Ex-Houseparents
Ever bump into exhouseparents or Home guys you would like to kick their butts in? hahahah
;-) 
Hey Todd,
It's funny you ask. I just did a shower enclosure for the Balliet's. Mrs. wanted to keep the old shower door and has since changed her mind, and asked me to come pick it up. If they are home I will ask them if they mind if I give you their phone number.
Also did you have the Kyles while in Rosemont? I only lasted 3 months in that loony bin. 
Sunday dishes was a common task for me as well. It was worse than milking the cows. 
Here's a list of houseparents I had while at the Milt. I still remember Mr. Cannon in intermediate division waking us up everyday with a pot and ladel, smacking it all the way down the hall, and if you didn't get up, you got a private performance about 6 inches from your head! With the White's in senior division, the main thing I remember is Mr. White telling me, "You got dishes son." I would always get it on sunday, which as everyone knows, is the one day you DON'T WANT DISHES!!! I never ran into any of them after the Milt. I know that Mrs. White died awhile ago, but don't know about any others. If anyone knows how they are, please let me know. For all the people who might have had the Cannon's, does anyone else remember having to make foul shots before coming in from school, rain or shine??????
There were five or six of us from the Class of 66 who were close friends. It would have been hard to choose from Mike Weller, Gary Hartman, Tim Day or Keith Lasch. Urby and I knew each other in the home, but he was younger than me. We got reacquainted at West Chester, after I got home from the service, and became good friends. Deb and I got married while I was still an undergrad. The last I heard, Urby was out in California, but I haven't seen or talked to him in years.
By the way, Blitz, Tom Urbanavage was the best man at my wedding!
No foolin' Chuck? Tom "Urb" was your best man? I didn't even know you guys were tight. I'm surprised Weller wasn't your best man. You two were together all the time just like me and John Beekman were throughout our high school years.
Have you heard from Tom at all? How's he doing? If you see/talk to him be sure to tell him I said "hi". He was a really great, all-around athlete...and a good guy too. I heard he was siding with the VOR though...is that true?
Like you, Blitz, I came to Java as a meal bus baby, not quite five years old. I agree with what you've written about the Klingers. If there was a more abusive unit down at the Main I'd like to know about it. Not only were there regular beatings for the most contrived offenses, but the mass punishments were dished out regularly. I also remember sitting on the "hunkers", and I remember one such occasion when Roger Fasnacht, while on his hunkers, was struck on the head with a wax pan wielded by Miss Goodling, one of the second help. My least favorite memory was of a time when I was in kindergarten. The Klingers became concerned about "holes" appearing in the bars of soap in the community bathroom (this was actually a consequence of erosion, but...) and demanded to know who was deliberately doing this dirty deed. Before every meal (another story!) each of us would have to line up for swats until someone "confessed." Eventually, old man Klinger, probably getting tired of the game, concentrated his efforts on the three "little ones"--Roger, Gerald Kuhns and me. When it became apparent that the beatings weren't going to cease, we "confessed." Then, old lady Klinger, one of the most dispicable human beings to have ever taken a breath, insisted that we demonstrate our miscreant behavior using a new bar of soap. I decided to try to force the bar of soap on the faucet to make a hole, but alas, could only get it to break in half. They never figured this situation out, and went on to more tortures that could keep their interest piqued. Remember how we all used to swim naked at the pool? You could always tell the "J" boys as they invariably sported black and blue butts.
..........
I agree with Unc about school being a sanctuary, and I am sure that's why I became a teacher.
..........
By the way, Blitz, Tom Urbanavage was the best man at my wedding!
in the summer of "61". Arcadia was suppose to be a model unit for the "new" MHS life style. The project was to send kids to senior units as a group and have them graduate as a group. It was a total failure. The Mulligans were the main reason. I don't know how long they were HP,s, but I am willing to bet it wasn't long. My senoir year at Willow Wood was the only time at MHS I loved. It was like a home and the HP,s were great. They treated you the way they wanted to be treated and that was a breath of fresh air.
Jim Brezovec was in my class, his older brother, nice kids.
unc
The Mulligans where the worst and thats the story I told earlier on this thread.
Mrs. Miller would always stick up for me. The homemade Hires Root Beer was the best ever. She was great and everyone loved her.
unc
Now we're on the same page. I was with the Millers from like '61 to '63. Benny got huge and played goalie for Hershey High. Tom Urbanavage was at Long Lane along with a number of other really good athletes. Remember a guy named "Peanut"? I think he played catcher and was really good. Remember Ken Gandy? Ken was the best pitcher I ever saw...such an explosive fast ball. I, too, pitched but was nothing like Ken. In fact, putting me in was a good thing because my style of pitching was like a change up that confused the opponent after being use to Ken's incredible speed. Oh how I remember Mr. Miller, Ralph Fink, the Rosensteels and other houseparents coveted the intramural league Championship. When we moved from Long Lane to Hemlock in '62 we lost a number of really good guys and...the Championship to Ralph Fink. He was sooooooooo excited.
