Summer Jobs
By Jim Hunt for the News and Journal
I’ve been reluctant to wax nostalgic about the good old days in this column. Generally, I
prefer to focus on new and innovative approaches that can improve our cities and
towns. I’ve written about the use of drones for public safety and how smartphones have
revolutionized the ability of citizens to connect with their local governments, delivering
almost instantaneous results. However, as more services rely on complex machines,
we’ve lost a few valuable traditions along the way.
Traditionally, cities and towns employed extra crews during the summer months to
maintain parks, public spaces, and rights-of-way. They would load a truck with
teenagers equipped with rakes, scythes, brooms, and trimmers. The supervisor, often a
coach or teacher from the local school system looking to make some extra money over
the summer break, would oversee the crew. I was one of these young workers during
the summer of 1966, part of a crew of about sixteen boys. It was a great experience,
providing me with needed cash and time outdoors. We worked at Lowndes Hill, now the
site of the YMCA in Clarksburg.
Lou Rieser, the Director of Parks for the city, would let us know which areas to focus on
at the beginning of the week. It was hard work, and when the temperatures reached the
90s, we eagerly anticipated lunch hour. We gathered under one of the large oak trees to
eat our lunches and drink ice-cold water from the big red coolers. It was surprising how
much work we could accomplish with hand tools and brute strength. We cleaned up
fallen trees, stacking the wood and branches in piles to be loaded into the dump truck.
As the summer progressed, we began to see the results of our hard work. The weeds
were gone, the trails were clean and free of litter, and the picnic tables were freshly
painted. We often saw families taking their kids for impromptu picnics. Our work crew
grew close, and we vowed to rejoin the crew the following year. However, I found
another job after getting my driver’s license and never worked in the parks again. For
the next twenty years or so, I would see these groups of young workers around the city
during summer vacations and smile, remembering my own experiences.
In recent years, weed eaters and large tractors with mowers have replaced youthful
muscles. Many picnic tables have been removed, and fallen trees often remain on the
ground. Families visit less often, and the sounds of kids running and throwing frisbees
are quieter now. I believe my summer with the city parks played a role in my decision to
get more involved with local government. Interacting with the coaches and teachers who
supervised us gave me a different perspective on these authority figures. Hard work,
role models, and community pride, along with many other life lessons, have served me
well. I wish today’s young kids could have that same opportunity.