Auditorium

There is white clouds up on the ceiling.

this lookes exactly like my elementary school, leave it the way it is, and add people

What was the graffiti there like?

Thanks Motts, :-)
I have a sick sense of humor so I could see how the satantic stuff could be funny considering that it was painted over such jolly things!

anyone up for a game of basketball?

The sky is blue because they painted it blue!

omgosh.

this reminds me of It.
in some strange way...
):

Whats on the floor? A pizza box?

intestines

Those evil markings make me have more respect for solid white walls.

The whole scene gave me a flattened feeling about it all. Something is so missing, it could absolutely me , I just got this depressed feeling about it. I couln't pick up what it was being put down. I know I'm a relatively neive bastard, what missing in my life. I guess I watch too much T.V. I love you my man, my goodness what would I do whithout you. Johnny Mac.

DEBBIE is SO right there are white Clouds on the ceiling. I am going with Debbie.

Those colors pop out at you.

at least somebody else saw the dick

No... looks like you're the only one immature enough to feel the need to point it out...

As grafitti The dick show little imagination or talent. May I suggest to you Michaelangelo's Adam on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel. Now that was a dick

what art! An upside down bloody cross, skull, nudity, demons, penis and all that among a yelow sunshine and clouds

Anyone up for a Game of mental institution style street ball with some violent psycopaths...i'm DEFENSE whats your play.
hahaha! i am not afraid ,..those kids werent much different than any of us,so screw you all who fear that we are not human any longer
I am still with heart! and compassion and i have loved ..
Thsi was an evil fucking place and there is no doubt about it,..evil in every sense of it EVIL

I GOT TO SAY WE AT THE SCHOOL NEVER HAD THIS MUCH FREEDOM TO DRAW THIS. KIND OF STUFF ON THE BACK WALL OF THE GYM WOULD HAVE REQUIRED ALOT OF UNSUPERVISED TIME...
THINK ABOUT IT!
DO YOU REALLY THINK THE STAFF MEMBERS AT ANY POINT FOR ANYREASON WOULD BRING us CANS OF SPRAY PAINT AND MARKERS AND LEAVE US WITH ENOUGH FREETIME TO DO ALL THIS DAMAGE,..WE WOULD HAVE BUT IT WASNT ANY ONE WHO WAS EVER A RESIDENT AT GAEBLER WHO DID THESE ARTSY FARTSY THINGS ON THE WALL OF THIS GYM!
AND THE PENIS ART ALSO ,...
KIDS IN WALTHAM WHO LOVE TO PARTY LOVE GAEBLER SCHOOL...
THEY CAN GET AWAY FROM HOME AND GO TO A PLACE NO ONE WILL LOOK AND FUCK AND PARTY ALL NIGHT LONG AS WELL AS .
.ITS A WIN WIN! ROCK ON! PUNK ASSES HAVE A BLAST,...But dont make me wonder who really belongs there ,...lol!

indeed... surreal!!! skulls, a satanic priest, an inverted cross and even what seems to depic a big fat and circumcised penis playing the role of the gold pot at the end of the rainbow where blue skyes embrace snow white clowds and the most beautiful smiling and shiny yellow sun, all together sharing the same canvas which I think represents our our existance as it ... but what's the nature of the man that could possibly be in the middle with no lines between wrong and right, good and evil, God and Devil at the same time and able to appreciate it's beauty all together as it is without segregation?... wait, wait... I see dark clothing... something like a tripoid... a lens..... ohhh sh** it's Motts!!!!

wow that is scarry, that looks almost exactly what my elementary school looked like.

I was there, twice in my life.
The gym has a cement floor, we used to roller skate on it. The doors at the back of the gym lead up stairs to the school.
If you turn around, you come out into a long hallway, B-Ward is to your left.
Still remember those calls..."All available help to B as in Boy." Then the smack down begun and seclusion was next.

correction, D-Ward is to your left. B-Ward is upstairs. The gym is on the second floor, not 3rd.
Been a long time. I was there back in the 70's, Back then Mr. Heathwood (not sure of the spelling) was in charge of the place.

These drawings on the wall have the look of prison drawings or prison tattoos.

Signed: An American stationed in Mannheim, Germany.

9:57 P.M. German time
Monday / 24 / March / 2008

There was another counselor on B-Ward back in 1981 or 1982.
A black man, very nice person who I was close too.
We both played sports and we would go into the gym alot and throw the baseball around, both of us thought about going into the Babe Ruth league and then onto the minors.
So we practiced our pitching in this gym.
I think his name was Willie, but I'm not certain.
He was a nice man, and he did help us alot.
Back in 1973 or 1974 we did alot of roller skating in here.
But back in 1981 or 1982 while I was on D-Ward we had "field trips" every friday or saturday night and went roller skating in town.

