ; to superintend and regulate the collection of all revenue ; to provide for a depository for all public funds; to provide uniform regulations for the disbursement of all public funds; to make an internal audit; to administer all laws pertainmg to the practice of public accountmg; to collect all fees and charges fixed by law for govern- mental services; to exercise general supervision and custody over all special and public trust funds; and to assist the Governor with budget making control and audit. Under the old organization, there were approximately 150 separate funds, each with its own separate bank account. Many of these accounts were stagnant over a period of years, others were unnecessary. Unfortunately, this multiplicity of bank accounts caused many errors. Furthermore, very little effort was made to reconcile these accounts currently. In order to correct this situation, about 70 of these funds were emptied into the General Fund. Some of the others were consoli- dated, as they served the same purpose. The remaining funds were merged into five bank accounts, namely: (1) Special Funds, (2) Enterprise and Revolving Funds, (3) Agency Funds, (4) Trust Funds, (5) Special Deposit Fuuds. The separate treasuries of the Municipality of St. Thomas and St. John, and of the Municipality of St. Croix were combined as the Treasury of the Virgin Islands. The dual disbursing, payrolling, and recording were abolished, and one Disbursing Officer was established in St. Thomas. This change necessitated the transfer of records, equipment, and personnel from St. Croix to St. Thomas. The Government funds are in five bank accounts. Some of these funds are in savings accounts, earning 2 percent interest per annum. The savings accounts by funds, as of June 30, 1955, were as follows: Federal Appropriation—Matching Funds $2, 000, 000 Enterprise and Revolving Funds 150, 000 Agency Funds 10, 000 Trust Funds 500, 000 Total 2, 660,000 In the past, the Government has been a very poor collector of its outstanding accounts, and consequently had a large number of de- linquencies. Little or no effort was made to enforce collections, especially in the case of loans secured by real estate. During the past fiscal year, this department has launched a vigorous campaign to collect all outstanding accounts. This effort has shown very good results, and at June 30, 1955, our delinquencies 371575—56 3 14 > REPORT OF GOVERNOR OF THE VIRGIN ISLANDS were substantially reduced, especially tiade taxes. Certain accounts which the Government was unable to collect have been referred to the United States Attorney for court action. Tax Administration and Enforcement Under the old organization, the administration of our tax laws was split among six different offices, 3 in St. Croix and 3 in St. Thomas. There was one set of tax laws applicable to St. Thomas and St. John, and another set applicable to St. Croix. The Income Tax activity in St. Thomas was administered by an office in St. Thomas, while another office in St. Croix administered the income tax activity in that island. Inasmuch as the average total returns filed in the Virgin Islands is 3,200, it was not necessary to have two separate offices. The administration of all tax laws has been centered in the Tax Division of the Department of Finance, under a qualified and ex- perienced administrator. The administration of the trade and excise taxes, enforcement of the real property taxes, were transferred to this Division from the Office of the Tax Assessor. The serving of attachment notices were trans- ferred from the Department of Public Safety. Finally, the adminis- tration of the Income Tax Law was consolidated in the Tax Division in St. Thomas. Deputy Collectors make periodic trips to St. Croix for the purpose of making field audits and examinations. New Accounting System In the past there was no regular system of accounting in the Govern- ment of the Virgin Islands. The lack of an adequate system gave very little control over the financial affairs of the government, and it was impossible to secure an accurate financial picture of the Govern- ment of the Virgin Islands. Through the cooperation of the General Accounting Office, Wash- ington, D. C, and the Office of the Comptroller of the Virgin Islands, an accounting system was designed for the Virgin Islands. This system calls for the decentralizing of certain functions from the Department of Finance to the other executive departments. The S3^stem also provides for a General Ledger, Cash Disbursing by machine, and Expense Distribution records, kept by the individual departments. The various departments submit summary records for posting to the General Ledger. The Allotment Ledger, and Expense Distribution Ledger were installed by the Office of the Comptroller of REPORT OF GOVERNOR OF THE VIRGIN ISLANDS -f 15 the Virgin Islands, while the Cash Receipts procedure, Disbursement, and General Ledger were installed by the Department of Finance. Revenues Income Taxes.—The enactment of the New Organic Act for the Virgin Islands and the passage of the Internal Revenue Code of the Virgin Islands created many administrative problems for this activity. Relatively few field examinations and audits were made during the fiscal year due to the absence of the Head of the Tax Division for 2'%. months attending Training School for Internal Revenue Agents. As a result, deficiency assessments were approximately $5,000 from the audit of 81 cases, compared to approximately $60,000 from audit of 155 cases in the previous year. The total income tax collections increased to $1,059,000 during the fiscal year, compared to $915,046 in the previous fiscal year. An increase of $143,954. There were approximately 10 percent more withholding agents collecting and reporting, and over 10 percent more estimated tax- payers than in the previous fiscal year. The income tax is the largest single source of revenue to the Govern- ment, and provided about 36 percent of total revenue during 1955. The Trade and Gross Receipts Tax Law of St. Thomas expired on March 31, 1955, and a new law was not provided until May 1, 1955, resulting in a tax holiday of 1 month. During this month, consider- able revenue was lost. In St. Croix the situation was somewhat different, in that the law there was in force and effect until April 30 when the new law abolished the old one. The new tax law known as the 1955 Internal Revenue Act of the Virgin Islands was approved by the Governor of the Virgin Islands on May 24, 1955. The law became effective May 1, 1955. Unfortunately, the law is a very poor one, and does not contain any of the attributes of a good tax law. The tax base has been narrowed considerably, in that certain items which were taxable are now nontaxable. In addition, the tax rate was reduced. From all appearances, it does not seem as if this law will yield the expected revenues. The new law also abolished other sources which provided consider- able revenue. Among these are the Land Sales Tax, the Stamp Tax,. Wharfage Dues, Amusement Tax, and a reduction in the yield of the Transportation Tax. 16 -f REPORT OF GOVERNOR OF THE VIRGIN ISLANDS Comparative statements of revenues—fiscal years 1952, 1933, 1954, 1955 Source of revenue 1952 1954 GENERAL FUND Taxes: Real property tax Income tax Gasoline tax Automobile license Customs duties Inheritance tax Amusement and entertainment tax_ Land sales tax Transportation tax Business licenses Import, export and sales tax Subtotal. Other income: Court and police fees Wharfage and ship's dues Medical service fees Sanitary service fees St. Croix telephone service Miscellaneous fees, permits, and services- Subtotal Transfers from other funds Repayments by power authority Subtotal -- oubtotal, general fund- pCderal deficit appropriation pCderal appropriation—matching funds . Total, general fund $167, 796 645, 454 62, 870 43, 086 25, 526 10, 115 4,044 17, 690 19, 145 47, 611 348, 694 $206, 424 720, 314 80, 900 52, 749 53, 460 8,324 5,230 18, 168 23, 155 49, 636 549, 611 $211, 300 915, 045 95, 236 58, 504 65, 756 6,268 4,225 25, 603 22, 962 56, 692 659, 558 1, 392, 031 1, 767, 971 2, 121, 158 30, 838 36, 209 19, 242 5,282 12, 462 37, 501 37, 014 27, 595 24, 258 5,961 17, 829 40, 770 33, 320 37, 565 53, 707 5,427 21,617 81,865 141, 534 153, 427 233, 501 22, 478 12, 500 13, 880 12, 000 57, 770 34, 978 25, 880 57, 770 1, 568, 543 745, 000 1, 947, 278 745, 000 2, 412, 429 745, 000 2, 313, 543 2, 692, 278 3, 157, 429 $230, 611 1, 059, 632 107, 771 66, 921 89, 928 15, 935 2,826 44, 017 20, 467 66, 955 585, 308 2, 290, 371 29, 204 36, 910 68, 334 6,436 5,052 343, 821 9,757 190, 495 2, 970, 623 199,666 3, 507, 907 6, 678, 196 DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH The Virgin Islands Department of Health is under the supervision of the Commissioner of Health, who is responsible for the public health and medical care program in the area. There are two Assistant Commissioners of Health. One resides in St. Croix and functions also as the Medical Director of the Medical Institutions on that island. The other, who resides in St. Thomas, is also Medical Director for St. Thomas and St. John and, in the absence of the Commissioner of Health, is responsible for the administration of the insular health progi'am There are three main factors affecting the Health Department, as they do all departments of the government. They are: funds, personnel and the workload. When these factors are in balance—and not until then—we have a perfectly functioning unit. As crises develop in any one, however, the other two are, of necessity, tlirown out of balance and the overall performance suffers drastically. Personnel Nearly 90 percent of our operating budget of $1,159,890 in 1954-55 represented salaries for the 412 employees of the Department. Physi- REPORT OF GOVERNOR OF THE VIRGIN ISLANDS -f 17 cians, nurses, technicians of all sorts, form the core of the staff, and account for over half of the entire personnel. There is an acute shortage in the continental United States in all these categories of employment and unless we can at least approximate salaries offered elsewhere we are destined to find ourselves with a dwindling pro- fessional staff with little or no chance of making replacements. In the case of physicians, we are not, unfortunately, geared for the training of young and inexperienced men. Our present operation requires fully experienced men and it is becoming ever more embarrass- ing to offer such individuals salaries of $6,000 to $7,000 a year for full-time positions. That the same situation applies to nurses and medical technicians goes without saying. The loss of a single individual in any of these categories is a severe blow to the Department's operation. Unlike larger communities, we cannot call an employment agency when we need an x-ray technician or laboratory technician. Nor is it ever very likely that a person with such specialized training is living in the islands, unemployed, waiting to be called by us. In considering the size of our staff it must be remembered that we are operating, on a 24-hour basis, six medical institutions at widely scattered points. We are also operating 33 outpatient clinics each week in St. Thomas with an average weekly attendance of over 867 patients as well as several clinics per week in St. Croix and one each week in St. John. We are hoping that the assignment of a full-time resident physician to St. John in October will alter the entire medical situation on that island, which has been quite unsatisfactory. One of the two nurse- midwives on that island resigned as the result of the rigorous nature of her job and at present the island has only one nurse-midwife, assisted by two practical nurses, to carry on the entire preventive and emer- gency care program for the 700-odd people of that island. We are, I beheve, rightfully proud of the high level of health amongst the people of these islands. This is no mere happenstance. We are located in an area which was once, and in many neighboring islands still is, plagued by such tropical diseases as malaria, typhoid, filariasis, yellow fever, leprosy and smallpox. During the past year we ad- mitted to our hospitals just 2 cases of typhoid and 2 cases of Hansen's Disease (leprosy). We were thus relatively free of tropical diseases. Our staff of 412 employees handled 4,224 hospital admissions for 55,965 hospital days; made 30,305 examinations and treatments in our out-patient clinics; performed 815 surgical operations; delivered 838 healthy infants; performed 71,799 laboratory examinations; 10,991 dental examinations and treatments and 6,719 X-ray examina- tions; and made 12,809 home nursing visits. We think this is an 18 -f REPORT OF GOVERNOR OF THE VIRGIN ISLANDS impressive record, of work for 412 people to perform and that the excellent health of our people reflects the hard work, the ability and the devotion to duty of our staff. The Staff REPORT OF GOVERNOR OF THE VIRGIN ISLANDS ^ 19 mately 95 percent of the mothers deUvered in the hospital. The highest number of home deliveries occurred in St. John, due to inadequate clinic facilities and transportation difficulties. Pediatrics Services.—The pediatric services consisted of premature program, nursery, pediatric wards and clinic services, well-child conferences and well-baby clinics. Premature centers were established at the Knud-Hansen Memorial Hospital in St. Thomas and at the Charles Harwood Memorial Hospital in St. Croix. These units were fully equipped by local and Children's Bureau (Federal) funds. A large percentage of aliens classed as resident aliens and tem- porary residing aliens, have contributed largely to the premature birth rate. These individuals are in the low mcome bracket and are usually employed in unskilled labor. Frequently, they were referred from the British Virgin Islands where adequate facilities were not available for the complete management of the health problems. During calendar year 1954, there were 623 admissions to the Pediatric Services: 370 to the Knud-Hansen Memorial Hospital and 253 to the Charles Harwood Memorial Hospital. The clinics conducted under the Pediatric program were classed as hospital clinics, public health climes in the hospitals and district clinics. The hospital pediatric clinics are basically for sick children and they provide diagnostic and therapeutic facilities. The public health pediatric clinics held in the hospitals emphasized normal growth and evaluation of well children, provided for maintenance of good health status utilizing immunization procedures and medical as well as nursing conferences. The hospital clinics were staffed by the institutional nurses con- sisting of the nurse-in-charge of the out-patient department, a gradu- ate nurse assigned, and two nurse-aids. ' The public health clinics were operated by public health nurses. The same medical personnel was utilized for both hospital and public health clinics. The Director of Maternal-Child Health and Crippled Children's Services, the pediatrician, and assigned municipal physicians composed the clinical staff. During 1954, the plan of mass examination in selected schools was changed to examination of selected grades of students in the hos- pitals. 20 -f REPORT OF GOVERNOR OF THE VIRGIN ISLANDS Division of Maternal and Child Health, pediatric service, mortality study of infants and children for the year 1954 Deaths under 1 month Condition: Prematurity Atelectasis Asphyxia Congenital sypliUis Deaths 1 month-1 year Condition: Gastroenteritis due to infection Prematurity Meningitis, influenza Pneumonia Malnutrition Encephalitis EpUepsy Heart disease, congenital Deaths IS months-5 years Condition: Intestinal parasites, ascariasis.. Malignant tumor Pneumonia Accident, automobile Gastroenteritis due to infection Asphyxiation, gas Deaths 6-21 years Condition: Infectious hepatitis Brain abscess Glomerunephritis Asphyxiation, gas Rheumatic heart disease Accident, automobile Meningitis, influenza Pneumonia,.. Total St. Thomas Male Female Total St. Croix Male Female Total Total 54 Crippled Children's Services The Crippled Children's Services consisted of an integrated insular program of diagnostic clinical services combined mth hospitalization care under the supervision of the Dhector of MCH & CC Services. The services are operated in the municipal hospitals with the assist- ance of municipal physicians, institutional nurses, public health nurses, nutritionist and health educator. The diagnostic clinics consisted of the Pediatric, Orthopedic, Ophthalmology, Otology, Plastic Surgery, and Neurology Clinics. All these specialty clinics, except Pediatrics, were conducted by part-time specialists from Puerto Rico, contracted to attend the particular clinic in St. Thomas and St. Croix. Further diagnostic services were secured by referrals to the Ophthalmic Institute, Presbyterian Hospital and to the Neurosurgeon in Puerto Rico. REPORT OF GOVERNOR OF THE VIRGIN ISLANDS ^ 21 Orthopedic Program.—The consultant, an orthopedic surgeon from Puerto Rico, was assisted by two municipal surgeons, the public health nurses, and an orthopedic nurse who is also the physiotherapist. In addition to clinical and hospital care, the orthopedic program included physiotherapy, short-wave diathermy, ultraviolet radiation, whirlpool baths, and other forms of hydrotherapy. The orthopedic nurse-physiotherapist performed all the physical and therapeutic measures in addition to massages and exercises. Cases of the neuro- logical clinic, principally cerebral palsy, and other neuromuscular disorders were reviewed in this clinic for evaluation. 