Monday, February 28, 2011

Gaebler Children's Center, Waltham

(Pictures are taken in two days to show how demolition progressed)


Not telling what happened in Gaebler Children's Center is worse than not being willing to know or forgetting what happened in the Waltham forest. I have been hesitant to disclose the story. Together with pictures I took, I was considering keeping the story just in my memory. But you have shared a fraction of experience of the red brick, but you chose not to tell? Like many Atomic Bomb survivors in Hiroshima and Nagasaki don't want to remember and tell their experience, it is understandable that some of the ex-students are not willing to tell their experience. Some past is too painful to remember. Some past is regarded as the best not to talk about to avoid troubles. That’s not what I’m talking about.

As an outsider, I don't bear the burden many students may have. I have to have guts to tell a story of a woman who spent two years inside of the red brick. I hope sharing a little piece of information I gained through the conversation helps understanding and remembering what happened in the recently demolished psychiatric hospital for children.


Located nearby Metropolitan State Hospital (a public psychiatric hospital for adults, now a condo), Gaebler Children's Center in Waltham, MA was established in 1955 as a state psychiatric hospital the patients between 6 and 18 years old. The center was closed in 1992 and left abandoned for 18 years. The demolition project was finished in the late November, 2010.


On one cold, gray autumn afternoon, I was exploring the nature path in Waltham. The demolition project was almost finished. As I passed by a couple, we greeted. Like people say hello to each other in the woods.

"Quite a sight, isn't it?" 

Looking over the 1939 Warsaw like red brick building, our conversation naturally went to Gaebler. They asked me whether I'm from a newspaper company. I told them I'm a blogging person. After carefully examining my camera and face looking at the ruin, the woman said:

“I used to be there.”

It was surprising. But what soon came up to my mind was the cross at Metfern cemetery, a final resting place for some of the patients for Metropolitan and Fernald State School between 1947 and 1979. Dedicated by the former Gaebler children, the cross was accompanied with a very thoughtful note: Though your names are not known, Your lives will never be forgotten...


I was very curious about her life in Gaebler. While I anticipated the possibility of her hesitance telling the story to a complete stranger like me, she started talking about her experience in a quite open manner. But facing the building which would cease its existence quite soon, there was a tone of fervent obligation in her voice. The skeletal state of the building seemed to bring lucid memories back to her as well.


After the closure in 1992, the building had been boarded up to prevent trespassing. But while demolition was going on, the boards were removed, revealing the interior that only a few knew before. She pointed out an interior of a room visible from us.

“Do you see the room with a rainbow?”

“Yeah…”

“That was my room.”


It was as if she was reading my thought; I was obsessing about the rainbow room since I had noticed the painting a month ago. I was imaging what if I had been involuntarily sent to Gaebler and stuck in a room with such a "cheerful" painting. It would get on my nerve if adults thought I could be appeased by a fake rainbow. 

My mind was spinning like a doped-up hamster on a wheel, but what I did was lamely keeping a straight face to her. It was very Japanese movement of me, but why didn't I tell her? Because compared to her experience, my casual daydreaming is nothing.  


After introducing her room, she described her experience.

She spent two years in the institution in the early 80's. It was a hellish two years, it was virtually a prison or worse for her and other kids. She built many lasting friendships which helped her to get through, but the bad memory exceeds the good one with friends.

As a teenager girl, her mother's illness took a heavy toll on her. The stress coping mechanism was still developing, and she had a difficulty manifesting her anxiety and anger. The adults surrounding her were also upset by her mother's illness, and it was beyond their capacity to take care of her. That was how she was sent to Gaebler. She still questions their decision. And this is the question she has no choice but keeping tackling for the rest of her life.

Now married to an understanding husband, she firmly told me that she will not let her children experience the same, no matter what happens. I admire her strength to reflect her experience to such a positive, genuine determination. But not every children of Gaebler has the life path like her.


Every movement was restricted while she was in Gaebler. For example, she needed to go through a lengthy procedure to take a shower, even though her rainbow room was right next to the shower room. Once she was in the shower room, alone, they locked her in from outside. A simple act of taking a shower (and a vital act for a teenager girl!) becomes an enduring task.

