This year’s Summer Youth Program (SYP’76) sponsored by the Skinker-DeBaliviere Community Council, certainly delivered more than it promised. The programs, directed by Henry Hall, Minister at Grace Methodist Church, received coverage in both St. Louis daily newspapers; the Globe-Democrat ran an article about the cooperative relationship between the St. Louis Painter’s Union and the Skinker-DeBaliviere SYP’76 Paint Crew in their work on the homes of senior citizens in the neighborhood, while the PostDispatch article pictured the Educational Enrichment Program of SYP’76 in their weekly Yoga Class at the Aquarian Community Center. Hall said, “Last year I wanted to institute a strong administrative or organizational direction for the SYP. This was beneficial for the 50 teenagers hired as SYP employees, because it heightened their sense of reality about the job scene. In SYP’76 we were allowed to hire 75 teenagers by the City Office of Manpower, an increase of 25 teenagers over 1975. Next year we should be allowed to hire 100 for the 8-week employment-training experience?’
Hall stated further that “this year supervisors were asked to participate in goal and objective setting,” for the eight different work areas or skill areas. Skill areas or work crews were divided into two basic sections including:
I. Neighborhood Beautification Landscaping (Supervisor Roy Clayton) Neighborhood Improvement (Supervisor Dennis Turner) Painting (Supervisor Johnny Macon)
II. Education Enrichment Tutoring (Magnolia Dorsey) Cultural Educators (Cheryl Johnson) Educational Assitants (Henry Hall)
Philip Lancaster of Grace and Peace Fellowship supervised the Multi-Skill Training Crew and Director of SYP’76 Henry Hall supervised five office assistants hired by the program as independent sections of SYP’76.
The list of accomplishments is too long to list completely, but through the cooperation and help of the over 65 SYP employees, 9 homes of senior citizens were painted or touched up (with the assistance of the Painters Union Local member Mr. Hampton Hill); 11 highly weeded lots were landscaped; 16 alleys and vacant lots were cleared of debris; averaging 60-65 daily, nine-twelve year olds experienced a combination cultural expression/recreational educational enrichment program at Grace United Methodist Church June 28-August 13, during 9-12:00, (lunches provided by St. Louis Rabbinical College and Department of Agriculture); SYP’76 employees in Multi-Skill produced over 60 window planters, operated an enrichment program for 20 four—ten year olds; and office assistant SYP’76 employees took responsibilities in the Des Peres Branch Library, Educational Opportunity Office, SYP’76 office and SDCC office during the eightweek program.
In addition, several other aspects were involved in SYP’76 to make it more successful than last year’s SYP. Training Seminars required for all SYP employees in the areas of Careeer Development and College Opportunities were held using the resources of the University of Missouri Extension Service and the Skinker-DeBaliviere Educational Opportunity Center. These seminars were held at Grace United Methodist Church with each SYP employee attending two hours daily for 3 days. •
To spread its grasp to the younger preteenagers in our neighborhood SYP’76 sponsored the Educational Enrichment Program serving 60-65 youngster daily at Grace United Methodist Church. The weekly schedule developed by supervisor Magnolia Dorsey of Hamilton School and her SYP employees included weekly trips to Des Peres Branch Library for a story hour; Aquarian Community Center for Yoga; St. Louis Art Museum for their Youth in Art Program. Also major field trips to Six Flags, Grants Farm, Gateway Arch and the Old Courthouse the Steamer Admiral gave over 350 pre-teenagers something to look forward to during the long summer days.
This summer SYP’76 recreation program included softball in Forest Park supervised by the City Department of Parks and Recreation, and swimming at Washington University. Almost 50 preteens participated in these activities once a week through the summer.
The major purpose of the Skinker-DeBaliviere SYP’76 is to offer youth experiences in successfully accepting a challenge. “Most of the SYP employees were eager to accept the challenge and due to skilled and imaginative supervisors, the challenges were conquered one by one,” comments Directors Henry Hall. The SYP’76 certainly delivered more to the Skinker-DeBaliviere neighborhood than it has ever promised to deliver. And the congratulations go to the hardworking Skinker-DeBaliviere teenagers.
Original photograph caption
SYP ’76 Staff, left to right, Magnolia Dorsey, Supervisor of Tutoring-Enrichment Program; Johnny Macon, Supervisor of Painting-Neighborhood Beautification Program; Henry Hall, Director, Supervisor of office assistants, Educational Assistants-Educational Enrichment Program; Phill Lancaster, Supervisor of Multi-Skill; Roy Clayton, Supervisor of Landscaping. The Paper, September 1976, page 6. Photographer not credited.
Originally published in The Paper, September 1976.
Read this article in the original newspaper issue.
Archival transcription note: The source gives75 authorized hires, refers to over65 employees later, and prints “Directors Henry Hall”; these are preserved, not harmonized.
Original source: SD_Times1976_09.pdf, printed page(s) 6; PDF page(s) 6.