Speaking of Tom Urbanavage...he was the second MHS hockey player to make the Hershey Cubs All-Star team. Brezovic was the first...I was the third. Brian Durgin, Jim Yale and I tried out for this team that played on the east coast and closed with the Tournament in Quebec City, Canada. Brian had a much better shot than me but I think I was a better skater and stick handler. Jim was a VERY good defensive player. The coaches went with me. Mr. Miller would always have to pick us up after tryouts. Brian and I were at Hemlock together. When we got in the car, Mr. Miller asked who made the team. He was convinced it would be Brian. When I told him it was me, he immediately started to downplay me and my abilities (even though I was the top scorer on our team). For me, that was painful.
You mentioned being smacked in the face by Mr. Miller. I was too on several occasions. I remember when we moved to Hemlock. Mr. Miller was a fanatic about gardening or creating things. He was very good at it but when you're 10 to 12 years old and weigh between 65 and 90 pounds, as I did then, you don't have a lot of strength. He had us build this huge rock garden. Those rocks weighed a ton. He also had us build a waterfalls behind the basketball court. Unreal... I guess that's why I hate doing any sort of "honey-doo" projects and why I tell everyone I can't pound a nail in straight. I was so turned off to that manual labor stuff. Anyhow, on several occasions when I guess Mr. Miller thought I wasn't working hard enough, he'd crack me across the face.
Still, all in all, given that was the nature in how to discipline kids in that era, I don't hold it against him. Mrs. Miller was the best and she often would tone him down. I remember, after graduation, I went back to the home and Mr. Miller was no longer a houseparent. Why, I don't know. He was a janitor at Catherine Hall. We had a great conversation and I could tell he was delighted to see me. This proved to me he did care though, again, when it came to discipline he was simply following the style of the day.
I'm sure both have passed on by now but don't know. I wonder about Benny sometimes. I also wonder about Uncle Bill (Vessa). Bill was a name most would remember. Funny how some guys who were lifer's at the home, like me, disappear off the face of the planet after graudation.
one of my favorites as I entered MHS at long Lane with the Millers. They were my first set of HP,s. About a month after entering MHS, Benny tried some stuff on me and I kicked his butt. That was not a good thing to do. Old man Miller was my enemy from that day until I left his unit. He was one powerful dude. He hit me across the face so hard I flew about 10 feet. I pitched and we won the intermediate division baseball championship in 1959 and/or 1960 (I think we won both years) for Long lane and he still wasn't nice to me and that meant the world to him to win that title. He pushed me to Arcadia and that was where the mental abuse started. I could handle Mr. Miller as he was just like my father. I was no angel and started alot of trouble and did some really bad things.
The Mulligans where the worst and thats the story I told earlier on this thread.
Mrs. Miller would always stick up for me. The homemade Hires Root Beer was the best ever. She was great and everyone loved her.
unc
Did you have the Millers at Long Lane...Ben and Ann Miller, along with their son Benny? I did and found Mr. Miller to be pretty old school and rough though not nearly as much as the Klingers at Java. Mrs. Miller, we called Mountain Queen due to her huge breasts, and she was like a true mother. Very nice. Loved it when she cooked or made Hines Root Beer. Benny was okay but was a bit of a bully and no matter what he did his Dad would always stick up for him. Benny and Uncle Bill (Vessa) were very good friends. Because Uncle Bill was such a great guy who I got along well with, Benny would stay away from me for the most part.
Anyhow, I don't know if you're referencing the Millers as ones who "mentally abused" homeboys but I never saw them that way. Given the times when whippin' kids was considered normal/okay and non-abusive by today's standards, the Millers were pretty decent.
before MHS. I don't blame them for everything. I blame them for not realising I needed help.
I don't know if I told this story before, but here it goes. My father was a abusive bastard. He left my mom, me and my 2 sisters in 1956 for another women. He was a cop. It is a shame to say, but we were happy he left. I hated him and couldn't stand my every other Saturday visitation. As my sis dropped me off at the place he lived with this HO, I walked in the house and found him dead and the women shot 3 times. She lived but he was splattered all over the walls.
After that incident I became a raging maniac and was arrested 11 times before my 12th bd. It was Hershey or Jamesburg (reform school). I shortened this story to just illustrate that "we all" came to Hershey with a lot of baggage and some of us left with more then when we entered. That's why I feel MHS dropped the ball with many of us older alumni.
I was never physically abused at MHS, but the mental abuse was rampant. That created more problems. I entered MHS at 5' 9", 160 lbs at 12 years old. I was cocky as Washington, DC with a piss poor attitude and was beaten down mentally. At first they liked to swat my butt, but the more they hit me the more I laughed. After a month of that, they realised swats were not the answer. Taking away all my privileges was next. When I was transferred from Long Lane to Arcadia is had over one and a half years of no town.
