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Re: [ Gen. Discussion ] The Home
Posted By: Bob Williams In Response To: [Gen. Discussion] The Home (John Sharp)
Date: Tuesday, 25 October 2005, at 5:39 p.m.
Hello John,
Before I forget, if Zina happens to read this, everytime Betty-Jean and I have one of our "home-kid talks" her name and those of Nina and Henry come up very fondly.It's obvious that most of us "home kids" could write a book about our experiences there.
After reading thru the postings of the other home kids, especially yours and Don Meador's, I have to feel fortunate that I was put into the Big Boys department when we went into the home in Oct/'59.
My sister, Betty-Jean, went into the nursery under Fannie Wilson, a no-nonsense but kindly lady. Mrs. Wilson was followed by Goody Jensen, an absolute sweetheart of a person. Betty and I went to a supposed reunion several years ago that was actually a fund raiser for the Christian Homes for Children in Hackensack which was the successor to the Christian Home for Children, and were thrilled to see Goody and her husband and family. She had become Mrs. Henry Solvang and lived in the North Jersey Area. At this "reunion" we also got to see Mrs. Stevens, who may have still been the nurse when you were there.
Regarding the houseparents for the Little Boys, GEEEEZ did you guys ever get some doooozies! The only one I remember kindly was Ann Carter, a single lady who had been a missionary. She was very kind but didn't stay long. Mrs. Dodds was there when we left. We had given her the nickname Mrs. Unh, as she grunted with every step and had the personality of a stump. I think she was a native of the Kentucky mountains and a former missionary.
Regarding West Park, I well remember it and made a trip back there in August '95 for a reunion. It had been turned into a home for problem young people. The old boys dorm was still there, and I found my initials still in one of the posts. When we were there the Big Boys were downstairs and the Little Boys were upstairs. I learned to swim at the creek and then moved to Charley's Lake. Did you guys still climb "Pine Tree" and "Christmas Tree", two very tall pines just across the road from the dining room? Christmas Tree got its name because there were some branches missing prox 8' from the top, so it looked a a Christmas tree mounted on top, and you could rest in the bare area and see for miles.
OH YEAH, remember the outhouses!
Going thru your email, so I don't miss anything.
Sorry that I don't remember Gaylord or Eddie Tarleson. In the Little Boys department, Bobby Pols and Eric Dehart were like my little brothers.
I got to see Bobby Pols at the "reunion", and he was quite a character. He had been an analyst on Wall Street and then bought a restaurant/nightclub in the Soho Area. He rented a limo to bring Mrs. Stevens and her son David, who had been in Big Boys with me.
Betty and I got quite a laugh as, when we pulled up to the restaurant and saw the limo in front, we both laughed and wondered if it could be a "home kid".I remember the Gartside's well, Eddy and Anna. Their son, Stephen, was born while they worked at the home. I heard from Dave Mackinson that Eddy had retired from the post office in the North Jersey Area. Mrs. Gartside used to give us piano lessons, but I never got past finding middle "C". Her Dad used to come over and give us haircuts. I remember that they had a light blue Chrysler and she drove it like a hot rod.
Remember the cliffs well. Did you guys still get into rock fights with the kids from Edgewater?
The best part of the cliffs was that we could use them to sneak into Palisades Park coming in under the old TWA sign that faced the river. Yes, I spent many a Sunday at the park, even though we weren't supposed to go. We'd sneak in and then we had gobs of free tickets as many or our friends worked there.
You mentioned Fort Lee Intermediate school, but when we were there, there was #1 school on Whiteman street, not far from the home, and #2 school which was on the Westside. You mentioned a Mr. Romano as principal, and I wonder it that was the same Romano who coached me in JV football at FLHS?
I was surprised by your comments on the treatment of homekids by the non-homekids. I never dated anyone outside of the home, but I went to parties and visited with school friends quite often and never felt ostracized. The only thing I hated was Thanksgiving time, when they'd collect food for the home and have a big affair in the auditorium of FLHS with the food piled on stage "for the poor kids in the orphanage", and Mr. Ekeland would come up to accept it. It was just so damned embarrassing! After the first time, I found a way to skip that session every year. I used to volunteer to do some work for Mr. Spence, the gym teacher.
I used to talk with a Vilma Gatcher, who had worked at the home and married a Mr. Gatcher, who was administrator from '72 to '82. She was the mother of Freddy and Jeanette Mallett. She was the one who put together the "reunions"(that's the way she phrased it to me")that were actually fundraisers for the adoption agency.
The last word I got on Beatrice Green is that she had lived in the South, moved to England and was possibly back in the South. Re Diane I heard that her husband was a policeman, her married name Olson, they had four boys, lived in Bergen County and moved to Suffolk County.
Re the later history of the home, in 1978 it changed from a fulltime facility to helping with adoption, foster care, counseling services. The old mansion which was formerly a doctors home and then housed the offices, kitchen, dining room, Big and Little Girls and Nursery, burned in '82. West Park was deeded to the Manhattan Bible Church with the provision that it be would be returned to CHC.
I remember at one of the "reunions" that I attended that some of the homekids felt that there was some underhanded dealings by the Gatchers in disposing of the home. I do know that, when I lived there, it was strongly supported by many churches, and many of the backers were of Scandanavian descent.
Hope I don't have to copyright this book!
By the way, I live outside of Atlanta, GA and Betty lives on Long Island.
If you'd like, my email is bobwilliams7@comcast.net, and I'd be happy to hear from any homekids or Ft. Lee natives.
Regards,
Bob Williams
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