There was no AC available. The 1955 building filled with asbestos would have been an awful place to spend a summer. Opening the windows wasn't an option; the children had no control over windows. It's such a basic, basic act that I never thought twice about when I was a teenager. Somehow I'm very particular with windows and I would go nuts if I was told I couldn't open windows by myself; I'm aware that people who engage with psychiatric care may think I'm naive, but for that specific reason, if I was sent to Gaebler, I wouldn't recover well...

Together with a tiny playground, there used to be a pool in the property. But the pool was regarded as a privilege only available for “good kids”. So "bad kids" blankly stared at the good ones in the pool from a stifling room with possibly closed windows. I'm no expert in psychiatric care, but I can see the pool activity may be restricted as safety measure. On the other hand, I can clearly say such a punitive use of privileges is not a treatment. She didn't particularly mention, but the facility was possibly overcrowded. Many staff could have been overwhelmed, and had little capacity to control the situation in order to recover the kids to society.


They used to sedate her with antihistamines. My understanding of the medicine is as an allergy reliever... Added Mar. 5: In addition to Benadryl, the staff gave children Thorazine and Valium. If the children were psychotic or suicidal, or if they were simply deemed as disobedient, they tied them up and put into the 2x2 seclusion room. The fear of being dumped into the space loomed like 1984's Room 101. Like a random dice game, there was a little predictability of the possibility of being kept in the room:
the staff at Gaebler through the use of seclusion, kept us in fear and a constant double bind. Apparently there was no clearly defined or enforced policy to guide and prohibit the use of it...Seclusion and the threat of it empowered the staff as the absolute authority. One could never be sure when or how it would be utilized by them. -- From Gaebler, Hell and Back by Andrew Palmer
Literally across Trapelo Road, an identical fear had been prevailing at Fernald School, a state run institution for children with developmental disability. According to M. D'Antonio's The State Boys Rebellion, Ward 22* was the Fernald boys' seclusion room during the 50's. However, from what I read from Alex Beam's Gracefully Insane, the patients at nearby McLean Hospital -- a privately run psychiatric hospital of which campus is landscaped by Fredrick Law Olmsted -- did not experience the identical treatment.

*the misuse of Ward 22 was rampant during the 50's due to the overcrowding and increase in the number of mismatched boys institutionalized due to learning disabilities and/or the lack of proper prior education. 


However, there is one similarity between McLean Hospital and such a state institution; underground tunnels. When McLean was planning to build a new campus in Belmont in the end of the 19th century, the idea of connecting separated wards and other buildings by underground tunnels was proposed by Olmsted and his partner Calvert Vaux. The ones in Danvers State Hospital were made infamous by the movie Session 9, but passages in McLean are less known.

No name gravestone at Metfern Cemetery

She told me Metropolitan State Hospital and Gaebler are connected by underground tunnels. The distance between the two is about 0.6 mile (1km) with steep hills. I wonder why they needed to connect the two; doctors and nurses in double shifts? But I couldn't help thinking about the possibility of the tunnel being used to carry the deceased from Metropolitan to Metfern Cemetery. The cemetery is only 0.1 mile (200m) apart from Gaebler. More than 300 patients are buried in the cemetery, but  there is no paved road access to get there; just narrow, hilly dirt trails in the woods. Things wouldn't have been awfully different when the cemetery was active.

Note: now you should wonder how close together those institutions are; check out my map...  


“You know what?” she said.

"When I was locked up there, the world seemed so small. But now I see the walls are removed, it is such a huge building. When I was there, it never occurred to me…”

The walls she banged so many times are now removed.

“Ha, nobody will hear you!" the stuff used to yell at her when she was banging the wall.

Indeed, the walls were well insulated. But there was a certain room she constantly heard banging and screaming noise. She thought she must have been hallucinating, but her friends also heard the same.


Eventually, a series of law suits during the 80's helped improve the condition at Gaebler.

She thinks back to the pre law suit time, “Back then, they didn’t know how to treat kids with problems. They simply locked them up.”

I asked her a question, “You said they drugged the kids to shut them up, not to treat them. Do you think other kind of treatment, like counseling, would have helped you and other kids?”

“No, I don’t think so. There were counselors, and we supposed to talk to them. It didn't help me.”

 I questioned her about the counselors because Andrew Palmer's depiction of counselors as authoritarian, cruel figures didn't match my stereotypical image of gentle, patient, and warm listeners, say kinda hippie type. At Gaebler, everything was upside down.