108 cases were registered under this program during calendar year 1954. Ophthalmology Program.—During the year, the regular ophthal- mologist resigned, and another eye specialist was employed. The case load was rather large. Diagnostic clinic was held once a week in St. Thomas for children and a limited number of adults. In St. Croix the clinic was held once a month. No surgical services were rendered to children. The operation of the clinic is similar to that of the ortho- pedic clinic. 96 cases were registered under this program during calendar year 1954. Otology Program.—This program operated with the staff of public health nurses, institutional nurses, pediatrician and a specialist in ear, nose and throat diseases. The otologist performed diagnostic services, surgery and all therapeutic measures. The program could not provide for the application of hearing aids and the teaching of the use of these methods. Measures for prevention of deafness in- cluded the removal of infected enlarged tonsils, and the medical treatment of various sinus conditions. All tonsillectomy operations were suspended from May to October, 1954, by order of the Com- missioner of Health, due to the high incidence of poliomyelitis in the neighboring islands bordering the Virgin Islands. 84 cases were registered under this program during calendar year 1954. Plastic Surgery Program.—The program was initiated in the orthopedic clinic. A plastic surgeon attended the clinic and examined the various cases referred by the orthopedic surgeon. The cases of cleft palate and cleft lip were referred to the Presbyterian Hospital in Puerto Rico because of the lack of adequate facilities and personnel for a procedure so highly specialized. Eighteen cases were seen from both Knud-Hansen Memorial and Charles Harwood Memorial Hospitals under this program during calendar year 1954. 371575—56 4 22 -f REPORT OF GOVERNOR OF THE VIRGIN ISLANDS Rheumatic Fever and Rheumatic Heart Disease Program.— This pro- gram was started in September 1953, and consisted of three phases: prevention, hospitalization and foUowup. All cases of streptococcal infections were admitted to the hospital, as were all cases of diagnosed rheumatic fever dm-ing the acute state. The arrested case or the controlled rheumatic fever and the cases of potential rheumatic heart disease were followed in the cardiac clinic. FoUowup care was per- formed by the public health nurses in the homes. Twelve cases were registered under this program during calendar year 1954. Heart Disease Program.—The heart disease program included rheumatic heart disease in addition to congenital heart disease. The case findings were from the reports in the new-born nursery exami- nations, public health nurses, clinical examinations and school health examinations. Arrangements have been made with Johns Hopkins University through the Children's Bureau to perform surgery on any case of congenital heart disease that may be benefited by that form of therapy. Ten cases were registered under this program during calendar year 1954. Epilepsy Program.—This program was initiated late in 1954 and was an attempt to organize the medical care and foUowup of the cases. All epUeptics were registered in the office of MCH & CC and the Public Health Nursing Division. The cases were examined by a pediatrician and medication started. Neurological consultation was obtained and subsequently periodic examinations were made by the psychiatrist. Cases requning hospitalization were admitted to the pediatric wards as regular admissions and treated under the crippled chUdren's program. Some eight cases were registered under this program during cal- endar year 1954. In addition to the above programs, 1,872 cases involving miscel- laneous conditions were treated under the crippled children's pro- gram durmg 1954. In all, there were 261 children admitted to the hospital and 2,108 examined and treated in the clinics under this program during 1954. There were 3,970 clinic visits and 4,505 hospital days. In the coming year a much more extensive program is anticipated. In the crippled children's plan, the diagnostic criteria for admission for services have been expanded to include the following disorders: 1. All orthopedic disorders of bones and joints causing deformities or physical handicaps. 2. Neuro-muscular disorders causing phj'sical handicaps or malfor- mation. REPORT OF GOVERNOR OF THE VIRGIN ISLANDS ^ 23 3. Deafness. 4. Blindness. 5. Metabolic Disorders. 6. Congenital malformation of the heart. 7. Rheumatic Fever and Rheumatic Heart Disease. 8. Congenital Malformation of the Skeleton, Muscular System or Skin, requiring plastic surgery or other curative procedures. 9. Burns. 10. Chronic Kidney conditions. 11. Foreign Bodies requiring surgical measures. With such extensive programs every child in the Virgin Islands has access to either Maternal-Child Health or Crippled Children's Serv- ices. Thus, good health, provided by well-trained and qualified per- sonnel in well-equipped facilities, will be the heritage of all children residing in the Virgin Islands. Dental Health Services A Dental Health Program, based upon the Public Health Service- CB Health Grants Manual was adopted and put into effect during the year. This program is operated on an insular basis and (a) sets up a policy for all insular dental clinics; (6) coordinates and makes uniform clinical schedules; (c) points out dental health and administrative needs and goals. Two full-time and one part-time dental surgeons, four dental hygienists, and one clerk constitute the staff. Clinics were held in St. Thomas at the Knud-Hansen Memorial Hospital and in St. John at the deCastro and Calabash Boom Clinics. In St. Croix, clinics were held at the Charles Harwood Hospital, Christiansted, at the Frederiksted Clinic, at the Hansen's Home and at King's Hill. Topical Fluoride Treatment Clinics were set up in the elementary schools and there was a summer clinic for the children who did not receive Topical Fluoride Treatment during the school year. In addition to the regular diagnostic, treatment, restorative, surgical and dental services, a preventive program of topically applied fluoride treatments was given as a routine for aU school children in the islands, and in two of the largest schools in St. Thomas there were installed fluoridation plants to add fluoride to the drinking water. This latter process is a special project approved by the Department of Health, Education, and Welfare and sponsored by this community. In St. Croix a progressive dental program with the assistance of the Public Health Nurses was initiated. Nurses brought the children to the various clinics. The Dental Clinic was moved to new quarters in the Charles Harwood Hospital in Christiansted. Here the number of adult patients increased as a result of inpatient population. 24 > REPORT OF GOVERNOR OF THE VIRGIN ISLANDS In St. John the estabhshment of a modern dental cUnic in the deCastro Clmic has attracted many adults and school children. The clinic is better equipped to give all dental services that are needed. In St. Thomas the addition of a part-time dentist, who gives 2 days a week towards restorative cases has increased the services immeasur- ably. Sanitation Services Insect and rodent control.—There is a high incidence of the Aedes aegypti Mosquito, vector of dengue and yellow fever, on the island of St. Thomas. This mosquito has been virtually eliminated from the island of St. Criox by the DDT Residual Spray Program. It is recom- mended that funds be provided for a similar program in St. Thomas. The island-wide program of fresh water dam construction con- tinued to be watched with care. Realizing that the reservoirs of fresh water provided a source for certain types of infections, the Division of Sanitation in connection with representatives of the United States Public Health Service in Puerto Rico adopted a program for control of such diseases. A study of the possible transmission of schistosomiasis by snails found in snch dams was done by the United States Public Health Service at the suggestion of the local Health Department. All snails foimd at present have been of species not known to transmit schistosomiasis, and all attempts to innoculate them artificially have been unsuccessful. It has become apparent, however, that legislation is needed to control the areas around these dams to prevent mosquito breeding, and to prohibit the transportation of live aquatic plants which may contain snails of the species known to transmit schisto- somiasis. Water.—The treatment of the potable water supplies continued under the Division of Sanitation. Weekly chlorination of individual water supplies of all eating and drinking establishments serving 50 or more people, government buildings, public and private schools, was carried on. Bacteriological samples taken from these cisterns showed that the percentage of cisterns contaminated has steadily decreased. Garbage and sewage disposal.—The islands were kept free from rub- bish and garbage during the year because of the cooperation of the garbage removal unit of the Public Works Department. Litter baskets purchased by the Division of Sanitation and distributed in the business sections of town aided the orderly removal of rubbish. The problem of nightsoil removal which was under the administra- tion of the Health Department for 37 years has been transferred to the Public Works Department. While this takes care of the mechan- ical removal of nightsoil, the sanitary problems posed by this obsolete and dangerous method of handling human excreta still remain for the REPORT OF GOVERNOR OF THE VIRGIN ISLANDS ^ 25 Health Department. It is an extremely weak link in the chain of the fight against disease, and one which might lead to serious epidemics of intestinal conditions. Because we are in a climatic belt where such diseases as typhoid and dysentery are endemic, it cannot be too strongly recommended that this method of disposal of human excreta be abandoned. This can be done only by completing the sanitary sewer system in St. Croix and by enforcement of the Sewerage Act in both islands. Mental Health The Division of Mental Health conducted a program of community education to promote positive mental health in keeping with one of its major goals ''to create community awareness that Mental Health is not merely the absence of mental illness, but a state of well-being both emotionally and physically, demonstrably evident in the ability to face success and failure and to produce to fullest capacity." This Division provided child guidance service, psychological service and counseling service to the children in our communities and worked closely with the Courts and Police Departments in determining the mental and emotional status of offenders through consultations and psychiatric evaluations. A modest program of rehabilitation for the mentally ill returned from St. Elizabeth and discharged from our local hospitals was insti- tuted during this period, and plans are being made to place more emphasis on this phase of the program. The Division also contributed to the body of available knowledge of the Virgin Islands people, thereby creating an understanding of the behavior of Virgin Islanders within their own community. Every attempt was made during the year to encourage the introduction of attitudes, techniques and skills which enrich the social, cultural and philosophical offerings available to our children and ^''outh. Mental Health Workshops were held in cooperation with the Na- tional Mental Health Film Board in both St. Thomas and St. Croix. The Fourth Mental Health Working Conference was planned around the topic, "Changing Attitudes to Meet the Demands of our Growing Society." Participants included health workers, teachers, and social workers. Although the Division of Mental Health has operated for the past 6 years with a skeleton staff and has made some strides, the limita- tions placed on the program in meeting patient and community needs are obvious. The benefits of the program could be substantially increased and enriched by the acquisition of an adequate mental health team. Every effort will be made in the new year to recruit personnel for a complete team. 26 > REPORT OF GOVERNOR OF THE VIRGIN ISLANDS Nutrition The purpose of the Nutrition Division is to help promote positive health in the community by improving the nutritional status of indi- viduals and famihes in all three Virgin Islands, and to help prevent and control diseases in which nutrition is a factor. This Division provided services to various health programs through conferences with patients and professional personnel, preparation of educational material, inservice training programs, and other activities involving the Departments of Education, Welfare, and Health. With the apparent increase in the number of diabetics known to the Health Department, efforts were concentrated in this area. The following services were provided: patient education for teen-age diabetics and women in the child-bearing age; preparation of a booklet "A Guide for Planning Your Meals" for use in educational programs with diabetics; cooperation and participation in meetings and conferences on "How Can We Best Help Our Diabetics." Nutrition services to hospitals included inservice training meetings with food service workers, evaluation of food service to tuberculous patients, participation in nursing personnel staff meetings, case con- ferences with medical and nursing personnel, cooperation in preparing formula room procedures, and conferences with hospital patients. A Diet Manual for use in Virgin Islands Hospitals was completed. Public Health Nursing The strenuous nature of Public Health Nursing in the Virgin Islands has taken its toll as far as the morbidity rate of staff personnel is con- cerned. We face a realistic problem of an aging staff—the average age being 44.3. The full complement of supervisory staff operated for a period of only 4 months during the past year. Illness, study leave and one resignation have contributed to this state of affairs. In St. Thomas the addition of the public health nurse aides paid by Community Chest Funds under the supervision of the Division of Public Health Nursing has made a significant contribution in the lives of the aged needing subprofessional home care. This project was launched in May 1955 and promises to be of tremendous value in the long run. The training program of the Future Nurses Club made possible through the Division of Public Health Nursing in St. Thomas is show- ing results. There are 35 members, 16 of whom are doing volunteer work in the hospital and clinics 10 hours per week per person. REPORT OF GOVERNOR OF THE VIRGIN ISLANDS ^ 27 Intradepartmental programs for increasing inservice training included the following: 1. Planned periods of training for nurse-midwives in St. Croix conducted by the Director of Public Health Nursing Services. 2. Mother and Baby Care Instructor Courses for Hospital, Public Health Nurses and Nurse- Midwives. Maternal child health services—Communicable disease control.— total of 404 smallpox vaccinations and 931 T>. P. T. Immunizations were completed with an increase of 87 percent and 40.2 percent re- spectively over last year. Maternity service.—The number of admissions to medical service shows a decrease over last year but proportionately the ratio between admissions and visits to clinic compare favorably with last year. There has been a marked increase in admissions to nursing service but there remains a need for increasing visits to the homes in this area. No significant change is noted over last year. A program for parent education was initiated in March 1955 through the local chapter of the American Red Cross and the Virgin Islands Department of Health. Classes in Mother and Baby Care aie being conducted currentl}^. Prematurity.—During the past year, 47 home evaluations were made in behalf of babies born prematurely. This shows an increase in the amount of nursing supervision given over last year, but does not reflect itself in the infant mortality picture to any appreciable extent. Better reporting resulting in an increase in the number of cases may account for this. Child health.—There has been a 25 percent increase in the number of admissions to nursing service with a simultaneous increase of 4 percent visits made to the home. Admissions to nursing service and visits to children in the preschool age group reflect an increase of 60 percent and a corresponding 45.9 percent. School health.—During the past year 1,288 visits were made to schools by the public health nurses. The number of home visits to chfldren in school morbidity service has increased over last year. Crippled Children's Services.