The Light

I really like this one! VERY aptly named!

Oh, wow, this is absolutely gorgeous, the way the light peers around the bars...

Hmmm, there must be some master plans for state run places. Something like the Kirkbrides only voide of any apealing elements used in recently (last 20, 30ish years) because this room sans bars on the window from what I can tell looks very much like the resident rooms at the state run rehab center for the blind's old and now disused dorms...

Please don't think me stupid, but is this window boarded over? And the light is leaking in around the gaps? Very strange feeling looking at his.

Spooky how the light is casting.. the picture is great

wallpaper please

Re: (BlueSkyes). "is this window boarded over? And the light is leaking in around the gaps?"

It looks to me like it is. The effect with the sunlight is quite remarkable.

Does anyone else think that's an old-style telephone on the floor in the bottom right? We used to have one of those at home.

love this picture

I swear my classrooms in enrichment looked like that. Uh oh...

Actually it looks like there is a giant sponge on the window. I dont know, that's what i get out of it. LOL!

really good shot Motts.
ah i wish i could photograph like you.
(:

Lovely lighting.

I really like this shot.......beautiful work!!!!

This is quite a frightening shot.. yet it's beautiful.

I could not walk around this place.. it would spook me out too much.

Great work motts!

The light at the end of the tunnel or erm.. hallway.

Love the small prism effect of the light coming up from the bottom.

Yay modern ceiling tiles!!!

Oh Well let me GUess ,Any one who think this room is a patient room needs clarification it is not it is an administrative office..I would klnow its in the center building .
I sat here more times than not Talking to the oddball qwack that would rub his chin conctantly thoughout the interview of event prev to my last interview i would have on a somwhat monthly basis..I made him swear
and i luved it he was the one that shoulda been ther that nazi!

You caught the light in this room really well. It is a wonderful picture.

hmmm, I think this was an office on the 4th floor, not on the first floor, too small for the first floor.

I like the shape of the light and shadows in this one, very nice.

i was at gaebler children's center from the age of 9 till i was 14 year's old and the day that i heard that that prison closed i was very very happy for me it was hell and thank god i recovered from all the horrible things i had done to me while i was there it was hell

I ADORE the way the light reflects off of the ceiling. Oh, and I'm really enjoying the people telling their stories of the place in the comments. It really clarifies the place for me. It's horrifying what they did to you. I've been in a phsyciatric ward once when I was 16 (18 now) for about 2 weeks, and I didn't have a bad experience at all. It's abominable, the way that they treated you. (If your curious, my mother had called 911 after a raging suicidal episode. I'm fine now :] )

Hey RUTHANN when were u at gaebler. If your using your real name I acutally lived in that nightmare-hole! Im glad it was shut down !! Its sad how they treated us kids.

"By: GaeblerSchoolGirl Oh Well let me GUess ,Any one who think this room is a patient room needs clarification it is not it is an administrative office..I would klnow its in the center building .
I sat here more times than not Talking to the oddball qwack that would rub his chin conctantly thoughout the interview of event prev to my last interview i would have on a somwhat monthly basis..I made him swear
and i luved it he was the one that shoulda been ther that nazi!"

Let me guess, what that David Binder?

amazing

I worked there for a year in mid 80's on ward A. It was quite the experience. It left a big impact on my life. I hope all who were patients there are doing well in their lives. I remember many of them!

momto4, what was your first name? just curious because I was there from 1985 on and maybe you floated to ward D?

Maureen

oh, sorry, I do not remember you. You must be as glad as I am thought that it is closed now.

Yes, I am glad it is closed. I worked there mid 85 - summer '86. I don't remember ever floating to ward D which I believe was down the hall on the same floor as Ward A. Hope you are doing well.

momto4 does this help people who were in this place or scare them more?

For myself personally, it is a reflection back to how things were when I was a kid. having kids of my own, personally I would never put them in a place like this no matter what the situation. I still often wonder what had happened to the staff and kids that I knew when I was there and how they are now.

but what was good about it?to look back for a lot of friends that know that werethere had bad thoughts even i had them.notting good came from that place.most of the staff did not care and most of the kids all ended up in prison or back in the dmh.i live my life not caring for the place and knowing that i did not want to be caged not being able to go outside because someone says so.it is funny to see gaebler in web sites,a friend told me of this site.maureen i know her and was nice always to me.a happy person.i have talked to other staff there out at a mall or something and it is cool because i got along with them.

I am not sure if it helps or scares them. I am guessing it depends on their personal experiences at Gaebler. It left a big impact on my life and I wasn't a patient . I can't put myself in your shoes. Everyone probably feels different emotions when viewing this site.

i know people or kids can change there own ways,i myself coach kids and went on to play sports in high school and went on to college.so i have learned that i did not want to be caged and wanted to make kids that i coach or give pitching lessons to that there are kids who don't have it as good as they do,and to be lucky.i have not told them about places like gaebler because i could picture them in something like that.by the way my name is shane maureen.

