Expanded summer programs for youth in the Skinker-DeBaliviere neighborhood are being considered this month by the Skinker-DeBaliviere Community Council and the West End Neighborhood Advisory Committee.
Cal Stuart, Skinker-DeBaliviere executive director, said that the council’s resource committee has been considering programs that block clubs could sponsor, such as softball teams, block parties and planned recreation for younger children. “Mothers might be able to get together a group of kids for two hours a day, or we might be able to occasionally close off a block for an activity,” Stuart said. The planned Tot Lot at Pershing and Des Peres should be ready by summer, Stuart said. Other facilities might be obtained from churches and private citizens, he said.
“Our main problem is that we’re out of money,” Stuart said, “So we’ll be surveying what resources are available both in the neighborhood and in the city as a whole.” The resource committee, headed by Mrs. Sharon McPharron, was scheduled to meet in April to consider possible summer youth programs. Ideas are welcomed at the council office, 862-5122.
Stuart said the council hoped to obtain some federal funds for summer programs through the [missing text in original article] of St. Louis are slight. Irving Clay, city recreation commissioner, said in budget hearings this spring that the city’s summer recreation program for youth may have to be curtailed if his budget request is not approved.
Stuart said that the Skinker-DeBaliviere area would be affected if the summer program usually held at the Hamilton School is cancelled. He said that the program, which consists basically of daytime arts and craft activity, is participated in by some youth in the neighborhood. Stuart said, “If the summer program is successful we hope to develop a year-round comprehensive program for youth.”
Dorothy Garrett, a consultant to the youth committee of the West End Neighborhood Advisory Committee, said the committee has proposed a full youth program for the summer to be financed by federal funds. The proposal includes a 10-week breakfast program for youth between the ages of six and 21 at both the St. Paul AME Church at 1260 Hamilton and the Page Park YMCA at 5555 Page.
Mrs. Garrett said the fact that young people would be hired to work in the program represented an innovation this year.
Other programs in the West End proposal include the following: • Movies, arts and crafts activities and cultural tours for participants in the breakfast program.
A drug abuse program in which young teenagers will be employed to discuss drug problems and refer people to• neighborhood drug abuse centers.
A program in learning how to conduct a business, to take place at the JFK doughnut store at Hamilton and Delmar.
Making and selling clothes at the West Presbyterian Church, Maple and Hamilton.
A social service program in which young persons work with social workers in the area, particularly in the housing and employment field. Mrs. Garret said that youths up to age 25 interested in obtaining jobs should call the West End Gateway Center at 862-5010 or visit the center at 1142 Hodiamont.
She said the youth committee would meet every Monday at 5:30 p.m. through the month of May to consider further program ideas.
“This is one way that kids can find jobs, because we’re going to employ people form the total area,” she said.
The West End Neighborhood Area, which extends between Minerva, Delmar, Union and Hodiamont, has been extended to Forest Park to include the Skinker-DeBaliviere area.
Originally published in The Paper, May 1971.
Read this article in the original newspaper issue.
Original source: SD_Times1971_05.pdf, printed page 1.
