Memories from my time in Sandgate Children’s Home …
In 1978 when I was in Year 7, my siblings and I were placed in the Sandgate Children’s Home when my mother was hospitalised (again) because of a nervous breakdown. (Throughout her life, she suffered from severe mental health issues, including bipolar and Borderline Personality Disorders, and what psychologists now suspect was a Sociopathic Disorder.
At first I was excited – here was my chance to live out all those exciting boarding school type adventures I’d been reading (can you tell I was a big fan of Enid Blyton?)! But the reality was very different.
Lonely and Abandoned
For a start, I hadn’t reckoned with the overwhelming sense of rejection, desolation or abandonment. Upon arrival at the Home all of our belongings were taken from us, to be stored until our departure. We were dressed in the official uniform – white shirt and blue tunic. What was even worse was that my brother was placed in a separate building for children under school age. I probably saw him only once or twice during our stay.
The Home was situated on what is now considered prime real estate on the Sandgate Esplanade. Every morning we were woken at five, while it was still dark and bitterly cold (it must have been winter). By the time we ate our breakfast in the dining room, the sun was sparkling on the sea through the huge windows.
My first breakfast there was a nightmare. All my life all I’d ever had – and wanted – for breakfast was Coco Pops. But here – they served porridge! I couldn’t think of anything worse. I was forced to eat it but with the first mouthful my stomach heaved and I ran out of the dining room, convinced I would throw up.
Funnily enough, by the time we left the Home I loved our breakfasts of porridge followed by toast and fresh oranges. It was far better than any breakfast I’d ever received at home!
Daily Life in Sandgate Children’s Home
After breakfast we would then change out of our Home clothes into normal gear, ready for school. We were taken into a room lined with shelves of folded second hand clothing, and given anything that looked like it might fit. Usually it was jeans and a jumper.
A “Nurse” would then walk us, like Madeline, in two straight lines to the local school. This was a huge adjustment for somebody who had lived in the same house and attended the same school since the year dot. Dressed in my Home “hand me downs” I felt – and I’m pretty sure the other children also treated me – as a second class citizen. “One of those Home kids”. I felt lonely and insecure.
The other thing that stands out in my mind was the absolute lack of affection in the Home. The “Nurses” who looked after us were usually very young women and I doubt they had any qualifications. Although some were friendly, others were quite mean. None showed affection – perhaps they weren’t allowed to. Being in Year Seven, I was perhaps the oldest inmate, and quickly became a substitute mother for the little ones starving for love and attention. No doubt this fulfilled some of my own need for human touch as well. I have vivid memories of sitting on the forms in the TV room with my arms around as many children – including my two sisters – as could fit beneath them!
Every night, as we would walk up the hallway to the dormitories ready for bed, we would pass beneath a picture of the Queen. She looked so much like my mother it would make me want to cry – in fact my youngest sister, got into the habit of saying “Ni-night Mummy” to that picture each evening.
In her absence, we idealised our mother into the perfect maternal figure. The beatings, the arguments, the screaming, all were forgiven and forgotten. We just wanted our Mummy back, and for life to return to “normal”.
When Mum did arrive to collect us, she was not alone. She brought her new boyfriend with her. I was annoyed that he had to intrude on our family reunion, but even more angry that while she was obviously well enough to spend time with him, she was too sick to care for us and so we had been abandoned in the home. I tried not to dwell on it, once again squashing down the rage that could never be released around her, just happy that we were finally going home.
Home made the Home seem good!
However, going home wasn’t as great as I remembered it. It seemed darker, dirtier somehow, and depressing after the sunny seaside views and routines of the Home. Although it had been a shock to the system at first, I think all of us adjusted and maybe even benefited from the stability and routine of life in the Children’s Home.
Recently I even completed an interview for the “Forgotten Australians and Former Child Migrants” oral history project with the National Library of Australia, about my time at Sandgate Children’s Home. I originally requested that the interview not be released until after my death – mainly to protect my mother.
How ironic to discover only a few weeks later, when I stumbled across her funeral notice on the internet, that she had actually been dead for over four years …
You can view pictures of the Home in 1900 as well as present day, and find out a little more about it here.
COMMENTS about Sandgate Children’s Home (moved from original website)
Wow! Janet, I want to comment on this blog post, but my heart is simply overwhelmed! I pray this will be a wake up call for Christians everywhere- please,please, please simply love one another. Judgements are for our Lord Jesus, all He asks us to do is put our arms around another person and love them unconditionally.