Shane, when were you there?

Hi Shane! I remember you. It sounds like you are doing very well in your life and that you are a great role model to kids. I am happy for you. Sounds like you are a baseball coach!

Oh my gosh.
Wow.
This is amazing photography, but it really scares me just thinking about what horrible things happened in this center.

Great photography - i love all of your shots!

Xx

who could forget me.i also coach basketball and fill in on girls traval softball.you have to enjoy being around kids and watch them grow from kids who can't swing a bat to hitting home runs or can't hit a shot in b-ball to being all stars on traval teams.i want kids to know that you may to something wrong,but you can fix it and move on,and you can't change the past just work on the present.don't make the same mistake twice.in gaebler there were staff in there who gave you a chance,and there were (85%)you did not care that you were human (let alone a child).i think that bothers me more then losing 3 years of my life.that is the shame of it,for me i give my time without a price to help kids.i go to bed without nightmares or sadness.for some staff i hope they lose sleep over what they have done in there.there are some like neil,willie,karen and there are more not to much more that i think tried.not to much more though.

Sounds like you have a great life and a very busy one! The kids you teach are lucky to have you in their life. I am sure that when these kids are grown, they will have great memories of their childhood and pass that along to the kids in their life. What a great guy!

It looks like the light is fighting to get in and is on its way to winning lol.

I can't imagine locking a child up in a little room like that. It's terrifying, but such a wonderful shot. The lighting is incredible.

One of the administrators rooms If i knew exactly where it was in the building i could tell you.
Dr Hanna was in charge when i was there
Dr.Wassfy Hanna This looks like his office i was brought there to see him a few times..He wanted to tak to me ...ooooooh Yes was in trouble for something he didnt like and it most likely had to do with escape attemts or to question me about things he thought i knew about that were going on.I never told him anything..He would sit and rub his thumb over his chin while he spoke to me..I almost made him swear and it was funny.

I am truly saddened and sorry to hear from kids who were at Gaebler having such horrible memories of the place...I have thought of Gaebler- and my time working there- so many times over the years. I think about all the kids I knew, and wonder and hope that they are happy and doing well in life. I do also want to say that I would hope that anyone who remembered me would count me as one of the "caring staff"... I was fresh out of college and very naive, but I truly did care about the kids, and so did others I worked with. I hope that those kids who were there can "make peace" with it and have a happy life....

former staff,
How can we remember you if you don't let us know who you are?
What Ward did you work and when?

Hi John,
My name is Melodee and I worked on Ward B from 1983-1985

Hi Melodee,
You worked there after I have gone and years after I was on Ward B.
If you cared about the kids, then do not worry, they will remember you.

momto4, I know you. I never forgot your face. I seen you signed your name Maureen. Your name is Maureen Gil.... You can fill in the blanks. I didn't want to put your whole last name out there. You were my ICC. Your brother's name is Kevin. I know because my sister went to school with your brother at St. Charles in Woburn, Ma. You were nice to me. Lisa and Neil Chiso.. where also my ICC's. We went for walks together on the grounds. I had off ground privilages. My name is Veronica L. I remember you too Shane. I remember your face still too. Maureen, that place still gives me nightmares to this day. I try not to think about it. I ended up being a musician, playing throughout Boston, then a hairdresser, then went back to school, recieved my BSEE in 04 for electronic engineering. I'm also a motorcycle mechanic/painter that I do on the side. I moved to Fl. I came out ok, but it was a hard road from hell. Very hard.

Hi Veronica,
I remember you very well too!! You were always smiling and I remember we called you Sunshine. You have an incredible memory. I am very impressed! I am sorry you still have nightmares about that place and I am very happy you are doing well. What kind of music do you play? An electronic engineering degree sounds very difficult to me! Good for you. How do you like living in Florida?

Maureen, you are so right. They always did call me sunshine. I forgot all about that. I still get that from people saying I smile all the time. They nickname me Joker now. That's so funny and after 20 + yrs here we are. I'm so happy to be able to talk to you again. I was still there after you left. I missed you a lot. We used to talk a lot in the hallways. Feel free to email me HDFXRD@hotmail.com. I always wondered how you were doing. I remember you were going to Northeastern while working at Gaebler. You would read your books for school while working there. There was nothing much else to do while sitting in front of our room during quiet time. My sister remembers your brother as well as I do. LOL. I was in 1st grade and he was in 5th. Send me an email sometime. It was great hearing from you.

Veronica, It is hard to believe it has been 20 + years. I still can't get over how great your memory is! If you were in 1st and he was in 5th, then I was in 7th! Long time ago! I tried your email address but it didn't go through. I will try again.