-—^Nursing services to Crippled Children have not kept pace with medical services rendered. Less than 40 percent of chfldren seen in Crippled Chfldren 's Clinics received home visits. Effort has to be made to change this situation in the near future. FoUowup in the home, more complete recording and more emphasis on post hospitalization referrals are indicated. Laboratory Service As of June 1, 1955, the Sanitation Laboratory was made a part of the Division of Laboratories, but maintained the same functions of 28 -f REPORT OF GOVERNOR OF THE VIRGIN ISLANDS carrying out exammations to determine sanitation of water, milk, food supplies and examinations of utensils used in public eating places. The fiscal period 1954-55 has been marked by a large volume of work and several notable changes in the Division of Laboratories. The number of examinations made by the Division continued to increase, attaining a total of 71,799 which is 10,944 or 17.98 percent greater than reported for the previous fiscal period. The work of the various sections is distributed as follows 1. Total examinations made by the Urinalysis Sections was 19,121—an increase of about 57.8 percent over the previous year. A routine analysis consisted of albumin, sugar and microscopic examination. 2. On 544 blood samples received for chemical examinations a total of 2,047 tests was performed, representing an increase of 42.7 percent over 1954. 3. For the diagnosis of syphihs a total of 4,876 flocculation tests by the Kahn and VDRL techniques was performed, a decrease of 585 com- pared to the previous year. Thirty-one Spinal Fluids were received for VDRL examinations. Only five darkfield examinations were made for the diagnosis of lues from primary or secondary lesions. For the diagnosis of gonorrhea a total of five cultures of exudates and 178 smears by the Gram's method were performed. 4. Parasitological examinations for this period amounted to 4,198 as com- pared to 3,605 in 1954. This Division still retains its interest in the public-health problem of intestinal parasites. Of the 3,770 speci- mens submitted, 480 showed the presence of one or more intestinal parasites which constitutes a notifiable disease. These 480 cases do not include the findings of the intestinal parasite survey done in St. Croix, March 28-April 1, 1955, by the V. I. Department of Health and USPH Service, Technology Branch from Puerto Rico. The types of parasites listed below were those found to be most prevalent in the Virgin Islands: St. Thomas St. Croix Endamoeba histolytica 33 21 Ascaris lumbrocoides 34 48 Strongyloides stercoralis 2 3 Trichuris trichiura 104 212 Necator americanus 13 8 Enterobius vermicularis 1 1 Endamoeba coli 53 23 Giardia lamblia 23 8 Endolimax nana 12 3 lodamoeba butschlii 5 Chilomastix mesnilli 5 5. Examinations made by the Bacteriological Section totaled 1,014—an increase of 53.3 percent over the previous year. It is heart-warming to see the progress made in this section when we compare the present volume with the 23 examinations made in 1953. The cultural method still displays its superiority over the smear method in detecting tubercle bacilli. For the diagnosis of tubercu- losis, 368 sputum specimens and 19 gastrics were received. REPORT OF GOVERNOR OF THE VIRGIN ISLANDS -f 29 6. Obtaining of blood donors still presents a problem. It is felt that this is due to a lack of public understanding as to why blood donations are necessary. It is the hope of this Division to have by the end of 1955 a large file of volunteer donors, so that instead of waiting for relatives or friends to donate blood we can call volunteer donors. Projects for 1955-56 1. Completion of the program for the control of parasitic infestation. 2. A program for isolation and identification of Enteropathogenic Escher- ichia coli which has been causing diarrhea in children (1 month to 5 years) in nurseries of the hospitals and other institutions. This pro- gram will get underway as soon as a reliable diagnostic antisera for identification of Escherichia coli serotype 111, 55, 26, and 127 are available. 3. Blood Grouping and Typing of 400-500 people to be volunteer donors. This will be done with the assistance of the local Red Cross Chapter. Statistical Services Though lack of personnel resulted in a curtailment of some routine services, the Division of Statistical Services increased services to the Crippled Children's and Maternal and Child Health Programs as well as consultative services in certain areas, and also directed greater efforts toward the improvement of morbidity-reporting practices in the Health Department. Pending final action by the Division of Personnel on the recom- mendation of the Commissioner of Health that the Director be as- signed definite responsibility for the execution of the new Vital Statistics Law, the Division continued to supervise the application of this law. Vital Statistics A total of 879 live births with a rate of 30.3 per 1,000 estimated population indicates no significant change from 1953 when there were 871 live births and a rate of 30.6 per 1,000 estimated population. There was an increase in number of deaths and death rate from 279 deaths and a rate of 9.8 per 1,000 estimated population in 1953 to 301 deaths and a death rate of 10.4 in 1954. The leading cause of death (36.9 percent) was heart disease. The record of 36 infant deaths and an infant death rate of 41.3 per 1,000 live births in 1953 was slightly improved in 1954 with 34 infant deaths and an infant death rate of 38.7. There was an increase in foetal deaths from 32 in 1953 to 36 in 1954. There was little change in the marriage sta- tistics: 243 in 1954 as compared to 247 in 1953. However, there was a 50 percent decrease in number of divorces compared to the previous 371575—56 5 30 -f REPORT OF GOVERNOR OF THE VIRGIN ISLANDS year. Estimated population for the year 1954 was: St. Croix, 13,065; St. John, 786; St. Thomas, 15,202, representing a total for the islands of 29,053. Summary of vital statistics, Virgin Islands and each island—1964 [Birth and death rates per 1,000 population, mfant and neonatal, maternal death rates, and fetal death rates per 1,000 live births] REPORT OF GOVERNOR OF THE VIRGIN ISLANDS -f 31 The Morris F. de Castro Clinic at Cruz Bay, St. John, is a small, modern institution of four beds with clinic facilities. It was designed primarily for outpatient services with provisions for emergency detention of inpatients. Up to the present time, there has been no resident physician on the island and medical services have been rendered on a biweeldy basis by the medical staff of the Knud- Hansen Memorial Hospital in St. Thomas. Early in the new fiscal year, however, a full-time resident physician is expected to be assigned to St. John. The nursing staff ordinarily consists of a nurse-midwife, assisted by one nurse-aide. Health Education This Division continued its work of strengthening the educational programs of the various sections of the Health Department and of integrating health education into activities of schools and of com- munity groups. Though short of personnel and equipment, the Division gave to all Health Department Programs the help they requested in the planning and execution of the educational phase of then work. However, there are a number of opportunities for educa- tion that are not being used to full advantage. Kecommendations (other than additional staff and equipment) from the Director of Health Education to better use these opportunities include (a) Orientation period for all new employees (to the specific job and to the Health Department as a whole) (6) Regular planned staff conferences. (c) Adjustment of the new personnel classifications to more adequately compensate for services that the job demands. (d) More emphasis on in-service training. (e) The formation of a committee of lay persons to work with the Health Department Staff on matters concerning the public's health. (/) Informal educational sessions for patients during the "waiting periods" at hospital and other clinics. The Division of Health Education serviced the Department's Pro- grams through their special projects (such as the Institute on Pre- maturity, Mental Health Working Conferences, Film Workshop, Mother and Baby Care Courses, Seminars on School Health), through exhibits and distribution of literature, through films and discussions, weekly radio broadcasts, bimonthly publication of the Health Bulletin, radio spot announcements and press releases, and through assistance in the preparation, selection, and use of audiovisual materials. The Printing and Graphic section of this Division took care of a large part of the printing needs of the entire Health Department and also did work of an emergenc}^ nature for other Government agencies. 32 -f REPORT OF GOVERNOR OF THE VIRGIN ISLANDS Cancer Control The early diagnosis of cancer poses quite a problem in an environ- ment such as ours. Facilities for its treatment are available in the area, but lack of personnel hampers all efforts at early diagnosis. While it might be possible to do a fair job at the latter, under present conditions deaths from the disease can be expected to increase until such time as arrangements can be made for a more effective job of early case-finding. Since frozen sections and cytological studies cannot be carried out effectively, it is evident that the program must sufi'er. Although it would seem that our present methods of handling biopsy specimens will have to be continued indefinitely, improvement can be made in this phase of the work by contracting for the services of a pathologist in the nearby Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. Such a service is available, but due to lack of funds, we have not been able to initiate it. The cost appears to be insignificant if one can visualize the saving in human lives that may be accomplished. The services of a full-time pathologist would be the ideal goal. Barring this, it would seem that the next best solution to our problem would be the employment of a consultant pathologist. The majority of specimens would have to be sent overseas as indicated in the pre- ceding paragraph. Reports, however, could be obtained in a matter of 3 to 5 days rather than the present 10 days to 2 weeks. Then, too, all specimens, whether of indigent or nonindigent patients, would receive the same dispatch in processing. The beginning of the next fiscal year will herald the addition of a radiologist to the Medical Staff of the Department of Health. Therapy wUl then be carried out in all its phases here in the Virgin Islands, and the services of a pathologist will become more urgent than ever. It is our sincere hope that the coming year will be a mile- stone in our program of cancer control in the Virgin Islands. Tuberculosis Control During the past year the Tuberculosis Control Program was directed by a member of the medical staff of the Health Department who also worked as a municipal physician in the Knud-Hansen Memorial Hospital. All known active tuberculous patients are hospitalized. For this purpose, 26 beds are provided in the hospital in St. Thomas. Active cases from St. Croix and St. John are transferred to this hospital where the average census was 23 during the fiscal period 1954-55. A total of 10 active cases were found and admitted during this period. REPORT OF GOVERNOR OF THE VIRGIN ISLANDS -- 33 No surgical procedures are performed at the present time although a chest surgeon is available in St. Thomas. This is due to the lack of a trained anaesthetist and of tomographic studies. Case-finding was conducted through the cooperation of the staff of the medical care and public health sections of the Department. This was done through routine X-ray of admissions to the hospitals, X-ray of food handlers for health certificates, and of all senior classes in the high schools. This program will be continued with emphasis on radiography of contacts of active cases. Foliowup was conducted in the chest clinics in St. Thomas and St. Croix and through home visits by the Public Health Nurses. Education of the public was conducted with the assistance of the Division of Health Education through the radio, films, exhibits, dis- cussions and other media. The recently formed TB Committee of the Women's League of St. Thomas should be helpful in improving the attitude toward the disease. There has been considerable decrease in the number of deaths (3 during this period). Improved housing, higher standard of living, continued improvement in sanitation, a better informed public, in- creased medical knowledge and facilities for treatment of the disease are factors which have played a part in this decrease. Heart Disease Control The experience of the fiscal year 1954-55, especially in the latter months, has emphasized most dramatically the need for a vigorous heart disease control program. A virtual epidemic of coronary occlu- sions (heart attacks) occurred. The individuals affected were struck down without regard to their economic, political, social or moral standing. Fortunately, the expanding facilities of the still-embryonic Heart Disease Control Program were available for the early diagnosis, adequate treatment and progress determination. Without these facil- ities, it is, from a professional standpoint, a foregone conclusion that several of the individuals would never have survived, much less been returned to productive activity in the community. The Heart Disease Control Program—more properly called the cardiovascular disease program-—^is gradually being developed with a threefold objective: (1) Prevention; (2) Treatment; and (3) Rehabili- tation. Within the scope of prevention, intensified education of the public to an awareness of cardiovascular diseases has been conducted through the media of radio, press, pamphlets, posters, object displays, group discussions, lectures and the Virgin Islands Health Bulletin. Early recognition and detection of those factors which promote cardiovas- 34 ^ REPORT OF GOVERNOR OF THE VIRGIN ISLANDS cular disease are being given increasing emphasis. Obesity, tension states, respiratory infections, for instance, may all, with or without other factors, play important roles in the development of cardiovas- cular diseases and are no longer being treated as separate entities but as primary phases of potential cardiovascular disease. In the realm of treatment, increasing use has been made of electro- cardiographic, radiographic, fluoroscopic, laboratory, hospital and public health nursing facilities. The results have been gratifjdng from the standpoint of the recovery of many patients seriously ill with heart disease who might otherwise have had more prolonged illnesses or possibly even have become fatalities. Mass radiological surveys reveal a certain number of abnormalities in cardiac or great vessel silhouette. These were referred to the Director of the cardio- vascular program for evaluation and, where necessary, treatment. In all the clinics, including those conducted by the Division of Mater- nal and Child Health and Crippled Children, the specialty clinics, the general hospital clinics and, in fact, wherever suspicion of cardiac disease was found, the same plan was followed. Diabetes Control In June 1954 a plan was drawn up to promote the case finding, education, evaluation, treatment, foUowup and rehabilitation of people suffering with diabetes mellitus. Many difficulties were antic- ipated but the period of this report has shown the reality situation to be even worse than the forecast. No funds were allocated specifically for the control of diabetes, thus the program depended entirely on other programs of the Health Department for support. A centralized diabetic register was initiated and though incomplete at the present time, this register indicates that diabetes is a sufficiently big problem in the Vu-gin Islands to warrant the allocation of special funds for its control. Several of the new cases registered are among the younger age group— children and young adults. Increased use of the home care services rendered by the Division of Public Health Nursing resulted in better home care, more constant negatives and consequently fewer hospitalizations and complications of diabetes. The program was greatly assisted by the Divisions of Nutrition and Health Education in the preparation and use of literature and other teaching aids for the staff and for the public. Conferences held with both professional and nonprofessional staffs in all three islands revealed a keen interest in the development of an active Diabetes Control Program. REPORT OF GOVERNOR OF THE VIRGIN ISLANDS -f 35 Medical Institutions Municipalit;/ of St. Thomas and St. John.