Posted by knapale, on November 5th, 2011, at 10:21 am.
I honestly don’t realise how shocking some of the stories from my childhood are until I read your comments. I guess it’s because that’s been my reality and as a child it was all I knew. I would have been 30 before I even termed what I had endured as “abuse”. A lot of the stuff I am sharing here I actually first wrote a long time ago – it’s nice to finally feel free to share it. When my mother was still alive I felt NOT to. But now that barrier is gone. Still miss her though despite everything …
Posted by Webmaster, on November 5th, 2011, at 3:30 pm.
Hi Janet, thank you for this post, it really touched me. I would love to hear more of your story. How wonderful that our Father is using you now to spread His love and healing everywhere. you’re a real testament to His redeeming power. xo Helen
Posted by Helen Calder, on November 5th, 2011, at 4:42 pm.
I love you, Sis, x Jus
Posted by Justine Pell, on November 16th, 2011, at 9:00 pm..
Love you too Jus!!!! Thank heavens we had each other – and still do!!!
love Janet xxx
Hi Janet…. thank you for sharing about your time at Sandgate Childrens Home. I found your story online because I have just started to research the “Home” as it’s a part of my childhood as well. My 3 brothers and I were inmates for what seemed a lifetime but was around 2 months. (apparently). I too remember not being able to see or touch my youngest brother because we were separated by a fence. I well remember the odd clothes, the march to school, the porridge and oranges at breakfast and 2 or 3 children to a bath. I remember most of all a deep sadness and lonliness inside. How I longed for my parents, for affection, for my normality, my family, my home. We were at the Sandgate Childrens Home in 1969, I was 7 years old. It is fabulous to hear of someone else who has been there and lives to tell the tale!
Thanks again……
Posted by Rustie Lassam, on December 7th, 2011, at 10:56 am.
Thanks for your comment Rustie – because I also am delighted to hear from a fellow “survivor” of the Home! I don’t know how long I was in for either – funny how our memories blank this out – but I’m told it wasn’t a long time, it just felt like eternity to me!
I can’t believe how similar our experiences were even though they were about 10 years apart. They obviously didn’t learn anything. I wonder if anything like that still exists?
In the photo above, the bed I slept in was just behind the windows on the left hand side …
Posted by Webmaster, on December 7th, 2011, at 8:42 pm.
I was just sitting looking at a Tv program about sandgate and I thought about the sandgate home. So i thought i would google it to my supprise i found this site and read all your comments I can identify with some of them we where there in the fifties. I am nearly sixty now and still get angry when i am reminded of sandgate, we where place in when our mother got sick having fifth child and dad was unable to care for all of us.
I will never forget that place it was awful the staff (I think they where nuns as I remember them being dressed the same as my aunty who is a nun). where not only mean they where nasty I can remember being looked in a cupboard on the verandah and my older sister getting a flogging for being late to school and she hide under the tank stand at the school we where seven,six,five and three I think this was our ages. Big plates of soaked fill syrup toast and only aloud to have half a slice each as the staff walked around with a big cane (the cane looked huge to a five year old). I have never been back the sand gate area since. I have asked my older sister about it and she remembers nothing nor do the other children. I don’t know why I have such vivid memories of that place. This is the first time I have really spoken about it even my mother said I must have imagined it, it wasn’t that bad of a place so i never really talked about it. I. Know it was a long time ago but these memories do stay with you. I think I will go there and have a look at the building and let go of it all. Thanks I feel better just writing this down. Anne.
Posted by Anne, on February 19th, 2012, at 6:35 pm. .
Thanks for your comment Anne. It’s nice for me to know that there are others out there who were affected their by time in ‘the home’ it helps me feel normal. I am 50 this year and some of my memories are very clear. I remember one nun in particular, I will protect her anonymity at this stage, who insisted that I eat all of my spaghetti, every bit of it. I didn’t like the taste it was my first time eating such food and she forced me to eat it standing over me with a cane. She was an enormous woman to this seven year old. I vomited my spaghetti bolognaise up onto my plate and she made me eat it again only this time it was in a worse state than the first. I have never been able to eat spaghetti since. It’s just one of the little things that affected this child. One of my brothers jumped up from his table (we were not permitted to eat together in our family unit) and stomped on the nuns foot! I’m smiling as I remember that bit, he was only five years old…… take care and thanks again Anne….Warm Regards to you, Rustie
Posted by Rustie Lassam, on February 20th, 2012, at 6:45 am.