Possible asbestos removal gears on the trail

The town considered converting the school into other uses, but it appeared so much asbestos was contained that it proved too costly to rehabilitate the building. The contractor spent quite a time in removing asbestos before knocking down the building. She emailed the town inquiring the future of the building; she's still waiting for the reply.

She is basically happy to see the building is on the process of demolition; this is the place she spent two hell years, the experience that she would never be able to shake off from her memory. On the other hand, she is afraid that the demolition also means people are forgetting, or actively trying to erase the memory about the children of Gaebler. Demolishing a building is dead easy, but irreversible. She wanted the building converted to something rather than destroying it. I asked,

"What kind of conversion did you wish, like the condos they turned Metropolitan State Hospital into, or maybe a museum about the school?"

"No, I wanted the building converted to something like a school...a school for kids..."


The blazed site will be the part of the existing nature trail. No more mystery in the woods. No more creepy off limits. No more nuisance. Out of sight, out of mind.


Locate the site of Gaebler Children's Center @ Google Map

Gaebler, Hell and Back by Andrew Palmer (based on his experience at Gaebler in the mid 70's.)
Gaebler Children's Center @ Opacity
State Boys Rebellion by  Michael D'Antonio
Gracefully Insane by Alex Beam


About demolition:
http://www.wickedlocal.com/waltham/features/x290095825/Demolition-begins-on-Walthams-58-year-old-Gaebler-School
http://blogs.wickedlocal.com/brandnewwatch/2010/12/02/visual-update-on-the-gaebler-school-demolition/

45 comments:

  1. Great work and great pictures. Thanks for writing in such detail about the conversation!

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  2. Hi, Matthew.

    Thanks for the comment. Indeed it's been a tough work!

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  3. Hello Shuko, this is the woman that you spoke to you that cold Autumn day/early evening, I was 2 years not 3, and they gave us Thorazine, Benadryl and Valuim to keep us in control, but, that didn't always work, we did have conselors that we were mandatd to talk to you, and they made us feel worse than we realy were, but, you did get the story correct, just a few mistakes and I thank you for telling my story, it was a hell, I hate that the building is gone, because they should have paid the money to have it rehabilated into a children's center for kids with problems but, with former patients that were there as the staff members cause then we could really help them, there is no need for lock ups like Gaebler, it was a sick and twisted place, the staff were mean and treated us like criminals, we were kids for god sakes, not animals.The Dept of Mental Health really needs to pay for their crimes, I will not stop til I get what I want, if it takes me the rest of my life, I will do whatever it takes to expose the Massachuettes Dept of Mental Health and Dept of Social Services, they are self centered people who feel the need to be in control on innocent little kids because them themselves have no control in their own lives, it's pittiful that this world does this kind of treatment to children. THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU FOR TELLING MY STORY, I am so glad that my husband and I ran into you that day....

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    1. Hi Michelle, I just read your post. I have some questions I'm hoping you could answer for me. Please email me at wellingtonhall1968@gmail.com

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  4. Michelle,

    Of course I'm not gonna forget your name!

    I'll correct the mistakes soon. And thanks for getting in touch with me.

    Say hello to your husband and your friends.

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  5. Shuko K., & Michelle,
    Thanks for posting the story I love that some of what we endured is finally being put out there for people to read and grasp the reality we as children suffered. Its truly sad what went on there for so long and nobody knew or cared. But we survived and no one can ever take that from us. Massachusetts has hidden a lot of inhuman and unethical things I am proud you had the courage to reveal a small portion of the abuse and suffering we all went through during placement at Gaebler Children Center! But you did forget to tell of the physical abuse of being put in a corner with your arm held up to the back of your head on your tippy toes, and if you moved or talked even yelled in pain how 4 or 5 large staff members would slam you to the hard cement floor sit on your head while holding you down then give you a lovely shot of Thorazine. They would then carry you to a seclusion room where they would have a 5 point restraint bed set up for you to be tied to. Or how you could be left there for 12 to 18 hrs. Why did this happen? Not because you were a threat to yourself or Anyone else it could be simply protesting having to wait to use the bathroom, or if a staff was having a bad day guess what you were out of control! Sad we were put there for our protection but was provided with anything but! But as long as it is not forgotten hopefully it will never be repeated! May god bless you and all the rest whom have been in our shoes! Much love and may god take away any scars! Your friend always Shauna Marie <3

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    1. I remember this from Hall Mercer - McLean hospital. I was 10.