Think about this statement. We loved school and hated homelife. Going to class was our escape. Away from these idiots they called Houseparents. Before i went to MHS I hated school and hookied everyday. I only went to classes 18 days my 6th grade year. I repeated 6th at MHS and went from hating to loving school. It was the only place where people paid attention to you and wanted you to do better.
unc
Just maybe if the school had councilors or pychologists when I was there I might have been able to work through these things. "Dammit no spell check"
I would like to see this change.
uncThey do have tons of counselors on campus and psychologists as well. They are here 24 hrs for the kids, so that is one area that has improved. I will not post my feelings on the effectiveness of most counselors and psycologists, but the school does have them now. As for your anger, I am sure you are justified in your anger towards the adults who abused their authority and power in your life, however unless you can confront these people and at least get your feelings out, it may be wise to realize that your holding the anger is only hurting you and your loved ones, not the violent jerks who caused your anger. I too have dealt with alot of anger most of which stemmed from my mothers treatment of me and a few control freak house parents, but I found that taking it one day at a time seemed to really help. At first even moment to moment then day to day. Letting yourself see the situation for what it is rather than what the "heat of the moment " might say it is. And lastly, Breathe, deep cleansing breaths, and slow ones too it just helps calm ya down. I try not to make as big a deal about things as I used to, I figure nothing is gonna happen today that I can't figure out or fix. Just a few nuggets of wisdom that seemed to help me with my anger. I hope it helped.
I couldn't image if we were actually hit. I know my temper would have gotten the best of me and I would have wound up in jail (trust me, in 6th grade I was going to school here in Philly and the teacher wouldn't let me go to the bathroom and I really had to go. I flipped out and threw my desk across the room and threw the chair at her. I got to go to the bathroom then and didn't even get suspended. Didn't get suspended when I bent a guy backwards on a table and strangled him till he was blue either. He hit me first, that was his biggest mistake.)
You are no joke!!! We had kids who would flip desks and rip our stories off the wall, and scratch up our teacher in second grade and all the way up...such drama, I think they had ADHD and we just didn't know it back then...but Vikki, I don't think there is a name for what you had, okay maybe....BADA$$$
to say that I am not normal. I wish I were. I still harbor ill will towards MHS. I hate that I feel this way. I am a loner who trusts no one. I have anger problems that I work hard on to control. It is almost impossible for me to give 100% to my lover and that kills me inside.
Just maybe if the school had councilors or pychologists when I was there I might have been able to work through these things. "Dammit no spell check"
I would like to see this change.
unc
that even after all we've gone through, we turned out so... normal! (Well, we're normal for Milts anyway, even if no one else thinks so!)
No matter what side we may be on, lets keep in mind the principle that Solomon wrote about in Proverbs 15:1 "A soft answer turns away fury; but a grievous word stirrs up anger." In other words try to create peace when you speak, not start a war. 8-)
It's good to know you at least care about MHS. There are a number of alumni, like you, who are "...sick of it", with respect to being turned off by the "battleground".
To the contrary, rather than seeing it as a battleground, see it instead as doing what's in the best interest of your family. If someone suddenly came into your home and made you run your household totally contrary to how you think it should be run....wouldn't you be just a tad bit upset?
In this case, that's exactly what the BOM did shortly after Mr. Hershey's death...most notably by JO (no relation to the real) Hershey. Yes, it's no fun standing up to the powers at MHS yet when one reads Mr. Hershey's Deed of Trust and clearly sees the giveaways, self-interest benefits they've done...well, someone has to support Mr. Hershey's mission and who better than those who benefitted from his good will?
Try not to think in terms that we're fighting with them for the sake of fighting. We're not. Simply put, we're sticking up for our founder. And, oh yes...we tried the diplomatic approach for a solid decade and then some. None of it worked and only with the Chairman of the BOM saying: "we owe you no explanations".
As a man of God, as am I, do tell...is doing nothing what the good Lord would have us do? In the end, it's all about doing what is right. Sometimes it requires a bit of strong assertiveness to make it so. You tell me Keoni...if Mr. Hershey's will said BOM members should get 1K per year do you think it right some make more than six figures for their part-time job? How about what the 620K plus that's given to O'Brien? Do you think Mr. Hershey would have support that pay out? How about the destruction of Hershey Junior College and later the BOM giving PSU 50M to start Hershey Med Center...and giving them 500 acres of land designated by Mr. Hershey for needy children? Do you think standing up, assertively to the powers in control about these things is wrong? Should we just let them continue to do it all and do nothing...like sheep?
We owe it to our benefactor.
that I was unclear on that Unc. I knew you were emphasizing everyone voting. I guess I just get nervous when such subjects are brought up for fear somebody is going to go on the attack. 
