White House Boys Stories of Atrocities at Dozier School for Boys Reminiscent of Lorenzo Carcaterra's "Sleepers"
A Tale of Two Horror Stories
Sadly, these institutions are more prevalent than a single instance; the incidents and occurrences are not exclusive to a Arthur G. Dozier School for Boys.
Set up as a school for wayward boys at the turn of the 20th century, the Dozier School for Boys would, according to the White House Boys, become a place of cruel and inhumane punishment for children, a place of brutal physical and sexual abuse. It would also allegedly become a place of murder.
The White House Boys have told their stories of abuse and the state of Florida has initiated investigations not only into the allegations but also into the identities of those that lie in unnamed graves near the school. The White House Boys, a self-styled name they have taken as survivors of the beatings and abuses that they received in a two-room white building behind the Dozier School for Boys, believe that those graves could hold the bodies of young boys killed at the school.
In October, the state of Florida sealed the White House building as a reminder to future generations of the abuse that took place there, that it would serve as a cautionary exhibit against such things ever occurring again.
Just as the autobiographical book Sleepers should serve as a cautionary tale against the cruelties of a few against those within their control. Lorenzo Carcaterra grew up in Hell's Kitchen, New York in the 1960's and, after crushing a man accidentally during a prank, was sent off with three of his friends to the Wilkinson Home for Boys in upstate New York. There, at the hands of those in charge, Carcaterra and his friends were abused repeatedly.
Although many experts claim that the book is fiction, Lorenzo Carcaterra maintains that the book is true and that he changed the names of people and places involved to keep authorities from prosecuting his friends, who are involved in a plan of revenge and a premeditated killing.
The book became a major bestseller. "Sleepers" was also made into a blockbuster motion picture starring Robert de Niro, Brad Pitt, Kevin Bacon, Dustin Hoffman, Brad Renfro, Billy Crudup, Jason Patric, and Minnie Driver.
Although the accounts of Lorenzo Carcaterra and men like Roger Kiser (at the Dozier School for Boys) are different and took place over a thousand miles apart, the two tales are indicative of a system that was prone to abuse. And just as the White House Boys' stories were not of a singular nature, nor does it end with Carcaterra's tales of horror. These tragic tales of so-called "schools" where young boys were sent are only too prevalent.
Yet, the public finds out about them years and years after the fact - a true testament to the fear and shame engendered by what went on in those dark places.
Still, no matter when they come to light, they must needs be investigated and rectified. There should be no place in civilized social systems for such wantonly cruel and incalculably corrosive institutions to operate. The old adage comes to mind: "Truth is stranger than fiction."
Sometimes it is more horrifying as well...
******
Sources:
Amazon.com
Associated Press
Wikipedia.org
Published by Saul Relative
WVU graduate, with degrees in History, English, Secondary Education, Computer Programming, and Psychology (and nearly a degree in Political Science). Originally from West Virginia, with stints in Virginia,... View profile
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19 Comments
Post a CommentI was in FSBO and FSBM in 1965-66. The floggings at FSBO in 1965 were not like Kiser said. You are right. They were quite a bit worse, and this is coming from one who wtnessed the beatings for seventy days. Florida is and was a criminal state. Most people are just too coarse, selfish, and brutal themselves to give a damn as long as their needs are met. Here is a fact you cannot receive. I had known in detail about the attacks of 9-11 since 1997 when I was living in east Asia. Those no good sadistic bastards running that state school in Okeechobee and the state they worked for should have been seriously attacked for their crimes against humanity. After getting the information about the coming attacks 4 years before they happened, I ended up telling more than 130 people about them, many in high detail. But you can bet I did not tell those criminal state bastards anything. After what they did I thought they should have been gotten rid of.
I was in fsb, in the 6o, it was and is aterrible place. Looking out the windows at chrismas you could not see our pain from your cars, with your familys and loved ones. I still feel the pain and I knew pain that a15 year old kid should not have known. I testified and the beatings soon stoped / I was later one of the first fids at Walter Scott Criswell House, Tallahassee Fla. thanks to people lack Guy,Dick.Jerry at least many others, I survied , til now, but my pain I passed on to my kids, F.S.B. was real!
damn i was there at Dozier School For Boys in Marianna, FL back in 2006 to 2007. There were people tryin to escape from left and right. Before i left, they were putting up fences around the cottages now.
Also, the Times is planning more stories on the school, so if you have information to share, call Ben Montgomery at 727-893-8650.
The St Petersburg Times just published an extensive package on the White House Boys and Florida School for Boys, with a great story, video, photo slideshows and documents.
Check it out at magazine.tampabay.com, or here: http://www.tampabay.com/specials/2009/reports/marianna/index.shtml
I did not personally witness any abuses perpetrated against Roger Kiser, but the stories he has published have the ring of truth. I say this, not because of what I heard vicariously through rumor, but because I was present at many state-sponsored beatings. 40, 60, 80, and even as many as 100 heavy, hard, loud whacks with a weighted, leather, flogging strap happened, and a lot of kids were beaten. I witnessed far too many of these torture sessions to remain silent when I see the kinds of maligning I see here. I assure you people. These kinds of harms and abuses were routine, serially done, gross criminal offences perpetrated by paid agents of the state of Florida.
Kiser is just a drug addict ,blaming everyone but himself. This whole story of murders, rape,etc is complete BS!
We always wonder about how other countries can treat their people so badly, but are shocked when it happens here. We are all human, all capable of these horrors.
It becomes institutionalized, rationalized, politicized. We just read about state judges sending kids to 'reform' schools for very minor offenses - because they got kickbacks for it.
We are all a short step away from a Nazi, Stalin, Pol Pot - or the guy handing out diseased blankets to defeated Indians, killing thousands when they could fight no more. Those guys were just following Federal policy from those high above.
We are all also capable of being saints. But it's easier to go along with the devils.
i feel bad for all those who sufferd. that guy bbill how would u feel if they did it ta u . u wuldnt b here u b in the dirt with the other white house boys
RD Kiser is a liar, con, and is mentally ill. He writes these "Fantasitc" , twisted stories that he says are "True". He says he's only attained a sixth-grade education, and after reading some samples of his writings, it shows!