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  6. smo,

    Thank you for telling the painful past to us.

    I always admire your strength not to forget and courage to voice what happened there.

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  7. Shuko:

    Wow...that's all I can say. What a story.

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  8. Hi, Dave.

    Until I met her, I didn't know such a strong, overly negative emotion was in the building.

    The thing I can do is telling a story...

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  9. My name is Shelley Bassett and i was a patient at gaebler psychiatric Hospital in 1988. I was 15 years old at the time. Boy oh boy the memories and nightmares of that hell of a hospital. The abuse both mentally and physical is something i must live with for the rest of my life. I will NEVER forget gaebler

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  10. Hi Shelley,

    Thank you for speaking up. I still cannot help surprising so many children were traumatized... I hope writing this comment let some degree of pain off from your shoulders.

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  11. I have to say I'm a little offended at your comment about the "well-to-do" patients at McLean...I was just admitted for a stay there this year, and a lot of this woman's story fits in perfectly with my own stay. Some of the things you've described are just standard procedure at any inpatient hospital; I've been to a lot of wards but I've NEVER been to a single inpatient that allows you to open your own windows. It's infuriating and demeaning, yes, but appropriate for safety reasons and hardly cruel. I've been through the shower drill, again. It's ridiculous, but standard, and not altogether cruel. The fact that they /had/ a swimming pool sounds fantastic to me.

    I'm not trying to make this woman's or any patient's suffering sound any less. Her treatment sounds like absolute hell, and the idea of being bound and in isolation sends chills down my spine, but please think carefully before writing off another hospital as a walk in the park, especially one you really have no experience with.

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  12. Hello Anonymous,

    Thank you for speaking your mind. I take your comment seriously and am sorry that my comment was not right for you. I'll cross the "well-to-do" part of the statement.

    Of course safety measures should be most concerned. But when I heard the woman's story, I was surprised that there was no AC available while her stay during the 80's in such a concrete building like Gaebler; I was simply surprised by "NO-AC" as an outsider.

    Have you read Alex Beam's "Gracefully Insane"? I'm very curious about your impression of the book because he states McLean as "most prestigious mental hospital" in America, and many non-patient visitors think McLean's "carefully landscaped grounds" resembles "a prosperous New England prep school". Of course he makes sure stating that McLean follows safety procedures as a hospital with an inpatient facility. I am very interested in your perspective in order to deepen my understanding.

    Thank you again for your valuable comment and telling your story in McLean.

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  13. Dear Anonymous,
    i'm sure your stay at Mcleans was horrible as it always is when one loses the rights to freedom or the ability to make their own decisions. I dont know the current condition of Mcleans now but in the 80's it was a luxury to go there rather then Gaebler. I did have the chance to visit someone there back in the 80's and it was like black and white from Gaebler, Danver's or most state funded hospitals. Also i had a very close friend in Gaebler whose family had alot of money. She was court ordered to a psych hospital but because her family didnt like the conditions or treatment they paid for her stay at Mcleans. there she had a private room unlike us with 8 - 10 in a room. she had real food, a private bathroom, snack time, walks on the grounds with fresh air (a priv it took almost 2 yrs to get for myself) restraints and physical abuse were unheard of. it was just a different world so i would have to back the opinion of it being a luxury back then compared to what we at Gaebler was living with. I cant say how it is or how you were treated but i hope it was way better then the patients back then from Gaebler. and as far as the pool i was there over 2Yrs never did i feel a drop from the pool, so if anything it was more of a torture the a thing of pleasure. There was children who lived at home but came for the day and they were the ones who mainly got use of the pool area. May God Bless You. Thanks for letting me share again.
    SMO

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  14. Hi SMO,

    Thank you for your thoughtful comment and coming back here. I am always amazed how much I can learn from you. And I also wish Anonymous good luck.

    Shuko

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  15. i look i see iread and cry 9 years i live there happy to see it go but never will forget it god bless all

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  16. Hi Anon,

    Sorry if the story made you cry... But I believe voicing your past is a positively powerful doing.

    Take care.

