pecosd
Just saying Hello to all the ex-Wagon Wheelers. I just started this tonight Dec 9 05. Have spoken to another Wagon Wheeler about this. This can be a meeting place, a place to tell stories, or whatever it means to you. I think we all went through a very unusual common experience, and all of us have stories to tell.
This can be a great thing, as I would like to meet up with some of the people I was with back then. On-line or whatever.
I've never read blogs or certainly never been involved with one so any suggestions are welcome.
Your brother, pecosd
This can be a great thing, as I would like to meet up with some of the people I was with back then. On-line or whatever.
I've never read blogs or certainly never been involved with one so any suggestions are welcome.
Your brother, pecosd
posted by pecosd | 12/09/2005 11:24:00 PM
287 Comments:
This blog was the idea of myself and another brother Wagon Wheeler.
This man who I will call: HeyJoe, contacted me a few weeks back, and we talked about bringing Wagon Wheelers back together for dialogue, history, and closure, and we deceided to go forth and take the plunge, even though we are both concerned about ramifications in speaking truthfully about what really happened at Wagon Wheel in the public forum.
pecosd
I went to see Billy Jack while at Wagon Wheel. I thought it was a great movie the first time I saw it. It did remind myself of my perdiciment.Had a crush on one of the actresses. I saw it a few years ago, and saw it as fairly humerous, even though it was fairly honest about the environment back then.
Pappy was indeed a drunk. Wowee Wowee! I kind of remember him staggering about some times.
Happy New Year!
The band:
POTT COUNTY
Jon Davis (Lead Guitar)
Ferkel (Rhythm Guitar)
? (Bass Guitar)
Guy McGinnis (Drums)
Rick Burkard (Vocals) or
Kenny ("Ho Ho The Clown") Coder (Vocals)
Songs:
"StarShip" (MC5)
"My Crime" (Canned Heat)
If any members of POTT COUNTY made it in music after 1970, they should have credits here:
http://www.allmusic.com/
Starship Baby. Saw MC5 play this at fillmore east with people busting up the seats, and someone hitting Bill Graham with a chain in the head.
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POTT COUNTY
Known Gigs
* The Slab
(Summer 1969 or 1970 - especially impressive version of Starship with brain-busting psych effects)
* Dale School Gym
(Packed audience sat motionless on the bleachers - No dancing or movement allowed - strictly enforced by Dale Baptist teacher patrol)
* Oklahoma City-area High School Gym
(POTT COUNTY was welcomed like a major band on the level of the Beatles or Rolling Stones, insane screaming teenage girls freaked out in the audience, dancing wildly, an incredible reception, several encores, including Led Zep's "Whole Lotta Love." Later every band member & roadie received gushing fan mail. The letters began, "Hi - Whatcha doin'? Me? Oh, nothing.")
* WW Prom
Cinderella Motor Hotel
Shawnee
(Rocking Spring Prom attended by numerous non-WW Dale people, including Debbie Hade, date of Greg Middleton) After dinner, the MC summoned POTT COUNTY band members to the stage one by one, starting with Guy McGinnis. As he took the stage, each POTT COUNTY band member began laying down his part of Steppenwolf's 'Tighten Up Your Wig.' Jon Davis used a drumstick for a scorching slide guitar riff. Finally, while POTT COUNTY burned behind him, the MC screamed, "Help me, HO HO" -- at which point Ken Coder jumped out of hiding and ran to the stage in a ridiculous fringed / headband costume.
POTT COUNTY practiced in TJ's dorm (home of Baby Ray and David / "Boulder" Y.)
Ah you remember Baby Ray, & Boulder. They came with me to WW2. Boulder was one of our counslers. Another good guy.
Baby Ray & I washed dishes together for the ranch. "Well, did you know?"
Thanks again HEYJOE.I have to write about half the others on classmates.com & I'm sure by the end of the week this will be done.
By the way, HEYJOE actually was the first to get this all started by contacting some of us.
Thanks, Pecosd
Once Baby Ray & I were washing dishes, in the kitchen, and a group of students attacked us. I don't remember why. I do remember Ray & I grabbed the baking soda fire extinguishers and through the long cafeteria window blasted the attackers, knocking down the first guy. Then they all left, and I don't think I ever knew what they wanted.
Filippe called us "little blastards".
Hi Gypsy,
I just had to say that your comment on Norma makes me laugh.
Pecosd
The Denver Post
March 18, 2002
Norma Mae (McCutchen) Daugherty
Artist, 81
Norma Mae Daugherty, 81, of Aurora, an artist, died March 3 in Aurora. Graveside services were March 7 in Ramona City Cemetery, Ramona, Okla.
She was born Nov. 30, 1920, in Broken Arrow, Okla. She earned a bachelor's degree in art from Northeastern Oklahoma State College. She was head of the art department at Oklahoma Baptist University while she earned a master's degree. On Sept. 24, 1941, she married Robert W. Daugherty, who died in 1980. She co-founded Wagon Wheel, a summer camp and treatment center for children in McLoud, Okla.
She is survived by five daughters, Annie Daugherty Short, Shawnee, Okla., Cynthia 'Cindy' and Nina, both of Denver, Debbie Daugherty Bergman, Templeton, Calif., and Sheryl Giblet Hines, Norman, Okla; two brothers, Bill McCutchen, Tulsa, Okla., and Edgar McCutchen, New South Wales, Australia; a sister, Nina McCutchen Kelsey, Oakland, Iowa; eight grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren.
The dogs I remember: My dog was Simon, I also had Puppy, but got rid of him after he started killing my pigs. Cindy Dougherty had a deaf Dalmation. There was also Leticca, Big Un, Pinch, Little Sam, I also remember a hound, and my memory fades here.
Big Un -- Dave Short's doberman pincer
Robert -- Steve Heard's (literally) mangy mutt -- "Shake your head Robert"
William Penn and I got five related dogs from Dale Junior 1970 Linda Hill:
Nathan -- Patty Armstead told me he was on a skunk hunt
Snap --
Circe -- hit by a car (?)
Rotso -- the late Greg Moore's dog
and the Mother:
Cockleburr
I just completed writing all who were on the classmates list. The years span 1963 -1980 of us 14 listed.
Taco -- David Bratting's poodle
Immortalized by Neil Bruton:
"What would the reaction
be if... Taco were placed inside the band's amplifiers?"
I remember the Brutonian comment. Neil bruton was so original and different. I did a people search today for him today. There are more than one. Perhaps I found him. He was living in another world. He helped to define the place.
I once saw a guy named David on a Felipes front lawn throw up a big handfull of darts straight up in the air and waited to see where they would land.
I remember Taco.
What do you think of burning marshmellows?
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Removed and edited Tom of tomversations.coms' post because my real name was used.
"hello pecosd and congratulations on a great forum for telling stories and roasting sweet treats. it's a nice way of stitching up time. your excellent night-time nyc food spot suggestion last night brought me into a world of marshmallow roasting, toasting and general cosiness. i'm going to be making a portrait of one of the waitress there who had many fine things to say about art, people and glowing marshmallows . - a fine tuna melt also. cheers! -tom"
Just wanted to say hello to Daisy Mae, and the good Sheriff.
I'm supprised too that Wagon Wheelers havn't gotten something together before this.
Daisy Mae,
Did you know Doug Rankin?
I think we are all going through the same memory thing.
Doug Rankin was going out with Little Annie for a while. He was from Texas.
He was a bit younger than I. Kind of a wild kid. He was a roomate at WW2 in Tecumseh. We got into trouble together. We did a lot of work detail.
I remember meeting Dr Bird once, and that was it. He perscribed some meds for me. I could never feel the effects of the medication; Aventyl. Probably half the people around me were heavy meds. Melloril, Stellazine, ect. I tried the liquid Melloril once and it was bad.
Dr. Bird got knocked out.
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Dr. Bird had the look of a Nazi war crimininal hiding away not in Bolivia, but on the Dude Ranch. How the did they come up with him? On my one session with him I didn't tell him the truth on anything. He seemed remote and indifferent.
There was also a psychologist Dr. Van Osborne I believe. He was actually a Wagon Wheel lacky as well. Gave me a really hard core time once about leaving the halfway house in Edmond. Insisted that "I couldn't make it out there" in front of a 15 people meeting. It was an extrememly bad WW experience. I was outta there!
In my last post I said that probably half the kids around me were on heavy meds. I think I was being a bit conservative. I think everyone was on meds, at WW2 at least. 100%
I can remember being on the medication line. It took a few minutes. Some kids had to put their tongues out and inspected.
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Didn't get to read your last post(Daisy Mae) Would love to hear more about your memories.
Steve and Jerry Blassingame (non-WW Dale Soph. 1970) would greet us, "Hip, Hip, HIPPIE!" to which we would reply, "Farm, Farm, FARMER!"
The Farmers and the Hippies can be friends.
Daisy Mae,
Good that you told Norma off! A good Wagon Wheeler didn't just sit around and take it.
Pappy had his own bedroom?
I lost touch with some of the Mcloud girls activities, because I was sent to Tecumseh WW2. We had visitation nights from the girls dorm though. Also some nights out on the weekend.
I'm not suprised that Pappy had his own bedroom.
I'm not sure if I remember you. My memory, plus going to WW2, I missed out on some of the details you mentioned.
I thought you may be someone, but now I am not sure. Did you get paddled for coming into Okla. History class 1 or 2 minutes late with a boy(me)?
Good to hear from you Hey Joe, and I'm glad you open up these topics.
I remember Jamie Mallin very well. He was a junior counsler in the Animals dorm I think. I remember Burkhard running down the hall after him early in the morning after Jamie threw some water on him trying to be a good junior counsler and wake him.
I can also remember a joke that Burkhard played on Malin. I'll tell it someday.
Pecosd
Hi Daisy May,
Was the fruitcake Tom the music dorm counselor? I think he was becoming a priest.
I'm so bummed that I don't remember more. Of all the people you asked about I only remember Jim and Cindy because they were the directors of WW2, and I went there after almost a year at the original WW.
