Youth Assistance

The idea of the Youth Assistance program was conceived and promoted by Judge Arthur Eugene Moore in the late 1950's.  Judge Moore was the youngest man ever elected to Probate Judge.  One of his priorities was the prevention of crime among youth with the organization of an assistance program.  It succeeded beyond his expectations and was adopted by many communities throughout the United States.  It was described in an article in Life magazine in the '60's.

Walled Lake planned for and adopted the program in the late 50s and early 60s.  Gene Schnelz was the first chairman.  Maybelle Garrett, Don Kurtz, Pastor Kinney, Murray Adams, E.V. Ayres, Floyd Chowen, Mary Weborg and others served on the committee under the direction of Edgar Flood, the Oakland County director.  A fact finding committee was established to identify children in need of help, a case study committee to study the most needy and referrals were made to the case worker.  It must be noted that there were no other agencies from which to get help in the community at that time.  This, in part accounts for the early success of this agency.  Also, our immediate supervisor, Sam Lambert was an excellent asset to the community.

The organization was funded by community organizations, governments, not school funds, not legal at that time, and private donations of money and in-kind service.  The Methodist church gave us an office and telephone, Mihalech carpet gave us floor covering, Community Ed a desk, file case and typewriter, Gary Fraser an identifying sign to hang outside, Mary Weborg curtains and rods for the windows.

The camp program was developed under Pastor Shade.  This became extremely successful.  Students were selected on the basis of need and the camps cooperated by charging a minimal fee.  Volunteers drove children to camps and also acted as counselors and programmers.   There were also at least two stand by emergency drivers.

Regular board and programmed community meetings were held once a month.  After Gene Schnelz went to Circuit Court, Pastor Shade served as Chairman.  He had to give up because of heavy church commitments.  I was drafted by Oakland County and served five years.

The office was furnished, a secretary was hired, we changed the name to Lake's Area Youth Assistance to cover the needs area better.  We thought we were on our way as we had an excellent committee.  William Menzel, Betty Campion, Florence Woodard, Peggy Rech, David Church, David Crawford, Gerald Beers, Wilford Hook, Don Kurtz and Mary Weborg.  Mr. Lambert worked with us.

Then Mr. Flood died and Kay Karla became Oakland County director.  We had two inefficient case workers, cases opened with no follow up, expensive programs no one understood, counseling sessions that made parents unhappy, almost slanderous evaluations of volunteers and general disregard of the wishes of the community, so we voted to disband the community committee with the following recommendation:

That Youth Assistance continue to work with the schools with a new worker and the camp committee.  Headquarters was established at Western High School.  After one or two trial workers, Pat Hinzy came in.  She has a good reputation among the workers and school people.

It must be remembered that this organization was never designed to be punitive, but, rather to educate parents and children and help them solve their problems.

At this time, I still feel the organization is most effective working directly with the schools.   Some of us can volunteer as resource referral persons.  There are many service agencies in the community at the present time that offer specific services.  The Lakes Agency Council now renamed Lakes Area Resource Network is making a directory of these services.

 Mary Weborg

January 11, 1988