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  17. Dear Anonymous,
    Hi my name is shauna or SMO. If you read this blog then you know I too was there! If you ever need someone to just talk to please email. I know it brings back horrible memories and pain!! But I care and I know what you went thru! You will be in my prayers. And I'm just a message away if you ever need someone to talk to.
    Shaunabassett@aol.com God Bless You

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  18. dear shaua thanks my name is walter if you need to talk im waltergeorge20@yahoo.com yes helps to talk is still hard but it made us strong hope to talk soon be well happy to call you my freind god bless take care

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  19. please guys can you help me shut down judge rotenburg center in mass. they give kids electric shocks and do many things done at gaebler. i know it is hard to read and brings back memories but JRC is still going and it needs to be shut down.

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  20. Hi anon,

    Wow, I didn't know about JRC!

    According to the report submitted by the school, "the GED (sk: Graduated Electronic Decelerator) is used with only 42% of residents of school age" (http://www.judgerc.org/responsetoblogs.pdf).

    "42%! That's a lot!" is my honest observation. Anon, could I ask you how did you know about the place (please don't feel obliged to answer...)?

    I briefly read the bellow sources, yes Gaebler is what I was imaging while I was reading them:

    Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Judge_Rotenberg_Educational_Center#cite_note-4
    Boston.com: http://boston.com/news/daily/15/school_report.pdf
    JRE: http://www.judgerc.org/responsetoblogs.pdf

    Shuko

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  21. My story, Part 1:

    I was a resident at Gaebler from April 1981 to August 1982, when I was 13-14. I guess I was placed there because there was not a viable alternative placement for me... Actually, my story isn't nearly as horrible as the other folks who posted-- the treatment I received at a public school was inherently worse than anything I saw or personally experienced at Gaebler. At the public school, I was sexually harassed and assaulted, and the school admin just blew it off. Their refusal to actually DO anything about the abuse led to my being placed at Gaebler because I refused to go to school again. When I was at Gaebler for 1 month, I received permission to go "Off-grounds alone", which they told me no other resident had achieved so quickly... Which basically meant that I was allowed to visit home for the weekend-- something I was allowed to do for my entire stay at Gaebler. There were very few weekends that I had to stay there; and most school vacations I spent at my home on Cape Cod.

    I did not take any meds, although some of the people on my ward, "Ward E", were on Thorazine (a girl who was clearly mentally ill, and a young man who was in there for a serious arson problem... there were a few more). As I recall, the counselors locked the showers as a safety precaution-- I never felt as if I was being caged in the showers like an animal; my ward was co-ed, so it was so no hanky-panky could occur, as I understood it. The only time I received Benadryl was when I contracted the chicken pox when I was 14-- which had made the rounds in my ward.

    As I recall, the counselors were mental health interns; they were nice folks for the most part. Maybe because my problems were not as severe as the other kids', I had it a bit easier. The worst infractions and punishments I recall for myself were having my record LPs taken because I listened to the radio past lights-out, and only once was I locked in a seclusion room. And THAT was only because it was considered a "rite of passage"-- I was the only one ON the was ward who HADN'T been "locked", so with my roommate, we conspired to get me "locked"-- she was locked as well. All we really did was act up for a while past bedtime...

    Trying to recall the other wards... Ward D, and I think there was another ward... one of the wards was for younger kids-- under 12; and the other was for kids with more serious problems. Don't recall the other wards...

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    1. wow, thank you for helping me remember which ward I was on. It was for children under 12 but this was back in 1967 1968 1969 It was called Wellington Hall. Does anone remember Wellington Hall. I need help remembering which buildig it was in. I do remember being held down in a paded room by a counselor. I remember the long hallways and on our floor we had what seem like a hugh dinning area with one very long table, Our food was deliverd on warm metal carts. I can;t remember the otside of the building at all. I've sen pictures but they don't look like the building I resided in. I do remember the first day my social worker bringing me there and we walked through a long hallway. I remember the row of windows on each side. The sun would shine through so bright. I remember that because it was so hot. Please help me remember more about Wellington Hall

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  22. My Story, Part 2:

    One of the things I remember was the "Teen Center", which was where you got to have punch and drink coffee, maybe socialize with kids from the other wards and play records. There were sessions with psychologists and a monthly meeting with the 'Head Counselor"-- I remember our HC was a man with a bushy mustache named Phil. He was kind of a hard-case, but in a 'tough guy needing to keep his ward in shape' kind of thing, but he was always fair with me. I don't recall him being mean or a jerk. Again, it could be because I wasn't as severely troubled as some of the other residents (and I could see that some of the kids WERE very much in need of services)... Another counselor, Sean, played guitar, and encouraged me to 'broaden my musical horizons'... a chestnut-haired female counselor was soft-spoken and very kind to me; Janice, another counselor, was kind as well. Who else was there... George... Marie...