Although people will believe what they want, Gaebler was not all the nightmarish things people believe, at least, not in my case.
I can't speak for the other children who was here, nor can I claim to know what they personally have gone through, I can only relate to you my own stories and what happened to me.
Like I said before, I have both good and bad memories here, I relate the good memories so others can see Gaebler in a different light.
As for my bad memories, well, let's just say there is still a 6 year old child in a little room down a mid length hallway on B-Ward.
If I was still in mass I would be there in a heartbeat, but I'm not, I'm in Colorado.
What would I hope to find if I went there?
Or seen a full picture of the room I described?
I'm not sure, healing maybe.
But I would like to see the place again before they tear it down.

how boring must it be for kids in waltham

I was on A ward. I use to rollerskate in the gym. I fell once and got sent to the hospital for stitches. I was in there early to mid 80's. Does anyone remember the game of the pats versus gaebler. I got to go to the game off grounds. I got the pats autographs too. That was the only good thing I could remember. John I remember Willie. He was real tall black guy with graying hair full beard. He was real nice. I still remember the names of the staff people on my ward. You remember when we went crazy when were not gonna take it by twisted sister came on. We all went off together. They eventually wouldn't let us listen to it. I remember the puke green mattresses. I used to stand it up against the wall and beat the shit out of it. I smashed my knuckles on the walls.

I WAS THERE 76-77 AND I DO REMEMBER RUNNING AROUND IN THIS GYM AS A YOUNG 9 YEAR OLD. TODAY I LOOK BACK ON THIS EXPIERIENCE AND I CAN TELL YOU I DID NOT BELONG THERE, IT WAS THE BIGGEST MISTAKE MY MOM SAID SHE EVER MADE.TODAY IM DOING VERY WELL COLLEGE EDUCATED PLAYED COLLEGE FOOTBALL THE HOLE NINE YARDS AND BELIEVE IT OR NOT I LOCK UP PEOPLE FOR A LIVING WHICH ARE CROOKS AND BAD GUYS WHICH MAKES IT EASY. GOOD LUCK TO ALL THAT SPENT TIME THERE .

Big Ed: i actualy saw this one very ornate penis in some grafitti in this old abandoned police station we used to hang out in.
it wasnt really a lack of imagination or talent, it was a sense of humor.

Holy crap, I just noticed there is a penis painted on the wall. That is very messed up.

was that wilie the one that married Suzanne? what about phyllis schmidt?

Oh My Gosh...... How the Hell did they manage to take the two conflicting worlds in my head and make it into one picture??? o.O
I hope you don't mind Motts, But I simply myst put this on my profile, penis, snatanic drawings, fluffy clouds and all.

Damn I simply cannot spell today >.<
santanic drawings*

I worked on ward A from 1985-1986. I remember playing basketball in this gym. I also remember the Pats vs. Gaebler game. I also remember Willie. He was a great guy! I enjoyed working there . It left a big impression on my life. I hope all who were there are doing well! I remember so many of you!!

momto 4 a friend of mine told me about this and i was on ward A the same time you were there.it is crazy that there is this site.i thought that people would go into something like this.

I came upon this site by chance. It is crazy looking at these pictures and picturing it 20 plus years ago! It was a long time ago! I hope you are doing well.

momto4
When did they Open Ward A?
When I was there it was for Daycare. No one lived on that Ward.

I don't know when they opened Ward A?? It sounds like it must have been not too long before I started working there in '85.

WOW this looks identical to my elementary school's combo gym/auditorium. IDENTICAL!!!!!!!!!

Hi momto4.
Do you know when Mr. Heathwood retired?
Since a lot of people do not remember him I must assume he retired around 1983 or so.

sms1928.weebly.com

rember when

Its just another day.And i am here again..Glossing over the crappy existence at gaebler is the theme i see....Staff abused there power and took advantage f kids who had no one o because they could..
Too bad i lost the key to the back/front side door in pennsylvania we could just walk in ONE MORE TIME! and do what i always dreamed of.Tear gaebler down and push everything that happened there under the rug.
IT WAS A GODAM PRISON ANYBODY GET THAT! A PRISON BUILT FOR KIDS THAT SOCIETY WANTED TO FORGET ABOUT..STRIPPED FROM THE LIFE THAT WAS ONCE YOUR THE FREEDOM THAT WAS ONCE YOURS AND THE RIGHT TO FEEL SAFE THAT I CAN NEVER FEEL AGAIN...
YEAH SWEEP AWAY ...WHAT A NICE PLACE ..
YEAH I LIKE LIVING IN THE DARK GLOSSING OVER THIS HELLHOLE AS SOME KIND OF PLEASANTRY...GOOD FOR YOU!
Keep that Stress disorder alive! with denial and lies..The truth is still there lkike it or not its in my mind in my heart and forever in my soul..