—The Knud-Hansen Memorial Hospital in St. Thomas is a general hospital with a capacity of 116 beds and 10 bassinets, divided into five services as follows: Beds Medical-Surgical 24 Pediatric Service 18 Obstetrical Service 18 Tuberculosis Service 30 Neuropsychiatric Service 26 In December 1954, the hospital's obstetrician resigned and for the remainder of the year his work was performed by the two surgeons with the assistance of other members of the medical staff. It is expected that a new obstetrician will be appointed on November 1, 1955. On Jmie 1, 1955, an ophthalmologist joined the staff, filling a long-standing need for proper handling of eye cases throughout the islands. A radiologist is also expected to join the staff at the beginning of the new fiscal year which will enable us at last to use the deep therapy equipment which has stood idle since the opening of the hospital. We are also hoping to add the services of a pathologist during the coming year to aid the diagnosis of cancer and to perform necessary autopsies. During the year we have continued to use the services of medical students from schools in the continental U. S. A., who come to the Virgin Islands for 2-months externship to supplement their studies. This has proved a most useful arrangement for us, lacking the services of internes as we do. It is expected that we will continue to avail ourselves of this valuable addition to our medical staff which costs the local government only the cost of the students' transportation and their board at the hospital. In fact, with the recent expressed interest of another medical school in this project, we are hoping to arrange a continuous and uninterrupted extern schedule for the coming year. One of the greatest needs in the services rendered is that of a medi- cal social worker. While this position has been filled, there has been a complete lack of service in this area, due to the fact that the medical social worker has been performing duties totally unrelated to this field, to the complete detriment of the work for which there remains an almost total void. Until such time as the full time of the medical social worker is devoted to social work, the medical staff will continue to operate without the benefit of this important phase of medical care. The addition of an admitting clerk to the business office staff seems to be the simplest solution to this situation. 36 -f REPORT OF GOVERNOR OF THE VIRGIN ISLANDS We are also hoping, in the coming year, to set up a proper medical records library. For this pm'pose we will need a trained medical records librarian with sufficient clerical assistance to provide us with acceptable medical charts on all discharges, deaths and outpatients and to process and gather data for the Division of Statistical Services to compUe. During fiscal year 1954-55 there were 1,841 admissions to the hospi- tal and 429 newborn admissions to the nursery. The average length of stay in the hospital was 4 to 5 days. The most active service was the Medical-Surgical Section, with 29 percent of the total admissions. The tuberculosis and neuropsychiatric serv- ices were relatively static due to the much longer length of stay in the hospital necessary in such conditions. We had almost twice as many female as male admissions, and the bulk of these fell in the 20- to 40-age group. This is due to the very active obstetrical service (25 percent of all admissions). Thirty-one percent (31 %) of our hospital ad- missions (not including births) were children, under 17 years of age. Om' average daily census was 92.7 patients. The total patient-days numbered 33,848. There were 2,181 discharges from the hospital, 77 deaths and 8 neonatal (newborn) deaths. The mortality rate for the hospital, based on admissions was 4.1 percent. It wUl be noted from the table on causes of death that 34 or 44 percent of our deaths were due to heart disease. Almost 50 percent of our deaths were in the hospital for less than 3 days and, in fact, about one-third were in for less than 1 day. In other words, at least half of our deaths were beyond treat- ment at the time they entered the hospital. Fifty-eight percent of the patients who died were 60 years of age or over. The most noticeable increase in work during the year took place in the outpatient clmics. What is causing the steadOy mounting attend- ance we are unable to say, but that it is imposing a severe bm^den on our limited resom*ces is indisputable. There is no doubt, however, that the large number of aliens on 29-day permits (temporary visas) is creating a serious problem for us. Apparently, many of these individ- uals come to om' islands for the sole purpose of receiving medical care for which, unfortunately, they are unable to pay. Since many of the conditions for which they seek help are of an emergency nature, they cannot be sent back immediately to their home islands. Conferences have been, and will continue to be held with various Government officials, including the local immigration officer, in an attempt to find a solution to this problem. The obstetrical cases are in many ways the most troublesome and the most numerous. It must be remembered that children of aliens born in these islands automatically become United States citizens and we have found women in our ante partum REPORT OF GOVERNOR OF THE VIRGIN ISLANDS 37 clinics who have admitted to having delivered as many as five children in om" hospital. Statistical report—fiscal year 1954-55 Bed capacity Bassinets Average occupancy. Peak occupancy _ - Minimum occupancy Admitted during year,,. Deaths in hospital Births In hospital Patient days Clinic visits Major surgical cases Minor surgical cases Blood transfusions X-rays Total employees Total salaries Equipment Subsistence Maintenance Total budget Cost per patient per day Average ration rate Fees collected Charles Harwood Hospital $132, 29, 24, $191, $15, 62 11 46 68 21 628 83 239 761 790 159 185 52 321 78 370 000 000 550 920 10. 432 .71 061. 72 Frederiksted Clinic 12 4 11 12 6 717 20 170 356 006 4 20 40 240 34 120 700 000 000 820 21. $4, 871 Hansen's Home 12 $13, 220 5,500 4,400 $23, 220 5.743 .54 King's Hill Home 150 113 120 103 37 30 31 $32, 700 29,000 9,400 $71, 110 l.i .49 Total 316 15 180 211 140 2, 383 133 409 22,117 5,796 163 205 92 1,561 155 $244, 410 7,700 65,500 48, 350 $376, 070 $19, 932. 72 Municipality of St. consist of: Croix.—The medical institutions of St. Croix 1. The Charles Harwood Memorial Hospital, Christiansted—a general hospital with a capacity' of 62 beds, 11 bassinets 2. The Frederiksted Clinic, Frederiksted—a general hospital with a capacity of 12 beds, 4 bassinets 3. Hansen's Home, Christiansted—a leprosarium with a capacity of 92 beds 4. King's Hill Home, King's Hill—a home for the aged and chronically ill; capacity 150 beds These institutions are under the direct supervision of the Assistant Commissioner of Health for St. Croix, who is also responsible for the preventive health programs on the island. The medical staff was increased during the year with the addition of a surgeon, thus providing the island with two surgeons. Even with this addition, however, the island has still only 1 physician to every 2,000 of the population—a far cry from the accepted standard of 1 to 800. An obstetrician is badly needed, as well as at least one more general practitioner. In St. Croix, as in St. Thomas, the services of a radiologist on a consultant basis are needed with the addition of a full-time radiologist in St. Thomas-—early in the new year it is expected that that long-awaited need can be filled. The need for part-time pathological services are also as critical here as in St. Thomas. Toward the end of the fiscal year a major reorganization of the nursing staff was effected. For the first time, responsibility can be 371575,—56 6 38 -f REPORT OF GOVERNOR OF THE VIRGIN ISLANDS pinned on specific individuals, and it is felt that this should result in an overall improvement of the services rendered. The only facilities worthy of the name for the detention of mental patients in St. Croix are the two rooms of the Charles Harwood Me- morial Hospital. The original plan of rapidly transferring mental cases to St. Thomas after diagnosis has failed because of the reluc- tance of the common air carrier to transport them on regular flights. This situation results in prolonged detention of mental cases in St. Croix in facilities not really intended for them. During the past year there was regular medical attendance, and the health of the patients was more adequately provided for at the King's Hill Home. The basic problem at King's Hill Home is that it is not primarily a hospital but rather a home for the aged and infirm. It should, therefore, be run as such with one section staffed by the Health Department for those who are ill. In this way, the demand on nm-ses would be less. The reorganization of the management of King's Hill Home, therefore, deserves immediate consideration. The general health on St. CroLx during 1954-55 was good. There was no serious epidemic of any kind. Even with the more vigorous approach, only four cases of pulmonary tuberculosis were discovered. The institution of the routine taking of 4 by 5 X-rays on all hospital admissions resulted in the discovery of one of these. One case of Hansen's Disease (leprosy) on the outside relapsed and had to be readmitted to the Hansen's Home. No case of meningitis, typhoid, or any other serious infectious disease was reported. The one excep- tion was one case of poliomyelitis, which was obviously imported. AU precautions were taken to control the spread of the disease and as of now, 4 months later, no additional cases of poliomyelitis have been discovered. Plans and recommendations Personnel 1. Medical: (a) Employment of a part-time pathologist on an insular basis. (6) Employment of an obstetrician for St. Croix. (c) Employment of 3 well-trained general practicioners—one for St. Croix and two for St. Thomas. (d) Continue efforts to relieve the Commissioner and his staff of non- professional duties. (e) Require younger physicians on the staff to seek residencies in A. M. A. approved hospitals in order to meet the local need for specialists. 2. Nursing: (a) Employment of additional graduate nurses, practical nurses, and nurse-aides. (6) Training of additional nurse-midwives. (c) Employment or training of nurse-anesthetists for both islands. REPORT OF GOVERNOR OF THE VIRGIN ISLANDS -^ 39 Plans and recommendations—Continued Personnel—Continued 3. Miscellaneous: (a) Increase salaries of technical personnel to help us retain personnel in this hard-to-replace category. (6) Employment of hospital administrator for St. Croix. (c) Employment of medical social worker for St. Croix. (d) Employment of additional clerical staff for Business Manager's Office and Division of Laboratories, St. Thomas. (e) Employment of a Medical Records Librarian for both islands or training of present incumbents in an accredited hospital. Equipment and structural needs: 1. Construction of facilities for the chronically ill in St. Thomas to relieve the pressing need for beds on the Medical-Surgical Service. 2. Construction of children's ward adjoining the Knud-Hansen Memorial Hospital, thus permitting us to expand, the present Medical-Surgical Service and provide patients with necessary peace and quiet. 3. Construction of a home and school for nurses to serve as an insular training school to relieve our nursing problem. 4. Installment of switchboards and a caU-system for physicians in the Knud- Hansen Memorial Hospital. 5. Provision of necessary funds and equipment for the Sanitation Division to carry on a vigorous mosquito control program in St. Thomas. 6. Reconditioning of Hansen's Home and King's Hill Home, St. Croix, for which funds have been earmarked, is expected to start shortly. DEPARTMENT OF INSULAR AFFAIRS Division of Procurement and Supply The fiscal year 1955 saw many important changes made in the Procm"ement and Supply organization of the government of the Virgin Islands. Many of these changes were made as a direct result of certain suggestions made in recent years by audit teams from the General Accounting Office. First, the office was moved from its old location in the Department of Finance of the Administration Building to space formerly occupied by the Public Works Department. This move resulted in more space being made available to the Division of Procurement and Supply. Such additional space was necessary, since bill No. 339 of the former municipal council made provisions for the Division of Procurement and Supply to operate a central warehouse where items used by the government of the Virgin Islands could be bought at a minimum cost on a reimbursable basis. With the passage of the new Organic Act which resulted in the combining of aU activities into nine major departments, Procurement and Supply was moved from the overall supervision of the Com- missioner of Finance and placed under the Department of Insular 40 4 REPORT OF GOVERNOR OF THE VIRGIN ISLANDS Affairs with the head ofl&cer being the Commissioner of Insular Affairs. The officer in direct supervision was designated Head, Division of Procurement and Supply, with the responsibility of the entire Procurement and Supply problems of the government of the Virgin Islands placed in one main setup with a branch office in St. Croix. It is worthy to note that bill No. 49 of the new legislature applies not only to St. Thomas, but to the Virgin Islands as a whole. During the past fiscal year we have been able to institute many improvements in the Division of Procurement and Supply. We have developed our reference library by the addition of many volumes, subscriptions, and schedules, to a point where we can safely say that we can locate the source of any supply in a matter of minutes. At present, work is being done on our Procurement and Supply Manual which shoidd be ready for distribution diu-ing the early part of 1956. This manual will provide ample information as to Procure- ment and vSupply problems of the government of the Virgin Islands; besides, it will serve as a reference volume for new and old employees of this Division. We are looking forward to a great future for Procurement and Supply in the organization of the government of the Virgin Islands. With the addition of several new employees at the start of the fiscal year 1956, we hope to make rapid strides in property control and reporting which we have been unable to do in the past. We also hope to extend our central warehouse facilities to a point where more and better service could be rendered to the using agencies not only in St. Thomas, but also in St. Croix. We also hope to extend our inspection progi'am, and to take a more active and efficient part in the health and welfare donable program which we were fortunate to be made a part of during last fiscal year. Division of Personnel Given the authority imder section 16 (a) of the new Organic Act, Public Law 517, 83d Congress, chapter 558, 2d session, the Governor consolidated the fimctions of approximately 21 agencies into 9 de- partments. Under the reorganization, the Division of Personnel was removed from the Government Secretary's Office and placed under the Department of Insular Affairs. This particular result of the reorganization has not yet given total satisfaction in structure nor service. Theoretically and practically, personnel administration has been found to work more efficiently and to serve public administration better if placed close to the chief executive. Personnel administration is a tool of top management. REPORT OF GOVERNOR OF THE VIRGIN ISLANDS -f 41 Its function in controlling the number of positions and in administer- ing service-wide standards and policies are invaluable assets to the Governor's program. Under bill No. 109 the Fkst Legislature of the Virgin Islands, approved March 31, 1955, establishing the new pay plan for the Government Service, the Governor through the Division of Personnel, was authorized to make a classification study of all positions in order to determine appropriate placement of positions within the various pay ranges of the new pay plan As early as January of 1955 the Director of Personnel had suggested that, should a classification study be required in view of the planned reorganization of the government structure, an outside agency, be contracted with to perform the study. It was also suggested by other sources that the study might be accomplished by the Classifica- tion Section, Personnel Department, Department of the Interior. By the time the study became imminent, however, no funds were available to contract for the study, and the Department of Interior was not in a position to make its personnel available. Consequently, the Division of Personnel was advised during the latter part of April 1955 that it would have to do the study. A total of 958 positions were classified, and 178 classes of positions established. Neither of these figures include the unclassified service which is composed of 43 positions (as of June 30) in addition to the entire Department of Education, the Comptroller's Ofiice and the Ofl&ce of the Legislature. This year another new pay plan went into effect. This makes a total of three plans since the merit system went into effect in 1947-49, 1952, and 1955. This year's plan went into effect by authority of bill No. 109 signed by the Governor on March 31 to become effective on April 1, 1955. This plan followed legislative bill No. 6, Fhst Legislature of the government of the Virgin Islands, which had the same purpose but which was vetoed because in it the legislature allocated every position within a salary range of the plan prior to a classification study or estab- lishment of related job descriptions. BiU No. 109 as finally approved was unique in several ways: It estabhshed for the first time in our history a minimum rate of $1,200 per annum for government employees; and it included separate pay schedules for two fields of employment ; namely, teaching and nursing. In addition, another special schedule was executively established to provide compensation for physicians. Generally, the bill contained three major sections pertaining to pay—a schedule for teachers, a schedule for nurses, and a 12-range 42 -f REPORT OF GOVERNOR OF THE VIRGIN ISLANDS section under which the executive, through the Division of Personnel,, was empowered to classify and