On May 18, 1977, Calvin B. Stuart and Selma Wesley met with representatives of the C.E.T.A. (Comprehensive Employment & Training Act) program and negotiated the proposal that had been submitted to them on April 22, 1977 by Ms. Wesley. Out of this negotiation session the Skinker-DeBaliviere Summer Youth Program ’77 was given a budget of $30,926.00. The program began June 27 and continued through Sept. 2, 1977.
On June 27, 1977, six adults hired by the Centralized Supportive Work Office met with Selma Wesley and set the wheels rolling for what we hoped to be a very worthwhile and meaningful summer. We worked together and planned an orientation “week” for a group of 81 youth who also were hired by the Centralized Supportive Work Office for what is called “Summer Youth Program ’77. The orientation was set up to train and show the youth what their responsibilities would be in their perspective jobs.
On July 5, 1977, 71 youth reported to Fellowship Hall for job appointments. The youth were assigned to several different areas; they are as follows:
OFFICE SKILLS—there were seven youth involved in this component of our program. Five were assigned to other agencies in our ocmmunity (SkinkerDeBaliviere Community Council, Educational Opportunity Center, and the People’s Clinic.) The other two youth were assigned to the Skinker-DeBaliviere Summer Youth Program office based at our church.
FOOD SERVICE—there were eight youth involved in serving two meals per day to approximately 190 people. The food served in this component of our program furnished by Landshire Catering Service and paid for through joint contracts between the city and the federal governments.
PRINTING—ten youth were assigned to the task of producing a community paper. Its first edition was available the week of July 25.
LIBRARY—one youth was assigned to the library as a library assistant.
TUTORIAL (Reading & Math)—This component, listed last but the most important, was assigned 45 youth. It was designed to tutor children in reading and math on a one-to-one basis.
On July 11, 100 preregistered children, aged 6-13, arrived at 8:30 a.m., ready to begin seven weeks of organized fun. After grouping all the children, the show soon began. Not only is there the Summer Youth Program and its participants, but we also had a day camp program sponsored for children age 3-6 by the Breitmayer Memorial Ministry. This program was ingeniously named by’ its workers “G.U.M. Day Camp” (Grace United Methodist Day Camp.) It is supported primarily by the participants’ parents. This program too began on July 11 at 8:30 a.m. with 15 preregistered children.
On August 24, the Skiner DeBaliviere Summer Youth Program had its final event. The program was planned and performed by the children and the youth of the community. It was centered around a King and Queen Contest that provided the money to honor those youth and children who had participated and worked so hard to make this year’s program a success. The children and youth workers entertained the chosen King and Queen with dancing and singing and a fashion show. Throughout the Program a slide show of the summer’s activities was being shown above the heads of the King and Queen.
Originally published in The Paper, September 1977.
Read this article in the original newspaper issue.
Archival transcription note: Printed perspective jobs, ocmmunity, and Skiner retained.
Original source: SD_Times1977_09.pdf, printed page(s) 1; PDF page(s) 1.
