orient state institution-1964 need info. (Cincinnati: home, school, college)

[cheapdate]

seeking info.from employees who worked at ohio orient state institution in 1964.a million thanks

[Cathy Keehan]

Originally Posted by cheapdate

seeking info.from employees who worked at ohio orient state institution in 1964.a million thanks

I didn't work there but I had a brother who was there from age 7 until he was, I think, murdered there when he was 18 (1957-1965). Everytime we went to visit him he was worse and worse. They never allowed us to go back to where the people lived. A couple times I peaked through the doors to see children laying in hallways, rocking themselves. He would many times come out with scratches all over his arms and was known to bang his head against the wall.

This has been a nightmare of mine which I have never been able to resolve in my mind. I was so very happy to hear of Orient and other places like this closing.

Please let me know of any other information you may have about this institution.
Thank you

[jenny1974]

Does anyone know the full name of this place? I had an uncle who was there and I would like to find out more info about this place. Thanks in advance.

[CurtT]

I was also an inmate at Orient State Hospital from 1963 to 1967, any other persons there at that time.

[Walthina Bowman]

My mother Donna Jean Gregg worked at Orient State Institution during those years. She might be able to help you out but does not have an email address. My email address is Millporter@verizon.net

[bembel]

I worked at Orient State Institute in 1960 and 1964 as a nurse. I worked in the hospital building and I can assure you the patients got excellent treatment and care. It was a clean, well run facility. The staff were very devoted to the patients and spent part of their pay checks on them. There was a lot of love there and I consider it one of the best jobs I had in my nursing career. Dumping everyone out on the streets literally was a very cruel thing and I have often wondered how the patients made out. I know in my heart that they were much safer and better off there in that lovely country setting. The food was excellent, we were pretty self sufficient. Someday we will return to that model of care because it was the most humane and economical and the patients were safe and well cared for. I know in the early days it was pretty bad but you must remember that those days were before there were any medications to treat patients. When they came on the market things improved for everyone.

[CurtT]

Sorry lady you are wrong. There were many people misstreated in the hell hole including myself. I remember one of the superintended as they called them if I remember right in college D made one of the patients lick up his own **** off the floor when he peed his self because the superintened wouldn't let him go to the bath room when he had to. I remember I got sexual harassed in the showers by other males many times when that superintended just turned his head and laughed. Over the years I have talked to many other people that was in there about the same time that I was and they said the same thing about other superinteneds in other college's in the hell hole. It made me cry when I heard that place was closeed back in the 70,s and I hope they never re-open it, matter of fact it should be torn down if they didn't already do so. Sorry you loss your job lady but you can blame the bad workers for that and the bad conditions people had tro go though there.

[GearHeadDave]

CurtT I believe every word you say... another place similar to it was Longview in Cincinnati, it's amazing to me that anyone can justify these places. Often the people that were in there were MADE insane by the conditions, even if they were OK when they went in. The system was often used to "get rid of" problem kids and older adults. All you needed was a judge who was willing to generate the commitment papers.

[bembel]

CurtT I am very sorry for the abuse you sustained. I do not doubt that it happened and many other abuses. I only know what it was like at the time I worked there. If you have bad people in charge then things are equally awful. Changes in laws, the advent of medications, and more employees helps always. I am not sure what years you were there but I speak for the time I was there. I did not lose my job. I moved to another state. I worked with a very high caliber of staff there who really did care for the patients very well. I only saw one instance of abuse and it was dealt with swiftly and very severely. I know there are many stories like yours and worse out there from every facility in the country. But there are also stories of mental hospitals and the staff being the only family many patients knew. Remember in the early days it was common practice to drop off your "strange acting" family member and never look back. The mental hospital system was self sufficient with the ability to raise food for all so they had their own dairy and livestock as well as the farm. They had their own power and water supplies which were very efficient. I still wonder how the patients made out in the community since the government failed to establish enough facilities to safely care for the large number of residents that were "dumped" at the time. I believe the number was around 3500. I know of one poor woman who was hit by a car and killed. Very little effort was made to find the person who killed her. We cared a lot more about her at the hospital. There she had a warm, clean bed, medical care, 3 good meals a day. I hope you find some help to heal your scars and can use your experiences to help others. Peace

[CurtT]

Thank you all very much for your kind words. I do remember more good times there than bad times. I was there from 1963 or 64 untill 1967, and yes I had family that still cared about me and came to visit me many times during the years that I was there. I remember that I got to go home 2 or 3 times per year. I still thank my father over and over for not taking me back there the last time he took me home. I was 14 the last time I got to go home and my parents enrolled me into school system here. I finish school and joined the Marines when I turned 19. I've been working for 40 years of my life now and been a model citizen ever since. I think God everyday that that place didn't make me go nuts over the years. I don't think theres a week that went by in my life that I didn't think about that place. I'd be afraid of what I would do to a few people from that place if our paths ever crossed again. Again thank you for your kind words.