Disposable And folks wonder why i am so distrusting..Gaebler was so great how could i blame anything that happened to me at that Prison camp for anything...
Maybe i really liked being stripped down to nothing and given a blanket maybe ...later much later after a few quickie peeks from some scumbags who wanted to know what i looked like naked and pissed off!..I seriously doubt i liked that humiliation and degradation i withstood.
I wasnt self abusive either so stuff that thought were !. Alot of us withstood.
Try reaching out for some connection in a place like that and wind up in four point restraints..for trying to be human..
Forget that kind of brainwashing being helpful.
I hate cops until they start to look human to me instead of jailers..

Gaebler School Girl,
Sounds like you was on Ward E, a lot of bad stuff happened on that Ward.

WHAT WAS THE REAL DEAL WITH MR.HEATHWOOD.

I love the graffiti over happy things because it, in a way, reveals the truth that underlies painted pictures. There is more to things than what meets the naked eye...beautiful sot.

BBall anyone?

haha bonerr

I remember roller skating in there too. The skates were kept just inside to the left. I also remember singing on that stage during a show one time. We had fun in that room.

I too have lots of memories of this room. I remember playing bball, and singing on the stage. I remember feeling almost normal when I was here.... The reality of the wards always came back though.

John, tell me what room you want and how to find it and I'll get it for you. If it can help you heal, then that would be wonderful.

Also, if you're ever in the neighborhood, my team and I could accompany you if you'd like. Maybe get an interview or something.

yeah.. i just went there, and theres a huge bloody organ.. maybe a sheep or some sort. i hope it wasnt human..

Yeah, while we were taking pictures like two weeks ago, we found something odd on the ground in there, and when we went over the pictures, it was a bloody organ of some kind. That's horrible.

Daron,
If you go up to B-ward, enter B-ward, turn left, long hallway, office at end of hallway, door to your right.
look for JD on the wall to your left when you enter the room and around the window.
There's still a child in there, alone, scared....
Anyways.
Thanks.

The rooms you are looking for are seclusion rooms, but they was used as regular rooms when I was there.
3rd floor.
Go up to the 3rd floor and turn right, that's B-ward, left is E-ward.
I can't remember if the rooms are inside B-ward or outside B-ward like the seclusion rooms are on E-ward.
Been a long time, remember, I was on B-ward back in the 1970's.

But turn right and go to B ward, the door to the rooms is on your left, I think just inside B ward, there should be a door on your left, when you enter it, you will see seclusion rooms that line the right hand side of the hallway.
There is a single door at the very end of the hallway, a metal box that has a light switch is on the right hand side of this door. From this office door, turn to your right, this was my room.
I hope this was detailed enough.

ohhh, and the light switch is not a light switch as we know it, it has 2 small holes that you needed a special key for, that was how they turned the lights on for the office, I remember this well because I used a paper clip to turn the office lights on.
I used to listen to the Monkeys on the record player that was in the office.

John, thanks for the layout! I really appreciate it.

Daron,
No problem, would love to see more pictures.
If I had the money I would be at Logan in a heart beat, just to see the place again.
I'm on the other side of the United States, in Colorado. A long way away. LOL

Daron,
If you need more details about the layout, I'll try to tell them to you here.
From the main floor, 1st floor, I have to do this from the stair well, because that is how I remember it.
From the door to the stairs, turn around and face the wall directly ahead, door to your back.
Turn to your left, an elevator is next to you. walk forward until to come to 3 or 4 stairs, that lead down to the landing.
A door is now in front of you, with a door to your right.
The door directly in front, was used for classrooms.
When you enter this, on your left was the print shop, to your right was the woodshop. Continue straight ahead, a door to your left was a class that taught knitting.
That is all I remember of that area.
Turn around and go back out the door that you just entered from.

