Rome State School?

[psalm]

I am curious if anyone has any ties, professional or personal to the Rome State School in Rome, NY, for the mentally retarded, from the 1950s to early 1070s. I think that now it is a home for the deaf, but I may be incorrect. One of my patients in LTC was a medical student there in the 1930s!!

My brothers lived there from about 1958 to 1972. They are now in upstate NY in different group homes, in their late 50s. I am trying to find info on the internet and am not getting much.

If anyone lives in Oneida County, NY and would email me the phone # for the Historical Society, I would appreciate it. So far, I haven't found it.

[Steristripqueen]

Hi everyone, Contact the Oneida County Historical Society for more info. on just where old records are kept. Their contact number is 315 735 3642 or write them at 1608 Genesee St. Utica NY 13502

Good luck finding any info.. Not sure if the court house in Rome NY would have old records for that time. The historical sociey should be able to point you in the right direction. Also don't forget that in that time record keeping was not a priority like today but hopefully you can get answers. Do let the us know if you make progress. Joan

[biology]

I would appreciate any info that you have on Rome State school. My uncle was there from about 1935 until his death in 1969. I am just beginning to search for records but my understanding is that they are held by the NYS Health Dept.

[myarte]

Hello, I´m currently looking for information about my grandmother which I believe was there in 1920. Apparently in the census it states she was 12. I don´t understand was it an orphanage because I believe she was not ill. Was it also like a shelter for the poor? I would greatly appreciate if anyone can help to find records when she entered and date when she left. Please help.

[biology]

I think it's odd that nobody has anything to say about Rome State school. My uncle, Donald Halacy, lived his entire life there from about 1935 until his death in 1969 and nobody wants to talk about it. I can't even find out who keeps these records. I've contacted the city of Rome and they totally disavow any knowledge of the school. How can that be???

[psalm, RN]

I think it's odd that nobody has anything to say about Rome State school. My uncle, Donald Halacy, lived his entire life there from about 1935 until his death in 1969 and nobody wants to talk about it. I can't even find out who keeps these records. I've contacted the city of Rome and they totally disavow any knowledge of the school. How can that be???

...if you read this whole thread, you will see I initited it. Look back to what is posted; there are the addresses, and phone #s of a couple of leads. The daily newspaper may be a good idea to check but there can be $$ charges for it, maybe not. (Some authors use libraries and are charged for the research & copies of articles the librarian supplies).

It's not lack of interest, I think it's just because most questions have already been answered in the thread. Let us know how it goes.

[getitpaul]

Hello, I just wanted to respond to your message. I myself was a patient there from 1963-1972 and wanted to let you know that the address there was

p.o. box 550

Rome, N.Y. 13440

[psalm, RN]

Hello, I just wanted to respond to your message. I myself was a patient there from 1963-1972 and wanted to let you know that the address there was

p.o. box 550

Rome, N.Y. 13440

Thank you for your post. Would you be able to tell us why you were there as a patient, and what you are doing now? My brothers were mentally retarded and there from 1958-1972; then they were relocated to O.D. Heck.

[getitpaul]

I was sent there for strictly behavior issues by the school that I was attending. Now I am married and live in upstate N.Y. The things that I saw there and had to endure myself on a daily basis were horrifying and I'm glad that I was one of the ones released by the Elenor Roosevelt foundation. I did work at the Oswald Heck for a while.

[psalm, RN]

I was sent there for strictly behavior issues by the school that I was attending. Now I am married and live in upstate N.Y. The things that I saw there and had to endure myself on a daily basis were horrifying and I'm glad that I was one of the ones released by the Elenor Roosevelt foundation. I did work at the Oswald Heck for a while.

This is very interesting. I thought it was always a school for mentally retarded, then for the deaf, and now a prison. Was there a behavioral unit also; is that why you were there? I always wondered about meal times, because my brothers ate so fast when we visited them or they came home for vacation...and had some interesting things to say about the attendants.

[getitpaul]

There were many people there that were just behavioral problems, there wasn't a unit that held us we were seperated by age no matter what the problem was. As far as the eating goes, we were under strict rules that you had to eat fast, and everything that was on the plate are you would be punished. I'm sure if your brother's came home and said anything about the attendants then it was probably true, and if any complaints would have been made about any situation then your brothers would have suffered a consequence.

[larrydudefl]

I(patient) was at Rome State School for Boys in 1954-1957(approximate time). The stories I could tell you about the School would make a person feel like the lowest animal on earth. If you would like to contact me on this,you sure can. Merrill

[artsy1]

I had posted before, looking for info on my uncle who committed suicide at Rome State School in 1960. He was also sent there solely for behavioral issues. He and his 5 brothers and sisters were all split up into foster homes when their parents divorced when he was about 13 years old, and he didn't handle it well. His foster parents put him into Rome State, where he lived for the rest of his life, until his death.