allocate all other positions of the classified service. As the fiscal year came to a close and the fiscal effect of the plan was simultaneously felt, the Executive Branch suggested that the revenue structure might not permit full-force effect of the plan. Not having been superseded by any recent legislation, bill No. 11, Fourteenth Legislative Assembly, remained in effect. Signed on May 23, 1949, this bill provides that any employee who is dissatisfied with his classification or allocation may appeal to the Personnel Board within 30 days from such classification or allocation, and that it shall be the duty of the board to give such appeal a hearing. During this fiscal year there was considerable distortion in the com- position of the unclassified service. The first major problem arose with bill No. 87. The bill amended section 9 (b) (the unclassified service) of the Merit System law as follows Positions for which rates of basic compensation are specifically fixed, or expressly authorized to he fixed by any Municipal Ordinance or Insular Law, in cases where special circumstances require such action in the best interest of the Government, whether or not such positions would ordinarily be included in the classified service. [Underscoring supplied.] This left the door open and within a month or so afterwards, the entire Department of Finance and Telephone Service in St. Thomas were placed in the unclassified service by ordinances fixing salaries for employees in these departments. Shortly after the pay plan went into effect the Division of Personnel was notified tliat under tlie government reorganization as set forth in Executive Order No. 1, the Department of Education was to be in the unclassified service. This meant, in effect, that the matter of classify- ing and paying employees in that department was removed from the purview of the Division of Personnel and placed as a responsibility of the Commissioner of Education and the School Board. It was inferred from the Organic Act that the employees of the legislature, although previously considered as being in the classified service, were now in the unclassified service. By similar inference it was determined that the employees of the Office of the Virgin Islands Comptroller were also a part of the unclassified service. During the year, particularly after the reorganization date of Jan- uary 10, 1955, several attempts were made to revise the Merit System law and thus bring it in conformity with the general reorganization pattern. Attempts were also made to insert certain long-standing needs for improvement, such as revised procedures on the certification of payrolls. None of them reached the final state of approval by the legislature. REPORT OF GOVERNOR OF THE VIRGIN ISLANDS ^ 43 Bill No. 54, a revised Merit System law, passed by the legislature on March 8, 1955, was vetoed by the Governor because it contained several objectionable features. Among these were: (1) that the un- classified service should include heads of specified divisions and policy, supervisory or other positions, the salaries of which are specifically fixed in the annual appropriation act; (2) appointment of members of the Government Employees Service Commission had to be confirmed by the legislature, and (3) a provisional appointee (that is, a person appointed to a job without having taken an. examination) could gain permanent status after satisfactorily working in the job for a period of 6 months. Heretofore, two independent retirement systems were in operation one for the municipality of St. Thomas and St. John, and the other for the municipality of St. Croix. With the dissolution of these two municipalities and the formation of one government of the Virgin Islands on January 10, 1955 under the new Organic Act, both systems became inoperative. Because it was intended that a new insular law would undoubtedly be passed giving coverage for all employees, the refund of employee contributions was not contemplated except where a person was separated from the service. In the meantime, negotiations were begun between the government and Public Administration Service of Chicago for conducting an actuarial study and putting a new system into eft'ect. By the end of the fiscal year the Division of Personnel was already collecting perti- nent information required by the study. In December of 1953 an amendment to the Social Security Act allowed employees of the Government to qualify for coverage, pro- vided they were not already covered by local retnement systems. The first employees to qualify thereunder were the insular employees who were not under local retirement systems, and the per diem em- ployees of St. Thomas. Insular employees were those persons whose salaries were paid by contributions from each of the two independent municipalities, and therefore not considered as employees of either municipality. In September of 1954 another amendment to the Social Security Act allowed coverage regardless of existing retirement systems. How- ever, as mentioned above, the two municipalities were dissolved on January 10, 1955 by the new Organic Act and the existing retirement systems simultaneously became inoperative. Had this not happened, a referendum would have been necessary in order to determine whether all employees should be covered. But, according to the Social Security Act, a referendum is not required where no retirement system is operating. On this basis, the government of the Virgin Islands entered into agreement with the United States Department of Health, 44 -f REPORT OF GOVERNOR OF THE VIRGIN ISLANDS Education, and Welfare on December 31, 1954 to bring all employees under the act. By the end of the fiscal year the only groups remaining outside of the agreement were the policemen and firemen. This was due to the uncertainty of whether the Social Seciu-ity Act definitely precluded them from coverage, or whether they could be covered now that there was no retirement system in operation to cover them. A clarification was requested from the Department of Health, Education, and Welfare. Distribution of employees as to major occupational groups (for classified service) REPORT OF GOVERNOR OF THE VIRGIN ISLANDS 45 to $19,791,004.90. Of this amount, $2,524,614.91 represents assess- ments on real property belonging to individuals or firms granted tax exemption. Real property assessments and taxes due thereon were distributed in the following: manner: 46 > REPORT OF GOVERNOR OF THE VIRGIN ISLANDS in the island of St. Thomas, but a considerable increase in the island of St. Croix. Vehicular traffic enforcement activities took an upsurge upon the instituting of a regular traffic enforcement program, espe- cially in the island of St. Thomas. The period between February and June 1955 shows a total of 581 summonses served for traffic violations as compared to 34 for the same period of the year 1954. The overall total of traffic summonses served for the entire fiscal year 1954-55 as compared to the year 1953-54 is as follows: 760 in 1954-55; 95 in 1953-54. Other activities within the Police Division, insofar as investigation and general enforcement are concerned, remained on a comparable basis to the year 1953-54. The Traffic Bureau collected the sum of $1,992 for the issuance of temporary driver's permits during the year, as compared to $1,764 for the previous fiscal year. The sum of $34,067.42 was collected for the registration of private and public motor vehicles, motorcycles, motorscooters, bicycles, operator's licenses and badges, bus operators' badges, dealers' licenses, transfers. During the period from July 1, 1954 to June 30, 1955, the Bureau of Criminal Investigation and Identification handled 186 criminal cases. Of this amount, 148 cases were solved, leaving a remainder of 38 unsolved and pending. During the fiscal year 1954-55, the officers of the Bureau finger- printed over 1,000 persons, searched the files for over 1,000 criminal records for presentation in court, issued over 100 police records to aliens for various purposes, and made over 100 noncriminal investiga- tions. The Federal Bm'eau of Investigation has been of great assistance to our department in the processing of evidences involving violations of Federal and local laws. The special agents who frequently visit our department have provided a dependable source of assistance and the relationship enjoyed by this department with the Federal Bureau of Investigation is highly valued and appreciated. During the fiscal year 1954-55 no inservice training course under the direction of members of the FBI was held. However, on several occasions, members of the Department were taken to the shooting range at the Alexander Hamilton Airport for target practice by Director of Police Morrell E. Davis. A comparison of the number of criminal offenses committed on the island of St. John shows that the incidence of crime was considerably higher during the fiscal year 1954-55 than during the previous fiscal year: REPORT OF GOVERNOR OF THE VIRGIN ISLANDS > 47 Violations Disorderly conduct. Assault and battery Petit larceny Reckless driving Trespassing - Aggravated assault and battery Grand larceny 1953-54 A field survey, conducted by the Commissioner, of the facilities, equipment and personnel in the Department of Public Safety indicated that the original recommendations made to the First Virgin Islands Legislature for appropriations for the Department fell short of what the actual needs would be in order to initiate an appropriate reorgani- zation and a vigorous safety program. The police service was found to be undermanned, untrained, and improperly supervised. Insufficient effort was being made at enforcing the law and a strongly entrenched policy of condonement was found to be existing. Police service, both in St. Thomas and St. Croix, is deficient because of lack of vehicular transportation, motorcycles, and other facilities necessary for the proper operation of a police department. The build- ings which house the police divisions, both in St. Thomas and in St. Croix, are inadequate. Complaints and arrests made Fiscal year July 1, 1954 to June 30, 1955 Violating motor vehicle law^s Disorderly conduct Aggravated assault and battery Assault and battery Carrying concealed vtreapon Having unlicensed gun Slander Petit larceny Grand larceny Making threats. Gambling Trespassing Violating closing time laws Violating nickelodeon lavi^s Violating police regulations Exhibiting weapon Violating sanitary code Vagrancy Burglary, first degree Burglary, second degree Illegal entry Perjury Forgery Illegal medical practice Resisting arrest Prostitution Rape Manslaughter Violating lottery laws 48 -f REPORT OF GOVERNOR OF THE VIRGIN ISLANDb Report of the Juvenile Aid Bureau, July 1, 1954, to June 30, 1955 Offenses >> REPORT OF GOVERNOR OF THE VIRGIN ISLANDS ^ 49 Cases carried to court, fiscal year 1954-56—Continued 50 ^ REPORT OF GOVERNOR OF THE VIRGIN ISLANDS Trainirig has not, however, been limited to these officers. During the fiscal year just ended, drills involving the evolutions which have proved most useful and necessary were conducted weekly. During Fire Prevention Week in October of 1954, demonstrations were held at submarine base and at the waterfront in which all members of the Service participated. Civil Defense In "July 1954, the Director of Civil Defense met in conference at Government House, St. Thomas with various heads of departments and representatives of the local chapter of the American Red Cross and coordinated civU defense activities so as to be prepared for any eventualities during the hurricane season from July 25 to October 25. In furtherance of this preparation, a hurricane aleit drill was held on September 2 in which the various government departments cooper- ated with the American Red Cross in performing the services expected of them in a real emergency. The heavy rains during last September when the Bourne Field Low Cost Housing area was flooded gave several volunteers of the Civil Defense the opportunity to muster for service, but only limited serv- ices were actually necessary. However, it gave the Director the opportunity to see that certain equipment was necessary for personnel in such an emergency. Thereafter, a supply of raincoats was ordered and a supply of rubber boots was obtained from surplus property which, together with metal helmets held in stock, are now available for supplying volunteers who must render service in such emergencies. Because of the hazards and problems presented by H-bomb fallout, the Director made representations to the Federal Civil Defense Ad- ministration for the loan of two monitoring instruments for measuring radio activity and, in compliance therewith, two Geiger counters were loaned to the islands until such time as the islands can purchase their own instruments. Four complete public address systems, purchased with matching funds allotted by the Federal Civil Defense Administration, were re- ceived during the year and represent a very valuable addition to our equipment to warn the public in case of impending or actual emer- gency. Home Guard The Home Guard is an organization carried over to the Department t)f Public Safety from the old municipal government setup. The work of these volunteers is highly commendable. They participate in activities of a civic nature, conduct appropriate exercises and have, REPORT OF GOVERNOR OF THE VIRGIN ISLANDS -»- 51 on certain occasions, served as honor guards for dignitaries and other high officials visiting the Virgin Islands. Aside from a small appro- priation for uniforms, the Home Guard represents no other expendi- ture to the government of the Virgin Islands. At the present time, proper arrangements are being made with the Puerto Rico Depart- ment in order that they may receive adequate military training in the Army Reserve Unit Station in St. Thomas. This organization participates in civil defense drills and hold regular practice drills in order that they may always be prepared properly and effectively to assist in all cases of emergency. Police Court St. Thomas and St. John.—The judge of the police court is chairman of the electoral boards of St. Thomas and St. John. On November 2, 1954, a general election was held pursuant to the revised Organic Act of the Virgin Islands, approved July 22, 1954. There were 3,766 persons registered in the district of St. Thomas and 263 in the district of St. John. Two thousand six hundred and ninety-nine votes were cast in the district of St. Thomas, and 199 in the district of St. John. At the request of one of the candidates-at-large, a recount was had in the district of St. John on November 13, 1954, and in the district of St. Thomas on November 15, 1954, resulting in no change in the election. Besides hearings of civil and criminal cases, the judge of the police court conducts, several times each week, informal hearings in cases brought before him upon the request of one of the parties. These hearings serve a great social need, for ever so often the judge is called upon to intervene and administer to the gamut of human ills, sufferings and experiences, whether by assistance, words of advice, of consola- tion and comfort, of admonition, or of warning. During the period October 1, 1954 to June 30, 1955, three hundred eighty-three (383) such hearings were held by the magistrate. Bureau of Deeds and Records.—During the fiscal year, 941 documents were handed in for recording. Of these, one document was withdrawn. Adjudications.—Eighteen adjudications covering real property appraised at $61,880.53 were recorded as title for the heirs. Miscellaneous instruments.—One hundred thirty-one miscellaneous instruments, including conditional sales contracts, easements, releases, attachments, and cancellation of attachments, actions to quiet title, escheat judgments, leases, etc., were also recorded. The judge of the police court is the only notary public connected therewith. As a consequence, unless the services of a notary are obtained outside the office, no civil or criminal action may be com- 52 ^ REPORT OF GOVERNOR OF THE VIRGIN ISLANDS menced without the complainant appearing before the judge of the court to verify his complaint. This situation is a great inconvenience to the general public, because when the judge is occupied, whether in hearing cases or otherwise, complainants have to wait or return to the office to have their complaints verified. It is, therefore, recommended that the Code of the Virgin Islands be amended to give to the clerks of the police courts notarial powers such as are exercised by the clerk and deputy clerks of the district court. Section 23 of the revised Organic Act of the Virgin Islands empowers the judge of the district court to formulate rules for the police courts. In the adoption and promulgation of such rules, it is recommended that the judge of the police court be empowered thereby to appoint a violations clerk whose function it shall be to accept appearances, waiver of trial plea of guilty, and payments of fines in such traffic violations as the court may deem proper. With such a procedure in effect, persons wishing to plead guilty in such cases wiU not have to sit in court awaiting the call of their cases. Provisions may also be made for mailing of the fines. St. Croix.