From here, since you just left the print and wood shop, the door on your left is the door to the cafeteria.
Enter through this door, on your left is a long steel lunch line.
Follow this around and you enter the main seating area of the cafeteria.
there is a door somewhere to your left that leads outside.
But, turn to your right, and you will see a large brick wall, there is a door in the middle of this wall.
Pass through this door. You are now back in the hallway, turn to your left and follow the hallway until you come to another set of 3 or 4 stairs.
This leads to the area that we had Coffee Hour in on the weekends.
Turn around and head back down the hallway to the stairs.
Enter the stair well.
Going down will take you to the basement, we don't want that area.
Go up 1 flight of stairs and a door is to your right.

Open the door and step out into the hallway.
To your left is A Ward.
Head in that direction, you will see the door that leads into A Ward. On your left is another door, inside this are 2 Seclusion rooms.
Back When I there, A Ward was used as a Daycare, no one lived on this ward. So the Seclusion rooms is as far as I have been on A Ward.
Turn around and leave A Ward. D Ward is straight ahead of you down the hallway.
As you walk down the hallway, there is a door on your left, this room had a ping pong table in it and that is where we played ping pong. Continue down the hallway, you will come to another door on your left, this room had a pool table in it. Continue down the hallway.
You will now come to a set of double doors, this is the gym.
Explore if you want, to your left there is a door that was used to keep basketballs and roller skates and stuff like that. At the back of the gym, by the stage, there is a door, this leads up to the classrooms on the 4th floor. We're not taken these stairs yet.
On the right hand side of the stage, if memory serves correct, and please correct me if I am wrong, there should be a bathroom here.
I know there is a bathroom back around the stage.
Turn around and leave the gym.
Turn to your left and continue towards D Ward.
Right before you enter D Ward, there is a door on your left, this was the tv room, when you enter here there is a door on your right, middle of the room, this leads into the office.
Turn around and head back out the tv room. Turn left and enter D Ward.
On your left is the door to the office, on your right is a door that leads to 2 Seclusion rooms.
Continue forward, on your right is a doorway, this is a fairly large room, this was where I stayed.
To your right, is another large room, I also stayed in this room, a night during a ligthning storm, the lightning would light up the boston skyline.
Continue down the rest of D Ward, there is a door to your left, this was the bathroom, continue on, a water fountain is on your left, just kiddie corner is a door on your right, this was one of the girls rooms, continue on, a door on your right, this was the shower room.
Continue on, a door on your right, this was another girls room. continue on and a door to your left is another stairwell that takes you to all 4 levels.
But we are not going that way, that way is dull. Nothing of interest that way unless you like to see the bathroom down the ground floor.

NOTE: When I said to your right was a large room, this was my room? That should be left.
Then the other room to your right

Leave the area and return to the stairwell. Go up the next flight of stairs. To your left is E Ward. To your right is B Ward.
The only place I have been on E Ward is the Seclusion rooms that are on the right hand side just before you enter E Ward.
Let's turn right and head down to B Ward.
As you enter B Ward there should be a door to your left, this has a hallway in it and on your right hand side as your walking down this hallway are rooms, these are seclusion rooms.
At the end of this hallway is a single door, this was an office. My room is directly to your right.
When you turn around and leave this hallway, I think the office is directly in front of you.
turn left, and there is a door on your left, this was the bathroom, (Did I leave the bathroom out on D Ward???)
I think there is a door just about opposite the bathroom, I think this was a large room, we slept in here, continue onward, there is a door on your right, this was the room that they had toys in. Continue onward, a water fountain on your left, and a room kiddie corner on your right, this room was used for visitations.
I beleive the rest of the tour here is like D Ward, a shower room on your right just a little bit down the hallway and another room with that stairwell on the left.
We can now enter that and go up to the 4th floor, or return back to the main stairwell and head up that way.

That's about it for my tour. The 4th floor has classrooms and medical on it.
Not too bad for someone who hasn't been there in 22 or 23 years. And not too bad for remembering the layout of B Ward, and that has been 34 or 35 years ago.
Not too shabby if I say so myself.

it's amazing, I still remember the layout of all the places I have been in, from Wellington Hall, to this place, to Devereux, RFK, kolburne etc, I still remember, but yet, I couldn't tell you what I had for lunch yesterday. LOL.

Hi Motts,
Sounds like your in Worster? Or Springfield?
You have been in there Motts, and I'm sure some where along the way you traveled that route to an extent.
I doubt if you get in from the main lobby area, like we did when it was open, the lobby just had candy machines and soda machines, (LOL, Almost used POP, Have to remember it's called Soda in MA, )
Offices on the left hand side, only 3 or 4 offices though, Mr. Heathwood's office was the first or second office on the left, then the door into the place.