    Anyway, FWIW, there's my story. As not-horrible as my personal experience was, when I left Gaebler in August 1982, I did not write to any of the people I'd met when I was there. I just wanted to put that experience behind me-- NOT because of the way I was treated. I think it was more because when I was there, I felt almost a 'hive' mentality going on... when one person was agitated, then it sort of spread around. When a few people got agitated, then sometimes the entire ward would riot (which was actually kind of funny when the kids had planned it, which some of us DID-- "Hey Susie, Mary and I are going to push over our night stands at 10 pm, you in? The boys are going to do it too."), and assistance from other wards would be called: I remember this clearly: "All available help to Ward E" going over the speakers in the building. So yeah, it could be like there was something that was "spreading", and I didn't want to have that as a part of my life anymore.

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  23. I was resident at Gaebler from 1979 until 1983. It was a horrible place & no child should ever have to endure such atrocities !!! That woman that you were speaking to in the woods is my cousin. We were there at the same time, I was there much longer & witnessed many horrible & illegal events

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  24. Thank you for the pictures, and the story. It really was as horrible as described. I was there for three years, and will be forever haunted by it's memory.

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  25. Hi Renee and Anon on Dec. 27. Sorry that it got so long to publish your comments. Too many things are happening with my life right now that I don't even have a time to update my blog...

    As always, thank you very much for your courage to voice your experience here. I firmly believe that the process of voicing your experience is very tough but at the same time it could be an empowering one.

    Renee, I feel very saddened and shocked that you and your cousin had to be sent there. But at the same time, I am very proud of your courage to tell your story here! Your cousin is a very strong and compassionate person...I believe you are like her, too!

    Shuko

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  26. Hi Anon on 23rd. Sorry it got so late to publish your work. And thank you very much for spending a time for letting us to know about your experience at Gaebler.

    I am always get surprised how varied the conditions of the children held there. Although I am no expert in Psychiatric care, I simply wonder why some of the children had to be held there. For treatment wise, would it be effective or not effective to mix children with varied conditions into one ward? For some kids, I feel a temporary shelter from the problem at school or home would have been enough.

    Sorry to hear that you had to go through such an injustice and indifference at the public school. It's appalling that adults at the school failed to protect you from the all the abuse!

    Shuko K.

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  27. Hi Shuko, this is 'Anon'-- you published my 2 part story-- thank you! Yeah, my experience seems to be the anomoly to what happened to my compadres' experiences... I do remember some of the other residents saying "you don't belong here", when I told them I was there for not going to school. It was what my mom's insurance paid for (she had excellent insurance, but it wouldn't pay for McLean, which was where I was evaluated prior to ending up at Gaebler), and there was really nowhere else to go. The school system I went to 30 years ago did nothing-- my abusers were jocks and from so-called 'better' towns in the late '70s Cape Cod town heirarchy.

    What Sean-the-counselor told me all those years ago has stayed with me every day, and I apply it to everything in my life: "broaden your [musical] horizons".

    I'm sorry that other kids had such horrible stays there. You're right, it was just a giant mish-mash of kids, who had all sorts of problems from all walks of life. Not enough was done for kids then... I didn't need to be at Gaebler; what would have worked wonders for me was a small school with smaller classes-- and to be away from a controlling mother. I guess Gaebler 'worked' for me in the sense that I got to be away from her, which was the other half of my teenage problems. :)

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  28. Hi Again! Thank you for the feedback.

    You must have been questioning the meaning of the word "you don't belong here" for many years. It wasn't the word of rejection but meant something more profound and complex....That being said, as Mich relied on her friendship to get through her stay in Gaebler, I feel you also had a similar experience of kids helping each other.

    I am relieved that you were able to meet a counselor who functioned as a responsible adult with lots of care and enthusiasm...Basically that's what you REALLY needed!

    I am not familiar with the history of Cape Cod neighborhood dynamics at all and found it intriguing...

    Shuko

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  29. Dear Shuko,
    I'm a young author interested in writing a novel about The Gaebler institution and was curious if I could use some of the photos you've taken(with credit) on the site that I write my novels on. Please respond soon! Thanks
    - Kate

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    1. I can't believe I found your post on the boards. I've been looking for a freelancer/writer to write about Wellington Hall Childrens home. From what I heard Gaebler was name after Wellington Hall. I lived at Wellington Hall. I'm willing to share my story with you for your noval

      wellingtonhhall1968@gmail.com

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  30. Hi Kate,

    Could you direct me the link of your site? You can leave your info to: creepychusetts[at]gmail.com. That sounds interesting!