—The revised Organic Act of 1954 has increased the juris- diction of the police courts in civil matters in which the amount sought or the value of personal property did not exceed $200 to similar actions where the amount or value of personal property involved in litigation to $500; the jurisdiction prior to the enactment of the revised Organic Act was concurrent with the district court; it is now mandatory that all such actions be instituted in the police courts for determmation since the jurisdiction conferred is exclusive. Consequently, a number of cases that would have been disposed of by the district court are now tried in the police courts. Of course, all judgments are subject to review and appeal in the district court of the Virgin Islands. The changes as to the language requirement in the electoral law resulted in a marked increase in the registration of Spanish speaking voters. This has added to the work of the registration board, as it became necessary for the board to solicit volunteers to act as inter- preters. The recount durmg the last general elections sharply illus- trated the need for a requirement in the electoral law that a candidate for public office, before requesting a recount, should be required to post a bond to cover the costs of the recount which he should forfeit if there is no material change in the results. DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS From July 1, 1954 to January 10, 1955, the Public Works Depart- ment of the Virgin Islands was divided into two complete units. REPORT OF GOVERNOR OF THE VIRGIN ISLANDS ^ 53 These units were the Public Works and Fire Department of St. Thomas and St. John, and the PubHc Works and Fire Department of St. CroLx. These two units have been resolved into one Public Works Department, Government of the Virgin Islands. The Fhe Division was placed under the Department of Public Safety, and the Public Works Department of the Virgin Islands assumed responsibility for the operation of the Telephone Systems and Harbor Division, in addition to the usual Public Works responsibilities. In addition to the Water Division, Sanitary Engineering Division, Utilities Division and Construction Division, a Kecords and Supply Division has been added. With a new accounting procedure, the complexities of administration of the Public Works Department on an insular basis will be facilitated. The maintenance of roads and highways included the cutting of brush, replacing concrete culverts, scarafying, grading, rolling, patch- ing and, in some cases, bituminous surface treatment of 27 rural roads in St. Thomas. In St. John, several streets at Cruz Bay were given a bituminous surface treatment. On the Federal Force Account project, a Center Line Koad from Cruz Bay to Coral Bay was cut. Extensive drilling, blasting, and bulldozer-work was performed. Of HI miles of gravel roads in St. Croix, most of them were graded, filled or patched during the year. Approximately 60 percent of them were done twice while the busier sections (30 percent) were gone over 3 or 4 times. Considerable trimming of trees and clearmg of under- brush on the sides was also done. All paved sections were patched as found necessary from time to time. A contract was awarded for $59,000 for asphalting of 3 miles of the Sprat Hall to Hams Bay Road in the northern section of the island. Five miles of the Northside Road from Christiansted to Clifton Hill was seal-coated. Two concrete bridges were built on East and Fisher Streets. Road equipment.—Our road equipment is fast approachmg obso- lescence. Two bulldozers on St. Thomas are 16 years old. The need for more bulldozers, graders, and other road equipment is evident on St. Thomas. We are in the process of repairing some of the better pieces on St. Thomas. An asphalt plant is urgently needed. In the near future, a survey will be made of equipment on the three islands to permit exchanges between the islands and to replace wornout road equipment as funds permit. Sanitary operations.— Gutter flushing in St. Thomas has been limited to those hours daily when pressure in the salt water mains can be permitted to fall below that necessary to service the highest buildings. 54 -t- REPORT OF GOVERNOR OF THE VIRGIN ISLANDS With a more adequate salt water pumping system, better service can be given. A study will be made to better schedule service operations to achieve a more efficient service, resulting in a cleaner city. A time and motion study as to movement of vehicles and men may result in more load- packer type trucks and more machines for sweeping streets and gutters. The operation of street cleaning and garbage removal services on St. John are easily taken care of by the two men assigned to same. On most of this island owners of private estates take care of this opera- tion individually. With regard to garbage removal on St. Croix, plans are underway for the general use of only 20- or 25-gallon garbage cans, and the establishment of a daily call service at each house. The system is developing satisfactorily. From commercial establishments such as restaurants, larger cans are used. A 10 cubic yard "load packer" garbage truck facilitates this operation. There are two salt water pumping stations being operated on St. Thomas, each on a 12-hour schedule. The main purpose of these stations is to supply salt water for sanitary flushing, gutter flushing and fire protection. Recent observations have indicated that salt water for the above services is being used at a higher rate. With the full operation of the new Housing project and new high school, plus the heavy influx of toiu-ists and visitors, this can be understood. In addition, the Virgin Isle Hotel has converted to salt water flushing recently. This increase will require larger salt water pumps in each of the pump stations. An engineering study will be made of this situation. Some of the buildings at the higher levels are without salt water for flushing at certain times of the day and night because of increased demands. It appears that an electric driven and diesel driven pump in each pump station will take care of our needs. There is no salt water pumping operation in St. John. Salt water pumping operation in St. Croix was carried on as usual. A total of 19,800,000 gallons of salt water was used for flushing sewers, fighting fires, etc. Some trouble has been experienced with the sewage lift stations in that the sewage pamps at times do not seem to be able to handle the loads. Various reasons have been suggested, including an excessive amount of salt water being pumped per capita, possibility indicating excessive fixture leakage, wastage due to excessive use of salt water, infiltration of piping system, and excessive ground or siu-face water, during rains, into manholes thi'ough square tops or holes in pipes. This matter is being investigated before recommendations are made. REPORT OF GOVERNOR OF THE VIRGIN ISLANDS ^ 55 The nightsoil removal service has been transferred to Public Works. This operation continues to function satisfactorily despite the physical repugnance of the work. The sewer system will be extended, as funds permit, in an effort to eliminate this unsanitary method of waste disposal. Water service.—During the last half of the fiscal year, St. Thomas experienced a serious drought. Only 12.93 inches of rain fell between November 1954, and June 1955. This 13,000,000 gallons of water added to that which fell and was stored from July 1954 to November 1954, totaled 33,000,000 gallons. The ideal amount of water needed at 250,000 gallons a day would be 85,250,000 gallons per year. Using this as a top figure, St. Thomas would be short 52,250,000 gallons per year. We are considering conversion of sea water and additional storage facilities. The United States Navy warded off impending disaster by hauling in from Puerto Rico over 10,000,000 gallons. On June 30, 1955, we contracted for 610,000 gallons to be hauled from Puerto Rico by a private firm. In this crisis, efforts by the Inspector General, water plant personnel, and other Public Works personnel have been commendable. The operation of the potable water pump station has been carried on in an efficient manner with proper records maintained to insure proper control. From the month of February, connections and extensions to the potable water system were suspended to conserve water. The chief source of potable water on St. John is from wells. Except for the need of a new pump at the clinic at Calabash Boom, no im- mediate problem on potable water is apparent. As the island de- velops, however, central potable water sources should be provided to insure a germ-free supply. Potable water supplies on St. Croix are not as short as they are on St. Thomas. Systems of wells, pumps and tanks are used for supply- ing water to cities. Fifteen wells and windmills in the country districts were regularly overhauled and maintained. A study showed that there are 350 private wells with pumps, more or less, out of service. A decision was made to maintain, in addition to the 15 well and windmills mentioned above, 5 water source locations on the island, and have one maintenance man keep these pumps in repair to insure an adequate supply. Cattle raisers have been discouraged from exhausting these soin-ces for their use in watering their cattle, and were encouraged to drill their own wells. Electric power.—^Every 3 months a fighting schedule is submitted to the Virgin Islands Corporation, Power Division, for lighting St. Thomas and St. Croix. The Pubfic Works Department is responsible 56 ^ REPORT OF GOVERNOR OF THE VIRGIN ISLANDS for lighting costs. A study is underway to remove cables, wires, and lights from hanging over center of the main street and to place lights on telephone poles already installed. A 12-hour schedule for lighting in St. John is maintained mainly to accommodate the hospital. Some repairs have had to be made to the diesels. Plans are underway by VICORP to install a submarine power cable between. St. Thomas and St. John. This installation will permit the shut down of the light plant on St. John. These two units could then be used for standby service should there be a power failure. Recently one of the units was overhauled and it is the plan to overhaul the other unit. When the cable mentioned above is installed, these units will have to be changed over from single to three phase to be used as standby units. In any case only limited service will be avail- able from the diesel generator units if VICORP makes extensive developments in this regard. Building repair.—Barracks Building No. 18 at submarine base was completely renovated to be used as new headquarters for the Public Works Department. The remxoval of stores and workshops to new quarters at the submarine base is underway. At the Charles Harwood Memorial Hospital the roof was painted, nameplate installed and fencing erected around grounds. At Frederiksted Hospital the roof was painted and nameplate installed. Limited funds did not permit extensive repau'S to buildings, but major repairs and pamtmg were made on the following buildings: Peter's Rest School, King's Hill Police Station, Princess School, Customs House, Frederiksted, Government House (offices). Building per?nits ST. THOMAS AND ST. JOHN Issued this year 242 Cost of dwellings, repairs, etc $964, 770 ST. CROIX Issued this year 125 Estimated construction cost $680, 809 Building permits included a cistern storage capacity of 902,888 gallons. St. Thomas Telephone System During the last fiscal year, facilities of the telephone central ex- change was increased to accommodate 200 additional telephones. This involved a capital expenditure of $11,000. One hundred and fifty (150) telephones were installed in May 1955. This should reflect an increase in revenues of approximately $15,000 per year. REPORT OF GOVERNOR OF THE VIRGIN ISLANDS -f 57 There are now 1,200 telephones installed on St. Thomas— 150 assigned to the local government, 30 assigned to Federal agencies, 600 assigned to business, and 420 assigned to residential use. Approximately 50 overseas calls are made daily. Our overseas business increased in the last 3 years from $400 per month to $6,000 per month. Our gross combined yearly income from local and over- seas business is about $100,000 per year. Approximate capital expansion contemplated for the fiscal year 1955-56 is $40,000. This amount is insufficient to fm^nish services in keeping with present demands. St. John.—^The chief means of communication between St. Thomas and St. John is by radio telephone. Except for service visits by our electrician and the maintenance engineer at Knud Hansen Hospital^ this operation is controlled by the Administrator for St. John. St. Croix Telephone System Due to the abnormally low telephone rates charged on St. Croix and the correspondingly resulting deficit in operating funds, a rate increase will be necessitated to balance the budget for this operation. The present rates for St. Croix are $3.50 for party line service, and $4 for private service, with no difference in price between residence and business. According to the budget report, the income for 1954 was approxi- mately $19,000 and the operating cost was $36,000 or a loss of $17,000. On July 1, 1954 there were 450 telephones in service in St. Croix^ and on January 1, 1955 there were approximately 650 telephones in service, thereby increasing the revenue by about 50 percent or an estimated $30,000 annual income. This estimated $30,000 income for the Fiscal Year July 1, 1955 to June 30, 1956 would still be $6,000 under the 1954 operating costs of $36,000. To make up this increasing deficit, St. Thomas' rates could be applied to St. Croix with a possible resulting income of $45,400, Harbor Division In St. Thomas this operation has recorded a total of 2,947,288 gross tons of shippmg with 868,399 gross tons being commissioned by the United States or Foreign Governments. During this fiscal year 365 ships paid pilotage of $28,284. An income comparison with other years is as follows 1954-55 365 ships paid pilotage of $28, 284. 00 1953-54 415 ships paid pilotage of 27, 795. 00 1952-53 333 ships paid pilotage of 24, 289. 00 1951-52 348 ships paid pilotage of 31, 774. 00 1950-51 328 ships paid pilotage of 25, 824. 25 58 ^ REPORT OF GOVERNOR OF THE VIRGIN ISLANDS A comparison of tonnages is as follows: Year REPORT OF GOVERNOR OF THE VIRGIN ISLANDS >- 59 many others to bring our organization into accord with the new Organic Act. The two municipal departments (of St. Croix and of St. Thomas- St. John) have been abohshed, and their functions have been assumed by one fully integrated Insular Department of Social Welfare. With the abolishment of the^municipal departments, there were no separate municipal programs to be operated and no municipal budgets to be administered, therefore, in accordance with the general policy of the Administration, the positions of municipal superintendent, St. Croix, and deputy municipal superintendent, St. Thomas-St. John, were eliminated. Direction of all activities is now furnished through the insular department. The offices of the municipal departments have now become district offices of the insular department, and for St. Thomas-St. John (with headquarters at Charlotte Amalie and a branch office at Carolina, St. John) and one for St. Croix (with head- quarters at Christiansted and a branch office at Fredsriksted). The branch ofiices are continued in order to provide full service to all clients throughout all portions of the district. One integrated budget has been put into effect covering operations of the department throughout the Islands. This has resulted in elim- ination of many complications which arose from the necessity in the past, in the case of activities serving both municipalities, to finance them from two municipal sources plus in some cases contributions from Federal grants. Provisions have been made for establishment within the department of a new division of Institutions and special programs. For this division, a supervisor has been appointed for St. Thomas-St. John and the operation of the two institutions for the aged (Queen Louise Home and Corneiro Home), of the small shelter at Hospital Ground, and of the special programs (cancer program, house-keeping service for feeble aged persons, special needs for needy families) have been dele- gated to it. In St. Croix, this division has not yet been organized, awaiting a decision regarding the management of the Kings Hill Home. In the meantime, the small shelters there (Aldershvile) and the cancer program are now being handled by the public assistance division as a temporary measure. Appointment of an Insular Director for this Division has been postponed until the decisions have been reached regarding the St. Croix situation. Apart from the extensive and specialized services and programs con- ducted through the child welfare and public assistance divisions the department, in its effort to fulfill its total mission in the Islands, operated three institutions for the aged and conducted or helped to conduct a variety of supporting services and programs. 