Wow, it was refreshing to read your blog! My sister and I spent a few months in the Sandgate children’s home in 1980, when our mother, a chronic schizophrenic was institutionalized. Reading your story, I see have had many similar experiences! The most striking experience in common – oddly enough was your ‘breakfasts’ comment about porridge. I didn’t mind the porridge but I loathed baked beans! When I left the home I loved them!
Posted by Warren Franklin, on March 3rd, 2012, at 2:30 pm.
Warren, you were there only 2 years after me. I believe it closed down in the early 80?s … I wonder what happens to those kids now? Do they get put in foster care? I used to beg and pray to go to a foster family, would you believe!
Posted by Webmaster, on March 6th, 2012, at 7:19 pm.
Hello there Janet i too was a child forced to live in that place ; with my younger brother and sister I can’t remember how long we were left there but it felt like a life time lots of memories come flooding back after hearing your story. I didnt realize how much it affected me until i started recalling stuff while listening and reading everyone else’s replies . The treatment we got in there was not very good at all . the meal times’ the tv room downstairs the walk to the school and back ‘ when i saw a photo of the building i remembered how i felt walking up those stairs and how big the place was even tho there were other kids there I still felt very lonely. Its funny memories come flooding back when something can trigger it off
Posted by Russell Armstrong, on March 21st, 2012, at 11:41 pm.
Russell, I just find it so sad that everybody who has commented on this blog had terrible memories of that place. I mourn for all the lost and lonely little kids who were dumped there (including myself) and I just want to give them all a great big hug. I hope and pray each of us finds hope and healing despite what we have endured.
For those who might be interested in finding out more about Sandgate Children’s Home,
you can read more and access a recording of the interview I gave last year for the Forgotten Australians project for the National Library of Australia, at:
http://catalogue.nla.gov.au/Record/5383898.
(Personally I can’t listen to it – I hate hearing recordings of my voice LOL!)
Posted by Webmaster, on March 22nd, 2012, at 5:26 pm.
Wow, my brother was in Sandgate Wednesday and called me and said Lisa do you remember that home we were in at Sandgate. I said Yes, but I didn’t think he was there, reading your story now maybe he was separated from me also. I don’t remember my age but he recalls being 7 so that would make me 9 making the year 1975. He asked me if I remembered where it was and of course I couldn’t but new it was near the water somewhere and I remember like you walking(like Madeline) on the burning hot footpaths barefoot. It started me searching and I found you. It’s amazing what your memory allows you to remember…lumpy porridge, oranges and vegemite on toast which was so foreign to us an discusting, being Italian and my father not allowing it in the house because it was to Australia, we were made to eat it.I do love vegemite today of course. I have so loved reading everyones comments and it is scary how similar all our family lives are. I know that when I was growing up I thought I was the only one with a disfunctional famliy and like you being a mother cannot understand the actions of my mother. We can all hold ours heads up high and be proud of what we have become.
Posted by Lisa, on April 19th, 2012, at 9:07 pm.
Thanks Lisa, I know, I’m really enjoying reading and hearing everybody’s stories … sad we had to go through all that, but glad we can connect now all these years later and share and encourage each other.
I wonder what happens to kids these days in families like the ones we came from, now that there aren’t any “homes”? Do they get put in foster care instead?
Posted by Webmaster, on April 20th, 2012, at 12:07 pm.
I think we live in the world of Foster carers now, which to be honest I’m not sure if it’s better or worse. I only say that for the bad stories I’ve come accross with foster carers and am certainly not saying all carers are bad because their are some amazing and special people out there caring for kids like we used to be and far worse.
Could you advise me on how to find out about getting records of my time spent there?
Posted by Lisa, on April 20th, 2012, at 1:08 pm.
I know what you mean Lisa … but I still used to ring Lifeline and similar and BEG to go into a foster home … felt anything would be better than what I had!
I don’t know much about obtaining records BUT if you get in touch with the State Archives at Runcorn, I believe they have a register of everyone who spent time there – there may even be a file on each child for all I know. It’s something I want to do “one day” myself …
Posted by Webmaster, on April 20th, 2012, at 2:43 pm.