If memory serves correct, there is a chain link fence down in the basement that closed off an area of the tunnel.
I'm pretty sure of it.

John, wow, thanks for all that. It was amazing and it will be very helpful. So the hallway on the second floor to the left is A ward? And it was mostly for solitery? That makes sense. Thanks so much. We'll go back some time soon and I'll post a link with some pictures if Motts doesn't mind. They won't be pretty or fancy, but they'll be pictures, lol.

Daron,
2 nd floor, turn left, that is A Ward, but, like I said, it was used for a daycare during the day. They brought little kids in during the day and they stayed there, it was a daycare.
At night it was empty.
And if they needed extra room for seclusion, you was placed in here.

Daren and John.....can't wait to see the photos. John, I hope all this is helping you heal a little. My heart goes out to you

Do you know how moch the floor cost? While I was there there replaced the old floor with an high impact resistant padded foam floor. We used to rollerskate in there. Behind the camera and to the left (still facing the stage) is a room where all of the gym equipment was kept. Including trhe box of rollerskates.

smelled like rubber for weeks.

"I doubt if you get in from the main lobby area, like we did when it was open, the lobby just had candy machines and soda machines, (LOL, Almost used POP, Have to remember it's called Soda in MA, )
Offices on the left hand side, only 3 or 4 offices though, Mr. Heathwood's office was the first or second office on the left, then the door into the place."

I remember those... I used to get the chuckles gumdrop-like candy and a ramblin' rootbeer

I was a couselor at Gaebler on two different occasions and I always wondered what became of the kids that were there. There was a little kid by the name of Gerry Young and he was transferred to Amesbury. He was only 11 years old at the time originally from C-town. I always felt bad for these kids that had to endure what thry did and tried to make life a little easier for them. God bless them all and God forgive those who did not genuinle care about those kids. I am thinking of writing a book about Mass. Mental Hospitals the pros if there were any and cons!

I worked on D, Daycenter, and Rec. then D again.
I've always wondered about the kids I met, and miss them still. It was a privilege to meet so many wonderful children, adults today but it still feels like it's today. Daycenter was closed and I went to rec. Street hockey, pool upstairs, rollerskating in town, 16mm movies and plants and gro lights downstairs. Tea time on D, schedules and talking, always talking.

names- I would love to list them and ask, people whose lives touched mine, I still think of them and remember conversations.

Tom, I was on ward D. When did you work there?

john,
i've visited the Gaebler a few times and me and a group are currently planning to view the whole building, and I would like to thank you SO much for your detailed instructions...if all goes well, I will post up some pictures for you.

Hi John went in last night was totally lost and confused Would like to do a documentary soon Can you get out to Mass. would like to follow you around with a camera and document every inch of the place. Thanx

Dana Daron my name is dennis bunting I lived there twice. John knows the place well, I was on ward A and later B then called 3 EAST. I was there 1987-1991. Live not far and go there to see the place some times. I can explain the metal beds for restraints and the room john talks about on the second floor with the pingpong table. It was a restraint room when I was there with five restraint beds. I would love to meet up with you any time to go over the places john is talking about. I would also like to get in touch with some of my old friends that stuck through this horrible time for a child "even though it didn't seem like it at the time" some of my friends are brooks bailey, Sean Brooks, beautiful Shawna Wood from ward A John woodier, audrie Lombard, christy Washington, Sean hayze. If you know me please call. I would love to know how you all turned out. And Daron I will go over the whole place with you. I own my own business have a great family. I live about half hour away from there and would love to talk to you. My # is 617-733-8597. That's my cell and my company is precision heat removal. If you don't get me leave a message. I would love to see more pics and give you lowdown on the place. And all who know me I would love to talk to you

I still can't believe we all lived there it brings back so much

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

what ever happened to shaun mahoney, diane r., she had a brother david. i owe her a great big Thank You i will be forever indebted to her. if she hadnt faked a bee sting & she was allergic i would of never escaped without getting caught. the poor woodshop teacher Mr. Heathwood Had to choose between saving her or catching me. Sorry Mr. Heathwood. i'm still trying to find corriea does anyone remember elaine alpert, david pyle, rose, dr. meinke, lynn simon, how about up-chuck staff members? neil chislomn he was a funny how about wonderful nature walks with nap mr. posion ivy special walks. how about the abandon shacks out there

2 dozen teens died there from posioning the milk. there was a documentary I think its called all gods little angels.who remembers the oujia board the staff gave to the big girls dorm to do a seance? if you were there you remember what happened. crazy i pray that anything or one left there has found peace. anyways much love to everyone who survived. i wish only the best for us all. this is something that only someone who has lived it can truly grasp the reality of it. godbless.

