I remember having to go clean these empty old dorms. The cages that were on the third floor of that one building not shown. I cant remember if there were 2 dorms or 4 per building.
I think this is looking out from the the Dairy barn up the Hill. My last summer at Gatesville I spent removing the stalls from that barn to be sold for scrap money.
This apears to be taken with back to the river not the hiway. The chow hall is to the left and behind is a dorm. This is from the days of racial segregation where the caption reads Harris Hall Dusky populace Gatesville State School for Boys. I took Upholstery Shop in that old Live Oak dorm.
This writer was taken illegally across the state line from the State of New Mexico by a Muleshoe, Texas lawman and illegally sent there.
ReplyDeleteI was told that the judge wanted me sent to Mountain-View but they put me in Hilltop school for about 18 months. A couple of escape attempts and one with the dogs horses and jeeps running us down. They let they're dogs bite on us after we were caught and were offering no resistance.
I could see Mountain-View from Hilltop.
Didn't see the dorm I was housed in (Washington I think). I rolled long cigarettes for Mr. Brown who worked the 2nd shift and he took them home and cut them down then brought me the scraps because I was/am from Jackson, Mississippi USA and I suppose he had pity on me?
I was there from 1972-1973.
Do you remember the names of these bldgs?
DeleteLouisI Ana hall Michigan Ohio Wyoming new York Oklahoma
DeleteI might add that I was AWOL from Job Corps in the State Of Utah at Ogden, Utah USA at the time I was taken from the State Of New Mexico across the state line into the State Of Texas without any so-called legal extradition whatsoever. In other words I was a ward of the Federal Government USA I suspect?
ReplyDeleteOUT OF MY STAY IN THE GATESVILLE STATE SCHOOLS FOR BOYS SYSTEM . OUT OF THE 5 SCHOOLS I ATTENDED LIVE OAK SEEMED TO BE MY FAVORITE. YEA AFTER 30 FRICKIN MONTHS AS A ONE TIMER I REALLY WAS THINKIN I THOUGHT I WAS NEVER GONA GET OUT OF THIS PLACE ,STUCK IN THE STATE OF TEXAS ,HEY I WAS RASIED IN MY EARLY LIFE IN SANTA MONICA CALIFORNIA TILL IWAS 12 YRS OLD ... FOR ME TO BE STUCK IN THIS PLACE WAS A LIVING HELL , ALL THESE UGLY COLORED KIDS , THEY HATED US WHITE BOYS , AND TELL FRIKIN TRUETH IWASNT USED TO BEING AROUND THIS MANY COLORED, AFTER A FEW SCUFFELS I LEARNED THESE AZZHOLES WERENT GONA BE FRIENDS WITH ME BUT NETHER DID THE FRICKIN WHITE KIDS EITHER SO I TRIED TO HANG WITH THE (SPANISH) BOYS I WAS EVEN GONA RUN OFF WITH THEM WHEN A GERONIMO HAPPENED ,NOT KNOWING WHERE THE HELL I WOULD OF GONE , BUT THAT DIDNT HAPPEN, I STAYED THE FOOD WAS GOOD ( HA HA ) STATE BEANS LOVEM, AND STILL DO ,IN LIVEOAK YOU ONLY HAD TO GO TO SCHOOL FOR A HALF DAY ,I WENT IN THE AFTERNOON I HAD WELDING FOR A WHILE SOME PUNK SNITCHON ME FOR SOME FRIVCKIN THING AND THAY PUT ME ON THE YARD 9AM TO 12 PM . THAT WHEN I REPLANTED ( BIRDS OF PARADISE) ON THE SIDE WALK THAT HAS BEEN REMOVED . MAN I HAVE A LOT OF MEMORIES OF THIS FRICKIN PLACE SUCH A LONG TIME AGO THOUGH , THIS IS WHERE I LEARND THE JAMES BROWN , NOW HES DEAD ,,,, BUMMER ..... MICHAEL SCHWINN A-36525 1966-70
ReplyDeleteTHE ABOVE GUY LIVES NOW IN REAL FREEDOM IN THE LAND OF SAN FRANCISCO AND MARRIED TO A PRETTY SPANISH WOMAN.
ReplyDeleteMichael, thanks for posting
ReplyDeleteTexas just keeps getting worst, it’s a police state. I took upholstery shop in one of the Live Oak dorms. It sound like you know a little bit about the history if Live Oak. Was the older buildings always called Live Oak or was it named that when the new red brick school currently called Riverside Opened?
There last picture in the post I think was taken in the 50’s of colored boys and staff standing next to the old chow hall with the big old dorm I had upholstery shop in the background. The inscription on the pic says Dusky Hall.