60 -f REPORT OF GOVERNOR OF THE VIRGIN ISLANDS Total expenditures of the department this year, $455,123, exceed last year's total by $89,347, or by 24.4 percent. Of this increase, $70,908 is accounted for by the increase in assistance to needy per- sons, and $6,630 went into an increase in board payments for children in foster homes. It will be seen that new monies available to our department as a result of the new Organic Act went almost wholly into improving the assistance rendered people, with a much smaller amount going into salary improvements and other needed adminis- trative costs. The total of Federal funds used increased by $34,743, from $136,302 last year to $171,045 this year. Public Assistance used $36,936 more Federal money than the previous year, but Federal Child Welfare expenditures dropped by $2,192 (because of reduced Federal alloca- tions). Total Federal expenditures represent 37.6 percent of the grand total of all expenditures this year, as compared with 37.3 per- cent last year, 38.8 percent the previous year and 38.5 percent the year before that. With the great increase in operations in om* de- partment, it is gratifying that the Federal financial share therein has remained so nearly constant. Virgin Islands funds expended for operation of the department in- creased by $54,603, to match the increase in Federal contributions and to maintain the balance between Federal and Virgin Islands sharing in the operations of our department as reported in the previous paragraph. By programs, the increase in Public Assistance (includmg emergency and work aid) was $79,958; m Child Welfare, $5,104 (despite the reduction in Federal funds available therefor); in Homes for the Aged, $3,568; and in miscellaneous programs, $717. The cancer program continued in full operation throughout the year in both municipalities, with the department responsible as m the past for the management and financing thereof and the Virgin Islands Health Department responsible for referral of cases needing care. Lacking deep X-ray facilities in the Vu*gui Islands, our cancer program is made possible only by the generosity of the Puerto Rican League Against Cancer which furnishes our needy patients expensive X-ray, radium and surgical treatment at theu clinic in Santurce, P. R., without charge. A total of 9 patients from the Virgin Islands (7 from St. Thomas, 2 from St. Croix) received treatment at the Puerto Rico Cancer League clinic during the year under report, as compared with 10 last year and 11 the preceding year. In recent years, the expenditures have increased materially. Ex- penditures for the first 8 years (1944-45 to 1951-52) totaled $8,429.87, or an average of $1,053.73 per year. In the 3 years since 1951-52, REPORT OF GOVERNOR OF THE VIRGIN ISLANDS ^ 61 expenditures totaled $5,711.46 or an average of $1,903.82. The average number of patients increased from 7 per year to 10 per year. The Qiieen Louise Home jor the Aged, St. Thomas Residents are housed in dormitories each with 4 to 5 beds. This is very unsatisfactory for elderly people who crave the privacy of an individual room and who are greatly disturbed by sick or noisy room- mates. The most urgent need is that a definite plan be made to house this institution, along with other institutional activities of the department, in more adequate premises. At the beginning of the year there were 17 residents, 2 were admitted and 4 died during the year. There were 15 residents when the year closed. Total cost of operation of the home this year was $19,238, as com- pared with $16,560 last year. The increase of $2,678 is almost entirely accounted for by the increase of $2,549 in salaries, caused by the new pay plan. Maintenance expenditures were reduced from $7,109 last year to $6,167 this year, a saving of nearly $1,000. This was counter- balanced by expenditures of $1,021 for improvement of buildings. The average per inmate day for all costs this year, $3.04, is only slightly higher than in the past 2 years, $2.83 and $2.99, respectively. Recommendations It is recommended that a medical institution for care of the chroni- cally ill be established in the Virgin Islands, either by construction of new facilities or remodeling of the Kings Hill Hom^e. Also, that ade- quate custodial care institutions be established in both St. Croix and St. Thomas, under the management of the Department of Social Welfare. If a new medical facility rather than the Kings Hill Home is provided for the chronically ill, the latter could be developed into a desirable custodial care institution. Boarding home care of the aged should be explored as a deskable means of providmg more individualized care for aged persons and of earning the Federal matching available therefor but not for persons cared for in an institutional setting. Deep X-ray treatment facilities should be provided within the Virgin Islands so that our cancer patients, and others needing deep X-ray treatment may not be obliged to travel to Puerto Rico therefor. 62 -f REPORT OF GOVERNOR OF THE VIRGIN ISLANDS All expenditures (by objects of expenditure) , fiscal year 1954-55, Department of Social Welfare, Virgin Islands of U. S. A. REPORT OF GOVERNOR OF THE VIRGIN ISLANDS -f 63 increase in our caseload. For persons 65 years and over, our rates are only 73 percent of the national rate and 68 percent of the Puerto Kico rate. In the case of children, our rate is just below the national rate but is only 43 percent of the Puerto Rico rate. The first of planned annual administrative reviews of activities and cases in the district divisions was conducted this year by the Insular Division of Public Assistance, complementing Federal ad- ministrative reviews which are conducted every 2 or 3 years. Public assistance, in one form or another, has been a function of government in the Virgin Islands for over a century. Denmark, which controlled the destinies of the Vu'gin Islands for 250 years before their transfer to the United States in 1917, was poor in resources but benevolent in its administration of the Islands, and aid to the poor was an accepted responsibility of government during the Danish administration. Thus, the public assistance principle of cash as- sistance to persons in need has long and deep roots in these islands. There was a sound base upon which to erect a public assistance program under the Federal Social Security Act of the United States, and there has been widespread community acceptance of the program and its purposes. During this year a major advance was scored when a portion of the new revenues available to the Islands were channeled into public assistance to provide grants at 100 percent of so-called minimum needs for food and clothing (leaving other items in client budgets without change). This was a most valuable and welcome improve- ment. Admittedly, however, existing standards for determining minimum needs for all items are at rock bottom and even 100 percent thereof faUs to provide an adequate level of living. Further, it is regretted that the arbitrary ceiling of $160,000 which exists on the Federal annual participation in the Virgin Islands public assistance program has not yet been lifted, as urged upon Congress. This ceiling, if not removed prior to June 1956, will result in a substantial loss to the Islands Government (which they can ill afford) in the fiscal year 1955-56, the first full year during which the new assistance standards will be in effect. It is earnestly to be hoped that Congress will act favorably on this matter before that date. Administrative developments have kept pace with the changes in the public assistance program briefly outlined in the foregoing. In the Danish days, poor relief was determined by citizens doing volun- teer service on poor commissions in each island. Departments of Social Welfare came into being in each municipality soon after the transfer of thie Islands to the United States and gradually undertook more activity and assumed more responsibility in the field. In 1954-55, the final step in consolidation of the progi^am throughout 64 -f REPORT OF GOVERNOR OF THE VIRGIN ISLANDS the Islands was achieved thi^ough the new Organic Act which abol- ished the separate municipalities and set up one treasury and one legislature for all the islands. Now all local contributions to the Public Assistance Fund come from one source, thereby making im- measurably easier the maintenance of uniform assistance standards thi'oughout the Islands. The following uniform policies have been established by the Insu- lar Department of Social Welfare, and are effective throughout the Virgin Islands of the United States: 1. Eligibility for assistance shall be determined for all persons applying for aid in accordance with the same policies and procedures and on the same standards. 2. Any person who feels that he is eligible for assistance has the right to place an application and have his case studied and a decision made on the basis of all the facts. 3. All applications must be studied and a decision made promptly. The facts upon which the decision is based must be discussed with the applicant, and he must be explained the basis of the decision. 4. The amount of assistance shall be determined in each case on budget- ary standards and on policies regarding income and resources that are uniform for all the Virgin Islands and that are uniformly applied. 5. Each person has a right to a written notice of the decision made by the agency on his application. 6. Any person whose request for assistance is denied or is not acted upon promptly by a District Office, or who is dissatisfied with the amount of assistance awarded him, has the right to appeal to the Insular Department and has the right for a fair hearing of his appeal thereby. The hearing of this appeal must be conducted by persons who have not taken part in the original decision. 7. No restrictions must be set up to dictate or control the way the person uses the assistance he receives. 8. All information secured by the agency concerning the individual or family in order to determine eligibility and the amount of assistance shall be used only for the administration of public assistance. The Federal public assistance law requires that aid must be given to aU persons in need within each State on uniform standards estab- lished for the State. No waiting lists are permitted. Cornparison of caseloads, 1952-65 {exclusive of emergency assistance) REPORT OF GOVERNOR OF THE VIRGIN ISLANDS -f 65 It will be noted that the main caseload increase (as compared with 1954), came in Aid to Dependent Children. In this category, the drop in public works employment resulted in reduced income for many parents, and the impact of our improved budgetary standards was naturally greater in cases covering families with many children than in cases of single adults. In order to note the extent of the program in each island, the fol- lowing summary of their respective caseloads in June 1955 is included below: Caseloads by islands, Jtme 1955 Category 66 > REPORT OF GOVERNOR OF THE VIRGIN ISLANDS Monthly assistance budget Item REPORT OF GOVERNOR OF THE VIRGIN ISLANDS ^ 67 figures, and is 2% times the figure in 1949-50, the year before the Federal program came into effect in the islands. This increase is the direct result of the improvement in standards which raised food allowances by 41 percent and clothing allowances by 40 percent. Assistance to continuing cases in all the islands totaled $246,612 or $70,383 more than last year. In St. Thomas and St. John, the total was $92,715 as compared with $65,823 last year. In St. Croix, the total was $153,897, as compared with $110,405 last year. Federal matching supplied this year $112,280 (last year $78,667) of the total of $246,612 spent for aid to continuing cases. Only $4,093.71 of expenditures in Federal categories were not matchable (representing $2,046.85 in Federal matching not earned). The local share of assistance expenditures naturally also increased in order to achieve the gains outlined above. For continuing cases, the local share this year, $134,332, compares with $97,560 last year, and $103,859 and $100,524 in the two previous years. The increase in the Federal share $33,613 nearly equals the increase in the local share, $36,772. General assistance expenditures reduced from $17,- 225.81 last year to $16,968.38, despite the fact that assistance stand- ards for general assistance cases were improved exactly like those for other categories. Administration of the program increased in cost this year not because of any increase in the number of personnel employed, but be- cause of a long overdue improvement in salaries which accompanied the application of the new Organic Act to the Virgin Islands. Total administrative costs this year, $76,219, are $9,050 more than last year. The increase was all in salaries, other costs having reduced slightly during the year. With the fine improvement in assistance rates and the rise in admin- istrative salaries, the overall cost of the assistance program in the Virgin Islands for 1954-55 totaled $330,920, as compared with $250,962 last year and $247,250 the previous year. Altogether, the Federal share of the 1954-55 program was $144,589, or $36,936 more than last year's $107,653. The Virgin Islands share was $186,331, or $43,023 more than last j^ear's $143,308. The Virgin Islands share of an improvement in standards is naturall}^ more than the Federal share since the former must include all the cost of improvements in local categories besides its share thereof in Federal categories. An administrative review of the public assistance program was conducted by the Insular Division of Public Assistance during the fiscal year. This review consisted of a study of all administrative practices in the District Offices and a detailed case by case review of 68 ^ REPORT OF GOVERNOR OF THE VIRGIN ISLANDS about 20 percent of the caseload (individual cases selected on the basis of every fifth case in each category). This administrative review was completed for St. Thomas and St. John. The St. Croix review will be completed by August 1955. Inservice training of staff has continued throughout the year with emphasis on preparing staff to do a better job in the administration of the public assistance program. All new workers have been given a complete orientation period and have had close supervision until they learned the job. Regular supervisory conferences and regular staff meetings have been held in each district office. The active and continuous staff participation in the development of policies and procedures has given staff good training in the reasons and basis for the new policies and procedures and has thus rendered them better able to operate under them and to interpret them to clients. There is a serious problem in securing and holding trained social work staff to carry out adequately the responsibilities and achieve the goals of the department. The improvement in social work salaries, in the new pay plan will aid in this respect, helping to make our positions more attractive than before as compared with mainland salaries and with remuneration in other services in the Islands. The most important recommendation is that the United States: Congress enact legislation in the next session to remove or increase the ceiling of $160,000 annually which now applies to Federal partici- pation in the Virgin Islands public assistance program. With the new standards of assistance in effect a full year (instead of only half a year as was true last year), Federal matching earned by the Virgin Islands will crash the ceiling. It will be difficult, if not impossible, for the Virgin Islands to absorb the loss of this Federal matching, with the probable unhappy result that the gains made this year will have to be rolled back. The Federal act should also be amended to provide equitable matching for the Virgin Islands in the ADC pro- gram, where now no allowance is made for the caretaker of ADC children. REPORT OF GOVERNOR OF THE VIRGIN ISLANDS ^ 69 Number of cases aided and average assistance payments, Department of Social Wel- fare, Virgin Islands of U. S. A., month of June 1955 70 ^ REPORT OF GOVERNOR OF THE VIRGIN ISLANDS One of the most encouraging developments has been the increase in families willing to take children in foster care. This, together with improved finances enabled the division to place most of the 25 children on last year's waiting list. On June 30, 1955 only nine children were awaiting placement because of inadequate funds. The basic emphasis of all child welfare services is to work with the child in his own home. Where this is not possible, because of some specific problem and it is necessary for the child to live away from his own home he must be helped to return to that home in the shortest possible time consistent with his individual needs and the conditions in his home, and he must be given every help to adjust and get along there. The division provided services dhectly to 412 different children. At the end of the year 187 children were receiving services, 74 of whom were living in their own homes or in the homes of relatives. Improvement in finances enabled the division to increase the num- ber of children in foster home placement from 53 on July 1, 1954 to 71 at the end of the year. This was made possible by an increase in the number of families; both in St. Croix and St. Thomas, offering their homes to this program. Early in the year both municipal councils appropriated additional funds to increase the foster home board rate to $30 per month through- out the Virgin Islands, as compared with $25 in St. Thomas and $15 in St. Croix during the last year. During the