[AT] The disappearing past

CEE VILL cvee60 at hotmail.com
Sun Feb 24 05:31:29 PST 2008


As a boy, we lived in NYS about five miles from a state school for boys that was an Ag. set up.  It was a large complex and consisted of several farm operations on the campus.  I recall hearing of the pig farm, the dairy farm, etc. I do not know the land amount, but I have no doubt it was 150 to 200 acres with several complexes of houses and barns.  The incarcerated youth worked these farms and produced all of the food for the facility and probably more along with being schooled part of the day. A group of boys would be assigned to live in a house at each farm.  There was also another large confinement building which housed many boys who may have had problems which would preclude them from living on one of the farms. Bad boys from statewide were brought to this facility.  The operation provided a good number of jobs for area residents.  It was believed that being close to animals and farming gave many aimless youth a sense of self worth.

Sometime probably around 1970 it was decided or ruled that this was forced labor and must cease.  The farms were closed down and in time the buildings pretty much went to ruin. The main complex still operates as a state school and houses many youth. Some 8 or 10 years ago, a prison type fence with razor wire top was installed around the complex, due to the violent nature of some of the inmates.  

Yes, things have changed.

Charlie in WNY

> From: jthall at worldnet.att.net
> To: at at lists.antique-tractor.com
> Date: Sun, 24 Feb 2008 07:54:35 -0500
> Subject: Re: [AT] The disappearing past
> 
>  The "County Farm" here was a short term prison work farm. More or less they 
> babysat the drunks and vagrants. Dad remembers a time the farm operators 
> came into the IH dealership he worked at to get parts. The dealer had 
> recently traded for an extremely rough Super A. The guy that ran the farm 
> promptly made a deal for it as it was apparently better than what they 
> had--surprising to me they had the money to buy it without going through a 
> bunch of red tape.
> 
>  The same farm had one old guy who had no where else to go. Everytime he 
> completed his sentence he would tell them not to give his horse away--he'd 
> be back first of the week.
> 
>  They tore it down in the early 70's to build a hospital.
> 
> John
> 
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "Francis Robinson" <robinson at svs.net>
> To: "Antique tractor email discussion group" <at at lists.antique-tractor.com>
> Sent: Saturday, February 23, 2008 10:57 AM
> Subject: [AT] The disappearing past
> 
> 
> > The mention of the tearing down of the sugar beet plant reminded me of an
> > article in the local paper this week announcing that the local "County
> > Farm" main structure will feel the wrecking ball this year. It used to be
> > referred to as the "Poor farm". It is one of my old tractor memories from
> > my youth. >
> 
> Francis Robinson
> > Central Indiana, USA
> > Robinson at svs.net
> 
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