Worker & Children Evaluations, Jonestown, July 1978

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To: Troika [https://jonestown.sdsu.edu/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/ptorgchart.pdf ]  [Johnny Jones, Carolyn Layton, Harriet Tropp]

From: Pre-School – Ira [Irra] Johnson, Diane Lundquist

July 6, 1978

  1. Worker Evaluation

1) Joann Johnson: Supervisor-Teacher. Excellent worker. Shows a great deal of commitment and that she works constantly with the children night & day and she doesn’t complain, but always tries to give the best of herself to them. She is passive and will not speak up for herself. She will not confront anyone unless forced to. 19 years

2) Gloria Walker: Teacher. Very good with children. Is always cooperative, would work well in any department. Needs to assert herself and not be so passive. Shows great potential and has a lot to offer the program. 40 years of age

3) Mary Ford:  Food Service. Is very hard worker. Relates well to children. Has a tendency to complain but never to the person the complaint should be registered to. Won’t confront anyone. Is too passive. Has a lot to offer but is at a standstill because of things previously mentioned. From time to time complaints of medical problems which I feel are due to her attitude. Would work well in any department she’s in. Age – 48

4) Zuretta Langston: Teacher. Good worker. Is new in the program, has requested a job change because I feel she doesn’t want to be here. She relates well with the children and they like her so therefore she will not be able to change jobs until we find someone to replace her that is equal in capability. Shows great potential, but she is passive and needs to assert herself more. Does not confront anyone. Likes to play the good girl. Age 18

5) Julie Cordell: Teacher. Knows a lot about children, shows great potential, but she’s lazy. Could do much more than she does. Always has an attitude when confronted. Acts very immature. I feel that her attitude and immaturity is a great deal to do with her mom, Barbara. They are constantly companions and Julie doesn’t associate with her peers, but spends all her time with her mom. Julie is very artistic and creative, but she will never produce to the capacity she can. Age 17

6) Patty Houston: Teacher. Relates well to children. For her age, is very responsible. Takes criticism well. Shows potential in the area of early childhood education that needs developing. Is always cooperative. Will not confront people, needs to be more assertive. Age 14

7) Diana Marshall: Teacher/Treatment Nurse: Has the qualities necessary to work with children but there seems to be a kind of subtle hostility about her personality that emerges from time to time especially when confronted. She’s a difficult person to understand. She’s very quiet, and passive. She never confronts anyone or speaks up for herself, but her hostility comes out in small ways like not doing treatments for some children that need them, she was asked to make a change in her regular schedule and she became hostile regarding that. She is immature for her age. Her best friend is Patty Houston who is 14 years old. She has no problems handling her age group, but the children never talk about her or make mention of her the way the other children do. Age 19

 

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Worker Evaluations (Continued)

8) Gail Chaikin: Teacher. Put forth a lot of effort but lacks in organization. She is very bright and has the capacity to become organized, but because she is so defensive when criticized her progress is not as great. Age 17

9) Diana Smith: Teacher. Has requested a job change, which at this time cannot be honored. Does not have the enthusiasm she once did for working with the children. She does her job and that’s about it. Sometimes falls asleep during classes. Has shown a pattern of floating from job to job. Age 21

10) Rudy Bright: Teacher. Has requested a job change also. Just recently switched from food service to present job as teacher, only to find out the grass isn’t as green as she thought it was. We intend to honor her request for job change as soon as possible. I don’t feel she is trustworthy because she’s been caught in too many lies, which by the way she’s very good at. She sleeps whenever she sits for a minute. That means class, meals, whenever. I’ve referred her to the Medical Department to be checked. Her story is (get ready for this) her sleep patterns have been reversed since childhood and she was hospitalized to change them, but nothing could be done so she sleeps during [the] day and is awake at night. I was told by someone studying sleep patterns that there is no such thing. Her past history involves a lot of drugs.

She’s a good con artist but she flunks every test we’ve given. She has had numerous medical complaints especially during her period of work in agriculture. Since being in this program, she got ill when her job change was denied. I would have her under surveillance in any job situation because she has a habit of taking things and not asking. Won’t confront anyone, prefers to back stab. Age 31

11) Ronnie Berryman: Sent to this program due to defective spine which prevents lifting. He was born with scoliosis. I think because of this he has lived a very sheltered life. He is very immature for his age and has to be prodded to do his job. He is very chauvinistic but refuses to admit to it. This makes our job difficult. I would recommend him for a job change, however, he has not requested one. I think he’s using this job as an easy out. He has to be told the same things to do over and over. He started out as a teacher and was changed to the toilet because we weren’t getting any cooperation from him, he yells too much, sometimes uses harsh disciplines or shows too much hostility when disciplining. I felt by not having to deal directly with the children all day, his patterns would change, but I find that since being on toilet duty he is the same. He also flunks a lot of tests and has not made an effort to attend day classes and some of the sisters have. Age 26

 

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Worker Evaluations (Continued)

12) Willie Graham: Nap Supervisor. Has been in this program for 6 mos. Started out beautifully, was an asset but I feel the children have worn her out. She no longer has the patience she used to and too many children that she deals with say that she hurts them by jerking and pulling or handling roughly. I recommended the job change to her which [she] didn’t want to accept because she felt she was having no problems. She later came to me and said she would rather switch jobs. For someone her age she has a lot of spunk and courage which I admire, because she came into the program when it was at its worst. She always says she feels 16 years old and is the first to volunteer for work. Age 71.

