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Man, i´d like to know whats behind there...

Just like a beautiful bitter-sweet dream!!

There was another counselor on B-Ward back in 1981 or 1982.
A black man, very nice person who I was close too.
We both played sports and we would go into the gym alot and throw the baseball around, both of us thought about going into the Babe Ruth league and then onto the minors.
So we practiced our pitching in this gym.
I think his name was Willie, but I'm not certain.
He was a nice man, and he did help us alot.
Back in 1973 or 1974 we did alot of roller skating in here.
But back in 1981 or 1982 while I was on D-Ward we had "field trips" every friday or saturday night and went roller skating in town.

Although people will believe what they want, Gaebler was not all the nightmarish things people believe, at least, not in my case.
I can't speak for the other children who was here, nor can I claim to know what they personally have gone through, I can only relate to you my own stories and what happened to me.
Like I said before, I have both good and bad memories here, I relate the good memories so others can see Gaebler in a different light.
As for my bad memories, well, let's just say there is still a 6 year old child in a little room down a mid length hallway on B-Ward.
If I was still in mass I would be there in a heartbeat, but I'm not, I'm in Colorado.
What would I hope to find if I went there?
Or seen a full picture of the room I described?
I'm not sure, healing maybe.
But I would like to see the place again before they tear it down.

My mother told me that (in the 70's) the men & women had to share the use of the bathrooms and showers which made her stay there even more disturbing!!

Was there a piano still in that room by any chance?

Here is some more information that people may not know.
Behind this place is a play ground of sorts, and yes we did get to go outside and we did get to take hikes and "Field Trips" into town.
There is also a path that runs by the big water tower, that was the path that we took hikes on.
Out in the play ground area we also planted sunflowers.
I did find some pictures of the exterior if the admins here would like I can send them and they can post them.

One thing I would like to see if Motts, and anyone else who is up for it. is more pictures, document every nook and cranny.
Tak complete pictures of every room and try to get some nice pictures of the main hallways.
With those pictures I can tell you where they are and give a "tour" of the place.

Yummy!!! It is adicting!!!

mmmmmm..... yum

I am too!!!

Are you done guessing???
Let me tell you that nothing happened. I was scared to death! LOL
So what happened was we started to talk and someone woke up and screamed!
I was already scared to death to begin with and now I thought I was going to die!
All of a sudden we heard keys and running and so I hid long enough to be missed by one of the night counselors and took off to my bed.
Needless to say the following morning we was in big time trouble.
I think back on that now and I just laugh so hard.

Institutional showers are pleasant compared to these. They have tiles in yellow and green, better than the cement in here. Some even have shower curtains, not too bad!

"The Races"
When I was on B-Ward (1973 or 1974) they used to have races.
We would race from one end of the ward to the other and back again.
I remember during one of these races a kid got his left arm caught on the water fountain.
The water fountain was right at the "elbow" of the hallway on the left hand side.
The kid tore his arm wide open and was taking to the hospital.
Needless to say the races was over and we could not run in the hallway anymore.
Sorry about my ramblings, memories surface and just trying to share them.
I have both good and bad memories from this place.
In 1981 or 1982 when I was on D-Ward there was a beautiful chinese girl who was on E-Ward, who I met going to school in the classrooms down on the first floor.
We was an item for awhile.
She taught me a little chinese.
And there was another girl named Kim (last name withheld) who was my girlfriend on D-Ward, and that got us into trouble!!
One night while the 3rd shift staff was asleep by the doors, me and another friend left our beds and went to the girls rooms at the end of the hallway on D-Ward, and, well, you can guess what took place.
Let me tell you, that got us into big, big trouble!
LOL

actually the wooden bricks are called cobbles, they were used to absorbed the noise and vibrations made from all the machinery

Back in 1981 or 1982 when I was there, on D-Ward, the 2 "counselors" that I remember, other then Mr. heathwood, was a big guy named Jack. Hestood about 6'4' or 6'5' and weigh about 245+ with black curly hair and glasses.
The other was a female who had lost her right arm?
She had a hook.
Back in 1973 or 1974 when I was on B-Ward people from the outside would come in to sing and play music for us in the long hallway.
I don't recall any of the "counselor's names", but there was one guy who was leaving the place and he got permission from Mr. Heathwood to give me a pair of radio walkie-talkies.
If anyone else remembers, love to hear from you.