Cindy was great,& charming, and Jim was a distant person. Smoked his cigarettes(cigarette holder) with sunglass's like the commandant of WW2. Ya knew that it wasn't the marriage made in heaven.
P
Was the fruitcake Tom the music dorm counselor? I think he was becoming a priest.
I'm so bummed that I don't remember more. Of all the people you asked about I only remember Jim and Cindy because they were the directors of WW2, and I went there after almost a year at the original WW.
Cindy was great,& charming, and Jim was a distant person. Smoked his cigarettes(cigarette holder) with sunglass's like the commandant of WW2. Ya knew that it wasn't the marriage made in heaven.
P
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Dear Posters,
I just gotta say, that I think this is starting to turn into something really nice.To me it feels like an old family getting back together, after 35 years of not talking.
When I got out of Wagon Wheel, I wanted nothing to do with even thinking about it. But many of the experiences I had there were significant and meaningful in my life. I learned bad, and good at WW. Probably more bad than necessary.
Wagon Wheel has become a family-like memory. Especially now since I've been communicating with you 6 or 7 Wagon Wheelers we have located so far.
The thing I notice about everyone on this so far is the energy that we have is still the same. We were strong kids. At least some of us were. Sensitive kids as well, and WW didn't address that. Who cares about dignity?
We did, and we constantly tried to address that, but got shot down.
p
Hello Sheriff Crotchrot,
I would like to hear about the later years of Wagon Wheel.
I was going to OU years after I left WW in about 1975. I ran into Dave Short at a bar and had a beer with him and some of his friends. He told me some unbelievable stuff about Coder & Norma. I tend to believe someone like Dave who was an honorable man. I never saw him again, and I heard of his death through some of the people on this blog.
pecosd
Yes we did our best at the time. We were not sick or bad. We were just dropped off. That alone was screwed up, and our anger against that gave them license to medicate us. Anger was bad, and sick. Get out the thorazine. Some of us were really sick and some were just in trouble with the law. Some just unwanted.
Wagon Wheel probably couldn't exist today in the form that we knew. Hopefully the industry is more regulated.
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Hello Sherrif Crotchrot,
I just wanted to say that it was good hearing your serious side, and that I'd like to hear more about the years of Wagon Wheel after mine.
I can't believe that Coder ran the school!
I'm sure I'm not the only person who would like to hear about this.
I took typing class with Mr. Johnson. It was something else. He was a strange one. Very dedicate to teaching typing. We did finger exercises!
Yes we are speaking about the same Mr. Johnson. The finger exercises were fun and we got to give him the middle one. He never seemed to notice our smirks.
Typing has been a good skill to have. I never forgot it.
I just posted on classmates on the message boards our link. If you go to classmates you will find our blog.
If anyone knows about how to get listed on google main(we are on google blog search) please let me know.
How many students are there? Where are the records kept? Burned?
Pecosd
Hey Sheriff,
It looks like it's just you and I talking here.
I would really like to hear about what happened after I left around 1970.
Could you fill me in with some info?
Anyone who wants to write me personally can do so at kronkite22@yahoo.com.
pecosd
Hey Sherriff,
Are you Ken Coder? That's the rumor going around Wagon Wheel.
Pecosd
Yall know how rumors get started.
We are planning to storm the main house tomorrow.
Inviting Dale Pirate to comment.
The Sherrif cannot be Ken "Ho Ho" Coder!
On 1/18/2006 Sheriff Crotchrot said...
So where is everybody? I know Ken Coder is probably hiding his scabbie ass somewhere, knowing its gonna get kicked if he shows his face anywhere in public.
Naw, I knew Dale Pirate. He wasn't Coder.
Welcome Aye Robot,
I think we must of been at the school at the same time. I was at WW1 for a year and WW2 for 2 more. Between 1968 and 1971. I can't be sure of the dates.
I was in Phillipes dorm, Animals dorm, and then Tecumseh WW2. We all lived in the same bunker in Tecumseh.
We probably knew each other.
pecosd
WW2 was slightly more humane. The food was better. The cook was a farmers wife. They had a son.I ran away one time, and when I came back I learned that the son had fallen from a tractor and had been killed. We all knew him.
One time two of the horses(both Cindy Dougherty's) died, and they were left for 2 weeks out there in the pasture. The smell was horrendous when the wind blew south. The dogs including mine(Simon) began eathing the dead horses, and got very independant and developed attitude.
I think I remembere that Dr Bird held sessions at WW2. He was a dangerous man.
pecosd
I remember that someone else punched Dr. Bird and knocked out thousands of dollars of bridgework. Your memory sounds correct.
I don't have my yearbook, and just remembered Greg Kunkle.
If anyone has photos I would really like to see them.
p
Once a counselor named Tom Jones wanted to show us about guns. First he put a tear gas shell in a .22 rifle. He fired it, and the wind blew it into our faces. We were choking including him. He had a .22 rifle and a shotgun. I shot a tree with the shotgun. Bark flew off the poor tree.
Memory is exactly the concern of this epic search, specifically the idea that things we recall voluntarily don't have the resonance of accidental, involuntary memories.
~ 'In Search of Lost Time'
I spent 7 or 8 years in Oklahoma. 3 at Wagon Wheel. One day I bought a ticket on a Greyhound Bus, and packed 3 boxes, and went back East. I didn't look back much.
Now I am looking and it's not easy to remember things that would seem to be of importance.
I always thought it odd about leaving okla. It was like getting divorced from a geographical area.
And you are still in Mcloud as well?
Crap it's Sunday night in Mcloud.
Alright you guys, I have a question: Has anyone any knowledge about the land that Wagon Wheel was one? Are the buildings still there? I have heard rumors that homeless took it over. Just anything would be interesting to know.
pecosd
aye_robot--
Thanks for the satellite image of WW!
I would like to see more images.
I am having trouble finding my way around McLoud / Dale (Zip Code 74851) on http://local.live.com/ and
http://imageatlas.globexplorer.com/
Thanks again
aye robot,
Great find. Thanks for the image which is wonderful!
I'm just curious, how do you know that the main house has been replaced?
pecosd
You are right. I rmember now that the main house faced east.
I wonder if the property is still owned by the Daugherty's. It's kind of unique property, I don't think too good for farming.
The property in tecumseh was beautiful. I used to spend hours riding my motorcycle around it.
Thanks again for the picture.
pecosd
I don't think we will find older satellite photos.
We could learn more about Wagon Wheel History if we spoke it.
I think most of us have kept Wagon Wheel history to ourselves. I know I did. I was embarassed about it. But this is not a good thing.
We didn't ask to go there.
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Thanks for joining the discussion Bob!
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The retarted children statement may have been a legal disclaimer. With retarted children, there might of been stricter guidelines imposed on them.
It sounds like Wagon Wheel continued on a downward spiral after I went off to the dorms in Edmond. They sure didn't want me to get away.
Dr? Van Osdole threatened me in a group meeting at halfway house saying "you can't make it out in the real world". I represented $500 dollars a month to them. My dad was paying it out of his pocket.
I'm deleting comments lately after I make them because they are so personal, even though I want to say them to the people on the blog.
I'm also concious about the factor that my parents could possibly read some of this, and I don't feel like
This comment won't last forever. It's the truth however.
My parents and the adult supervisors of Wagon Wheel were behaving worse than we students were.
I have a real problem with moralists who can't live up to their own standards. How destructive can that be? I think we know.
Hey Joe,
I changed the name of the blog to Wagon Wheel. I don't think it will matter as much as people reading the message boards at classmates.com. They will come if they are at all interested.
I'm supprised that more people are not interested in taking to other ex -Wagon Wheelers.It has taken us this long to speak to each other. Perhaps people have their own time requirments in being able to think about it clearly. It's only after 30 something years that we have initiated this conversation.
I enjoy hearing from and about old WAGON WHEEL friends. Ranchers rule!
I changed the name of the blog back to the original name: Wagon Wheel Dude Ranch For Boys & Girls. Doing a search Wagon Wheel didn't work very well because of other sites with those words in them.
Plus yesterday classmates.com announced that message boards are now free, and people will find links to this site on the classmates message boards. I would think that anyone interested in finding Wagon Wheelers(who do rule by the way) would be at classmates checking around.
pecosd
So glad you started this blog pecosd; by the way, what does pecosd stand for? I've been conversing with DalePirate1970 via email and it has been grand! Lots of info going back and forth. Till now I just wasn't ready to start posting. I was at WW1 during the 69/70 year as an 8th grader. It's hard to believe I was that young when I was there. It was a tough place due to the people running it but most of the kids were great! I really felt like a family there. Since nobody else in the world seemed to care for us, we cared for each other. There was something special about that. :)
Hey Rebel, thank you.
My e-mail is kronkite22@gmail.com. I'll tell you who I am.
Good to have another of us here. I agree with you about Wagon Wheel. It was a tough place, but the kids were great & had worthwhile experiences there. I like how your last few lines described the situation.
I moved back to the East coast in 1976. I had stalled out at OU, and was just hanging there getting myself into trouble.
I was definately wilder after I got out of Wagon Wheel than before.
I can't believe how young I was when I was there in relation to the experiences I had gone through by then.
Wow aye robot, thanks for posting those details.
I even forgot the pool. I spent very little time in that pool. I know I was in it though.
Pappy stocking the catfish is also a detail that I don't know or remember. I think Pappy meant well.
Rebel -- Welcome to the discussion! Please post here often! We Wagon Wheelers gotta stick together!
This is very cool! I had totally forgotten about the pool as I don't think I got to go in it but once or twice. I seem to remember getting conked on the head once and that it was FREEZING cold the other time and they insisted that we go in! Amusing now but not so funny then!
Yes, I always thought Pappy was a happy drunk, always smiling. I think he definately meant well. It made me smile just to see him. I'd probably be a drunk too if I had Norma for a wife!! Wow that woman was mean!