    Shuko

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    1. And Kate, please do use my photos. As you mentioned, it would be great if you credit me.

      Shuko

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  31. Hello all im Dennis Bunting. Ward b as a kid and a as a teen
    I don't know why the place was so bad, but still holds good memories of my life. Must be all the friends I made there. Also I'm looking for a Shawna w. From ward a. Contact me at Dennis removal@AOL.com

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    1. Hi Dennis,

      I've been away from the blog, wanting to return to my investigation again. Good that you left a comment, I'll catch you up soon!

      Shuko

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    2. Has anyone ever heard of Wellingtn Hall? I lived there in the 60's. It was located at Metropikitan State Hospital I just remember remember what building we were in. Help!

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    3. Hello, there was no Wellington Hall at Gaebler, so it must of been at Metropolitan State Hospital which was right down the road from Gaebler, the 2 buildings were made by the same man, what a sick and twisted man he was, I don't know what right people have to take children and mentally and physically abuse them they way we were, yes, I made the best of friends there and talk to a few of them and have even seen them, but, I feel the staff and Dept of Mental Health really need to be fined and jailed for the crap they did to us children, it's not fair that a lot of the kids have never been able to get on with their lives after being locked up, and the shower room wasn't for safety, trust me, there is no reason under the sun to lock up and innocent child in a single stall shower room where no one can hear you, you had to bang on the door to be let out, or yell, it was creepy to say the least. The staff had such huge ego's, and took their job past it's limitations, there should have been no restraining kids, I mean, we were in a locked facility, you couldn't get out on your own, all the doors were locked, dam school was even in the locked building, I just can't believe that such places like this exist in our world. The thorazine, benadryl and valium cocktails we got were supposed to keep us in control and kinda a zombie, it wasn't to help us by any means. I will never get over what I went thru being at Gaebler and I know none of the other kids will either, but, I will say this, I meet the best of friends there, I will never take anything for granted again, like the air I breathe, or being able to step outside anytime I want to, or go for a walk when I want to. I am now married to a wonderful man who accepts me for who I am, for what I went thru as a child, for being in Gaebler and we have 2 beautiful daughters and I thank god for him everyday. I hope that other children who were there were able to find peace and happiness in their lives like I did, but, don't misunderstand me, that place was hell, the things I saw get done to children haunt me everyday and I drive by the place just about everyday even thou the building has been taking down. I am sorry you had to be in a place like I was, I heard Met State Hospital was horrible and from the things I have read and certainly was. I was never so grateful to have met Shuko that day on the grounds of Gaebler, I have been wanting to tell my story for so long but, just couldn't.

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    4. Welcome again Mich,

      I'm so sorry to be this late to publish your comment. I've been sick last month and needed to see several doctors to get right medication.It was such a struggle to see any doctors in Boston area because my insurance wasn't "good" enough.

      I'll be leaving the area soon, if we could meet again, it would be great...

      Shuko

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  32. I was there from 1985 to 1988 I was 9 when I went in and I was a hard worn 12 year old boy with many memories that still creep up on me till this day.

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  33. Ward A, Ward B,Ward C, Ward D.

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  34. I was at Gaebler from 1975 to 1976 when I was 15. I was released on my 16th birthday. I spent the next 9 months at home until I was placed in a residential treatment program (Liberty House in Danvers). My experience wasn't as awful as some of what I have read tonight. I was on Ward C. I remember swimming in the pool out back. I remember going to Walex for bowling and rollerskating. I went home on weekends. I was being housed as my home situation was not good. My dad was bipolar. My mom drank. My two older siblings (9 and 10 years older) were heavy into drugs. I refused to go to school. I'm not sure why I am posting this. I'll return and read the rest of what is here another day. Too many tears right now.

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    1. Hi Anon,

      Thank you for posting. It's a great chance for me to listen ex-students who were sent there for various reasons. If you'd like to, please come back!

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  35. If you want to write a comment about Gaebler Children's Center, please feel free leave one to: http://reversedview.blogspot.com/2011/02/gaebler-children-center-waltham.html

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