What I want is in the words to that song: "Come on people now, smile on your brother (sister), everybody get together, try to love one another right now."
that's why I approached this subject as I did. All I was asking was for all alumni to vote. I didn't say for who, that's your option. I have really strong feelings about this, but I state them on our other site. The only thing that bothers me is that most alumni, almost 80%, do not vote at all.
I love you guys and girls and we are as one in so many ways.
unc
Just one request, everybody - PLEASE let's not turn this site into a battleground like it happened at the MHSAA site! I got so sick of it that I almost made the decision not to return to Hershey for any reason. But I did come to my senses and decided that would only hurt myself.
No matter what side we may be on, lets keep in mind the principle that Solomon wrote about in Proverbs 15:1 "A soft answer turns away fury; but a grievous word stirrs up anger." In other words try to create peace when you speak, not start a war. 
that most Milts and Homeboys do not want to get involved with the politics at MHS. I fully understand that. It took me 40 years to get involved. The MILT has been a cathartic place to go to relieve ones self of the baggage we all have/had. Please consider being aware of what is happening.
You guys don't have to get involved other then to "VOTE" for the reps of MHSAA. That alone will help. A lot of us older guys want changes that will benefit the students now at MHS. Board reform is a good start. Please help us and help the students now receive better treatment at MHS. Childcare professionals are so important to the students well being. We all can agree on that. Homelife sucked b/c they had no clue on how to raise kids.
Johnny O. has done some good things at our school and he should be credited for that. He is falling short on all his pledges to get his position and that is our rub with him. He was one of the loudest opponents of the BOM until he became one. His 180 degree turn is what has pissed us off.
unc
When are we going to admit that as an association? Is this what Mr. and Mrs. Hershey wanted for "their kids"? I've heard these stories going all the way back to the 1930s or is just the dirty little secret bc those alums had nowhere else to turn so grin and bear it?
I'm not sure what to think ya know? Any ideas?
I've been following this thread with interest. I completely agree that life at the school was good while at the student home, it sucked...unless you had a "drag" with the houseparents. While at the Main I vividly recall our houseparents, the Klingers, beating kids all the time. Intramural baseball was a big deal to houseparents back in those days and if we lost we got taken to the basement, commanded to get down on our honkers and when we fell we'd get whipped with a teacher's pointer rod until we got back up. No doubt about it...most of us had two personalities at the "home"...one at school and one at the student home (unit). Having multiple personalities can screw up one's brain though, thankfully, most of us work through it.
Now Archangelwill poses an interesting question. Is that what the Hersheys' wanted for their kids? I don't hardly think so. No doubt Mr. Hershey came from the era that strict discipline was okay to imploy yet, bottom-line, I do think he was smart enough to go with devoted, childcare professionals versus capitalists who seem more Washington, DC bent on themselves than the kids.
For that reason, our Association intervened in a two decade battle to correct the wrongs made by the MHS Board of Managers. In the end, the Association couldn't gain "standing" to do what was legally necessary to implement BOM reforms.
Does that mean we give up and go away? Does that mean O'Brien is right in what he's doing? As to the latter, remember, he's the guy who was with us and did the 180 so I don't think so. So can the MHSAA do anything since they're joined at the hip with O'Brien? I don't think so.
Does that mean alumni can't do anything? Nope....I think we can and must. C'mon guys...think about it. The school has nearly 8 billion bucks and not one member of their board is a childcare professional. Now that alone should speak volumes. Just think if the right people were in charge. Yes, childcare professionals should be on the BOM. Yes, in this day and age of political/legal correctness, it's important to follow that crap to a certain extent...but not completely. That's why sound business professionals who are dedicated to Mr. Hershey's mission should be on the BOM as well. None of them should be paid more than the 1K Mr. Hershey alotted either.
If the right people are on that BOM the rest will all fall in place and take care of itself.
Ya think?
Clay,
As I said, John and Marge were no saints and when i visit it sometimes is tentative at best with John. John could be a total rhymes with nick begins with p.
Want to throw horror stories imagine being the gay kid in the house who didn't hide his orientation. Imagine being told your worthless just about everyday. Imagine your entire childhood after being taken from your parents to live in this entity that you're worthless.
Trust me Clay I understand John Wortman. I've also learned to forgive.
I think this conversation has bigger implications. As we all have fought for 15 years for actually getting a kid a proper education, skill sets and self-knowledge. I can count on more than my two hands the kids who didn't know themselves from the 80s-90s because they did not have the opportunity to mess up as teenagers so as adults (MYSELF INCLUDED) hit the "free world" faster than Speed Racer.
When are we going to admit that as an association? Is this what Mr. and Mrs. Hershey wanted for "their kids"? I've heard these stories going all the way back to the 1930s or is just the dirty little secret bc those alums had nowhere else to turn so grin and bear it?
I'm not sure what to think ya know? Any ideas?