I must say, WW was definately the spring board to my wild days. I was unbelievably innocent when I went in there, but I came out ready for bear!!! Not that I did anything too wild, I still managed to keep my virtue in tact, but just about anything else was fair game! And the party raged on....
Fortunately, I managed to get may act together before I spun totally out of control and now have a great life with a wonderful family. I think that's all I ever really wanted and thank you God, I was able to achieve it.
Sitting by the pool July 20, 1969 as TV blared news about the first moon landing.
That's one small step for a kid from the Animals Dorm, one giant leap for Wagon Wheel 'n' McLoud.
I watching that tv at that time. I remember it well.
The TV was in the Little Boys dorm.
At Wagon Wheel 2 I had a dog named Simon. He was missing for a day or 2.
We were sitting near the road by the dorms, and a car drove by, and Simon jumped out of it's window. He rolled and got up and came to me. It was beautiful, and enlightening.
He had been stolen, but was smarter than his captors.
I'm sitting on the bed in my room in the Animals dorm. The windows are painted black. Without warning, a baseball rockets into the room, leaving a round hole in the black window and missing my head by inches.
Greg Moore bought an 8 track player but only had 2 tapes. So we heard the Beatles' White album 10,017 times.
Greg Moore and William Penn's room had "Trippy" paint that was only visible with a black light.
I remember the trippy room It was next door to mine in the Animals dorm. I can't remember if I had a roomate then. I don't think so.
Off to WW2 very quickly. It was easier there for me. In some ways not quite as brutal. In other ways more so. It was more insidious.
Wagon Wheel was severe.
This reunion of Wagon Wheelers has been more than I expected.
I tend to think that people from the past stay in the past. Some people you never forget, but you know you will never see or hear from them again.
Some of the people I would like to speak to havn't appeared here, but some have.
I am always glad to hear from any Wagon Wheeler. Even though this conversation moves in slomo, I like to know that this is here.
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One highlight from the 1970 Sophomore Class [Poetry] Anthology ~ Mrs. (Beth) Nelson's English class:
by Robert ("William Penn") Pinson:
LIFE
Days gone by are in the past
But some people never last.
Love and happiness don't occur
You have to make it grow.
Sorrow comes by itself
A big part of life
But while the sorrow lingers on,
Life itself continues on.
Hello. It's been a while since I've posted.
I'm reading some of the post's, and they are really great. It brings me back. I wish we knew where everyone was.
Does anyone know where Rick Burkhard is?
pecosd
WAGON WHEEL iPOD PLAYLIST #1
Sugar Shack - Jimmy Gilmer And The Fireballs (the #1 song of 1963)
Aunt Dora's Love Soul Shack - Arthur Conley (1968, Billboard R&B #41, Pop #85; the late Sweet Soul Music man's masterpiece w/ unbelievably funky harpsichord / organ trade-off)
Going To The Shack - Syl Johnson (1969, TwiNight 45 B Side)
Psychedelic Shack - The Temptations (1970, Billboard R&B #2, Pop #7)
I'd Wait A Million Years - The Grass Roots (1969, Billboard #15; I have in my possession the actual 45 that once played on the Shack jukebox)
Sugar, Sugar - The Archies (1969, Billboard #1; heard constantly in the Shack, OBU student counselors dancing emphatically)
Don't It Make You Want To Go Home - Joe South (1969, Billboard #41; we played it to death and we would have blasted The Animals' We Gotta Get Out Of This Place had it been available)
Riding with Gary Brown to Dale from Wagon Wheel 2 was insane; we would do 80 or 90 mph, even when it was muddy. We would always be 10 minutes late, and had to make up the time even if it killed us. We had the radio as a comfort.
Wagon Wheel Playlist 2:
1. I’m Eighteen-Alice Cooper
2. Born on the Bayou-Credence Clearwater
3. Instant Karma-John Lennon
4. Gimme Shelter-Rolling Stones
5. Honky Tonk Woman-Rolling Stones
6. Closer To Home – Grandfunk Radio
7. A Boy Named Sue – Johnny Cash
8. Green Eyed Lady – Sugerloaf
9. Patches – Clarence Carter
10. Little Green Bag – George Baker Selection
Dear, ex Mcloud and Tecumseh residents,
I've been writing short stories about my personal Wagon Wheel history. Mostly I write about WW2 in Tecumseh.
I am astonished how difficult it is to put together what really happened. I have memories of the drama, and most of what happened day to day is beyond my reach. I can not remember what we did in the evenings. I just remember a few nights when some dramatic things happened, medication line, Marine style bathrooms. and lights out pretty early.
But some things people have posted here have reminded me of incidents and people I had no memory of.
Craig Lanuette for one. As soon as I heard his name I remembered exactly what he looked like, and that I started calling him "Pipe" because he used to threaten "I'll hit you in the head with a lead pipe".
Another thing I remember, and I have to give Dale Pirate mention for sparking both memories. It was John Boulders birthday and at dinner I believe on a saturday night everyone started sing happy birthday. Boulder jumped on the table and with both middle fingers raised(I remember he was wearing white)screamed "fuck you". I was at that table.
Too bad we didn't have cameras.
Good To hear from Aye Robot, who's memory seems to have captured details that mine did not.
Boulder became a counselor at WW2, and was a good guy. I called him Boulder. I thought I remembered his name was John. I think he spent many years at WW1 & 2.
To bad we can't find him as well.
I tried to find Rick Burkard, and found his wife(ex?), and spoke to his son who was just turning 18. They are in Brooklyn. His son reminded me of Rick.
P
Thanks, you made me laugh. Its a great story.
P.
Hey Sheriff,
Are you still out there? What have you been up to? Have not heard from you in a while.
The blog seems to be coming alive again.
This is one of my stories. It starts in Tecumseh, and ends in Miami earlier that year on winter vacation with the grandparents. It's a true story, but I am making up the dialogue. I can remember very little actual dialogue. Just a little.
pecosd
The Auctions: Tecumseh Oklahoma—Miami Florida: 1969
Oklahoma
Laundry drop off was on Thursday afternoons. It was dumped in a warm pile, on the remnant-carpeted living room floor, in the cinder block barracks of Wagon Wheel Dude Ranch for Boys & Girls. The students had the responsibility of finding their own clothes; putting socks together, going through the underwear, shirts, pants and what ever else. The most effective approach was to write your name on the clothes (on the inside). Apparently not all of the students would, or could accomplish this. Every week more laundry lay unclaimed.
Bart and I were junior counselors. Bart was a big kid with pimples, who had a stride similar to a forward tilting Groucho Marx; I was a skinny, 17 year old asthmatic kid with a cynical attitude.
“The laundry pick-up is out of hand; what do you think we should do”?
“Suppose we have an auction, and sell the laundry”?
“Sell the clothing back to them”?
“Bart, I’ve been showing them what’s in my closet, and none of them are responding. I think that these clothes are orphaned”. Bart and I conclude that the clothing had either had been forgotten by the original owners, or they had left the school and their laundry too.
Bart & I kept the excess laundry in our own closets. At this rate, we would not have room for our own clothes. The auction was the answer to this looming crisis. Not only would we get clothing back to children, we would make some money for our patience and good will.
I knock on counselor Gary Brown’s door.
“Gary I’ve been telling you about the laundry pickup. Now we can’t get those kids to take their clothing out of our closets. So far laundry pickup has been a washout”. “Would it be alright to auction the leftover laundry? We have really tried everything to get them to pick up their clothes”.
Gary winces, but declares, “Interesting idea, but make sure everyone is there, or it’s not going to happen”.
Bart & I put signs up about the auction everywhere, and we told everyone to be there. We told everybody several times,
“Get it through your heads, this is just as important as a fire-drill”.
Everyone showed up. Gary Brown leans up against the wall, once again the living room referee. Bart and I are standing behind a battered Formica and aluminum table. Piles of clothing lay behind us. Bart announced:
“This auction is now starting”.
“Get it on”, I declare.
Bart held up a pair of flecked, off-white fraying underwear.
“What do I hear for this”? Do I hear a bid? The students looked at us blankly. Albert finally spoke up and pointed his finger,
“Er, I think those are mine”. I asked Bart if I could see the nametag. He hands me the briefs.
“Is your name Fruit of the Loom?”
“No”.
“Well sorry, that’s the name on the garment”. I place the pair of briefs to the side. Someone coughed.
I held up a short-sleeved polyester plaid shirt, and Neil Bruton get’s to his feet,
“heeeey, that’s my shirt”.
“I don’t see your name on this shirt”. Bart replies.
“Heyyyyy”.“ We would deal with the Bruton problem later. I put the tiny plaid shirt to the side with Albert’s briefs. Bart held up a pair of jeans, and Doug Rankin, the one disciple that I had, say’s
“Those are mine, I’ve been looking for them”.
“You cannot be serious Doug, that is fucked up, you know we have been planning this auction. If you didn’t know where your jeans were, why didn’t you ask”?
“I kept forgetting”.
“Give Doug his fucking jeans”, I whispered.
All the kids from the dorms were in attendance, and all of the clothes were claimed. They had just forgotten them. Seeing their clothes in an auction setting triggered their memory, unconscious, or whatever you want to call it: What an improbable breakthrough.
We tried to go on with the auction, but at a certain point, we had to admit that it was a miserable, uncollectible failure. Students had been screaming words like,
“That’s my sock”, or
“Hey there’s my jacket” and worse. Gary Brown took me aside,
“Let the kids have their clothes; you can’t sell their own clothes back to them”. “But you said we could.” “That’s what you get for believing the ludicrous”, and Gary guffawed at me.
At the end, a few mismatched socks were left over, and it was the most successful laundry pickup ever. Bart and I gained nothing money-wise, but it worked out pretty good for the Dude Ranch, and the kids. I did learn a lesson: if you are going to pull strong-arm tactics, you should get better backing, such as the police; the way the real mafia does it.
After the auction, the counselors had us all line up for medication, and it was time for lights out.