Hi,
I have spoken to my parents in recent times about the ‘home’ at Sandgate and thought I would add this little bit of positivity from my them. My family had just moved from Newcastle NSW to Brisbane as my father had secured a much deserved promotion with a company in QLD. Not long after we had arrived both my parents were diagnosed with Hepatitis and ‘quarantined’ to the house whilst my 3 brothers and I were sent to the ‘home’ in Sandgate as ordered by the department of health. Also…. there was no -one to look after us as relatives were in NSW and Tasmania. Both my parents are grateful for the Sandgate home as they were so very sick both thought their lives were about to end and had no way of caring for 4 little children.. My dad says he had never been so sick then nor since…. Both are in their mid seventies now. From their perspective, it was a great service that was provided. I remember when they picked us up after our 2 month ‘ordeal’ we were all in tears of joy at being released (it was like a jail to us) and my mother said, ‘what’s up, don’t you want to come home?’ How little did she know!! Another positive for my parents was that we all had the childhood diseases like measles and mumps whilst in Sandgate Home which meant that we didn’t have to go through it at home, so nor did they!! I enjoy dropping in on this site, thanks for the opportunity…..and thanks for information on Runcorn State Archives, I too will have a go at retrieving any records they may have access to…….Rustie
Posted by Rustie Lassam, on April 21st, 2012, at 2:31 pm.
Thanks Rustie, it was interesting to read another side to the “Sandgate Home” story. I am sure most parents would never have willingly put their kids into care, if they didn’t have a choice. That’s why I wonder why I landed there. We had grandparents, AND a father who could have taken care of us.
There was an outbreak of head lice while I was there, I guess it was the sort of environment where infectious diseases etc just thrived!
Posted by Webmaster, on April 22nd, 2012, at 6:29 pm.
Hello
I remember when i was very young that myself and brother or brothers went there when mum was in hospital for some reason i cant, remember the events that happened back then there are a few memory,s that come to mind Porridge also i don’t know if this is a memory of this place or not but we yous,e to go for a walk past this house which was haunted they yous,e to tell us. So can anyone help me with this because this home as been on my mind for years and i have blocked a lot of this out im trying to find out why.(I think i was there back in the middle 60,s very early 70,s)
Posted by David Redfern, on June 30th, 2012, at 11:34 am.
Hello to everyone. I am starting to write my memoir, so my kids have something about my growing up. I also am a former “guest” of Sandgate Home, and have been looking for somewhere to gain further information. I have begun writing a bit of a draft, and found I couldn’t sleep that night. I feel I belong on this site, as I can identify with most of what others have written here. I was born in 1945 and would have been about 6 or 7 (something else I would like to establish) when I was placed there, with my younger sister and two even younger brothers who were taken to a different building I assume. We didn’t see them.
The room with the shelves where clothes delved out to children was a big concern to me. That is because there was one pair of undies with VERY loose elastic. I seemed to get them regularly, even though I protested. The first day at school was one of those days, I was mortified all day as I tried to hold them up.
I remember the porridge. I didn’t like it, nor the watered down milk. I spent many nights in the dining room on my own, as I wasn’t allowed to leave until I finished.
Like one of the other writers, there are whole sections where I have no memory, and others where it is as clear as day.
My husband asked me where I slept, and when and where I bathed. I have absolutely know my memory of this and other things. I can tell you though, I can picture the clothes room in complete details. Can anyone tell me if, during the early 50s, most of the walls were painted green?
Thank you everyone, I feel so much less alone. Fran Leys (nee Donovan)
Posted by Fran Leys (nee Donovan), on September 6th, 2012, at 1:05 pm.
Thank you so much for sharing your story. I have been dealing with the trauma of my childhood as I have been going through my 40?s and was getting memory flashes of my time spent in a home. All I knew was it was somewhere in Sandgate and like you we would be marched to the state school ‘Madeline’ style. I am so grateful for google that showed your blog when I searched and I now have another piece to my childhood puzzle. My memories are very scatty, but like others I remember the breakfasts and I also remember eating cornflakes for dinner a few times. I’m not sure if my memory is positive or negative, just experiences at this stage. I was the eldest girl of 8 children, but my parents will not discuss any of this with us so I am not sure how many were born when I was there. I know my younger brother was in a separate house and I used to often hear him crying, which I would get distressed about. We used to say a prayer before our meals; “Thank you God for the food we eat, Thank you God for the world so sweet, Thank you God for the birds that sing, Thank you God for everything.”
Posted by Sue, on September 26th, 2012, at 1:56 pm.
