mouse wrote:Facinating, I would like to hear much more

Brian:
We have one poster who's the son of one of the Doctors who worked at TCSH. The family lived in a back house on the grounds. Across from the Post Office I believe he said.
I could tell he had spent time at tcsh by the way he described the tunnels.
You'd have to spend time there to know what they were like.
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I'd like to see some of the pictures of your Mother-in-law.
I remember that most of the younger nurses were more shy than bitchy
Thanks for the information.

I found this forum last night late, I have been reading pretty much ever since. I have cried and I have gotten very angry while reading. My heart aches at the treatment of children ... even still today. Your stories Ron and Mike have touched a place in my soul and I am forever changed. I have my own demons and have worked through them and for the most part put them past me. I lived in TC for many years and spent all of my teens there, so TC is "home" to me. I was there when the hospital closed. There is so much I would like to say, but I can not organize my thoughts very well right now. So excuse me if I seem to be jumping to and fro. I am like a child starving right now, hungry to know more, I have questions and yet can not put them into words. I have already been in contact with both Ron and Mike briefly through facebook. I have registered at the hall 18 forum (thanks Ron ). I feel like a spinning top and all my thoughts and questions are just a jumbled mess. Once I get my thoughts together, where would you like me to post my questions...here or at your forum?

I think the one thing that seems to be resonating with me right now is the beginning of your story Ron. Your admittance. No goodbyes, no "see you soons" no "love you's" no explanations. The sound of those heavy doors closing, the sound of keys jingling, the strange faces, the smells, the very presence of starkness and emptiness that must have been there. It had to have been so frightening. All I can imagine is a feeling of panic, screaming inside of your soul, desperation to know what was going to happen. Alone, isolated, fear and emptiness.

You are amazing individuals who, while still bearing the deep scars of your past, won. They did not take it all away from you, you survived, you prospered, you lived. I am so glad you have finally been able to break free from the shackles placed on you. I believe everything happens for a reason...whether we like or not, understand it or not...there is a reason. I admire your strength. Your stories need to be told...shouted to the world really. So many turn their backs and do not want to hear of such things and choose to ignore it. I find that sad...that is what allows atrocities to continue. Ignorance is NOT bliss in the end.

I look forward to getting to know everyone and learning more about you. Know that you have a new friend out here in the world rooting for you. I eagerly await for your book Ron. I will be one of the first to buy one.

Blessings ~ Kristen

we will answer all questions but we need threads over at our website.
http://www.hall-18.com/forums/index.php
plus we have a nice Christmas Thyeme and free hot coco.

That was free hot virtual coco.

Yes ron glad you clarified that virtual free cocoa!

Thanks for the welcome, I spend as much time as I can on this site, or any sites for the Kirkbride buildings and links as the subject realy facinates me but as I do not have a computer at home I can only go online at work and sometimes I have to do some "real" work, also here (South Africa) our history is so much younger than yours, there are no such places (that I know of)Thank u for sharing your memories it keeps me spellbound for literally hours....

Ron: I just remembered something that hasn't been mentioned yet.
Do you remember, on Hall18 every saturday morning they use to bring hot loafs of bread up to the dayroom, steaming fresh right out of the oven. The nurse would cut us each a wide slice .

I do not recall that, but I was in forced catechism on Saturday mornings maybe thats why.

Merry Christmas everyone.

click image for a full-sized view

Merry Christmas!

I can't help remembering the cold days following Christmas. About 1/4 of the hall was allowed to go home and the rest of us was wearing our new clothes or playing the games we received as Christmas presents. The coldness was what I remember most. We only had Christmas day off at school and the weekend. Some of us kids just looked out the window and it was usually snowing, and watching the smoke come out of the power plant across the street, sometimes the smoke would hug the ground, I was always cold. I always hated Christmas because it is a cold lonely time of year, and I still look out the window and wonder.

I did get to go home for christmas. There was 1-2 times some did make it because either their families were snowed in or TC was snowed in.

The walls and floors were always freezing cold ..except around the radiator.

New Years on hall-18, was the same as any day without school. We went to bed at 10 PM as usual, no fireworks, the only bang we got was that liquid thorazine. After New years day we greated our friends who came back from home and played with their new games.