“Open your mouth Doug, move your tongue out of the way”, as Gary peered into Doug’s mouth,
“Swallow that, or I’ll get you put on liquid Thorazine”.
Miami
Perhaps I got my idea for the auction, in Miami visiting my Grandparents earlier that winter. My Grandfather wanted me to go with him, to a public auction of bicycles. Grandpa had misled himself into believing he would enjoy be riding a bicycle, more than playing cards with the old cockers around the pool, frying in the sun, or going to bed at 7:30pm farting asking
“Who did that”? With his back to us, waving his hand, as he drifted back to sleep. My grandmother and I played gin on the other bed, with the TV on watching Ed Sullivan, Hee Haw, or Rowan & Martin’s Laugh In. She would shake her head despairingly each time he farted; it didn’t help that I could beat her at gin.
Grandpa & I drove to the auction in his red 1969 Cougar. We arrive at the auction site, find the auditorium, and sit on folding metal chairs near the stage.
The auctioneer appeared wearing a white straw hat. The first bicycle was brought out. It was a girl’s bike and, my grandfather sat quietly. The next bicycle was a 10-speed. A man offered $10 dollars, and Grandpa’s hand shot up,
“$20 dollars”.
“Grandpa, I don’t know, it doesn’t look like such a good bike”. The other man upped the bid to $25 dollars. Grandpa get’s up out of his seat and yell’s: “$45 dollars”, total silence; A chair squeaked. The opposing bidder said nothing.
“Sold” calls the auctioneer.
We went up to the viewing area in front of the stage. The bicycle was brown with rust. It had once been a black bike. The tires were a little flat, not strong enough to ride. We lay the sickly bike in the trunk of the car. We tied down the trunk with twine, and drove back to the condominium.
Grandma was waiting for us and had just made lunch. She had her sunglasses on, white toreador pants, and had bleach blond tight blond curls across her forehead. She watched from the doorway as Grandpa untied the trunk. He and I lifted the bike out of the trunk, and he proudly wheeled it into the foyer.
“That thing is filthy, David, put it on the back porch. How much did you pay?”
“I only paid $45 dollars. It’s a 10 speed”. She leaned against the doorframe, shook her head and smirked, “Honestly: you are such a jerk.”
“You don’t know what you are talking about, the bike is worth twice the money, isn’t it David?”
“Yeah it’s a nice bike, no really”.
Grandpa had always been a gambler, and usually lost.
Perhaps this was karma. My Grandfather had bought me my first bicycle to ride the on the streets of NYC. It had no breaks, and solid rubber tires. He pulled out the trunk of his Cadillac. He probably got a deal on that bike too.
When I returned the following Christmas, the bicycle was gone. Someone had given it the heave-ho.
That's funny. Felipe and I had a related bad idea. The mafia probably is in the laundry business.
Felipe almost killed me by ignoring an asthma attack that was going very badly. Rick Burkard carried me to the main house, and from there I went to the hospital got put on a breathing machine and had a close call.
I was taken out of Felipe's dorm after that. I went to the Animals dorm. Felipe was the beginnings of a beaurocracy.
Does anybody remember Bunny? He was a counselor that was around for perhaps a year. A funny guy.
Felipe (Pappy: "Flippy") cooking breakfast in the mess hall every morning, listening to an adult contemporary radio station that constantly played Marilyn Maye belting Get Me To The Church On Time from My Fair Lady.
Unrelated to Wagon Wheel but forgive me: Under Felipe's Laws of Historical Grammar, Flippy becomes Flappy.
I can remember vaguely that Felipe did breakfast, and was very cheerful.
You little blastards.
His wife Ilda attacked us with the broom once as we crashed through Metcalf's door, about 5 of us. Taco was barking, and jumping around.
pecosd
Aye Robot,
That's good to hear that Philip could had the capacity to learn. He was primative, and was willing to kiss management ass. I wonder what he is doing now?
He was basically a nice guy, with a penchant for occasional violence, and, ludicous logic.
I just realized that we just passed a year since this blog was born, after Hey Joe contacted me through classmates. I want to hear from more people. That means you Neil Bruton, if you have a computer. Mr. Rankin & Mr. McNaughton, and anybody from Wagon Wheel 2. Mr. Burkard, Ms. Cindy Daugherty, ect ect.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY BLOG!
I thank everyone who has come to the blog, and said hello, and I believe that some have come and not written, and that's not cool, I want to hear from you too. This is pledge week, but luckily the blog is free.
pecosd
Dale School 1969 - 70 was a diverse community. I had many Native American friends.
I sat through numerous classes with good natured Seniors Bruce Alford and Jerry Meshquekennock (d. July 29, 2004 - obituary at the bottom of this post). They would often ask me light-heartedly, "Do you drink?"
Seniors Wannetta Littlehead and Anthony and Brenda Deer were always friendly to Ranchers. Anthony Deer even gave me a formal invitation to his graduation.
Junior 1970 Tanya Peltier went on to become an important official in the Potawatomi Nation. In the 2005 Grievance Committee #1 race, she soundly defeated Ken Clifford of Shawnee 1079 to 411.
Soph 1970 Native Americans included Judy Deere, Josephine Littlehead and the Tiger sisters, Carolyn and Marilyn.
~~~
Story last updated Sunday, August 1, 2004
Jerry Lynn Meshquekennock
Lifelong Dale resident Jerry Lynn Meshquekennock, 52, died Thursday, July 29, at a local hospital.
He was born May 15, 1952, to Ralph and Evelyn (McHardy) Meshquekennock.
He graduated from Dale High School in 1970. He attended Oklahoma State University Tech Center, where he earned an associate's degree in diesel and heavy equipment technology.
He worked as a city of Shawnee firefighter for numerous years as a diesel mechanic. He attended Gordon Cooper Technology Center, where he earned a computerized manufacturing technology certificate. He represented Gordon Cooper at state and national skills competition, where he earned a Gold Medal at state and a Bronze Medal at nationals.
He worked as a machinist at AERO Components in Oklahoma City.
He was a member of the Kickapoo and Absentee Shawnee tribes.
He was preceded in death by his parents; paternal grandmother, Rachel Tecumseh; two aunts, Susie Meshquekennock and Cecilia Downs; one uncle, Adam Kaskaske; and cousin, Ronna Cuppawhe.
Survivors include his wife, Ruth "Gauchee," of the home; four sons, Smith and Jake of the home, Thomas of Shawnee and John of Ponca City; two daughters, Lisa Meshquekennock and husband, Michael Lauderdale, of Shawnee and Kristen and husband, Justin Wilson of Shawnee; one sister, Paulette Alexander of Norman; six grandchildren; and several nieces, nephews, cousins, relatives and friends.
Tribal rites were Thursday morning at the home of Herman Wahpekeche, McLoud, with burial in the Kickapoo Tribal Cemetery.
As mentioned above Richie Spears was a counselor in the Animals Dorm. Nice guy. He took us in his van to his home in Shawnee. Jokingly threatened to sit on residents who refused to swallow the mind-altering (legal) medications he handed out every day/night.
Strangely Richie did not want to talk to me when I returned to WW in 1971 as a free man. He hurried to the dining hall to avoid me.
Salt (as in Salt Of The Marine Corps) was also a counselor in the Animals Dorm. He was a WWer before he went to Viet Nam.
On Friday and Saturday nights we cruised Shawnee in Salt's hot new yellow Dodge Charger.
Salt had a Mosrite guitar (the brand played by The Ventures). He would sit in his Animals Dorm room trying to figure out Eric Clapton's solos in "Crossroads."
Nam made quite an impression on Salt. He proudly showed us green-faced photos of enemy soldiers he had personally killed.
He spoke to us as if we were Marine recruits, addressing us as "Bitch," throwing lit matches on us (while we slept), telling us all-too-detailed stories of his adventures with Shawnee women that night. He gave us beer at the lake. Now Salt was a counselor!
I totally missed a few counselors at Wagon Wheel 1. I don't remember meeting Salt.
Somebody got killed on the subway this evening. The body lay on the platform wrapped in a bag, we pedestrians filed by as the police yelled at us.
Here's another story that needs editing but:
Tim and I smoked cigarettes, cupping them in our hands, and waited by the fence for Mr. Jones. He was the gym teacher, taught Oklahoma History, and taught Drivers Education as well. He became principle later on.
I was one of the rare kids by my age with no driving experience. Kids growing up out of NYC, generally get the opportunity to drive. Especially farm kids. This was our first drivers Ed. class; my first time behind the wheel. Drivers Ed was a semester late this year because a tornado hit Shawnee, and damaged the drivers ed cars. We saw them all lined up with blown out back windows.
We had just gotten back from the 2-week Christmas break, and Tim smuggled some pot back.
“Do you want to smoke a joint”?
“Common, we are waiting for Drivers Education class, and I’ve never driven a car”.
“Driving is easy, don’t worry about it”.
“OK, alright, I didn’t even get high over vacation”. We walk to the back of the school, behind a big tree and light up. I hadn’t smoked any pot in a while, and it is a strong drug when you are not used to it.
We walk back to the meeting-place for the Drivers Ed class. Mr. Jones was waiting for us impatiently.
“Look boy’s, if you want to get along with me, and you should want to, since you want to drive and get a grade. Perhaps you should get to class on time”.
“I’m sorry, we were just gone a minute, we were early”, I explained.
“That is not acceptable, I want you to be here when I arrive”. “OK” says we.
We stand next to the car and Mr. Jones asks who is going first. We both stand there for a few seconds, and I nudge Tim, and give him the idea to go first.
“I’ll go first”.
“Thanks Tim”, I whisper. Tim has a hard time keeping a straight face.
I have prior experience with Mr. Jones. Once a girl named Diane, and I made it to Oklahoma History class 1 minute after the bell rang. Mr. Jones had asked us,
“Where have you been? You are late”.
I reply, “We didn’t mean to be”.
“Oh really? Well then you won’t mind getting 1 paddled lick each”.
Diane asks, “Are your serious, we are just a minute late”?