Reading through these blogs was like reliving the nightmare all over again. I was the eldest of 6 children dumped into ‘the home’ by my loving mother who’s only sickness was alcoholism and selfishness and a father unable to care for us on his own. I recall being in a maths exam at school and the embarassment of children’s services (or whatever they were called back then) taking me from my class, walking me down the steps of the school to a car where all of my brothers and sisters waited, the youngest still in nappies. I was 11 years old when we turned up at the front gate in that car and the building itself still haunts me. It seemed so large and uninviting. I remember us being sent to a quarantine area on admission where we were bathed and scrubbed and our hair was soaked in vinegar to remove the lice. Our baby sister was sent to another area screaming to stay with us while we were walked up into the general living area. Like a lot of the other comments, some memories are extremely vivid where others I think my mind has tried to blank out. I distinctly remember the porridge, toast, sunday lunches, walking to school in twos holding hands which was so humiliating and we had to wear towelling hats which immediately made us recogisable to normal people and open to teasing and bullying during school hours. I also remember a particularly tall, blonde, extremely stern nurse who showed absolutely no compassion towards any of us. She always had her hair tied back in a bun so tight which made her look meaner. I do remember her name but prefer to not mention it. I remember sitting in the tv room with all the other kids on the floor until bed time when we would line up to have toothpaste put on our brushes. I remember the very early morning starts and always being hungry. The worse part was the weekly promises from my parents to get us out but we were stuck there for months. I had to leave before my brothers and sisters as I was turning 12 and that was the age limit. After that I would need to be sent to a State Institution but ended being forced to stay with relatives. We would have been there around 1978/79 and now when I ride my bike past there I get the most horrible feeling. I hate the place and it scares me even to this day and I know that my brothers and sisters feel the same way. Also, to this day my mother still has not tried to have anything to do with any of us orher own grandchildren. Some people are just never meant to be parents!!!!
Posted by Trish, on October 18th, 2012, at 1:24 pm.
Trish, we may even have been there around the same time!
I know what you mean, some people are just never meant to be parents … but then you and I wouldn’t be here and the world would have missed out on our overall AWESOMENESS!!!
Much love, Janet xxx
Posted by Webmaster, on October 18th, 2012, at 4:12 pm.
hi , I too spent time served on and off along with my sister and brother while mum was in hospital (after reading Janet’s story I am thinking if it was hospital or holiday?). I remember much of our time there , I even ran away once. I thought nurse Small (who was real tall!) hated us the most because we were the only one who went to Sacred Heart … I kinda miss the brown paper bag with the biscuits in it for morning tea but not the pick up and walk back for lunch
Posted by Juanita, on November 5th, 2012, at 9:51 pm.
oops, I mentioned the tall nurses name … meh , what can she do to me now? I bet I could pull her hair harder now
Posted by Juanita, on November 5th, 2012, at 9:55 pm.
My brother and I also spent time at Sandgate home for a few months. Not quite sure why. I think mum had a mental breakdown but seemed well enough to go to Tasmania with her boyfriend for holidays whilst we were living it up at Sandgate house. Seems to be a common memory those porridge, toast and orange breakfasts. I also remember the home made ice cream and also being forced to drink milk (which I hated) so threw up in my glass and forced to drink it. Never been able to drink milk since. I must’ve been about 9 or 10 so must’ve been around 1975. I also remember the tram out the back as it was the only time I felt we could play. After dinner each night we were made to perform songs etc to the ‘nurses’ which filled me with dread standing in front of everyone singing and performing. I remember feeling very lonely the whole time we were there. I thought the tall nurse mentioned in previous posts was Nurse Morley but guess she must’ve been another tall, blonde mean one.
Posted by Karen, on November 25th, 2012, at 10:10 pm.
Hi my name is Julie, I just found out that I spent a few months at sandgate children’s home when I was 6months old, I’m thinking it was year 1976, what I would like ti know if this place is still up and running, as I would like to know some information. If any one can help me it would be much appreciate, phone numbers would help. Regards Julie
Posted by Julie Mionnet, on January 7th, 2013, at 9:20 pm. .