Sheldon
Hey..what about the way the guys talked there..I remember this because it was a day to day thing..
ReplyDeletewords like..gunchy..blow some air..hold your choke..lol..can't remember anymore right now..
life there was a bitch...Michael D.
ILL TELL YA MICHAEL D. FROM THE POST ABOVE A CIGARETT WAS CALLED A STRAIGHT , THE BACK OF YOUR PANTS ON THE POCKET WAS CALLED YOUR (FEILD ) DOES ANYONE REMEMBER THESE STUPID WORDS (DONT CHOP MY FEILD , OR WE BOUNCE UP . THIS WAS STATE TALK IT WAS AGINST THE RULES ... SCREAM FOR MY CREAM . THATS WHAT THE SPANISH BOYS USED TO SAY TO SOME OF THE OTHER WHITE BOYS BOYS . ANOTHER WAS IF SOMEONE WAS PISSED AT YOU HE MIGHT SAY YOUR MAMA WAS A FREE WORLD DROP, YOU MIGHT OF SAID BACK , OK PUTO BOUNCE UP, AND YOU WOULD FIGHT ON THE YARD OR EVEN IN THE DORM , YOU MOST LIKELY GOT SENT TO LOCK UP , I SAW A SPANISH BOY ONE TIME HAD HAD A PENCIL JABBED ALL THE WAY THROUGH HIS ARM AND STICKING OUT ON THE OTHER SIDE, MAN THAT MUST OF HURT , THESE GUYS GOT 30 DAYS IN LOCK UP , THE MAX YOU COULD GET WAS 30 DAYS , AND ALL THE HOME WORK THAT YOUR HOME ROOM TEACHER WOULD ALSO GIVE YOU , IF YOU DIDNT HAVE IT FINISHED WHEN YOU GOT BACK TO YOUR SCHOOL ,WHICH AT THE TIME FOR ME WAS HACK BERRY DORM 5 YOU'D GET ANOTHER FUCKIN BLUE SLIP 3 OF THOSE AND YOU WERE SENT TO LOCKUP,AGAIN .OR THE ADJUSTMENT CENTER , WHERE MR. WORTHINGTON, AND MR. CURB WOULD BE WAITNG, WAITING TO PUT YOUR ASS BACK TO WORK IN THE FUCKIN CALICHI PIT. BUSTING LIMESTONE ROCKS . WE COULD SEE MOUNTAIN VEIW FROM THE CALICHI PIT AND I COULD SEE SOME OF THE BOYS WHO FUCK UP MOVING A PILE OF DIRT FROM ONE LOCATION TO ANOTHER READ OTHER POSTS ABOUT ME IN HACKBERRY , AND MR PARR . THAT WAS IN 1967 , I SPENT MOST OF THAT YEAR IN THE ADJUSTMENT CENTER , AND TO THIS DAY MOST OF THE THINGS I WAS SENT THERE FOR WAS BULLSHIT , SNITCHING COLORED BOYS , THEN IN 68 I WAS TRANFERED TO THE LIVE OAK COMPANY ( B ) THAT WASNT THAT BAD , FUCK HACKBERRY .SO
DeleteI was at Hackberry in 1965-66 and Terrace unit in 1967-68.I went to Lockup up on Hilltop a couple of times.The first time when the dorm man,Mr.Davis lied on me and the second time when
Deletei escape 1967 with escape artist Roger Ryles.I will never forget the calichi pit.We use picks to break the ground up and then shovel one pile to another.We also used sledge hammers to break the big rocks(bolders).Mr Worhington and his pink face,who could forget him, talk shit.He was ice cold and then some.Memories that i will carry to my grave.If you have a story you like to share i would like to hear from you. Good luck in life!!