13) Diane Lundquist: Supervisor-Teacher. Has a lot of qualities necessary to educate young children, but is too passive. Has made improvements in this area but still a long way to go. Because children cannot speak up for themselves they need someone to speak for them and make demands to get what they need. Diane is not good at this, but she could be. She doesn’t assert herself and allows others to intimidate her. I feel she has progressed in some areas though because when I first came to the program she was allowing the children to manipulate her to the point of the program consisting of Diane and Kids vs  workers. I found it very hard to work under these conditions and Diane and I clashed continually until I saw changes being made. Now I feel we’re working together for a common cause. Being the supervisor, she still needs to learn to present herself in a more forceful matter in dealing with people because they walk all over you if they think you’re an easy push.

14) Irra Johnson: Co-Supervisor-Pre-School Nurse. When Irra first came to the program we were clashing all the time. She had some very valid criticisms but her delivery was too harsh and intimidating. She has done wonders to organize this program. Because of her organizational abilities and my somewhat limited knowledge of early childhood education things have been going smoothly.

  1. Children Evaluation

1) Jay Warren Parks: Acts out from time to time because he can’t be with his parents as much as he’d like. He now has a big brother which has helped tremendously. In general, is cooperative. Seems to be progressing well in the program. No other problems noted except he sucks his finger. This is dealt with in a very kind way by a simple reminder or removing them.

III. Program Set-Up

The basic schedule is as follows:

7:00 Children are picked up and brought to nursery.

7:30 Breakfast served

8:00 Sore treatment done and play activities

9:00 Class begins for older children. Younger children go on outings – snack

 

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III. Program Set-Up (Continued)

10:30  Class begins for young children. Older children go on outings – snack

12:00 Lunch Served

1:00 Showers

2:00 Naps

4:00 Up for Dinner

5:00 Dinner Served

6:00  To playground to wait on parents

  1. What are the goals for the children?

1) Good hygiene and manners

2) Cooperation with adults & children as well

3) Educate with a sensitivity for all life

4) Teach to them the principles Dad has set as an example for us to follow

5) To develop a good self-image

6) To develop their motor skills

7) To develop their creativity

8) Self-motivation

9) Self-control

  1. What’s being taught at present?

The children are making great progress in their manners and are trying hard to cooperate. We developed a reward system of stars which gives them incentive to do better. It’s a slow process, but I do see changes being made. They are not as wild as they once were.

Their cussing is to a bare minimum. The motor skills program is improving, which has to do with the ability to read and do math later. They are all very well versed on who’s the capitalist, and who’s the socialist and why. In these very young children, the sad thing I see that the male takes on the position of dominance and the little girls are 2nd to him. We try not to promote this attitude, but I feel a lot of it comes from the community. I’m not excusing myself or the workers because I feel if we were continually doing our job to the best of our ability a lot of the problems could be eliminated.

  1. Goals for the adults

1) To show affection whenever possible

2) Show positive attitude

3) Being consistent

4) Enforce manners

5) Speak in soft tones

6) Use eye to eye contact

7) Listen to children more

VII. Progress adults are making

I’ve found very few who show the children the affection they need, which is the most important thing. I feel a lot of the discipline would not be necessary if this were done. They’ve improved on lowering their voice tone, being consis-

 

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VII. Progress adults are making (Continued)

…tent, reminding children to have good manners. One definite thing that is lacking is enthusiasm on the part of almost everyone. Everyone knows their job but have to be reminded from time to time to do it. I think once those who need to get their jobs changed get it done, things will improve.

VIII. Problems

1) Ronnie Berryman

2) Ruby Bright

3) Diana Smith

4) Mary Ford

[Handwritten additions]

5) Willie Graham

Suggestions for replacement

Toni Jones

Fanny Ford

All of these persons either requested or are recommended for job changes. The need for more cooperation from all workers. A need for everyone to get involved and feel that they are part of the program.

  1. Supplies Needed for Future [Handwritten addition] ordered from States – finance evaluation [illegible word]

1) Tempera paint (powdered)

2) Tape, plastic & masking

3) Crayons

4) Chalk

5) Ball point pens

6) Paint brushes, 3/4” primary size

7) Staples and staple gun

8) Glue, white liquid and crazy brand

9) Felt pens, thin & wide permanent ink.