Clint, I'm sorry you had to go thru all of that crap. Like being a kids isn't demoralizing enough and then being the new guy and being tortured.
The bedwetting, I was fortunate enough to have a very loving mother and sister (she was 11yrs older but I lost her 8yrs ago to herione). I do however remember living with my father for about a year from age 2 to 3. I was a bedwetter then. My father would spank my bare bottom till it was welted. I can tell you now..that isn't the way to go. I went back with my mom when I was 3 and only saw my father once when I was 8yo. My mother kept me from him. She also only hit me once while growing up. When I was about 28 my father finally contacted me (found me thru my grandfather) we slowly rebuilt a half decent relationship and my mom and dad actually ended up getting married. Well, after about 1 1/2yr my mom left. He was unbearable. I did also get to meet my 1/2 brother. But I recently lost my father to prostate cancer (in May) and I'm on the outskirts with that side of the family. I really almost wish he never called. My brother called me a couple of weeks ago (after they treated my mother and I like leppers at the funeral) and he is trying to talk to me like nothing happened. I think I'll stick with my mom. It is alot simpler that way.
Will,
My Uncle Carl was to blame for my enrollment into Union. He knew John Wortman from seeing him at the Hershey Bank. Carl worked at the bank and my Aunt Doris Grubb was a 4th grade teacher/librarian at the school. In any event they pushed fo Union. I've thanked them for that already.
There was an incident with a rat in the barn my first week there. Some of the guys tortured and killed the rat. The one and only time my aunt and uncle took me out visiting was that first weekend. Well I told them about this incident. It got back to Mr. Wortman and he confronted the whole home about it. I ended up telling him that I lied, and he made me call my Uncle and tell him that I was a liar. Of course that didn't save me from the beating for dime-ing the guys out. I was pegged as a troubled liar within my family after that one. Now don't get me wrong I told my share of tall tales, but in that instance I was telling the truth and pretty freaked out about the whole thing. It wasn't a good start and it got worse from there.
This is hard to admit and very personal/embarassing. I was not a bedwetter when I got to Union, but I became one pretty quick, and you should have seen how they dealt with that one. Everytime is happened they made me carry my mattress outside and they had me purposely place it where we it would be seen on the way in and out of the breezeway. If the whole sudden bedwetting issue wasn't enough them trying to embarrass me out of it was. They shouldn't have been anywhere near kids who have gone through traumas. My GOD what a freaking joke.
Oh yeah when I was finally transfered out Marge told my new housemom that I was a "dud". Nice way to talk about a kid too, what a freaking saint. I'll tell you I know that I'm pretty good human being, because a lesser one would have exacted revenge. Definitely not a "dud".
The Gallos weren't saints, but they took their time with me. I am sure that I was heading for a suicide attempt. I was just so depressed. I don't think I got right until my Junior year.
Clay
Clay,
Oh I know perfectly well what you mean with John. It took me years to get over that man's bs but I let my anger towards him go b/c Bill Yackley made John look like a cuddly kitten by comparison. I mean I was there for 2.5 years so I know exactly where you are coming from. She wasn't that bad and she liked me so that was good. Union was a final destination spot for the school I'm surprised that they enrolled you there which makes me curious about it all. Nothing from your perspective but we rarely had an enrollment there only transfers.
But that was at a different school here in Philly. The Milt had no clue 
Throwing a desk in a fit of rage isn't close enough for you?
Nah, unlike some that have posted. I never threatened a houseparent or homelife. I didn't start the death strikes till later in life 
Maybe they feared you?
Either that or they realized they weren't getting too much more from me.
Thus further proving that being the rebellious smoke hacking druggie rebel was definitely beneficial during those tender years.
I posted earlier that I found a journal from the Milt days. In it I see I got caught with smokes. I only 5 and 5 and had to work the hours off with dishes only. Talk about getting away with murder!
I really wasn't...I was extremely compliant...so being yelled at was like being told that I was a failure...nothing to smirk about there. Since then I have decided that I don't care. So now the smirk really is a smirk.
Yeah Clint, for some reason I think you probably were!
But I was constantly getting in trouble by Mr. T. for "smirking" when he was yelling at me.
I really think that a lot of houseparents were looking for an excuse to punish the kids as part of their power trip. And in a pinch, any excuse- no matter how trivial- would do. It didn't even have to make any sense at the time - they could always justify it later!
I think I made it to 6 practices...then got too many demerits and wasn't allowed to go to another practice. The really stupid part about that is that I was an extremely compliant child...so I still can't figure out why I got in trouble so much.
I know where you'all are comming from. I was at elmwood with the irwins and highland with the hawks. I can give ya a few horror storries.
