A form of sneaky punishment was:
Running on hall-18 was not allowed.
An attendant came up to me and said, "run down to the pool table and tell Roger (anybody) to come here.
I followed the directions and ran to tell the kid he was wanted, and when I returned another attendant grabbed me and punished me because I was running in the hall. I complained and said the other attendant told me to run, well the punishment just got worse and the attendant said something like this, " If you were told to jump off a cliff, would you jump".
This was the kind of things I had to learn when I was new on hall-18 just a kid at Traverse City State Hospital. I think every kid who was ever on hall-18 got this pulled on him. This made me a better thinker in my life.
.
Another form of punishment was the medicine ball. This big leather ball full of ?? and it weighted about 15 pounds. I remember having an attendant throwing this at me and knocking me off my feet into the hard wooden chairs. Thou hitting us was not common it was done, but the use of this medicine ball as a weapon was allowed, it did not make marks on you. I remember getting hit in the head with it and while I was picking myself off the floor I was seeing bright splotches in my eyes, (stars).
When ever I rub my eyes real hard I see bright white splotches and I always recall this memory.

Yes, I was told to run to the nurses station while a nurse was waiting to chew my a$$ out for running in the halls.The when I said that an attendant told me to do it, she said, "go you do everything your told?" Like Ron said, most everyone was tested with it, most only did it once but some, like who did it more than once were tripped while running down the hall.
The medicine ball, that soft brown, heavy ball, a little bigger than a basket ball. It was sewn together. I still don't know what the purpose of that was.You weren't allowed to throw it or kick it(although we did anyway)

I played the first game of pool with one of the builders and I think he let me beat him, lol. This was really cool playing on a level rebuilt pool table, it was just like new.[/quote]

It was great that you can find some good memories of that place. As bad as it was for you and to you guys, it is good that you can find good. You've got to find it in whatever part of your life, good or bad times. You haven't let them control your lives. I am amazed that you can find anything good but it just shows that they didn't kill your optimism.

Medicine balls, as I remember from school...were used in the Gym for excerise. They weighed so much was good for upper arm strength. They were heavy if you were a kid. I remember them well and getting hit with them. Thanks for the posts guys

"This was the kind of things I had to learn when I was new on hall-18 just a kid at Traverse City State Hospital. I think every kid who was ever on hall-18 got this pulled on him. This made me a better thinker in my life." from ronl

Once again this is a good thing that you see the positive in how you were treated there at tcsh. It may have been a cruel way of learning that you must always think before you act or speak. It's all in how you perceive anything. You could have become obsessed with how cruel the workers were to you and not ever been able to pull yourself up from that. You grew stronger realizing that this kind of foul play taught you a beneficial lesson in life. You are one strong person to be able to pull yourself above all of the bad and find the good.

I was told that the hippie tree was behind the cottages. so its in front of building 50?

Amurphy.."WELCOME" to the site

One of the reasons I started posting of my life at Traverse City State Hospital was to set the record straight and to point out some mis beliefs like the hippy tree. I have had arguments with a few other people over the years on other websites about the hippy tree, and it always came down to this from them, "I was told by a girl who's brother had a friend who was there in 1968" I was there and I know where the tree is located, and I am glad I finally found a picture of it and it was right where I always said it was. I also explained the other mis beliefs about the tree like the voices , lol.
This tree was important to us, because it was our tree and you had to be "cool" to sit under it on the picnic table. Thank you for bringing this up Amurphy.
In the coming days audrey will have a new picture of this tree, she is there this weekend, I am looking forward to some new pictures.

click image for a full-sized view

I wish I could afford to go there this fall with my photo equipment, I have several thousand dollars invested in digital photo equipment, 2 big boxes full with 10 lenses. I could make a nice photo real story.
Like I have said before, "WISHING" doesn't work. But I can always go there in my mind, the pictures in my head will never go away.

Ron
I was told my many people that they know nothing about the hippie tree. I left. Sunday just before I was leaving to come back home, I was told that it is behind 50 near the barns. I will be shown exactly where it is when I return in October. I will have a picture taken of it for you so you can get it. I may return before October if I can get on the list for a tour of the place. Sorry I was unable to take a pic of it for you Saturday but I will try my hardest to ge a pic of it sent to me.
I will post the rest of the pics soon.
Audrey

The hippy tree is where I say it is, not someone who wants you to believe them who were told by a friend who has a girlfriend who heard from someone at school who believes her uncle who had a friend who was there in 1968. If you take a picture from behind building 50, you will only get a picture of a tree.
In the latr 60's it was illegal/not allowed for us being behind Building 50 accross the main street that was there, near the woods, we would be locked up if caught.

Ron, how do I post pictures in here?

right click on your pictures on facebook and go down to propertys and copy the link and paste it here

It would be easier to use PhotoBucket.

Ron & Mike
I've got to work so could you post some pics on here that I took last weekend for me?
ty