OH BUT I CAN MICHAEL D ..IT WAS CRAZY BECAUSE IT SHOWED ME HOW IGNORANT THESE PEOPLE KEPT THE MINDS OF THESE BOYS AND PLAYED THE RACES AGAINST EACH OTHER , THIS WAS WRONG . I REMEMBER IF YOU ACCIDENTLY BUMPED INTO SOME SPANISH BOY OR CAME TO CLOSE TO HIS BACK PART OF HIS REAR END HE WAS TO BOUNCE UP AND FIGHT YOU RIGHT THERE & THEN , THIS WAS IN HACKBERRY. WHERE IT WAS LIKE GOING TO HIGH SCHOOL .EVERY HOUR YOUD GO TO A DIFERENT CLASS , SAME STUPID SHIT DAY IN DAY OUT , NO WONDER NO ONE COULD CONCENTRATE ON SCHOOL SUBJECTS THE TEACHERS THERE WERE JREKS TOO , GIVEING YOU 10 PAGES OR MORE TO COPY WRITE DOWN AS SOME SORT OF PUNISHMENT WHEN YOUR HOME WORK WASNT FINSH ON TIME. IT COULD GET YOU SENT TO LOCKUP ( THE ADJUSTMENT CENTER , THAT GAVE THEM A EXCUSE TO PHYISCALLY ABUSE YOU. LIKE GETTING WALKED OVER BY A HORSE OUT IN A FIELD, WHER ENOONE WOULD SEE WHAT REALLY HAPPENS IN ( THE ADJUSTMENT CENTER ) I REMEMBER MR. CURB WHAT A CHILD ABUSER, AND HE GOT AWAY WITH IT , IM GLAD HES DEAD NOW , WHEN THEY FOUND OUT I WAS FROM CALIFORNIA IN MY PASSED HE LAIDED OFF ME SOME , HE WANTED TO KNOW ABOUT (RONALD REAGAN) I THINK THIS WAS HIS HERO , I WAS ABOUT 15 YRS OLD , I DIDNT KNOW WHO RONALD REAGAN WAS AT THAT TIME IN 1967, SHORTLY AFTER THE LASTIME I WAS SENT TO LOCKUP , IN EARLY 1968 I WAS ENT TO LIVE OAK, IT WAS BETTER THERE FOR ME EXCEPT NOW THERE WQAS TWICE AS MANY COLORED THERE , COLOR SHOCK FOR ME ,,, THEY STILL HATED ME FOR BEING WHITE ........AND THATS ANOTHER STORY. MICHAEL SCHWINN A -36525 1966 - 1970
ReplyDeleteYou know,i had long forgot bout Gatesville(la core) as us ese's knew it I was at Hilltop Oklahoma ll 07/69 - 08/70 and it was fun espically if u could fight,we had a lot if strong white dudes in our clica,Glen Hollis,Snay from HxTx,and Rex Hatch to name a few and believe they were dwn wit la raza,it was an experement but fun,sort of like college,LOL
ReplyDeleteDo you remember the names of any of the ldgs?
DeleteStarted out in New york dorm,,got into a fight 1rst day,and got sent to oklahoma 1 worked farm and ranch..Chicken Man......
ReplyDeleteI know u bro, I was in Okla ll wit u, remember glen Hollis, they called me El Panson from DxTx real name Bobby Perez
DeleteMy brothers were here late 60's, early 70's. My younger brother Eddie has been missing since 1981. What a nightmare!
ReplyDeleteI was in New York dorm on Hilltop, 69-70, Still don't like to think about it, Had nightmares for a long time after I got out, Beatings, the bottom of your bare feet beat with a broom handle,forced to stand on one foot for long periods on a small stool,cut the grass in the fields with our fingers,beat with a bar of soap in a sock,Hit in back of head with a baseball,as hard as the guard could throw it, etc...I still remember a couple of the guards names, John Saxon, and Mr. Ed.I went to school half a day and went to electrical shop the other half, I remember busting the calichi rock,and loading it with a shovel into a dumptruck.I was sent up from Polk County on a first time charge for burglary.Judge told me I had to stay there til 21, but I found out different once I got there, I was 16 when I went in 69.Mountainview was a name feared and only whispered about, I knew a boy that got sent there from my dorm, heard he got stabbed to death with a fork, .They had their on cemetery on the side of a hill between hilltop and mountainview ,where they buried the boys that didn't make it, and no family claimed them.It was a terrible place,guess I'll take the memories to my grave. Bruce Bebee
ReplyDeleteI was in new York hall in 68. Mr. Ed was a total asshole. Old shit was on night duty when me and 2 other barbers ran away. We ran straight into downtown gatesville. They had to pull the dogs back . Was hoping he had been fired but since you were there right after me I guess he wasn't. Bud loper.austintx
DeleteHello Bud Loper, this is your son Bud T. Loper
DeleteIn 1965/1966 I was housed at the Reception Center. I was known as a clothes room boy. I would like to make an attempt to contact other permanent boys kept there during this time. Any suggestion ? Note-Gatesville SCREWED UP- a lot of us-
ReplyDeleteIf you knew a johnny yates email me jaque.yates@yahoo.com
DeleteI was on Hilltop, Wyoming Hall, 1963-64. It wasn't all that bad. I had some cool state brothers and we looked out for each other. Yea, I got bounced up a few times, and got knocked around a little by the guards. But all-in-all it wasn't that bad. I wonder what ever happened to my state brothers. Four Timer, Indio, Zebo, Big Indian, Waco and a couple of other I can't remember.