--->You must be an old fart like myself. I remember the Hawks. Well only Mr. Hawk from when we played Highland in B-ball and Softball in those cluster tourneys things. I also remember him from the line of station wagons on the Hill after school. I was at Maizeland with Bob and Sara Wolfe. I had is legitimate disorder. I had ADHD, but back then it was called a behavior problem. I couldn't focus on anything, and I couldn't sit still. So all through the intermediate division I was beaten and paddled. This of course was needed to make a man out of me. The result was that I then had other issues arriving in the senior division as an early transfer. So the Wolfe’s and all Senior Hall administration and Senior Home Life felt that punishment and beatings was the sure way to get me “straightened out.” These issues translated into being called a "whip." As any older Milt can attest to, that all "Whips" are beaten in the basement by upper classmen, just for their personal entertainment.
I can't say whether this is therapeutic for me or not. I do know I often try to keep away from thinking back on my youth at the Home. Although there were some very good times, they hardly ever seem to stay in my memories the way the traumatic stuff.
Nikkosguy74
Save the Earth, it's the only planet with tea.
Until now I never realized how much harder it was for the boys. I was in two student homes. I had the Myricks in Franklin and Murrays in Foxdale. They never laid a hand on us. I got in alot of trouble with the Myricks and I really can't remember why most of the time. I just remember picking my fair share of dandilions and mowing lots of lawns. The Murrays were my favs. Mr. Murray was like the father I never had while growing up and Mrs Murray was so dippy that I couldn't help but love her (the amusement factor was there but she was sweet to me for the most part). I was only there for a few weeks with the Hannemans and I already voiced my opinion about Mr. (gave me the creeps) and Mrs (now that I think about it) was a bit more catty than need be for a supposed "parent figure".
I couldn't image if we were actually hit. I know my temper would have gotten the best of me and I would have wound up in jail (trust me, in 6th grade I was going to school here in Philly and the teacher wouldn't let me go to the bathroom and I really had to go. I flipped out and threw my desk across the room and threw the chair at her. I got to go to the bathroom then and didn't even get suspended. Didn't get suspended when I bent a guy backwards on a table and strangled him till he was blue either. He hit me first, that was his biggest mistake.)
The school, I feel, hired people as baby sitters and not nurturing adults who had the desire to make a positive imprint on our developing lives. The good houseparents seem to be more plentiful in the late 80's and up till now. Thats a good thing and I hope its true.
unc
I know where you'all are comming from. I was at elmwood with the irwins and highland with the hawks. I can give ya a few horror storries
Digger is still here. 
unc
I tried to play sports, but I ended up detentions so often that I rarely finished a season. I think I finished one wrestling season.
I was right about something in Unc's eyes. It definitely didn't involve anything with politics or Digger (inside joke) then....
You know I love ya Unc.
you are so right. The home life at MHS sucked. The school life and sports were great. I learned early on that the best way to survive was to play sports all year round. Thank God I had the ability to play sports the entire school year. The poor kids who were not athletic suffered greatly.
The school, I feel, hired people as baby sitters and not nurturing adults who had the desire to make a positive imprint on our developing lives. The good houseparents seem to be more plentiful in the late 80's and up till now. Thats a good thing and I hope its true.
unc
that venting did make me feel better, but it doesn't. I came to the school late (in 9th grade) and prior to that I had been allowed to roam a little too freely. My first stop was student home Union, and I was only there for 6 months. I would equate their integration plan for me to Marine hazing. Being that John was an ex-jarhead that would make sense. When I goofed up (which was a lot) I got beat. Using this tactic on a 14 year old whose life had been turned upside down by his fathers death six months before might not have been the right choice. They thought my problems were due to the fact that I was spoiled. What a couple of morons. Maybe Will had a better experience because he had already been in the system.
I hope they surf the net and see this. They caused me harm on so many levels. It is amazing how much damage can be done in 6 months. I was shell-shocked for about 6 years after. I was plagued by anxiety, self doubt and nightmares. My entire stay at MHS was wasted time. I have been informed of some of the pitfalls that they (both the Wortmans and the Buchers) have faced since my stay and I must say that they deserved every bit of it and I revel in it. I know that is petty and small, but I don't care. Kharma can be a Gibbles112, can't it?
Ridgeway and the infamous Gallos was a country club compared to that Washington, DC hole.
With all that being said I love the school and in the end it did save me, but it could've launched me into adulthood in a better fashion and with less baggage.
