Bartram, James

Jim Bartram Interview:

This is file 58. This is Jean McMillen. I am interviewing Jim Bartram on the Summer Youth Work Program. The date today is Sept. 8, 2013.

JM:What is your full name?

JB:James Howard Bartram

JM:Your birth place?

JB:Stafford Springs, Ct.

JM:Birthdate?

JB:I was born on March 10, 1999.

JM:Your parents’ names?

JB:Brian and Heather Bartram

JM:Do you have brothers or sisters?

JB:I have one younger brother.

JM:And his name is?

JB:John

JM:How did you learn about the summer Youth Program?

JB:My parents told me about it.

JM:Was there any mention of it in school?

JB:Yes there was but not a lot.

JM:But it was in passing?

JB:Yes.

JM:What did you have to do to apply?

JB: You had to fill out a form, and then mail it Patty Stevens, I think it was.

JM:Did you have to call her at all?

JB:I did call her, but you didn’t have to call her.

JM:What did the directions say about when to call her?

JB:At night at her home.2.

JM:On the form did you have a choice of places to work?

JB:Yes, you picked your top three choices, and she would try to give you one of those three.

JM:What other questions were you asked- general questions?

JB:General questions.

JM:Was this the first job that you had ever had?

JB:Yes.

JM:Was there a meeting before you went to your work site where you were given some instructions on how to behave, clothes, that sort of thing?

JB:Yes, that was where we filled out the form.

JM:What form? Did you do a W2?

JB:Yes, I think.

JM:About how many showed up at that meeting?

JB:10 to 12

JM:Do you remember what your three choices were for where you wanted to work?

JB:Grove, working at the Grove, I forget what that was called exactly, then swim team, and then I wrote down other because I couldn’t think of anything else.

JM:How were you notified that you had gotten into the program?

JB:I was called at home.

JM:Did you receive a letter as well, or just a call at home?

JB:Just a call.

JM:How long does the program last?

JB:Five weeks.

JM:Do you work every day?

JB:Monday through Friday

JM:What are your hours?

JB:9 or 10 to 12 and then 1 to 2 or 4, depending on what day of the week.3.

JM:Did you have any problems filling out the form?

JB:No

JM:When you appeared at the Grove, who were the people who were supervising you.

JB:Jackie and Rhonda, Jackie Rice and Rhonda (Rinninsland Ed.)

JM:That was because you were doing swim team?

JB:Yes

JM:What specifically did you do to help with swim team?

JB:For the little kids you would have to show them how to do the strokes and help them by using kick boards and noodles. To make sure they wouldn’t sink.

JM:Tell me what a noodle is?

JB: A noodle is a Styrofoam or plastic tube that you would put on the kids to help them float.

JM:Were you paid every week, every other week?

JB:Every other week.

JM:Were you paid in a pay packet with cash or did you get a check?

JB:A check

JM:What did you do when it rained?

JB:I would go and fill out swim team cards.

JM:Those were what specifically?

JB:You would give the swim team cards to the people on swim team so that they would know what they would swim in a meet.

JM:About how many members on a swim team? Did they vary or did you have like 5 on a swim team or…

JB:There was only one swim team, but you would divide that up into older kids and younger kids.

JM:So it was divided by age, not ability but age?

JB:Yes

JM:Within the age group, were there different ability levels?

JB:No there weren’t different ability levels.4.

JM:so it was just by age.

JB:Yes

JM:Did you learn anything from this experience, anything about working with other people or just responsibility of showing up at every day at a certain time?

JB:I can’t think of anything that I did learn, but…

JM:You knew it all but it hadn’t all come together in one form before.

JB;Yes (Father said that he matured and took on a greater sense of responsibility over the summer. Ed.)

JM:Would you do this program again?

JB:Yes, I would.

JM:Can you tell me why?

JB:Because I liked it, the kids were enjoyable and I like Jackie and Rhonda because they are fun to be with. Also I am on the swim team so it was really easy.

JM:That is a good reason; that makes a lot of difference. The fact that you liked it, and the children liked you makes it go a lot easier. Did you have any problems, or issues that were difficult for you?

JB:Not really.

JM:No discipline problems, no pouty kids, none of that?

JB:There were a few pouty kids, but I didn’t have to deal with them.

JM:AT the end of the program did you have a final meeting to tell you anything about an overview or to have closure for this?

JB:No

JM:The last day of work you got paid and that was it.

JB:yes

JM:Any suggestions for improving the program?

JB:Not really.

JM:It seemed to work smoothly.

JB:Yes5.

JM:Can you tell me what Rhonda’s last name is?

JB:I can’t think of it.

JM:I’ll ask Jackie Rice. What are some of the strokes that were being taught?

JB: Free style, back stroke, breast stroke and butterfly

JM:Is there anything, did I ask you how many weeks your program lasted?

JB:Yes, 5 weeks

JM:They didn’t all last 5 weeks; I think some of them started later and went longer.

JB:Yes. Extras was an example of that.

JM:So you know some of the other work sites that other people went on?

JB:Yes

JM:Could you tell me some of them?

JB:There was EXTRAS which went to the Grove but supervised a different group of kids. There are people who work at the Grove, I don’t know what they are called, but they basically fix stuff around the Grove?

JM:Maintenance?

JB:Yes, maintenance, Swim team docks, mowing the grass and so forth, there was school maintenance which is something similar. There was, I think I saw an application for the library, but I don’t know if anyone actually did that.

JM:Probably not, I didn’t see anyone in the library, Appalachian Trail?

JB:I don’t think they had that. They might have, but I don’t know.

JM:Transfer station?

JB:Yes, there were also people who worked at the tennis courts, giving lessons there.

JM:Alright thank you very much for your information.

JB:You are welcome.