ReplyDeleteWithin a month after leaving Gatesville I joined the Army. Bootcamp was kinda like Gatesville.
sure was bro .6months out I joined too went to FORT ORD CALI. OCTOBER 1970
Deletehi
ReplyDeleteI was in live oak 1966 67. I remember the metal fly swatter handle across your hands and feet and the rubber hose across the back. Wet hemp rope was a favorite for some guards. How about the room where you and the guard go into with the lights off and he starts kick at any thing. Hours of duck walk. The sexual abuse. Yes I remember.
ReplyDeleteNew York was a punk dorm bitches.I counted .still do A33945 .look it up.65-67 Ohio hall. Hog truck .where are all the state bros? New York hall ,get back
ReplyDeleteNew York was a punk dorm bitches.I counted .still do A33945 .look it up.65-67 Ohio hall. Hog truck .where are all the state bros? New York hall ,get back
ReplyDeleteI was sent to Gatesville when I was 16 in 1961. I didn't see much abuse until I was finished at the processing center which appeared also to be a clinic of sorts. I was then transferred to Colorado Hall which I learned from some second timers that it had a bad reputation. I remember a guard named Cooper, he was very strict. I was forced to fight a Mexican kid that I went through processing with. It was very cold outside and we were wearing heavy coats so neither of us was badly hurt. But Cooper made us strip down to our underwear and were made to hold on to the rail at the end of a bed. He then hit each of us at least five times on the butt with a wet straw broom that was cut off just below the wire bands, I believe it was called tights. I have never felt anything that hurt that bad in all my life. The next mistake I made was: I was near the administration building I went in and told Coopers supervision some of the things that he was doing to the other kids and what happen to me. The next morning when we were stand in formation alongside Colorado Hall waiting to be marched to breakfast, I was called into Coopers office and he gave me a beating and warned me to keep my mouth shut. A couple of days later I was transferred to Main Hall across from the old water tower. I worked in the sewing room for a lady named Mrs. Dyce. It was across the hall upstairs from Main Hall. We took care of supplying and fitting the guards uniforms and also making sheets and pillow cases. I worked half a day and went to school half a day. My case was assigned to a staff physiologist that I saw about once a month, seemed to me he didn't have much to say. Saw a kid playing chess with a guard one day in main Hall, the kid won the game, the guard threw the chessboard and pieces at the kid and then attacked him. The kid was fighting for his life and was protecting himself pretty well until the fight progressed out of the day room into the sleeping area and the guard tried to crush him with a steel bunk bed. The kid was hurt and bleeding, then more guards showed up and took him to who knows where. I never saw the kid again and heard he was transferred to Mountain View. When I look at Google maps, I don't see much that I recognize. Looks like it has turned in to a huge complex compared to when I was there. I was only in Gatesville for six months, didn't catch any extra time. They said if you look back as you are leaving that you will be back, I didn't.
ReplyDeleteYEA MAN , THATS WHAT I DID ,, HA HA WHEN I WAS DISCHARGED FROM ( FORT EUSTIS, US ARMY . ) in 1971 LATE SEPT. I HITCHED A RIDE ACROSS THE U.S. AND I DID GO TO SEE ( B COMPANY LIVE OAK ) AND SURE ENOUGH THE MAN WHO USED TO BEAT ME UP , WAS THERE , MR HAYNES , WE SAID HELLO , AND HE ASKED ABOUT THE ARMY , I TOLD HIM THE VEITNAM ERA WASNT WHAT I WAS ABLE TO DISCUSS , I HAD A DINNER THERE AT THE LIVE OAK CHOW HALL , AND THEN A GUY FROM THE (HORSE BARN ) CAME AND GAVE ME A RIDE OUT (TEXAS HWY 37 )ABOUT 5 MILES OUT AND SO MY SCENT WOULD NT INTERFERE WITH THERE EXERCISES WITH THE DOGS AT THE HORSE BARN ! AFTER I MADE IT AWAY TO CALIFORNIA , !THANK GOD !
ReplyDeleteI am looking for a Robert "Bobby" Fisher/Fischer that was there in the 50's or possibly early 60's. Unsure how many times he was there. If you have any information please email me at kbonneville0112@gmail.com
ReplyDeleteI was on the Hilltop in 1960-61 when the boys killed one of the guards. I also remember the Geronimo escape attempts, and managed to escape and lived in the desert are for three days before being recaptured.
ReplyDelete