“OK how about ya’ll getting 2 licks apiece”?
Diane and I are taken to separate rooms. She get’s licks from a female teacher, and I get licks from Mr. Jones. Mr. Jones doesn’t like me, or Wagon Wheelers period. Something about being Un-patriotic, hippies.
“Bend over”. I bent over the desk, and Mr. Jones takes a huge paddle off the wall from where it hangs. My previous school experience was the public school system in NYC. Teachers were not allowed to strike the students. Mr. Jones is a big guy, and he takes the long paddle, and strikes me with great vengeance; All of a sudden, a maniac teacher is given control of your life. The paddle came down hard again, and it was a powerful blow, and I was stung to almost to tears, but that would be giving too much away to Mr. Jones, and I resisted showing emotion.
Mr. Jones‘ baby girl died from spinal meningitis a few weeks before this occurrence. He came back to work after a few days, and didn’t show any emotion.
Tim is from Chicago; his parents own a car and let him drive it under supervision. He has driven before. I have only driven bumper cars at Coney Island.
Tim drives first, and we head towards Shawnee Oklahoma. He is stoned, but seems to be in control of the car. This goes without incident. Tim seems careful, and calm about the driving experience.
Mr. Jones tells Tim that he did fine. “It’s your turn Peter”.
Tim pulls to a stop on the grassy shoulder of the highway. “Put on the flashers so no one crashes into us”.
I exchange places with Tim. I climb into the drivers seat with great apprehension.
Mr. Jones tells me,
“Step on the break first, and put the car in gear. Then he asks
“Well?” I put my foot on the accelerator pedal, and begin to slowly drive the car on the grassy shoulder of the highway, and I stay on the shoulder.
“Steer the car onto the dang highway”.
“OK”, I move the car onto the highway. I was high, and stressed.
“Get ready to move in to the center lane to make the turn up there at the light” I put the blinker on, my brain in overdrive, and slowly move the car into the turn lane. The light is green, and I make the turn. I am a few yards short, and head the car into a huge ditch; luckily Mr. Jones has his own break pedal, and steering wheel controls. “What is wrong with you”? He stomps his brake petal, and takes control of the wheel,
“Are you Ok?”
“This is the first time I’ve ever driven”. He shakes his head, and I look in the rear view mirror, I can see Tim covering his mouth, laughing. I didn’t think it was too funny; I would have driven us into the ditch, and fucked our shit up.
We continue on. Mr. Jones is appalled. I am driving back to the school. I couldn’t wait to get out of the car.
“Peter, drive the car faster: at least 55 miles an hour”.
I speed up and the sun is emerging for the first time of the day. I am seeing something on the hood of the car. It is changing colors, and looks like an insect to me. I can’t tell what it is. I ask Mr. Jones,
“Do you see that on the hood”? Mr. Jones looks at me. I see Tim with his hand over his mouth in the back. Mr. Jones doesn’t answer the question. He had enough of Wagon Wheelers today.
I look long, hard look at that spot on the hood. I realized that it was a reflection.
Merry Christmas and happy holidays to all Wagon Wheelers!
I had almost forgotten about those paddles. Ouch! That was one crazy place! I still can't believe they made me their yearbook queen. Shows you just how crazy they were!! lol
Have an awesome Christmas and a fabulous New Year!! That goes for you too pirate, I love all the memories....your guys are the best ;-)
Ok, I wasn't going to say anything about this, but when I first came to WW, they put me on so much Mileril (sp?) I almost OD'd. It was so bad the other WW kids had to practically carry me from one class to another because I couldn't walk on my own, when I got to the next desk I would be passed out till they picked me up to go to the next one... Was it like that for many other kids who went there? Hard to believe that was even legal, but then we're talking about the paddle police here, what would they care!
Rebel, I tried liquid Meloril once, and it was definately the worst feeling I ever had from a perscription drug. All those drugs were terrible.
http://dalepiratemcloud.blogspot.com/
Dale Pirate has found how we can post pictures. If you have any you would like to have posted please contact him.
Happy New Year!
First WW Post of 2007!
Please let me know if anyone wants to be removed or identified in a different way on
http://dalepiratemcloud.blogspot.com/
The WW photo blog is currently in stealth mode, not findable through search engines. I also have the photos on my screen saver, really great to see Little Annie or Patty Armstead looking at me full screen without warning 37 years later!
Let's hear some WW stories!
Excellent story, aye_robot!
One Friday night, returning from Shawnee, a group of us were riding in the
back of a pick-up truck (accumulating the Oklahoma DIRT that would
later be seen in the shower, blackening
the drain). Suddenly the truck was spinning wildly, to
avoid a wreck. No one was hurt. The girl next to me commented, "I
thought I was TRIPPING!"
I am standing in the Shack, 1970. Little Boys dorm resident Patrick runs up and exclaims, "Kenny Coder just heard Spirit In The Sky by Norman Greenbaum!"
Flash forward to August 1978. The only people at WW were Pappy, Norma, Johnny -- and Patrick, who still remembered me. He had considerable freedom. We drove around Dale, McLoud and Shawnee. I bought him beer. He smoked weed in the car. No-one cared. It was a Ghost Ranch.
What in the world where you doing there in 1978? What month?
This comment has been removed by the author.
Dale: Hotbed of radical political activism.
On May 4, 1970 at Kent State in Ohio, four students were killed. Nine students were wounded.
My artistic WW friend, Rik (his distinctive spelling of Rick, last name unknown), and I made a huge cardboard cut-out FIST stencil and using red spray paint, decorated the backs of our blue work shirts. We wore the FIST ("Strike!") shirts to school the next day. Not one comment (pro or con) was made by a Dale student or teacher. We did not get sent home or paddled. Whippo.
WWers were there!
May 8, 1970
University Of Oklahoma Field House
Norman, OK
Jimi Hendrix
Billy Cox
Mitch Mitchell
01. Fire
02. Spanish Castle Magic
03. Machine Gun
04. Lover Man
05. Foxy Lady
06. Hear My Train A Comin'
07. Message To Love
08. Red House
09. Star Spangled Banner
10. Purple Haze
11. Voodoo Chile
The concert is available on bootleg CD. Mitch Michell's drums were nailed to the stage - one could look over his shoulder and watch him play via the reflection in the upturned basketball backboard.
Jimi: "I'm glad I don't have to live off the [pitifully small amount of] applause you're givin' me."
I lost my password it's been so long.
I am now Kronkite. I was Pecosd who started this blog.
I havn't made a comment in a long time, but I was at that concert. Nuf said. I had seen him in NYC and it was an experience.
AN IDEA: Recreate Wagon Wheel on Second Life!
We can use the aerial view from Google as a template. along with some of the photos.
It could be done at a nominal monthly fee.
I guess this blog is no longer my blog. It's fitting since I had not been on in such a long time.
I'm not even sure who can take control of it since I forgot the password.
It is owned by all of us now.
Cheers, pecosd now Kronkite
My posting name is still pecosd hmmmm perhaps I am still him. ;-)
Hello
I'm in a state of shock. I attended WW in 74/75. I believe I may have been with the last crew there as my parents jerked me out because one of the counselors told the parents about them giving the kids perscription drugs without a prescription while in Mexico on a trip. I was one of those kids. They drugged me up so they could go out and not have to worry about me sneaking out while in Mexico. I was never prescribed meds while there. At first I refused to take the drugs, Ken Coder had to hold me down to get me to take them. Kinda funny when you think about it, refusing to take drugs?
Kids that were there that I remember, Mark Spinelli, Vicki Winchel, Paul Matlif, Donna ???, Monica ??? many others I can't remember.
Anyone else out there remember?????
Remember Johnny the maintenance man? Was that guy weird.
Anyone else out there? The memories are rushing back.
I've read all 173 comments on this blog. The memories are rushing back. It seems everyone that has posted so far was before my time. I am 46 years old and was a 9th grader at Dale.
I am from Little Rock. Noticed another guy from LR on this blog or at Classmates dot com. I don't know him.
That place was hell. I never talked about it after I left. Thought about it often. Still do.
I am sucessful. I didn't belong there. I got in trouble with the law and it was either WW or prison. I was 13 or 14.
I graduated from Arkansas with an accounting degree. I am married and we both have good jobs. Wife doesn't know anything about WW.
I remember sanding that pool with a wire brush and painting it.
Played a lot of poker. There were only 2 dorms. A boys and a girls. The other buildings were vacant. No WW2.
Coder was the Director. Everyone hated his guts.
Saw Deep Purple in OKC. Post Ritchie Blackmore. Never forget all the rednecks at Dale. They detested all the ranch kids. I had hair down to my shoulders and showed up the first day wearing a bright red t shirt that said Acapulco Gold with some Mexican dude on it smoking a joint.
Was in a fight before my first day at Dale was over. Guys name was Ricky Carter, redneck local.
God bless all of you WW'ers.
Welcome, Razorback!
I am beside myself. So many memories are coming back........
This comment has been removed by the author.
I get the feeling that by the time I was there in 74/75 that things were really downsizing. I really had no idea WW ever had as many kids that this blog is describing.
There was a boys dorm with about 10 or 12 boys living in it and a girls dorm with about 6 or 7 girls. Coder was running the place. There was a secretary that worked in the main house, a maintenance man named Johnny, a cook that also did the laundry. Johnny was an older man that seemed pretty weird. We had several different counselors. When I arrived there was no boys counselor. They hired a guy named Rex soon after I landed there. He had a beard, tall, drove a silver Grand Prix. He didn't stay long.
After that a guy named Dave was hired to be the boys counselor. He dipped skoal. We all called him "Skoldy". He had a brown station wagon, was short, mustache, kinda fat wore cowboy boots. Was actualy a nice guy.
We took a trip to Montery Mexico. Everybody went, girls and boys. We rented an RV that broke down several times on the way, Skoldy drove his station wagon that was pulling an old makeshift trailer that had been made out of the bed of a pickup truck. We painted the trailer with marijuana leaves all over it. That was smart!?! Getting into Mexico wasn't a problem but coming back we got searched questioned etc etc. Imagine that, with the trailer painted up the way it was. I was certain someone was going to get caught bringing something illegal back but nobody did.