I know nap bounepart - (?sp) died quite a few years back.

I remember nap. The wood shop teacher was Mr beruby when I was there. We had a song for him "busy as a bee Mr. Beruby" And Jeff Golds____ got the skin pealed off his arm in the printing press.

I also remember the abandon shacks Scott Landry ran through the walls and took a couple down. We used to eat the black berrys that grew in the ditch were we used to play kick ball to the left of the fenced in area.

Does anyone remember the grave yard and all the broken china that was way out back down the trail by the water tower on the hill.

From a philosophical standpoint, instituional murals such as theses (the animals and the happy sunshine) might attempt to fill the abscence of a parents love for their child while locked away here.

So after I was there they changed the pool room and ping pong rooms into restraint rooms????
Jesus....
I know up on the 4th floor, where medical and dental was, they had restraint rooms and rooms used for experiments.

I also read that someone went in there and got lost???
How could you get lost?
If your standing in the back of the place, centered, then the caffiteria is directly in front of you, if you enter from the left and go through the doors to the hallway, you will come out in the area where we had Coffee hour on the weekends, then just walk out the door and up the small stairs and bingo, you can follow my directions from there. If you go up the stairwell instead of going down the hallway, you'll be on Ward D, just exit there and go down the hall and out through the door and you'll find the double doors to the gym on the right hand side.

But I guess someone would have had to been there to follow my "tour".

I would love to do a documentary, unfortunately I'm in Colorado and don't have the means of getting there.
Dennis mentioned he's close by and knows the places I talked about.
I wish there was a way I could fly there and meet Dennis and people wanting to do a documentary before it gets torn down.

I look at this picture of the gym and I remember Willie taking me and Tony (from D Ward) to have a one on one basketball match, to 21.
I beat Tony 21 to 18, it was a good game and Willie played the ref for it.

EW What's that on the floor? I love basketball.

You mention the basement as a "crawl space" Has it changed soooo much? I remember OT and ART down there.

John I go by the place all the time. If your ever out here my # hasn't changed in 12 years ill always have it. 617-733-8597 its my boiler company cell phone. Feel free to call me any time. I love talking to people from there. Anyone can feel free to call. Leave a message. I'm the only that can check them:)

To John,
Hello, when were you there? I was there 1982-19836, the ist room on the right is a boys room, and you are so right about the gym, and the tv room on Ward D. OMG!! I had the best time in that tv room with my boyfriend, we had the other kids on the ward look out for staff members so we could make out, it wasn't that often that they had the staff door open to the tv room so we lucked out. We used to play dodge ball a lot in the gym on our floor and just before we left we actually had a dance in the gym, I did meet the best friends there, meaning the kids,. I hope you are doing well......

Does anyone know shawna wood from ward A 1988

Really , a penis

Boiler 1220,
I just wanted to let you know that I drive by there all the time, I still live in Waltham..I was a couple months ago tooks,acutally went inside and OMG it's a friggin mess, the place is trashed, there is graffiti everywhere, and broken windows, and glass all over the floors, the toilets and sinks are ripped out and it's just horrible, there are rooms that I never knew existed the doors were always locked except for where us kids were allowed to go...I posted the pictures on my facebook cause I can't figure out how to get them on here,. Add me as a friend and you can see them, it's Michelle Woods-Godfroy...I am so glad that you are doing well in your life....

John,
I am sorry you don't have the means to get here,, because I totally agree with you , that a documentary should be done before the building gets torn down, I think the public needs to know what the hell went on in there and the abuse that we all suffered and maybe this would help others parents in aiding thier children now to not end up in places like this. We were kids, we weren't criminals, we were just kids and it breaks my hear t that we all had to endure this kind of treatment. But, I did meet the best of friends there, and I have never had any friends like the ones I had when I was there. I do keep in touch with a few of them and they are doing well in thier lives. The reason why places like this exist in this world is because there are adults who control kids minds and make them feel like they are all mentally screwed up & that we were a menance to sociiety and that we needed to be out of the public. I was told that I was not mentally stable to be out in the real world, that I had a personality disorder & had an out of control behavior. I skipped school for 4 days with a friend of mine and the next thing I know, I am locked up here. MY mother actually is the one who called DSS on me who called the courts and signed me away and awarded the state custody of me from the time I was 11 til I was 15yrs old. After I left there I had to go to a school for all girls in Arlington,Mass, it was runned by Nuns and there were a few regular staff members at the school, but, we lived in dorms and I had so much freedom and I didn't know what to do with it so I stayed in my room a lot cause that is what I was used to. I was finally able to go home but, the scars of Gaebler and St Germaine School still haunts me til this day. This society should be ashamed of themselves for what they did to us kids,...I will never get over what happened to me and what I witnessed being in Gaebler, but, I am grateful for one thing, the friends I made, they were the best...

