1,384 Comments for Gaebler Children's Center

Joseph Pimental, I have pictures of Gaebler on my facebook if you want to see them you have to add me as a friend, my name is Michelle Woods-Godfroy, I was at Gaebler from 82-84 and on Ward D, it was a nightmare to say the least, but, I did try to joke a lot to stop from being so scared, I met the best of friends there and promised myself that I would come out of there and make something of myself since the rest of the world had written me off including my mother, I didn't have a father, my mother was raped and kept me, I do have a stepfather now. I am happily married with 2 beautiful girls, I have the most loving caring husband in the world and I have had a hard life but, I am standing tall and never let them get the best of me....I hope that you are doing well, and sorry that you have such a bad memory of that place that it went with you wherever you went. The building is now gone, it was demolished a couple months ago, I live in Waltham and have ever since I was there and I took as many pictures and video's that I could during the process of it being taken down which is on my facebook. Boiler1220 is an amazing guy, he is sweet, funny and so good to be around, so glad that I met him, we should all get together sometime...

Lukeof1988,
The above message was meant for you, as usual I screwed it up and I don't know how to fix it sorry, if you want to see pictures of the place I have them on my facebook my name is Michelle Woods-Godfroy..

Hello, there I was on Ward D from 82-84 and none of the murals and paintings were there when I was there, it was just a sick and twisted place to be in. I can't believe they sent you there because you were suicidal, that place will make anyone suicidal never mind sending someone there for that reason, I got sent there cause they said I was borderline personality, and I couldn't live in the real world that my behavior was out of control, when in reality it wasn't, my mother was in and out of the hospital, the Dept of Mental Health sucks...

I have pictures of Gaebler on my facebook if you want to see them you have to add me as a friend, my name is Michelle Woods-Godfroy, I was at Gaebler from 82-84 and on Ward D, it was a nightmare to say the least, but, I did try to joke a lot to stop from being so scared, I met the best of friends there and promised myself that I would come out of there and make something of myself since the rest of the world had written me off including my mother, I didn't have a father, my mother was raped and kept me, I do have a stepfather now. I am happily married with 2 beautiful girls, I have the most loving caring husband in the world and I have had a hard life but, I am standing tall and never let them get the best of me....I hope that you are doing well, and sorry that you have such a bad memory of that place that it went with you wherever you went. The building is now gone, it was demolished a couple months ago, I live in Waltham and have ever since I was there and I took as many pictures and video's that I could during the process of it being taken down which is on my facebook. Boiler1220 is an amazing guy, he is sweet, funny and so good to be around, so glad that I met him, we should all get together sometime...

I admire all of you for your strength.

Boiler, when I was there, I just felt sad. Knowing what we all went through made me wish everyone who I knew was there was with me. I felt bad being alone. But yes, I went inside and the windows were boarded up. I noticed the eerie wall paintings that I clearly remember, especially the creepy jungle scene. And it was so quiet in there, except for some scuffling noises, but I could hear screaming in my mind. It was just awful, but we all got stronger. I can't believe that it's gone now. Some things should be left under wraps, I guess. Someone actually interviewed me on my experiences. He was a really polite child from a private school who said that he wanted to document the unfairness of mental health treatment for educational purposes and to give us a voice. I am still in contact with him, and I'm sure he'd like to talk to you. Do you want to be interviewed boiler? I think it is all for a good cause and people need to know what happened to us so that our other brothers and sisters can fight for proper rights to stop other's lives from being ruined. If you give me your contact number and your permission, I could have him arrange an interview on the phone so that we can make it known what the hell happened within those walls.

hi, new to the site, thanks.

Joseph
I am so sorry thst this place stayed with you for so long. I know of a lot of kids that left that place worse then when they went in. As for your time there, I was there at the same time. You were either on ward B or 2-EAST. Me and a few friends told eachother that we weren't gonna let them get to us, and we took everything as a big joke. It helped a lot while we were there. It also helped a lot in life. So nothing ever left there with me except lack of trust and love and other feelings that I guess "normal" people have

Luke of 88
I was there about 10 years ago and the place was in much better shape then when you went there. The windows weren't boarded and it was easy to get in. What did you think of it when you were there.

Was there, I was on Ward D. I have Aspergers Syndrome and barely socialized with anyone back then, and I consider myself a solitary man today. But I was able to have a wife and son and we live happily. I don't remember a lot of names, because I only socialized with a few people in D ward. I remember this room, as I got sent there several times, UGH! What ward were you on? Why were you sent to Gaebler? (If you're ok answering that).

Luke what ward were you on? I was there around that time.

Pookie and Boiler,
I'm very sorry for what you went through when you were at Gaebler. I was there from 1986-1988 for attempting suicide several times. I'm so glad there are finally people who have been there who I can connect with after many years. I'm Luke and I have many negative memories of that horrible place. I went there before thanksgiving of 2010 before the demolition. I saw the activities center and basketball court, which I remember using sometimes. I might know you from my time there. It's really terrible that the building is gone now. Please reply to me. I would really like to talk to you.

Gaebler was like a prison....They took your clothes off and gave you a itchy blanket. On a grey mattress that smelled of urine and fecies.When you had to go to the bathroom,the staff ignored you. The window sill was slanted so that a child could not climb upon it. This was not a good place for children. And I still have all the anger for the ways I was treated. Even farm animals get treated better than us.I spent 8 years waking up from nightmartes from the place. I am serouisly thinking about writing a book toi let society know what they have done to us. We were not prisoners. We were just children opf depair. We were all helpless. Every day we all got out medication that made us as human zombies. I was at Gaebler for 2/12 years of hell.. Whoever wants to join me in writing a novel/book about out lives I think would be great. There was two boys there on Ward D David Mc'Donough,and Brian Warring. They treated me like I was their little sister. And if they ever want to connect with me, My number is [edited by admin] I line in Werst Springfield,MA. I'm so glad that place is gone for good. God Bless all of you and please have a happy life, Love, Ann Marie(annmarienarreau10@yahoo.com) Please feel free to contact me if you desire.....

Perhaps it was the Perkins School in Lancaster? It is still in operation today.
http://www.perkinsprograms.org/

There was also a state industrial school in Lancaster, but I believe it was for women only.
http://www.nps.gov/nr/travel/pwwmh/ma43.htm

No i was never in somerville hospital however my foster mother and others tried to put me in a place in lancaster Ma the hospital was huge i don't remember the name of it though but they tried to put me in there for life i believe it probly closed down as most of them in 92. The only thing i remember of it was meeting with the dr an staff they didn't believe i was to be placed in there so my foster mother tried gaebler and was placed in.
There was a movie that placed a girl in the hospital when i saw the hospital and they said lancaster brought back the flash back as it was yesterday however there is another movie where there was a girl place in but that hospital is in Stockbridge, Massachusetts called Austen Riggs Center the place is all white like the one in lancaster the name of the movie is called Intensity whice at the end of movie the girl was placed in austen riggs. I can't stand not knowing the name of the one in lancaster.