I was never perscribed meds while there but everyone else was. Was a peculiar thing seeing everyone line up for medication. Anyway, one night while in Mexico Coder and the counselors were going out and they made me take some medication that wasn't perscribed by anyone. I don't know what it was but it knocked me out for the night and most of the next day. I was so sick the next day I puked all over the place while on a tour at a CarteBlanca beer plant.
Long story short, some of the parents started getting wind of the unprescribed drug thing and who knows what else. Many years later my Mother told me it was the girls counselor that was contacting parents to let them know what was going on with there children.
Not long after the Mexico trip I was sitting on the front porch of the boys dorm smoking a Marlboro red and my dad pulls up. He gets out of the car and says pack up were going home. (tears). I had no idea he was coming nor did any of the staff at WW. Dad spent about 10 minutes in the office with Coder. He came back to my room to help me pack. 30 minutes later I was heading east on I-40 back home to Little Rock. I will remember every second of that day for the rest of my life.
After I left I never had contact with anyone associated with the place until yesterday. 32 years later.
There were kids there with severe phycological problems and there were kids that were just rebelious. Some of the kids had no parents and no place to go if they did leave.
I can invision that dorm,remember each room, and put a face on each room. You walk in the front door and the first room on the left was the poker room. Don't remember what we called it. I lived in the third room down on the left. I had a Marantz receiver a Dual turntable and huge AR speakers. I had the place rocking. LedZep was pretty much the order of the day.
Razorback,
It was the same with me. I got in trouble with the law.
Welcome back to WW. ;-)
We have all been waiting for you, and your later day experiences and knowledge.
I thought everyone got medicated. Your parents were good to get you out. Nice.
Coder held you down to medicate you. That's so bizarre but typical of the stories on this blog.
pecosd
We have to keep this blog going. There's really not very many of us here. WW really dropped off the radar screen for the past 30+ years but it's all I have thought about since I found this site yesterday afternoon.
A really strange part of the whole thing was adjusting back to the real world after I got home. It was like, how do you explain that gap in your life. I was ashamed, embarassed, didn't want anyone to know. I could care less now.
I can't get over how many students must have been there before me. It never seemed that large of an institution. There were probably 15 kids at the most at any one time while I was there. I'd really like to reconnect with some of those kids.
Coder drove this brand new black Cadilac Seville and smoked Marlboro reds. He had a CB in that thing and was always talking on it and tinkering with it.
Norma was this frail scary looking little thing that rarely came out of her house. Anytime you ever saw her she was hanging out of her window in a night gown, smoking a cigarette and yelling at you. Was a real crazy situation. You always heard about her daughters but never met or saw any of them.
There were 2 horses up in the back pasture. Wasn't a lot of interest in the horses although I did ride a few times. Things were pretty run down.
Always a lot of dogs around. The only time they ever got fed was from all the food scraps that were thrown out after meals were served in the dining hall. Johnny the maintenance man would put a bucket of scraps out behind the kitchen and all hell would break loose.
There was one Phycologist on staff. Her name was Maude. She held group sessions once a week and also held one on one therapy sessions. Was strange, my parents were getting bills from her for my one on one therapy sessions but I never had one the whole time I was there.
The drug thing was really weird. Some were taking these huge cocktails of drugs. There were guys that stayed medicated 24 hours a day, didn't go to school with everyone else. They slept all the time. Being 13 years old I didn't understand what the deal was. But after a while you figured out these guys needed to be medicated. Was a safety issue.
August 1978
I'm sitting in a weakly air-conditioned back room of the Main House with Patrick Donovan, Norma and Pappy.
A door opens. In walks Johnny, unchanged since 1970. He acts like he knows me. He says, "Do you remember when I used to call you Turkey?"
It's incredible how the memories keep coming back.
Everything here prior to me finding this blog is about people and events before my time at WW. The really cool thing to me is I remember hearing about a lot of this while I was there. You guys were famous.
I've searched and searched but can't find anything about the Ranch except for here and Classmates.com.
Is there any other place out there???????
This blog is diffucult to find.
Never got held down and force fed drugs because I always took whatever they gave me – even knowing the effect of the drug was more unpleasant than being held down. In support of Razorback’s Monterrey story, Coder once recruited someone to help him hold me down so he could shove a dog turd in my mouth.
The day they fired Bird (1972?) they went around to all the dorms and collected all the prescribed drugs. The counselors started a rumor that the whole mess had been dumped into a big pot, mixed with water until dissolved and dumped out in the woods. Sounds like they actually held onto the more potent ones for unprescribed uses. That day I wondered what was going to happen with the 2 or 3 kids out of about 60 that everyone believed needed something to control their behavior. Absolutely nothing happened. The drugs didn’t control anyone’s behavior; they just made us fall asleep when we should have been learning lessons in school. The truly dangerous students (Mike and his little friend who amused themselves by burning buildings, Rusty who attacked and injured a counselor, …) had all been sent back where they came from back when their true natures were discovered.
Can’t say a whole lot about the downsizing after ’73 since I wasn’t there. I dropped by in ’74 while on a motorcycle trip to the east coast. The only kids who knew me were Dugan and Quaddie. I was driving through the area again in ’75 and curiosity got the better of me. Johnny the maintenance man met me out in the parking lot and told me Coder was back and running the place. I could have taken that as fair warning and left straight away, but once again curiosity won out. Johnny also said there were only 2 dorms left and for lack of a cook, the girls were preparing most of the meals. Shortly thereafter Coder drove up in a brand new ivory colored Cadillac. He told me he had taken over from Dave Short who briefly ran the place after Jim and Cindy split. Coder also said they were being less selective about what students were accepted. I took that to mean word was getting out about the place and they would rather keep the money than ship the bad apples back. The kids I saw that day didn’t look dangerous, just spaced out. That was the last I saw of either Coder or WW. I remember Patrick Donovan, but didn’t see him on either visit.
Yeah, I was certainly after you guys. So I guess that makes me the youngest here? I am 46.
There were 2 or 3 people that needed to be on meds to keep them from hurting themselves or others but I honestly couldn't understand why the rest were.
I think Aye Robot is right in that WW was becoming less selective in the later years. It was all about the money. Keep you there as long as they possibly could.
1970. I am sitting on a couch in the Animals Dorm in the hall outside Rick Burkard's room. His door is closed.
Lanouette comes up and tries to pick a fight with me.
I resist. He persists.
He punches me a few times.
All of a sudden without warning, Rick bursts out of his room. "You want to fight someone, Lanouette?! Then fight ME!"
And Rick proceeds to mop the floor with Lanouette, leaving him crying, defeated and humiliated.
Thanks, Rick.
Valuable Off-board post by HeyJoeOne:
October 14, 2007
Dale trip 33 years later WOW!
I just went to Dale, McCloud, Shawnee and OK City. Things much the same but yet so surreal and different! The school (Dale) is still intact. Classrooms are now offices. Trophy cases there, Office still there. Lots of new buildings and looked great! Met a teacher who let my wife, son, and me go through. Doyle Peters store bldg still there but closed and junked up. Few new house so town looked much the same. Went to Wagon Wheel and met current owner/resident (Very Kind). Sugar Shack gone but fireplace still there with new roofed section for cookouts on old slab, Felipes dorm there, heard Felipe and Broomhilda back in Mexico. My dorm by cafeteria there but now garage. Main house gone new one there. Stable and pen gone. Farms still abundant. Peaceful community and brings back all the memories. I was warmly offered a tour by Richard Carter (71') didnt get time but appreciate his help and most kind invitation. I am going to post our yearbook soon. Life is good, miss those days, all the best.
Hi - I just came across this page. I was at Wagon Wheel 1971 - 1972. I remember Carol McCall, Donna, Anne McCaslin, Tippy, Bev, and Marty the counselors. Chuck, Greg Kunkle, Ferd, Dennis, Tommy, John, and many more people. Does anyone remember Denny?
Hello Aye Robert - I was at that campout. If anyone wants to contact me my email is: cinder@justpastmidnight.com. Does anyone know exactly how many years WW was in operation? How many kids went there?
From one of my favorite authors, Raymond Feist, The Kings Buccaneer.
Fear holds us and binds us and keep us from growing. It kills a small piece of us each day. It holds us to what we know and keeps us from what's possible, and it is our worst enemy. Fear doesn't announce itself; it's disguised, and it's subtle. It's choosing the safe course; most of us feel we have 'rational' reasons to avoid taking risks. The brave man is not the one without fear but the one who does what he must despite being afraid. To succeed, you must be willing to risk total failure; you must learn this."
Welcome, Cinder!
Please post as many Wagon Wheel / Dale stories as you can remember!
My first memory of WW was my parents driving me to Oklahoma for us to do a look-over. While my Mom and Dad were being shown around, by a gracious, kindly, motherly Norma, a girl who was leaving told me under her breath, "Don't come here. You don't want to come here. Try to find a way to go somewhere else, anywhere but here." She was gone by the time I showed up Jan. 2, 1972. I did try to not go. My parents were so impressed with Norma and Pappy. They really put on a show that day. Not to mention there really wasn't anywhere else for me to go. I couldn't go to school, my presence at home was a daily reminder of the disgrace I had brought on my parents. None of my friends could talk to me. My Mom was driving 200 miles a day to take me to the only school in the area who would have me. WW seemed like the lessor of all the evils.
My first day at WW, my parents drive off and its just Norma and I in her office. She starts with her speech, something about I had better decide today that I will get along, because if I didn't the next year could be very unpleasant. My parents had to sign a one year contract with WW. I had to stay for one year, they couldn't take me out, Norma and Pappy had legal custody of me for that year. I kept thinking its only for a year.