I was with so many houseparents I dont even remember them all. I started with the Akins in Stiegel (keystone), I think his son was a houseparent in a girl house in Senior div. They were the absolute best! But they retired, and the Housers took over, they were OK but they were new, I have visited a few times over the years but never kept a close relationship. Then I went to Plainfeilds with the Mattinglys, they were OK also. Pretty much just left me alone. I asked for a transferr after realizing everyone in the Unit hated me. So they sent me to Valley View with the Van Brakles, their kids sucked, and they started to get hardcore bible thumping when they got transferred to a girl unit. The Foxxes (?) replaced them and kicked me out of the home without even meeting me, and sending me to Longmeads with the reputation of being a bad kid. The Fishers at Longmeads were great, a little old fasion but great, but the left to take over Swatara which had been closed, and the Taylors took over. Now I dont know what rock these people crawled out from under but they were clueless. If they didnt lie about things they didnt know they completely ignored what was going on around them, they eventually got fired. But I was kicked out of that house and sent to Runnimead ( I think) but I olny lasted 3 days there before the house parents declared I was unfit to be around them, so I was sent to Vian for my "Last Chance". Last chance for what I was unsure because I never got into any serious trouble up to this point. That didnt stop the Lacy's from treating me like shit and even using racial slurs against me and calling me white trash. Mr Lacy even slammed me up against a wall when he thought I mimicked him, it was actually Jonas Elliot. The only reason I didnt get hit is because Jonas stood up for me. Out of 9 sets of houseparents, 3 were good and cared, the rest basically just had there own agenda. I just hope the houseparents now are better than the were back then.
It seems to me from reading all these posts that a lot of house parents had this Jekyll-Hyde thing going on. For some students they would be awesome, but to others, they could make it Washington, DC-on-earth!
I think and hope that as we vent and share our experiences, it can provide some measure of healing. I know I felt somewhat better when I posted about my less than satisfying experiences with the Murrays and others. I'd been keeping that bottled up for years! I'll probably share other things in the future as a form of therapy. Getting it off your chest really does feel good!
Since you talk to the she-Gibbles112 please inform her that I am successful in my vocation, as a parent and as a human being despite the fact that I was in their charge. I know that you probably won't, but I would be extremely happy if you did. I would almost be as happy as the time I watched that jack-derriere take a hedge trimmer off his noggin. That was awesome.
I am happy that they had a good and lasting effect on your life. I have a hard time believing that, because my experience at Union was very similar to your experience at Nanticoke. John sent someone after me once. I got beat down right in front of him and he did nothing. John and Marge are total pieces of shit and I hope they rot in Washington, DC along with the lazy fat derriere white trash Buchers.
There I feel better
How's this one for ya'll 8 houseparents, 7 units in 7 years 1 month and how many days.
Some were good others I have issues with:
Entered the Milt April 25, 1983 to student home Jefferson with Sam and Mildred Sinclair. The Sinclair's were grandparently folk by the time we got them. "Red" as Sam was affectionately known you could get away with murder. They were fair to us and alot of fun. Tom Welsh, Catherine Hall 6th grade Math was our sub and those of you may remember his Winnebago going from National Cluster to Sunday church or the Park etc. Friday nights at the Hotel Jeff was like in S.D. as long as you didn't get caught Welsh didn't care.
Sam was a father figure type, could get tough, but they valued playtime outdoors for children (less for them to have to deal with with growing boys).
Sam and Mildred retired at the end of my 6th grade year ('84) and for a year we got Jim and Elaine McCurdy - he was fresh out of the Air Force Academy at Colorado Springs. They were at the Air Force Academy 20+ years but couldn't hack a year at the Milt. Nothing really good or bad about them - they were involved with us but weren't good or bad just there to parent.
So they closed us down to become a girl's unit and we were scattered from the unit.
God has a special place in Washington, DC for what was in store next.
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I got transfered, not by anything that I or any of us did, to Nanticoke in Arrowhead.
God has a special place in Washington, DC for child abusers and Bill and Dorothy Yackley take the cake.
They were at Bonnemead in S.D. until his anger issues got the best of him and he hit a student or two so they got a demotion.
They were the coldest, disillusioned, uncaring individuals God could place to work with children in need.
Bill is the only "adult" to ever physically hit me. This incident in 1986 affected me for nearly 20 years. That and cold indifference have an impact.
I read with dismay of all the anger about things that "adults" did to children under Pera and Lepley and "against Mr. Hershey's this" and "wouldn't happen with a Milt grad" that. Well, Bill Dearden was Chairman of the Board and Bill Fisher President. Two people who served Mr. Hershey with honor and respect but neglected the kids.
As I put in another forum because of folding socks incorrectly 2 days before Christmas vaca 1985 I got jumped by the unit minus 3 guys (the Kilbourn brothers). THEY DID NOTHING then it was my fault. As I said in the other forum GAME ON!
The other thing I recall is never being in the basement - so not only were we trapped on the first floor with these morons we couldn't "get away".
The subs were no better, a well-meaning, (I think) black african couple named the "B"'s who were equally cold and friendly. What saved me were my grandmother's bi-wkly visits and Craig and Anna Albright from second church taking me to their home in Palmyra.
I went back in 2004 to Nanticoke and let it all out. I am unclear whether the houseparents were cautious, scared or just didn't understand some of the atrocities that occured in their living/work space. They promised me they cared about the kids.
Without going deeper God has a special place for evil people I hope when they die and are rotten in their graves they remember.