I was placed in this home Xmas 1957 as my mother passed away in car accident,all my sibblings were placed in here,We fought the PC of redland bay they had to break into our house to get us kids out,I do remember then drivin g us to the home and came back that Xmas to bring us all presents to pay for damage to our house after they tried brown down the doors to get in and get us all out we all fought them hard too.Matron Gates was the lady in charge ,there was another Sister Hawkins who took me many times to a place where i use to sing,as i had a great voice in them days I was there for a few years till they took me to another orphanage,called red Cross Home at Woody Point,then latter moved from there to Nudgee Boys home,Woolwin,Blackheath Boys Home Oxley,then Riverview Boys home till i was 16 years of age then went to Sea on ships.I did go back there some 30 years latter and was welcomed in and given lunch from the managment I told them many stories of what happend in this place to all my sisters and brothers,I lost contact with them all for some 15 years till i run into my sister walking the street with my father in Fortitude valley,he never once came to see me whilst in these Orphanages only one Uncle cam to visit me all them years,I was placed here aged 6 years 1956 ,and never got out of the homes till 1964,I was damaged goods and still today some 50 years latter still have memorys of my times in these places some good some bad.
Posted by Robert Toreaux, on January 14th, 2013, at 2:07 pm.
In answer to many questions from people in here,the School I attended whilst in there was Humpybong State School where the Bee Gees went same time as me,and also my Wife of today she was there as a kids but not in the home like I was. And I did not know here at that time aound 1955 to 1956 she was in same class at Robin Gibb wish I had known her then too she could have saved me from hell,the bathrooms were behind the office area and next to the Linen Closet as i knew so well as i spent many hours in there for being a naughty boy so did my brothers ,girls and Boys bathed in same area in big washing tubs,the food was not as delicious as Sizzlers is today i can assure you of that,getting info is easy all you do is get intouch with Freedom of Information and they will help you find out most of the things you wish to know about,I do hope this helps many of you,anyone wishing to know more email me as [email protected] I will be pleased to hear from anyone,the past lives inside us for the day we all part this world and it haunt us too…
Posted by Robert Toreaux, on January 14th, 2013, at 2:27 pm. .
Hi Julie, it’s been closed for several years and is now a private residence.
Posted by Webmaster, on January 14th, 2013, at 2:46 pm. .
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Posted by Robert T, on January 15th, 2013, at 10:40 am.
Queensland
Department of Families, Youth & Community Care
Contact the Administrative Release Team within the Freedom of Information branch of this department.
Freecall: 1800 809 078 or
(07) 3224 2242 and (07) 3225 8442
You can also write to them:
The team will search for all existing files on you, not just the record of your time in institutional care. Once this is located they will contact you to indicate how long it will take to process the request and provide you with a copy of your file.
Posted by Robert T, on January 17th, 2013, at 2:09 pm. .
I drove through Sandgate today, and wanted to see The Home I spent time in. It must have been 1974, as I recall being there for my 10th birthday. My mum was mentally ill, there were 7 children between a new born and 14 year old, 5 of us were placed in the Home. I also remember my baby brother and sister next door, not being allowed to touch them through the fence. The ‘nurses’ would shine a torch in your face at night, and if you weren’t asleep you had to sit under a table in the hall. If you weren’t looking directly at the TV when you were meant to be watching, you got hit with a hairbrush. I remember the nurses hitting every child across their hand with a hairbrush. Everything was taken from you. My time in the home was the only time in my life I had short hair, they cut my long hair off. If my parents visited and gave lollies, the nurses took them off you. You were unable to hide anything around your bed area. I kind of wish I got to wear the second hand clothes to school, as I vividly remember being dressed in a uniform and actually feeling proud walking to school. But when I arrived, I learnt I was wearing a ‘homie’ uniform, as that is what the kids called me when they laughed and pointed. The local bakery sometimes delivered a cake, and going into the back yard to eat it was the biggest treat. There was one nice nurse who promised to bring us colouring in books, I was so excited, but it never happened. I remember having to to concerts, and the 2 songs I recall the most are Delta Dawn and The Pushbike Song. I was only 10, but I know I put in a formal complaint and was called up to some type of ‘hearing’ where they looked into the conduct of the staff. Was anyone else there around Sept/Oct/Nov ’74? That’s when I think I was there. I looked at it just today, and recalled my parents visiting for my 10th birthday and we sat on the grass out front.
Posted by Sonia, on March 29th, 2013, at 10:10 pm. .
Wow Janet, what an amazing woman you are. Thank you so much for having the courage to share that story. It’s so great to see how God has brought you through such difficult situations and that you’re now helping and inspiring so many others. You go girl! Look forward to catching up at the Writers Fair, Love Nola
Posted by Nola Passmore, on November 5th, 2011, at 9:00 am.