I think my counselors name was Tinky. She was a heavy set woman, but overall down to earth and she was fairly kind to me. The dorm was behind the main house, and Donna from Kansas was my room mate. My counselors were Tinky?, Bev, and Marty. In their own way, they cared for us. I didnt know Marty well, but she seemed genuinely concerned for me and the other girls.
Tinky and another counselor, I think his name was Bob, they went together, and eventually left and I think got married. I always wondered how they did. He was nice and very funny. There was some drama with Tinky and Bob, she left quickly. Donna was very upset to see her go. I felt like I was loosing an ally also.
Sandy/Sandra? also from Kansas, Donna, Anne McCaslin were in my dorm. Also, an older girl named Judy? who played the guitar and sang really well. She and one of the boys counselors fell in love and wanted to get married. Her parents were all against it, I never did hear how it turned out for her. She left and so did he. Little Annie was there but she lived in a different place, I think with the Daughertys. She didnt like me at all. But I remember her as smart, funny, and dynamic, but her comments could cut you to the bone. It's difficult to think of all that energy as gone now. Does anyone know how she died? Did she at least have a life?
That's enought for right now. If anyone wants to contact me directly, my email is cinder@justpasmidnight.com
I was there during the summer. I remember Gary M., Mike, Anne McC. Fred and so many more. Last I heard of Annie Y. she was strapped into a wheelchair.
Does anyone know if wagon wheel is still a home for kids or if it is just a private residence now.
Does anyone know what has happened to Little Annie? She was so funny but could be so cruel.
One of my last memories of WW, I knew I was leaving, my parents were coming to get me. One of the boys from the kids dorm, who I had liked and always tried to talk to, gave me a rosary. he was catholic and said that he wanted me to have it to remember him by. I can't remember his name now, but I still have the rosary. He must have been between 8 and 12, chubby, dark blond - light brown hair. I never knew why he was there, but he touched my heart.
I spent the Summer of 71 there. I went back the Summer of 72 with Mike Buck who was living in Dallas. We were run off and then had an adventure with some OK farmers.
Judy was my bunkmate. Little Annie ended up in the Dallas area in an hospital. Such a waste.
What happened to Fred? He was a hoot.
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Our counselor was named Tempi.
Do you remember Denny?
Tempi. That's right. And she went with a counselor named Bob. I either have forgotten or never knew why her and Bob left so suddenly. She was a nice lady, at least I remember her that way.
Tempi was really nice. She had gone to college on an ocean liner.
I'm not sure I rember Denny. My name was Debbi and I hung out with Gary M., Ferd and Anne McC.
I think it was Debbi who warned me not to come.
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It's been a while since I've posted.
Hi everyone. I've been hard at work trying starting a business and it has taken all my time.
The company I work for is fraying at the edges and my work partner of 8 years was fired last week. I kind of work for a Wagon Wheelish Company called MSLO on the stock ticker..... As Philipe would of said "blastards!"
They don't medicate us at least.
I just re-read the blog and I am soo reminded of the place and the wonderful kids.
Best, pecosd
Hi all! I can't believe I find this after all these years. I spent 2-1/2 yrs. there. Seems like it was 1970 or '71 to 1973. Part at Tecumseh, most at the main ranch. DaiseyMay & Robot seem to recall some of the time when I was there. I saw many counselors and room mates come and go. Strange days indeed!
Hi Shannon. Can you post more information about your counselors and the other people you remember. I know it was along time ago. Some things I remember like it happened yesterday.
When I first got to the main ranch Bird was the physc., Maude was the last one I saw. I didn't get to know many folks there before I was shipped to the Tecumseh location.
Doug was the counselor there. Seems like the first night there, he went "Oops!" with his measure of the liquid Artane and sent me tripping that night. I swear he new what he was doing when he overdosed me.
I guess I wasn't at that location long before I was returned to the main ranch. There I was in "The Animals" dorm, so I figured I could act the part. I developed a whole different attitude towards the ranch about then and figured I didn't have much to lose but the shirt on my back.
I remember Jim & Cindy Maleys running the place, and their dogs Ace & Angel & Halo. Felipe and his wife were unforgettable. Do remember Carol McCall, Debbie Thurston, Sabrina, Suzie Parker, Cindy Long. Craig Aubushawn, Steve Scott, Jim Munson, Dean Landry, Steve Heard, Dugan,. Fred Faith, Neil Bruton, Shawn Brunk, and some guy with the last name Martel sounds familiar. There were many unforgetable characters there whose names slip my mind. Like many of you, I just tried to let a lot of that time go and forget about it.
Time became somewhat of a blur then, until Jim M. and I had enough and took off towards Georgia, then Virginia. Nothing to lose but the shirts on or backs. Stayed gone about 1 month, then we were arrested and the ranch sent one of the counselors to pick us up in Virginia in his own car. Don't even remember who it was. When we got back we were told we had to pay for the trip by working the hours off. I figured "screw that", I had nothing to lose, and I don't remember working any of them.
I was crazy about Debbie T., Jim was nuts for Cindy L..
Counselors I remember then were Tom (the priest), Billie L.,and John who use to be in Andre Crouchs band. Dave short and Ken Coder sound familiar but we had many come and go about then. Bev, then Marty were girls counselors about the time I was told to leave the ranch. I had been there for the Blue River trip mentioned by aye_robot in an earlier post.
Well you were there when I was. It was such a weird place. I think maybe in many ways its like being in a war. Terrible things become the norm, you act in ways that you wouldn't have anywhere else. I just hope that at the end of my life, its not like it was for my poor uncle. He was a decorated korean war vet, saw combat, really bad things, when he lay dying that's all he could talk about. I don't want the horrors of that place to be my last memories.
A couple names came back to me last night, now that you guys have stirred these memories again...
Bob Tinsley (from Salina, Kansas)
Mark Lester.
It seems I had shoved those memories back so far they are blurry.
Cinder, (tried to use your email address you posted earlier, hope you get my email) I hope the bad memories never haunt you! I know the good memories were few but I know there were some good people there.
We were all in the same boat.
I learned to make the most of a bad situation from those experiences.
My email is Stewart_Shannon@hotmail.com
if anyone wants to get in touch!
I was at Dale HS for just a short time and a girl from WW was a cheerleader with me. Her name was Lisa Otis and she was from Dallas. Does anyone remember her or have info on her? My dad was a preacher in between churches and we were only there for a few months. Thanks, Teela Hayden
Hello everyone. Hope you are all well.
Hi Razorback. I'm hanging in there, how are things with you?
Great to find this. I have many fond memories of some super people. I remember the drivers ed experience. I really lost it when the instructor asked us if we had eaten feathers for breakfast. Does anyone remember the acid I brought back and we ate during the Canned Heat concert?
I have been thinking about this site all day. For decades I had no one to share my experiences at WW with. I have many stories and I remember a lot of very good people. I remember Peter C. who along with Doug Rathbun, Duane, and Dave B. were very good friends. I almost hate to write was a friend because I am missing some. Ken Coder was also a friend to me. Company has arrived - I will write more tomorrow.
I recall Pappy getting drunch and piling many of us into the back of his pick-up truck and driving like a maniac. It was a lot of fun - but kind of unbelievable. I remember the story/myth that Neil B. had been sent to WW because his ultra good hearing allowed him to switch all of the locker padlocks at his public school. I was by the pool when the news came about the lunar landing. I was also w/ Ken C. when he was into his motocross bikes...that led to us going to A&W for floats. Does anyone else recall Flippy's truck that had the thing in the bed that we rode in? It was a bit like a small travel trailer but it was in the truck bed. It had benches and windows, and a door, etc. There was a little vent openning on the roof of this thing and we would crawl thru the vent and ride on top of the truck going down the highway hanging on for dear life. Then we would pass one of the local peoples farm and scream "Carters Suck". Once the Carters chased us down the road and Flippy had to talk them out of kicking someone's ass. I remember another friend that I had in Flippy's dorm - Steve something from Tulsa - his parents owned the Camelot hotel there, I think. Plus he used to sing opera. I recall a guy named Glen who I think Pappy liked a lot but who was killed on a private plane w/ his father during a vacation break. How about Vic M - I think he was from Houston another good guy.
HI THERE! I JUST FOUND THIS. I WAS AFFECTIONATELY CALLED BILLY BAD A*# BY BILL PORTER, WHO WAS VERY KIND, AND KINDA TOOK ME AS I WAS,AND UNDER HIS WING. CLASS OF 63-64 4TH-5TH GRADE, AND YES I USED TO LIKE TO FIGHT A LOT. HYPER WITH ADD.... THORAZINE AND DEXADRINE CONCURRENTLY,AND THANK SOMEONE FOR CORPORAL PUNISHMENT. I SAW SOME OF THE NAMES I KNEW WHEN I WAS THERE.... MORE TO FOLLOW AS THE GHOSTS ARE COMING BACK TO ME....DIVING IN THE POOL FOR SPARE CHANGE, SATURDAY NIGHT DRIVE IN AND RUMBLE IN SHAWNEE, FROSTY ROOT BEER, AND YES FILIPE ROGRIGUEZ... JUST SAYING HI, AND IM GEOFF (JEFF)STANFIELD FROM TULSA, BANNED FROM TPS, AND MY PARENTS MONEY AND ME WERE WELCOME IN MCCLOUD,OK.ID LOVE TO HEAR FROM YOU.
BBA
Hi Billy,
Hope you are well.
Cinder
Hey you all. I used to look for Wagon Wheel stuff, then I gave up. I was there 70-71. Ran away once with Lenora, the lovely girl with the military dad. Went to that little university in Shawnee for about a semester until Doug Rankin showed up, we regressed, and pretty much had to leave. I missed Cener for a long time. And Peter Colen was a really good guy. This blog brought back a lot of memories.
Teela,
I never knew Lisa Otis, but Boulder was in love with her big time, and I knew Boulder. He helped with my tattoo. So maybe Boulder would know where she was, if anyone knew where Boulder was. Dave Youngren was his name.
Does anyone know what became of Peter Colen? He was a great guy.
Cheers.