Maureen, it's hdfxrd@hotmail.com. I knew you couldn't be much older than Kevin. He should be about 40 now. That's how old my sister would be. I never forget. I still remember first and last names of some of the patients and staff. My memories play in my head like a video. I don't have any pictures from when I was young, but I can still see it like it was yesterday.

Hi Veronica,
I will email soon. I haven't forgotten I had knee replacement surgery a couple of weeks ago and i am just starting to get back to everyday activities. Hope all is well with you.

Definately an office on the 4th floor. The offices on the first floor near the main enterance were much larger. Anyone remember the school at the hospital itself? I remember the one across the street, but you had to have "priveleges" to attend that school. Was the in hospital school on the 4th floor??

its such a small room with a little bit of light.

I went to the school upstairs. I remember a teacher who used to read palms on the side. I don't remember much of the schoolwork though. Must've done it but don't remember much of that. But I wasn't behind when I went back to public school after. So it must've been ok.

holy wow! the lighting on this one is just baffling

it's an office on the 4th floor.

I AM A WARD (E) KID MYSELF. And the picture of the room reminds me of a guy with goldrim (circular) glasses, a very kempt beard (brown) and with very thin wrists. Could be Wrong?!?

The only room comparable in size that they would grace upon a child is the "seclusion room" where solitde and screaming were the order of the day, alongside the crappy lunch you would get while there. The room is 4(w) feet by 9(l) feet by 12 feet (h) and a 2" sleel and plexiglass door. I remember when they put the new doors in to replce the bloody 1" steel and cracked glass doors.

not to this office though

Can I just say how absolutely strange it is to hear someone throw out the name Wassfy Hanna? He was my psychiatrist from the time I was 12 until I was 18, and I'm 21 now. He told me used to work here and I'd always hoped to find some trace of him. That's just...wow.

Dr. Hanna is still alive and kicking! Unfortunately.... he's my psych. now and he's a complete nazi. take this pill...and this one and this one...youll feel better.
wish he would go back to egypt.

I know this room it is on the forth floor buy the school. Went to the school across the street but do remember the teachers upstairs Mr. Burns, Mr. Lichadello with the big nose. My name is Dennis Bunting anyone know me? I was there 1988-1991 about

I seriously feel bad for anyone who has dr. hanna. He was a sick f*** back in 1981-1986 when I was at gaebler. God only knows the torture he's putting his new experiments through. May god bless you & keep you safe. Eygpt isn't far enough(lol)

shauna were you on ward A?i was there 83-88.i think i might know you.i was on ward A

This is beautiful, its a shame its gonna be renovated

Shauna
Is it shauna w. From ward A? Johns girl friend, audrie,s roommate.

Hey, I am personally starting a new group in yahoo for former patients to openly discuss their time at Gaebler. Please feel free to come by and visit.


Group name: GCC2010
Group home page: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/GCC2010
Group email: GCC2010@yahoogroups.com

no some other shauna o

ME..... yes this is the very same crazy shauna u remember.(lol) how are? are u still hyper? u always had the cutest smile as kids i remember ur smile could light up the room.

S.M.O.

me
when did u leave ward A. I got there late 88 and did u know brooks

This is one of the most lit-up rooms that I have seen in an abandoned place. I'm glad it's also free from graffii. It's a shame that this center for children was not conducive to healing.

I was on ward d 83-85.I love these pictures,very good job.Brings back a lot of memories and feelings.Its true as someone said in another post,that you really don't have friends like the friends you made there.I still remember a few staff that made it a little better there,like Maria on ward D.I also remember "chris",the big guy with the horrible nylon pants that always made that sound when he walked,and probably should have been a patient there himself.He loved to egg kids on,and call"all availables" for the slightest look or thought,not to mention the way he looked at us girls. I actually broke out of there one night,we had got the window lose over time in our room,and tied a bunch of sheets together,then to a bed,and scaled down the wall.made it to belmont/cambridge before getting picked back up.Let me know if anyone remembers this,especially susan/sarah.

Vik23
I heard about u. There was another attempt like that and they put huge screens over all the windows. We couldn't open the window withput the staff opening the screen

Motts
You need to go to taunton state hospital in taunton MA.

Motts
I was just in the "Plymouth county hospital" Hanson MA. The place is in bad shape. But some great phots. Especialy the sick beds and wheel chairs in the front wings. Check it out

Motts
fired has destroyed most of the place but the parts that I left my beautiful

momto4;
you wasnt always a loving caring staff. no offense but i remember quite a few times your demon horns came out!!!!!!!! did i rub you the wrong way or was it your buddy "upchuck" that would make you such a lovely person? dont kid yourself "caring" dont think so! i'll give you credit though you werent the worst and it wasnt often. and maybe for your fav's you were caring. but let me set it straight I dont have any ill will for you I also realize you were young and trying to go to school an work. I hope you are happy and sucessful in your life. god bless you & yours