Pookie
The best friends were there. I would love for a big group of us to go there at one time. Even people that don't know each other. Just to share stories and see the place one more time. Now that its coming down I go there a lot. I'm taking a lot of pics. And for some reason I feel weird when I'm in there now. Scared, happy, sad, mad, and even like I'm home. I know it sounds weird but that's how I feel when I'm there. I want to see it come down just to see how I'll feel. I think it will be a lot off my chest to know its gone. Since I was there twice the place really had an inpact on my life. I lived there for 5 1/2 years total and we all know how long that is to be there. About the staying in your room at the other place. I was just the opposite, once I got out I was never home. I even moved to california just to prove I could go anywhere I wanted and no one could keep me in my room. I finally moved back and settled down and started my company and family. But I wonder if the feeling of family for us is different? To me parents were just people that visited you every month and my family was all my friends that were there with me. Maybe that's why I have a feeling of home when I'm there. Because my our friends were the only people we could trust. Well enough sounding crazy. I have to get back to my wonderful kids. I'll look u up on facebook

Dennis,
Yes the best friends I have ever had were in there, I do have one bestfriend since 3rd grade that was never there but, she stood by me in time of need and til this day we are best friends. I feel sad, mad and angry when I go there, and yes, I would feel better if that building gets taken down asap. I do still keep in contact with Danny, but, he had a really bad time there and he doesn't ever want to to back there, I just saw him on Tues 6/15. I did go into my bedroom when I was there and all the other rooms and all the wards and school rooms, it was scary, there was even a dead bird hanging by a noose in the activity room, friggin scary.. My mother is the one that called the state on me and gsve me up to them because she felt I was out of control and couldn't be a human being in society. when I confronted her she denied it then I got my papers from there and sure enough she did do it to me and I threw them at her and she couldn't say crap to me, it was a long time before I could forgive her, I am married with 2 girls and the best thing that I could have ever done was show her and everyone else that they didn't break me and that I am not a bad kid. Now my mother and I are the best of friends . I just hate that place, bad memories of being locked up, but, I am doing so much better now that I have been back there a few times in the past couple monthis, I am just trying to gt closure/.... I think it would be great to get a bunch of us to go up there together and get closure and talk about the crap we had to endure as children and yes that is all we were was children......

To All
I just wanted to let you know that Gaebler is coming down this week, I just went there today and the company Testa in Wakefield,Ma got the contract to demolish on 7/15/2010. THey have a locked door on the front of the building now and a fench around the whole building, and they have already done a lot of work, not to the building but, like all the poles and things outside have been taken down and there are piles and piles of sebris from the inside of the building that has been taken out of the building. So, IU am assuming that the building will be down this week, cause they are working pretty fast. I am very mad that the fact that I can't get back in there. I have been in there quite a lot this year and a month ago. I wanted to go back to see more of it and go downstairs to the basement but, now i can't, so I am now going to email channel 5, The Daily News Tribune Paper and see if I can't somehow be able to be there when it does go down this week, I feel I have to do something, that by them taking it down without me and any other kids who were patients there and treated like crap and abused don't get to get the clousure that we all deserve. It's the least the state can do, since the state owns the building not the city of Waltham,Ma. I will let you all know if I get anywhere....