year the Foster Parents Club, which was organized last year in St. Thomas for the purpose of discussing problems related to the care of foster children and methods to use in helping them, met regularl}'^. The petitions for the adoption of children in the Virgin Islands are handled in the district court. Every year many petitions are filed directly with the court by relatives, step-parents, god-parents and nonrelated persons with whom parents have left children. At the request of the court, the division accepted responsibility for providing adoption studies in these cases. During the year 10 studies were completed. In each instance the court accepted the division's recom- mendation. Adoption was granted in nine cases and refused in one only. Detention care was furnished to 44 different children for a total of 661}^ days in the limited and rather crude facilities located in the forts at St. Thomas and in Christiansted and Frederiksted, St. Croix. The use of these centers decreased during the year as ever}^ effort was made by the division and the police department to limit the use of the centers because of theh inadequacy. These facilities are little better REPORT OF GOVERNOR OF- THE VIRGIN ISLANDS -f 71 than jail cells and need to be moved to a more desirable location where a program other than "custody" can be put into operation. Improve- ment in this program is one of our most urgent needs. The Insular Training School for Boys operated with a decreased enrollment. While it served 37 different boys, the total in residence at the end of the year was 25, as compared with 34 on July 1, 1954. This decrease was due to two principal factors. First, available funds made possible a larger number of foster home placements, thus reduc- ing the number of children needing institutional placement. Second, when the institution was an activity of the municipality of St. Thomas- St. John, placement of boys from St. Croix was limited to 10. This limitation was removed late in the year but placement of additional St. Croix boys was postponed pending relocation of the school in St. Croix. Aftercare supervision was provided by the Child Welfare Division to 33 boys released from the school. Regular staff meetings and individual conferences were instituted as a part of the administrative and inservice-training process. Im- proved staff morale, professional growth, and awareness of the problems and needs for the boys are evident. Plans to reorganize the program structure of the school were inter- rupted by the proposal to relocate the school on St. Croix. In the meantime this phase of organization is being given careful study and will be put into operation during the next fiscal year. The group plan, m operation since December 1951, has continued to be a valuable tool in helping boys resolve their problems, improve attitudes, and make satisfactory adjustments. Boy morale, behavior, and attitude showed marked improvement during the year. The health department continued to provide medical services, medicines, and weekly visits to the school b}' Public Health nurses. The mental hygiene clinic provided some psychological and psychiatric services. Health conditions remained good throughout the year. The boys actively participated in several projects for improvement of the school's physical plant, including painting roofs and exteriors of buildings, repairing and replacing storm shutters, repairing and replacing kitchen and dining room screens. At year end, projects were being planned for boy participation in the rehabilitation of buildmgs at the school's new location in St. Croix. Total expenditures for the school amounted to $34,685.03 as compared to $41,669.75 ui 1954. The following chart shows age distribution of the boys residing at the school on June 30, 1955. In June 1954 the average age was 14.1.' This year it is 14.6. 72 ^ REPORT OF GOVERNOR OF THE VIRGIN ISLANDS Chart No. 5 Age group Ages of boys in residence June 30, 1955 St. Croix St. Thomas Total 12 years 13 years 14 years 15 years 16 years 17 years Total Early in the year the removal of the Mandahl School for Boys from Estate Mandahl, St. Thomas, to a more deshable site was proposed. After a careful study of prospective sites, Estate Anna's Hope, on St. Croix was selected. The St. Croix Municipal Council concurred with the proposal and granted authority to the Governor to transfer the school to this new location. A home for girls presenting problem behavior is still a serious unmet need in the Islands. An application for funds to finance the estab- lishment of such a home made to the Phillip Alurra^^ Foundation last year received some favorable consideration but unfortunately a grant was not made. The Women's League, other civic organizations, and individuals are interested in and sponsors of this project. The Insular Training School for Boys, at Estate Anna's Hope, St. Croix, plans to use only part of the 225 acres comprising this property and will not require all of the buildings situated thereon. A section of this property could be utilized for girls. A coeducational school providing a proper program and adequate supervision would be following the present-day trend. The division and the police department in St. Thomas and St. Croix continued to share responsibilit}^ for the operation of detention centers. The division continued to provide probation services to the juvenile courts. A need still exists, however, to secure legislation to establish a juvenile court outside the framework of the criminal courts. The Federal Inter-Departmental Committee for Children and Youth has appointed a subcommittee to study the needs of children living in the Territories of the United States. This committee is presently developing a report on the needs of the children of the Virgin Islands. Although improved finances permitted an expansion of the foster family home program during the year, an urgent and growing need still exists to provide care for a larger number of children. There is a large and increasing number of children whose homes and families are inadequate and for whom foster care is badly needed. In specific cases, where it meets the child's needs, foster family care is both more helpful and less expensive than institutional care. Therefore it is REPORT OF GOVERNOR OF THE VIRGIN ISLANDS ^ 73 both economical and efficient to develop this program to the fullest extent possible. A small institution or other group care facility for girls is greatly needed. Certain types of problems cannot be handled in foster family homes. Serious consideration will be given to the possibility of using a section of Estate Anna's Hope, St. Croix, to establish a facility for girls with a proper program and adequate supervision. We shall urge revision of the juvenile court laws to provide adequate, modern, and uniform laws affecting juveniles thi-oughout the Virgin Islands and to provide for centralized administration thereof. Detention facilities are greatly needed in both Islands where a pro- gram somewhat better than the mere "physical custody" furnished by the present facilities can be provided. DEPARTMENT OF TOURISM AND TRADE From July 1, 1954, to January 10, 1955, the tourist development program for the Virgin Islands was conducted by the Tourist Develop- ment Boards, a five-member board for St. Croix, and a seven-member board for St. Thomas and St. John. The chairman of the St. Thomas- St. John Board was the overall chairman for the Virgin Islands. An executive director and three assistants were employed for St. Thomas-St. John, and an executive director with one assistant for St. Croix, where an airport information clerk was added in December 1954. On January 10, 1955, under the new Organic Act, the tomist de- velopment program became completely unified, or insular, in its approach. The boards were abolished. A Department of Tourism and Trade was established and a commissioner appointed. In addi- tion to the Division of Tourism, the Department of Tourism and Trade was given the duty to establish a Division of Commerce and Industry and a Division of Public Relations when funds became available for their operation. The stafts have remained the same with the addition of the commissioner. An advertising campaign for St. Croix in the Fall of 1954 in 10 stateside newspapers resulted in 653 inquiries. Under the insular program, the Wendell P. Colton Co. of New York has conducted a spring and summer advertising campaign in 18 newspapers and 6 trade magazines, produced a Virgin Islands summer stuffer for travel agent distribution, and a three-island folder for fall distribution. In connection with this advertising program, the Colton Co. conducted a New York "Virgin Islands Information Office" from March through June, which received more than 3,000 inquu'ies,. 74 ^ REPORT OF GOVERNOR OF THE. VIRGIN ISLANDS distributed 18,000 Virgin Islands folders, and has furnished informa- tion to personal callers or by telephone. During the past year, 120,000 folders, brochures, and stuffers have been printed, 50,000 post cards, 8,000 travel agents' newsletters, 2,500 copies of the revised edition of the Travel Agent's Handbook, and 7,500 mimeographed hotel and guest house tariff sheets. The new three-island 16-page folder is now on the press; 40,000 copies will be distributed. The Virgin Islands were represented at the 24th Annual Travel Congress of the American Society of Travel Agents, held in San Francisco in November 1954. A Virgin Islands hospitality room, appropriately decorated with posters and display material was visited by more than 450 travel agents and persons of allied interests. Virgin Islands films were shown, literature and souvenirs distributed, and rum cocktails donated by our "Cruzan" and "Old St. Croix" rum distillers were served. Many travel agents, travel writers, film producers, and other tourist officials have visited our offices during the past year. Litera- ture, information and sightseeing trips have been given, interviews arranged, and special boating and fishing trips included when desired. Thanks are to be especially given to the hotels and guest houses for their hospitality. The cooperation of all has made this important part of our program a great success. Hotel and guest house facilities Island REPORT OF GOVERNOR OF THE VIRGIN ISLANDS -f 75 when these facilities were inadequate to carry the increased traffic. There have been many complaints from hotels, guest houses, travel agents, and tourists concerning this lack of service. It is hoped that we may have direct service soon from New York and Miami. Infor- mation booths installed at both air terminals have been a great service to om- tourists. The booth in St. Thomas is under the supervision of the Vkgin Islands Corporation and the one in St. Croix is under the Department of Tourism and Trade. The runway at St. Croix has been extended 1,000 feet permitting the landing of four-motored planes. A studj^ is underway at the present time for enlarging the St. Thomas airstrip. Traffic figures 1952-53 Caribair 25, 000 Cruise Ships 11,000 Pan American ^^ 4, 000 Militarj^ 26, 000 Total 66, 000 1953-54 Caribair 30, 871 Cruise Ships 13, 323 Pan American 4, 600 Mihtary 30, 000 Total 78, 794 1954-55 Caribair 32, 427 Cruise Ships 16, 000 Pan American 5, 200 Military 18, 000 Total 71,627 ST. JOHN During the year the provisions of the new Organic Act were put in effect by Executive Order. However, no changes of any particular significance to the island of St. John occurred during the year. The medical needs of the Island continue to be handled as heretofore by doctors from St. Thomas making regular weekly visits to the Island, and the two nurse-midwives stationed on the island. A resident physician for the Island will be obtained during the next quarter. Because of the sudden increase in population due to imported labor for work on the construction program now in progress at Cancel Bay, our sanitation problems have increased. The Island's law enforcement agency is taken care of by a 4-man police force, comprised of 3 patrolmen and 1 sergeant in charge of 76 > REPORT OF GOVERNOR OF THE VIRGIN ISLANDS the unit. Each officer is stationed at a separate district on the Island^, the sergeant being stationed at Cruz Bay. Because of the law- abiding manner of the inhabitants, this size force was considered adequate. However, with the importation of hundreds of laborers from Puerto Rico and the neighboring British islands to work on the construction project at Cancel Bay, the police and court records show there has been a sudden increase in crimes from mere petty violations to the more serious crimes of grand larceny, aggravated assault, etc. Because of this, the one-man police force of the district cannot be considered adequate any longer. During the 1954-55 severe drought, the large reservou- which was recently built at Cruz Bay to take care of the town's need during such periods went dry. It is believed this was due to the sudden increase in population, since it had taken care of the needs during the previous year's drought. This situation should be improved by the building of another storage tank to take care of the overflow, during^ rainy periods, from the present tank. The people of the Coral Bay area have no public water supply on which to rely. A catchment and reservoir should be constructed to take care of the needs of the residents of Coral B&y. Boat transportation between the islands of St. John (Cruz Baj^-) and St. Thomas (Red Hook) still remains a problem. The two old boats now being used have been severely criticized b}- the United States Coast Guard, and should be replaced. Due to their age the cost of operation and upkeep is most uneconomical. Communication on and between the islands is still maintained by means of radio telephone. Appropriations for a continued program of road development during the next fiscal year have been approved. The Public Works Department is expected to reorganize its functions and program for the island, which should result in greater efficiency. Consideration is being given to the hard surfacing of the main road from Cruz Bay to Coral Bay. Appropriations for repairs to the Administrator's residence, comple- tion of the police sergeant's residence and public library, renovation of the ruins of Enighed, building of a nurse's home, public works storehouse and equipment storage shed, and other projects were requested and approved. It is expected that work on these projects will begin during the next year. Power is still furnished on a limited schedule by the small munic- ipal-owned plant at Cruz Ba,j. Improvements were made to the distribution system resulting in improved service to the consumers. No further improvements or expansion are being considered, since the Virgin Islands Corporation is under commitment to furnish power REPORT OF GOVERNOR OF THE VIRGIN ISLANDS -f 77 to the island via submarine cable from their plant in St. Thomas within the next fiscal j^ear. With the completion of the Cancel Bay Resort, the potentialities of the island's tomist business should be greatly enhanced. The new elementary school now being constructed at Cruz Bay should be completed in time to accommodate classes at the beginning of the next school year. Portable fire units should be placed on the island and a voluntary fire-fighting unit be organized under the jurisdiction of the fire division, CONCLUSIONS Three of the major problems of the Virgin Islands are the fresh water supply, the lack of adequate housing, and the dearth of hard- surfaced roads. As previously stated, every effort will be made during the coming- year to alleviate the shortage of fresh water during the dry season. Many areas of the world are plagued with the problem of fresh water, and it is not expected that the Virgin Islands will find a permanent solution to this problem at this time. We shall make every effort to increase our fresh-water supply as soon as the engineering survey is made some time during the next fiscal year. In view of the fact that the legislature has appropriated $210,000 for slum clearance and low-cost housing, we are going ahead during the next fiscal year with the assistance of the Federal Housing Ad- ministration with a long range housing program. During the past year several congressional groups visiting the Virgin Islands became ii-ware of our great need for adequate housing and slum clearance. With the return of matching funds and the appropriation of $350,000 for roads and highwa3's, considerable road and highway improvements will be made during this coming year. Road construction is a very expensive operation, and it will be several years before the roads of the Virgin Islands will approximate the average road system in the United States. It will be necessarj^ during next year to make every effort to im- prove qualifications of teachers in the elementary and high schools in order that our high schools might be accredited. Some progress has been made in accounting and property manage- ment and it is anticipated that much greater strides will be made in these fields during the coming year. It is anticipated that, with the return of internal revenue matching funds and the recognition of our deficiencies, an era of economic pros- perity and public pride will come to the Virgin Islands of the United •States. U. S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE: 1956