HeyJoeOne:
I knew:
Robert Pinson (but only once I left WW and went to Dallas).
Shawn Brunk-?
Doug Rankin- I learned to drive a stick shift in his car as we left Shawnee to go to Dallas. Hung out a while then lost track.
Ann Yonack - Dad owed a button business. I saw her for a while in Dallas when I was going to school there. She was beautiful.
Carrie Shubert - hard to forget Carrie and Marci!
So who else?
John Smallridge - Charleston, WV
Richard Everds - Chicago, Il
Cener McKeon - Bartlesville, OK
Lenora (Len) Thompson - OK town
Joe Cabrillo?
other names and faces fade in and out.
Peter Colen - NYC
Mike Demilia - east Texas
Boulder (Dave Youngren) - Boulder
? Pothorst
Anyway, I was both at Dale and Edmond. Washed dishes with Peter C.
Saw a porno in OKC when Richie (counselor) let us convince him it was a good idea. He turned himself in.
I must've run into you as Marci and Carrie came when I was already there (to the best of my recollection).
Cheers.
Pete was working for a big name home designer person in NYC. He was laid off last year and I haven't heard from him since. I hope he is doing well. He is a great guy.
Does anyone know if Richard Everds is alive?
I was in touch with Peter for awhile - but after he was laid off I can't reach him. I am beginning to fear the worst.
Tim
Pecosd - You're in my prayers, please let us know if you are all right.
God - what did those asshole people do to us. I came across this:
Why is Mellaril prescribed?
Mellaril combats the crippling mental disorder known as schizophrenia (a severe loss of contact with reality). Because Mellaril has been known to cause dangerous heartbeat irregularities, it is usually prescribed only when at least two other medications have failed.
Most important fact about Mellaril
The danger of potentially fatal cardiac irregularities increases when Mellaril is combined with any medication that prolongs a part of the heartbeat known as the QTc interval. Many of the drugs prescribed for heartbeat irregularities (including amiodarone, propafenone, propranolol, and quinidine) prolong the QTc interval and should never be combined with Mellaril. Other drugs to avoid when taking Mellaril include cimetidine, delavirdine,fluoxetine, fluvoxamine, paroxetine, pindolol, and ritonavir. Make sure the doctor knows you are taking Mellaril whenever a new drug is prescribed.
just want to say hi..i was a dale guy that hung out at ww,with guy,harry,william pen,burkhard, john smallridge, too many to mention,loved all of ya!!
my buddy heyjoe..you have wondefull bbq brother!!!
i see greg kunkle most weeks. we kind of work together. he says crystal is in texas.
where's metcalf? don armstrong? steve porter. steve burns is in tulsa.
sandy olds married clark..they had a bunch of babies,looked her up in kcmo.
ken coder was around shawnee a few years back..lost touch.
guy mcginnis has emailed me lately..harry remembers me,that's warm and fuzzy!!!
This is a test. I have never written blog or blogged, whichever term is correct. Also, I haven't encountered a spell check... gracious me. Anyway, i learned of this site, blog, from another WW alumni. I read what has been posted and i recalled many people and events and places long forgotten. I was referred to in some of the text as "salt" , so, I will use that name here.
I first went to WW in January of 1965. I stayed there until July of 1968 when I left for military service. That ended in January of 1970 whereupon I returned to the Ranch until June of that year when I left for good.
Fast forwarding to the present, I had occasion to drive on I-40 past Dale a couple of weeks ago. I took time to see what had changed; quite a bit. As you exit the interstate the old dirt road has been paved and a very respectable bridge put in place. Then one notices the huge casino... It must cover two acres and includes the usual gaming entertainments and, as I found out, a $14.00 breakfast which must have been worth at least six bucks!
I drove up to the east-weat road that leads to Dale and went through the town. The streets are paved and the town was not as cluttered or bleak as I remembered. It was Sunday morning so no one was out. The church parking lots were full so I presume that everyone was at church, but most of the cars were only a year or two old and that led me to believe that some measure of prosperity has occured. Perhaps the casino hires locals and pays well...
Dale HS has expanded to three schools but I only saw the old building. It is now surrounded by many buildings and, as I understand it, there is a J.D. Jackson Elementary School around there somewhere. I have an interesting memory of Mr. Jackson that I will relate at some other time.
I drove out of town heading north. I turned on the ranch road, paved as well, and went to the entrance. From what I could see few of the buildings I remembered are there. The main house is either gone altogether or has been redone to the point of being a different shape. Felippe's dorm was still there. The shack may have burned because all that is left is the fireplace and a roof with metal supports. It looks like a picnic pavillion. The chapel house, the museum and the dorm which was on the left as you drove into the Ranch are all gone.
I did not drive up the driveway or attempt to drive around the road that circled the place. It is private property and, who knows, one of my old room mates or, worse, an old girlfriend, might have emerged and wanted conversation,,. or worse. anyway, there was a "for sale" sign at the entrance. I did not contact the sales office for information about price, acreage and so on. THe place looks pretty and when the trees bloom this spring I think that the sales person will have a chance to sell a nice piece of property.
Anyway, i hope someone will enjoy my report. More in due course...
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Welcome home SALT (Of The Marine Corps)! And Tim K it's great to hear from you too. Everyone please post as many stories as you can remember. There's been a LOT of activity off-list, on classmates.com and on my blog http://dalepiratemcloud.blogspot.com/
People of Dale and WW-ers of all ages, let's stay in touch!
salt ,
i've tracked you down through some mutual friends,i hear you do well in your post!! i need to get off my rear and come see you.
you still mess with cars? drums?
i've seen you in a recent photo...loved the overalls!!
pecosd, i remember you also,good work on the site!!
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Geeze, finally got this thing to work. FYI, this blog doesn't work worth a flip using Opera
this is kay's facebook page...she may open up and let us know.
http://www.facebook.com/kay.doolin?ref=search&sid=100000179180430.1233999169..1#!
Salt had a good idea. Who was the last inmate to leave the ranch, and when?
Also, thanks pghsteelers for making the Canned Heat concert memorable after all these years.
Cutter - now I need to know who remembers that trip. My email is tim.kernan@gmail.com
i have talked with rebel and cutter, and i hope i had this conversation with hey joe a couple of years ago..so i hope to clear the air here...WAGON WHEEL KIDS WERE COOL!!believe it or not we thought you guys were sp lucky to have the experiences and saw things that we could only dream of. what you don't know is,we couldn't show you how we cared without getting the crap beat out of us from our backward parents.
i actually was beat bad by my dad for going to a concert and movie with guy,harry,jon and the boys.
i took chances that no other dale kid would..i payed the price.
but like i told rebel..my teeth are gone,my dad is gone..but my friends are still here!!
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I remember back in '69 in my short stay at the "Animals" dorm, yes, I did some time there, there
was an episode of great stress. Me and NORMA.
Well, I had left the ranch, and then came back, thru circumstances to this day remain fuzzy, I
ended up in Richie's dorm. Was in "Love" with a girl who will remain nameless, and things started
to pop. She thought it would be a good idea to spend some "time together", and I said "SURE
WOULD!!!!!!!!!!!".
She asked if it was ok to come to my dorm room to "be together", and I said "SURE
WOULD!!!!!!!".
I don't know who my roommate was, I don't know how she got in the room, I don't know where
Richie was, hell, I don't know a whole hell of a lot about the how's, just know about the dids.
She arrived by my bunk. Any ranch kid knows that that was the ultimate.
So, there I was, after the fact, basking in the glory of coolness, when I heard creeking floorboards.
Coolness was gone, it was replaced with stark terror!
I jumped out of the bunk, the girl, who will remain nameless, couldn't have cared less, again, to
this day, I don't know why.
I went to the door, and saw that it was slowly opening.
Not knowing what to do, I hid behind the opening door, until I was backed up against the wall, and
the door was opened.
Be advised, I had no clothes on, nothing, in a dorm room with a naked girl, who didn't realise the
gravity of the situation, with a big unknown coming in.
Do die right then would have been ok with me.
I heard the striking of a match, and then saw the silowett of Norma's head in the fire light.
It got kind of sureall after that.
Next thing I remember, I was on the slab. Thinking how it's over. Again, no Richie.
At daybreak, Dave came over to me, said "do you want to go to Shawnee on my bike?" I said
"SURE WOULD!!!!!".
I will always remember Dave Short for that. He knew what was going on.
Well, they left me swinging in the breeze for two weeks before they passed sentence, which I
don't remember .
Anyone who was in trouble with the "main house", will remember when you left the messhall, you
had to walk past the "main table" to get out of there. It's hard to get small under those
circumstances.
41 years, still creeps me out.......
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did you get any pics cutter??
Ok, in business. I installed a browser that works.
Oops, the facebook ranch site is
"Wagon Wheel Dude Ranch For Boys & Girls".
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Wagon Wheelers / Dale people of all ages are cordially invited to join and participate. Stories, photos, memories and much more! http://www.facebook.com/pages/Wagon-Wheel-Dude-Ranch-For-Boys-Girls/323922644038?ref=mf
I agree with my esteemed colleague.
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Hi.
I was there late 73 to 75 . I remember Sunshine aka Cheryl Linnville, Sabrina Biddix, Debbie Thurston, Cindy Long, Angie Marcinkowaki, Debbie, Flower, Beth the counselor, ummmmmm, Dave & Annie Short, Cindy & Norma Dougherty. The big boys dorm, the little boys dorm, the shack, Arkie the Donkey. At Tecumseh the stud Uncle Chick that got poisoned. Shannon, Jim, Chris Orr, and all of you who shared that time there with me.... Peace
Left in '70, but am glad to meet you. Please check out http://www.facebook.com/pages/Dale-Oklahoma/Wagon-Wheel-Dude-Ranch-For-Boys-Girls/323922644038
and
http://dalepiratemcloud.blogspot.com/
All who did time there are family.
Regards,
Cutter.
lot of memories being shared on facebook. wagon wheel dude ranch for boys and girls.
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