Having worked at an "institution" and being a former foster parent, I see things a different way.

Orphanages did provide a place of permanency and stability for "orphans", that maybe foster care did not. Children in orphanages knew they were going to spend the rest of their lives in an institution. And in twisted way that is comforting to them.

The basic needs are met in orphanages maybe on a much smaller level, but they're met one way or another. It's the stability and grounding of "roots" kids want.

However when children are placed in a nurturing foster home that is stable, and where their needs are met, they are much better off.

It's when children are shuffled around from foster care home to foster care home is where a lot of "damage" of children is done.

I remember hearing stories of studies that show that the shuffling of kids from one foster home to another does more damage than the original abuse the kids were subjected to in the first place.

Overall, a good foster home is much, much better than any orphanage.

That study is little skewed in my opinion.

Corrisa
http:www.InternetNetworkMarketingTraining.com

Hello;

I am an orphanage alumnus (1953-1962) and according to the article, I surpass the national averages at many levels. I hold the MBA from Rutgers University, made well over the national average in salary when I worked on Wall Street, and hold a generally positive outlook on life.

But that doesn't mean I didn't experience terror at the orphanage I lived in. My point is that pleasant memories (field trips to Yankee Stadium) can exist side by side with wretched memories (beatings by bullies, late night stair cleaning drills, midnight rousings to resolve a theft). On balance, I met people who made it their business to insure that we were given the same childhood experiences as children anywhere.

Dr. McKenzie cites the happiness surrounding orphanage reunions - and there is no doubt about this but we should ask what exactly it is the returning orphans are celebrating. I'd celebrate too if I could be reunited with those that endured the orphanage expereince with me. Billy Dennis, John Dennis, Ritchie Waluda, Tommy Linda, Bernard Loftin, all names of kids who went through the hard times with me - what a joy to see them again. But if you told us we would once again be living in an orphanage environment, my feeling is the parking lot would empty rather quickly. In other words, reunions succeed because of the bonds between the re-united.

And take a look at some of the orphanage bulletin boards. It's not hard to come across discriptions like: "that hellhole" or "the nuns beat us silly" which more than outweigh phrases attesting to loving kindness. On one billboard, I saw a lending institution post a note for money available to the orphans at "reasonable rates" and the advertiser was derided and implored to stop advertising on the site because, as the critic put it "We are suffering souls here". That gives a sense of the quality of experience such people underwent.

Finally, I find Dr. McKenzie's contention that we need a "Sam Walton of child care" completely bizarre. It strikes me as a call for warehousing of children like we warehouse peanut butter, or eggs, or frozen fish fillet and it should be rejected out of hand.
Thank you
Robert Taylor Brewer

Mr. Brewer has completed a novel about his orphanage experience: The Boy Who Would Not Play Ball

As children my brother and I were inmates at the Wartburg Orphan Farm School. Our parents decided to put the two of us into this institution and unfortunately the two years of life, left life long scars on each of us. My brother being over six years junior to me, has now passed away having had a life he could not ever cope with. Until this day, I carry memories that should not have been in the life of a child. The Wartburg was a terrible place.

Sylvia,my mother and her 3 older siblings also were in The Wartburg Orphan Farm School,my mother being the youngest at 2 years and 4 months old in 1922 and my mother being their till she was 14 years old being left behind by her siblings that were released being that they were much older then she.My mothers memories are of only being comforted by other children and never an adult.Children that were maybe the same age or 1 or 2 years older then she at 4,5,&6 years old all the days that she was their.Tears of fear and being scared were wiped away by children,not any of the adult caretakers.Her hand always black and blue from the teacher hitting her with a ruler because she was left handed and that was obviously not acceptable.My Aunt her sister ran away when she was 16 from the orphanage only to be found and brought back and face an agonizing humility of them shaving her head bald in front of others as an example to her punishment.

Att-Sylvia,My Mother and her 3 sibblings also carried scars that never left them.I would try to pick my mothers brain because of my nature of curiosity.Sometimes she would tell heart wrenching stories of a little girl who longed to have a mother that passed away when she was only 2 years old,and a Father who put his children in the Wartburg for unknown reasons that he would not discuss with them.My mother all her life made my sister and I promise that we would never put her in a nursing home because the horrors of her childhood would come back to her feeling abandoned and not loved or treated kindly. Yes she did carry many many scars of the horrific times at Wartburg.Funny how a handful of Christian caretakers were so cruel to children that needed love and kindness to get them through a terrible time in their childhood.Why did nobody know of the cruelty but the children? When they did talk once they were out,why did no one listen so that other innocent children did not have to suffer at the hands of adult cruelty.I always hear the same answer times were different! I guess that excuses their cruelty bestowed on children.Turned heads,no conscience,as long as it didn't effect their lives.Mt.Vernon maybe should not be so proud of their so called orphanage and abusiveness that took place and should have monitered it a lot better.Shame on that generation of people,and the caretakers who bestowed their sick behavior of cruelty behind closed doors especially calling themselves Christians.My mothers sisters and herself died in their 90's,her brother in his 60's.Their is probably not many left to tell their stories but their children and grandchildren.

