Social Security History

April 17, 1962 to March 17, 1973

Robert Ball was born in New York City and graduated from Wesleyan University in 1935 with a bachelor's degree in English and a master's degree in economics in 1936. After working three years in private industry, Mr. Ball joined the field organization of the Bureau of Old-Age and Survivors Insurance (BOASI), predecessor to the present Social Security Administration, in 1939. He held various field jobs, including manager of a New Jersey district office, before transferring to central office. In early 1946, Mr. Ball temporarily left the Bureau to work for the American Council on Education, and then, during part of 1947 and 1948 he served as staff director of the Advisory Council on Social Security to the U.S. Senate Committee on Finance. Mr. Ball returned to BOASI in 1949 as assistant director in charge of the Division of Program Analysis. Three years later he was appointed Deputy Director of BOASI, and between 1953 and 1954 he served as BOASI's Acting Director. In 1962 he was appointed Commissioner of Social Security, a position he held until his retirement in 1973.