Helen Hall, pioneering social worker

August 31 marks the anniversary of the passing of pioneering social worker Helen Hall, who died of natural causes in 1982 at the tender age of 90 at her home on the Lower East Side.

Known as a “second generation social reformer,” Helen Hall (b. January 4, 1892) was the second director of the Henry Street Settlement between 1933 and 1967 — succeeding Lillian Wald, who founded the esteemed settlement house in 1893.

During her three decades of service at Henry Street, Hall rallied to establish the organization’s first mental hygiene clinic and family day camp, and spearheaded one of the nation’s first programs for the impoverished elderly.

Hall’s work was the subject of numerous articles throughout her lifetime and she is listed in several publications honoring important women in American history. In her spare time, the selfless administrator authored a handful of books, including the notable autobiography, “Unfinished Business in Neighborhood and Nation” (1971)

See it here on Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Unfinished-Business-Neighborhood-Nation-Helen/dp/B00005X20H

Eric Ferrara

Eric is a 4th generation Lower East Sider, professional NYC history author, movie & TV consultant, and founder of Lower East Side History Project.