I remember in 1975 some of the older boys, the II and III timers who were at Valley, Hackberry, and Riverside at the time spun stories about a group of boys who were going to march to Austin in protest of the horrible conditions. It was widely known and respected by the state boys of my time. Never referred to as a Geronimo.
According to Dr Bush’s research, he talks about a riot that took place Labor Day morning 1971, the day before the start of Morales vs. Truman court proceedings. That previous July there was a letter sent to every inmate at Gatesville, Mountain View, and Gainesville from Judge William Wayne Justice explaining that tyc was on trial and to please fill out the attached survey. The story tells of a group of about 90 boys at Sycamore School gathered on the athletic field around breakfast, then marched off campus. Guards attempted to block but the boys laughed at them and kept on going. News reporters and TV cameras showed up just as security, the local enforcers, and the High Way Patrol put down the protest. It lasted all morning and marked the beginning of the end.
State Boys who participated in that protest sent a tremendous message. Anyone out there who remembers this event be sure to leave a comment.
On a whim I Googled GSSB and was amazed to find your blog!
ReplyDeleteI was at Sycamore in 1969, ended up getting shipped to Mountain View, where I graduated high school in 1973.
I was involved in the walk off in 71 that you mentioned. What brought it all to an end was when Kevin Long walked up to a Highway Patrolman blocking our way, and spit at him. The officer let off his shotgun in the air. We were on the outskirts of Gatesville at that time. We were on crum for a couple weeks as a result.
There was this abusive, maniacal supervisor named Haynes Baize, at Sycamore ,who I am pleased to report is dead, and can never hurt another kid. He hit me six times with the handle of a long screw driver. When I was taken to the hospital at Hilltop he told them "he slipped in the shower". I can still hear the way they all joined in on a good laugh at that. There were several other incidents involving that excrement.....
That was a pivotal point in how my life has worked out. Not so good.
Just wanted to say, thanks for your effort.
Danny Sheppard
Cannot remember my TYC # Moving in on 60 years old now!
hey danny sheppard i think i might of come accross your path (maybe)were you there in 1968-69? i am michael schwinn A-36525 in liveoak or maybe hacberry in 1967 !
Deleteas i oce again rehash my memories at the hackberry unit , im almost sure i came across the like ness of another boy ,,,,Daniel Sheppard,, that name sounds like a name on a roll call at one of the schools,, i do bet if danny sheppard would drop me a line or two , im at vetelect@sbcglobal.net,,,,,, mike schwinn i am 60 yrs now also...
DeleteDon't know what brought me here but it raised goose bumbs when I read your account of our march to Austin. Yes I was at Sycamore in 1971 and was part of the Big protest. I remember thinking what balls Danny had to spit in that Highway Patrolman's face; then when he shot off his shotgun I almost shit my pants and like everyone else took off in a dead run. Funny seems like two life times ago. Remember Dwight Hollis?
ReplyDeleteJim Montgomery
Dorm 4 and 6
Was your nick name 'Monk'?
DeleteIf you are who I think you are please call me at 801.927.8414. I remember Hollis, Ben Barbee, Ronnie Beaver. My name is Frank Mittel.
DeleteI was 16 years old and placed in the Sycamore unit As I remember it was dorm 5, Doug Schultz was the day SOB that beat me for simple shit. he beat everybody. Once a 2 timer with the exact same name was put in our dorm and Shultz beat him bad, he was sent on to Mount view. I remember the walkout and the state trial. Shultz quit when they had to stop beating us and I can still here him saying " If I can't whoop a state boy's ass I ain't going to work here". I remember they replaced the card tables and chairs with real sofa's and chairs. I got my pinks taken away for smoking pot on the ball field, but they returned them And I didn't look back and I have never been locked up again.
ReplyDeleteI was there I ran the night before and that day 9 of us took off both days put of the mine six went to mountain crow Hostile Hiram form 6
ReplyDeleteI was known as Eli. Sycamore d-5 1970. Friends. Wilber. Poolard. Stanley.Danny sides. We wore blue Jean and t shirts in early 70.
ReplyDeleteEli,danny sides here i live near Dallas tx message me on facebook
DeleteI was there. I was one of the last ones to get caught after the run, 2 days later. I remember running through rattlesnake areas and out running the dogs. I could tell you stories. i knew Kevin Long and Kevin Conley and another Kevin. I remember the guard with the one leg and the trip to the hospital at Hilltop which was just a caged room. (never say your sick, all I got was water soup and crakers with ants on them) I thhink I knew Danny, wasn't he the tall guy who also had a brother there?
ReplyDelete