I just want to update everyone on the taken down of Gaebler, I was there yesterday with Boiler1220, we have been going there for the past 3 weeks to see the progress of the building and what's being done to it. They have to clean out all the asbestos before the building can come down and also take out the lead paint, there is so much they have to do first before the building can come down but, it's coming along, and they are busting their assesw. I want toi say it will be down in the next month or two but., probably closer to 2 months. Boiler1220 knows so much more about this then I do, he is awesome, if anyone wants to go see Gaebler before it's gone, get your butts there, it won't be long, I have taken a lot of pictures and I vidoe taped the outside of the building as well as the inside of the building...I hope all the former patients are doing well and will get some kind of clousure when the building is down..As for the staff there who made our lives a living nightmare, you should ashamed of yourselves for abusing us mentally, physically and yes some of the patients were sexually abused. The only nice staff on my Ward which was WEard D was Willie and Suzanne, they actually cared about his kids can't say that about any one else. I hope that if they had any children of their own that those children were able to have a happy and safe life, but, with those staff members who treated us so poorly I doublt that their kids had a good childhood and probably got abused by their parents cause thats how they treated us kids. May god rest on the little souls who lost their lives to abuse, poisoning and committed suicide....

that is not what it look like when i was there in the late 80s

does anyone remember rod mattews he was there when i was there also the pillow fights we had on ward d and a staff memeber named brian he was my 1 on 1 any intrested in chatting email me at biggie_95403@yahoo.com

how many dodgeball games we played in that gym

Omg!! Willie!! Pookie,you were probably there with me.He actually got me out of that place for a day,and took me to a yankees game at fenway,probably my only good memory from that hell hole.I dont remember ANY paintings in the gym,they must have made an attempt at cheering it up some in its last days.I remember lots of roller skating/hockey and lacrosse,especially the lacrosse,as those balls hurt like hell getting bounced off the walls in there.
Please,someone let me know if its still standing,i would love to get one last look and take some photos.

Vik23
Its still up. I have some pics of it as of 3 weeks ago. I'll give them to u when I have all of them developed

I remember you Eric

I also remember Rod Matthews, Christina Hill, Clara Kelly, Aneke, Scott, Lenny, Eddie, Jennifer, Carl, Heather, Deborah, Tammy......

Vik23
Hello, if you want to see pictures of the place request me on facebook Michelle Woods-Godfroy, I have a lot of pictures on their and some viideo's that I just took of the place, the building is being taken down, I want to say within a week, the whole thing is completely gutted out, you can see right thru the place from one end to the other, it's freaky, there was a lot of asbestos and lead paint that we all lived in when we were there and never knew it. I don't know who you are cause I don't know your real name but, just request me on facebook,,,Hope you are doing well since you got out of that horrible place....

Gaebler is now gone...totally demolished by the City of Waltham as of December 30, 2010...at least they didn't sell it to Avalon Bay.

Hey death, who are you??

Mr Death,
I was a patient there from 5284 and on Ward D, and I live in Waltham, Mass and have since I was 11yrs old when I went there, and I can tell you that yes the building is gone, I have pictures of it on my facebook of you want to see them, the City of Waltham paid Testa Corp to take the building down because of the high levels of asbestos and lead paint, they did want to put it to good use like a childrens center but, it was going to cost way to much, they will eventually build on that property land, and it will most likely be condos. I have 2 girls in the Waltham school system and know everything that just about that goes on in the city. Gaebler was a sad place for us kids to be in, the abuse we endured was unbearable and no kid should have ever had to go thru that kind of abuse, I am appalled that the dept of mental health thought this was a good place for chldren, they actually encouraged the abuse, sick sick sick people. I am on facebook if you want to see the picutes, Michelle Woods-Godfroy and request to be my friend. I also have videos of the place, and I have been at Gaebler with Boiler1220 quite a few times, inside and out and watched he demised of the building be taken down, and somehow I thought if the building was gone, I would have clousure, but, that's not the case, I feel like a part of me is gone with that building and wish they didn't take it down, they should have paid the money and done something good with it for children like they were going to so us kids that were patients there could see that we weren't forgetten and that we did actually matter.

Pookie
At the time, we didn't matter. And your right, when the building was taken down a part of me was taken to. And there wasn't the closure I thought there would be.

Boiler1220,
Hello my dear friend, so happy that we met and hung out a few times, you are right at the time we didn't matter, but, it's high time that we make the people who did this to us pay for their crimes and let the world know just what kind of dept of mental heath system we have and then maybe parents will think twice about giving their children away to the state. It makes me wonder, when they were children how were they treated? I don't think I will ever have closure completely, to much happened to us in there to have that kind of closure, but, we are better people and we proved to the world that we are worthy and that we do matter and that they didn't break us. life is too short and so precuous and so glad that you are now my friend and that you are doing well....

Dodgeball anyone?

Micah
I loved playing dodge ball here

The red upside down cross looked familiar to me. Then I remembered the vocalist for my favorite band mushroomhead has a similar face paint cross in the link below.


http://wallpaper.metal...s/mushroomhead12.jpg