Valerie, thank you for your kind reply. A black flag should fly on top of Wartburg. As I am getting older, more and more bottled up feelings come to the surface regarding life as an inmate at the orphanage. The house mother, having her little favorites, girls who spent longer period of time there, condoned the actions of those girls. I recall, being locked up in a small thin closet for hours on Saturdays. Taking a shower was pure horror as those girls would shove me into the shower under ice cold water, then at the same time pouring very hot water on top of my head. To be able to eat this horrible oat meal in the mornings, I had to, on my hands and knees wash and scrub the floors of the dining room. During the hot summer days, I had work in the hot laundry, ironing all day on weekends while the girls in favor did nothing. I was isolated many times from the social events, picked on by the teachers and life was very, very sad for me as a 13 year old at the time. I used to cry myself to sleep each and every night, and ask why my mom did not come, put her arms around me and keep me safe from the other inmates and keepers of this place. In a way, I think it may have made me stronger to handle adverse situations in life, made me stronger to go out into the world, get a college education, be self sufficient and make a better life for myself. Also, it made me realize the importance and closeness of family, which now reflects my relationship with my child and husband. This though does not condone at all what has happened at the Wartburg, and perhaps even after this late date should bring some kind of suit against the Church that allowed all this to happen with their eyes and ears closed. Being a Christian is not judged by how many times one attends church, it is what is in the heart.

Wartburg evolved from an orphanage to a Lutheran boarding school. From the late 1950's to the early 1960's Robert (Bob) Bachman and his mother, Mrs. Bachman, were house father and house mother over Building 2B. During the Bachmans' period Wartburg had its highest point in civilization. They brought out the best genius in their 2B boys. The Bachmans were Swede from Minnesota who promoted education excellence beyond the ordinary.

Bob Bachman encouraged excellence in the arts, the sciences, literature, sports, reading the classics, theater, gymnastics, acrobatics, invention, architecture, acting, music, singing and special effects, aerospace, geography, singing, football, soccer, archery, et al.

Bob Bachman produced and directed professional musical theatrical productions that were never before nor after the Bachmans.

There were poor and some well off children at Wartburg. There were European foreign children there, too. There were some children there who mothers were hookers, prostitutes, who never or rarely visited their children. There were typical late 1950's and early 1960's teenagers, too. Few kids had much.

The Wartburg school on campus until it closed in 1961 went from first grade through 6th grade. Each classroom had two grades, 1st and 2nd; 3rd and 4th; and 5th and 6th. This allowed and provided for superior learning because learnt to grades at a time for two years. With the elementary school's closing Wartburg destroyed and educational gem because there the 2B kids who studied beyond the requirements on their own as a group.

Yes, there were problems. There were many fights. But I do not recall any thefts at 2B.

But few children there, except the 2B boys under the Bachman reign, were creative, inventive and hungry for knowledge and excellence.

There was little displayed friendship(s) outside of the Wartburg confines when kids went home for the holidays or the summer. Kids visiting one another homes just did not happen as you might expect. Only intercation at Wartburg with predominant behavior.

The Bachmans were a extraordinary mother and son team that the Wartburg adminsitration never fully appreciated nor praised in public to the press or to donors. Where are they mentioned in Wartburg history?

Wartburg got rid of Mr. Singer, the music teacher and the band leader. It destroyed an excellent music program.

The Bachmans keep 2B kids up-to-date on current events on television news programs and in newspapers. As the kid watched television shows, there were simultaneous discussions of what was seen and their significance.

With Wartburg administrative regime changes, the barbarians, with their stone age ignorance and prejudices, made their presence overwhelmingly intrusive at 2B and with 2B kids, ergo 2B kids' parents.

The Bachmans practiced fairness and justice.

When kids got to the Wartburg elementary school's 5th and 6th grades they were taught anti-Russian Tsarism and anti-communism through comic strip type books.