UPTO SENIOR DIVISION
I entered into Evergreen with Bill and Virgie King. Grandparent types who were members and involved with my 2nd church - Holy Trinity Lutheran. Mr. and I really didn't have a deep relationship but Virgie and I did. I still have the scarf she made us for Christmas. I was just unruly and we parted ways amicably. I mean, they were houseparents for 40 years and I'm still invited to the Glendale/Evergreen Reunions which have been going on for 50 years now involving generations.
Next up: Southfield with Fred and Oriana Battles. Again, good people, a lil preachy on the Evangelical God thing (where did the Milt get these people?) but I really don't have bad words for them. Fred and I didn't get along but it goes back to Bill Yackley.
The saving grace were the Z's (Zdunchek or something like that) who were our Dairymen and family. Randy (?) and Candy and their 2 rugrats were good people. He was involved on the Milt's softball team that featured Osbia Jones, Wolf the barber and other folks. I became their statistician and felt "normal" - though - the houseparents thought I was tryin to scuttle barn. Maybe I was, maybe I wasn't.
I look at them and feel empathy because I was there during the final days of Mike Troisi and could only imagine how they had to deal with Mike dying and raising the other students and everything that went with it. No bad feelings and we've been friendly at Homecomings.
Transfer #2 in 7 months.
I got sent to Union (aka Soviet Union) with John and Marge Wortman.
People have mixed feelings about these two. YES, they were by the book. YES, they could be manipulative ***holes YES they sometimes went on power trips over kids. They were alright human beings.
They had a thing for detentions for the slightest infractions and alot of bs involved with that.
Now, where are positives in these individuals? MANY. We had the infamous haunted house which we had open for a month! Made alot of laughs and smiles for people and we could be KIDS.
They took us monthly to the Mall and breakfast at a west shore diner before hitting the East Mall (before it went ghetto) or Colonial Park.
Most remember our unit parties where people took plate after plate home and we ate like kings for weeks.
Marge got into a severe car accident sophomore year and John took over both barn and the house w/o help.
During her recovery Marge and I got close. On many of her theraputic walks we'd go out and talk about life in general and whatnot. She's the one that ensured I graduated high school!
I mean I could nitpick but she got that something happened. He wasn't as open to it but she protected me alot from whatever came my way.
Don't get me wrong I did everything and ANYTHING to get kicked out b/c I wanted to be at home including tryin to sign myself out my senior year after I turned 18. With Kim Ballance getting out in Feb of 90, four months prior to graduation) Fisher wouldn't allow any senior out, we came up from I.D. with 250+ students and graduated (sometimes barely 92). That would've been an embarassment and seeing we were the smallest class in 20-25 years. No go.
Somehow got transfered to Clearview 33 days before graduation and had Galen and Flo Imler. No words, 33 days isn't long at the School - never had dishes so that's at least good.
I look back and have realized why I ran for many years - on other fronts - why I haven't let that many close to me and didn't create the "lifelong bonds and friendships" some PR person put out there.
On a positive note, for a few years I kept in touch with Sam Sinclair and was saddened when I heard of his passing. Marge Wortman and I speak on a monthly basis and she's become my adopted mother and gives advice seeing my family has since passed since graduation. McCurdy, King, Battles and Imlers - we've exchanged pleasantries over the years. Bill and Dorothy Yackley I reserve a special place in Washington, DC but enough of beating that dead horse.
Sorry for the longish post but keeping up the healing.
Got to see my houseparents again when I went back for the class of '85's 20th, but I didn't want to kick their butts....I thank God that they were there for us girls :)
Mrs Harpers cinn. rolls were to die for, well all of her baking was sooo good and Mr. Harper was to cool , when it was thundering & lighting he used to let me sit on the porch with him while he would have coffee and read the paper instead of doing my chores cause I was affraid.
I don't think I had the Kyles. The White's were the main houseparents and the Gambles were our sub's. Mrs. White and i didn't get along at all. I had a discipline file about an inch thick and almost had to go to Union. Mr. White loved to give me dishes, and I would egg him on to let him know he couldn't get the best of me. I would blare the radio while doing the dishes, sing the whole time, and to dry the dishes faster, I used to set up the tables by the windows in the kitchen, lay out all the dishes, open all the windows and let the air dry them while I did the floors, now that's thinking. I started out in Woodside, but they tore it down, so we moved to Rosemont. Then I got kicked out of Rosemont by the White's and sent to where the Balliet's were, I forget for some reason right now, then back to Rosemont when a new set of houseparents arrived, The Roberts. So, from 4th grade through graduation, I had 5 set's of HP's, longest being the Cannons for the full4 years of intermediate division. The thing I hated about Rosemont was mowing the F()^*&^%*^ hill on the other side of the bridge by the pond when it rained. Oh the memories!!! I had my braced kicked off on that softball field across the street playing tackle football.