This series contains newspaper clippings which detail the opening of Mount St. Joseph Centre. The November 27, 1962 Hamilton Spectator article entitled, “Disturbed Children Find Haven” offers a detailed account of the Centre, including a description of the kinds of boys who benefited from the treatment provided. It also gives information about the physical home, including that it had a game and TV room, a gymnasium, and a baseball field. The scrapbook offers further newspaper clippings. The reports offer a look into the history, mission, methodology, and programs of Mount St. Joseph. The series includes a 1963 brief prepared for by the Minister of Public Welfare. This report outlines the community’s need and demand for the centre. It also discusses specifics of the program, such as health and education. There are two 1962 pamphlets issued by the Catholic Health and Welfare Services that discuss the staff of the Centre. A photocopy of the original 1960 charter, as well as policies and by-laws also comprise this series, including an admission policy that explains the criteria to be met in order for a child to be admitted. Only boys between the ages of six and twelve and no child with an I.Q. of less than 80 were accepted. The by-laws explain certain rules of the centre, including the terms and responsibilities of the directors. The 1968 Provisions for Educational Services report details the proposal to affiliate with the Separate School Board. This request was made after the Revised Mental Health Act of 1968 neglected to include educational services in their funding to residential care facilities.An interpretation of the program for the board of directors provides a snapshot of the policies, procedures, and assessments of the centre. There is correspondence between 1959 and 1962, including a 1961 letter from O. Weininger, Treatment Director and Consultant at the Centre, discussing the challenges experienced as a result of the transition between orphanage and treatment centre. There are also letters to and from the Child Welfare League of America regarding a survey made for the Laidlaw Foundation of Toronto. The Charitable Institutions Act of 1944 is included in this series. Mount St. Joseph was incorporated under the stipulations of this Act.Also included is a presentation to the Executive Committee, Social Planning Division, and Hamilton United Services concerning the results of a survey to other Children’s Aid Societies regarding the care of children in the province. A 1971 licence produced under the Children’s Mental Health Centres Act also comprises this series. This licence stipulates that no more than 17 children were authorized to live at the Centre. Finally, the series contains material about using Mount St. Joseph as a senior day centre, such as objectives of the program, job summaries, and materials produced by the Ad Hoc Planning Committee.
This series is comprised of Board of Directors minutes. Several Sisters of St. Joseph made up the board, along with community members and professionals. All of the actions and decisions the board took were based on the needs of the emotionally disturbed children. These documents chronicle the transition from orphanage to residential treatment centre. Topics discussed at board meetings included physical changes to the building, by-laws and policies, budgets, and the education and welfare of the children.Several committees were spearheaded by the board. The Childcare Committee was established to assist with the admittance, treatment, and care of the children. A report produced by this committee entitled, “Care and Treatment of Emotionally Disturbed Children” outlines and compares the needs of the centre with those of two similar institutions. It also includes information on residence capacity and wait lists. The Personnel Committee created policies and procedures for staff and volunteers, and material from this committee includes information about financial support for staff credit courses, representation at conferences, and salary schedules. The Committee on the Use of Mount St. Joseph began in 1976, when the board began to look for another site for the Centre. Several ideas were discussed, including a pastoral care centre and a senior’s day centre. The documents in this file outline the different ideas expressed for the use of the space.