"Debra Coe, she is writing a book on Clearwater Ranch" --Cathy Calcagno
"I began working at Clearwater Ranch in Philo from Fall, 1980 as a child care worker. I was involved when the residential program moved from Philo to Cloverdale in the mid-80s under the directorship of Dr. Sean Faire. Somewhere, among my paperbacks, I have a paperback book that was written about Clearwater Ranch and it's beginnings..." --Richard Johansson
"I began working at Clearwater Ranch in Philo from Fall, 1980 as a child care worker. I was involved when the residential program moved from Philo to Cloverdale in the mid-80s under the directorship of Dr. Sean Faire. Somewhere, among my paperbacks, I have a paperback book that was written about Clearwater Ranch and it's beginnings..." --Richard Johansson
A List that mentions this place
A forum on which people chat about it
Richard, I was there and I remember you!! You were very kind. I've been trying to find people from there, staff, kids, anyone for some time now and I've found one, Sevete, but I'd love to find others! Any other info you might have would be greatly appreciated!!
ReplyDeletePati
patipoppins@gmail.com
I hope you're doing well Pati😊
DeleteHello,
ReplyDeleteI'm Glenn, the only tall black guy there, the ranch was in Philo Ca. I have been back there a few times, I think they should turn it into a small hidden resorts. When I was there, they had 3 ponies (Ginger, Sue and Muffen), there were 2 geese that would take your food if you did not pay attention lol. I remembered going to the Red House to grow a garden, in the summer, they would put in a spillway so we would have a place to swim and hikes over the creek, pass the barn via the swing bridge, to the medows above or big boys hill to slide down on cardboard.
softworcs@gmail.com
Hi my name is Don. I was a house parent at Clearwater from 1979 - 1983. Worked in the wilderness program with Betty and Ken and Kathy. I started the garden at the Red House when it was first opened as a children's residence in '82. Does anyone know how to contact Kathryn Larson (Director for several years prior to "83.
Deletehello Don. This is Philip the one that had the horse at The red house, I remember you when we were doing backpacking trips at the wilderness program, haven’t heard from you since being at Clearwater, how is everything been?
DeleteI remember you Don, you always wore a fisherman's cap and you had a Santa Claus beard. You were always very kind. And I hope you're doing well
DeleteGlenn, I remember you (and your immaculate yellow Studebaker). You did admirable work. Ruth and I taught at the Ranch, left when it continued to take in autistic kids despite lack of program or qualifications.
ReplyDeleteI was placed at Clearwater ranch when I was 11 yrs old through the youth guidance center ( juvenile court San Francisco) 1984-85 my name is Joel Salsedo
ReplyDeleteI was placed at clear water at 9 in 1990 I was there when it closed
ReplyDeleteMy name is Anthony and I was placed at clear water when I was nine I was there when it closed
ReplyDeleteI worked at CRW from about 1980/83-spervisored Rainbow House before doing the hiring of child care staff. Mostly good memories but no all.
ReplyDeleteMy brothe James Fisher was placed at the ranch at age 5 after being taken away from home my mother boyfriend abused and his life went down hil from there RIP James contact me if you knew him denorahall1971@gmail.com
ReplyDeleteI was a child there somewhere around 83 to 87,not sure the exact year,think I was there a few years. I remember a kid named JJ ,a Ron Masterson,a girl named Twila, a donnie and a ricky. I remember Carls house, rambow house and there was one up a hill over a rope bridge think it was called horizon house.I remeber a counselor named Keenen who could hold a basket ball with one hand. We were taken to lassen,and river rafting. There was a couple who would take kids camping up the creek. We had a swimming hole behind the school. I drove by the roadway hauling equipment the other day and got me thinking about this place. Is it still standing or did it get bulldozed,does anyone know? Bill
ReplyDeleteWas your name billy? And you had a best friend named Sherman a black kid?
DeleteHello , I lived there mid eighties .. WAS AN ABSOLUTE BEAUTIFUL environment for children. I have only positive memories . I do not have a great memory for names and exact years . I do remember the ranch though. . some of my only positive memories from my childhood... Blessings all.....
ReplyDeleteMy younger sister, Silvina Ramirez, stayed at Clearwater Ranch in the mid 80s. It was a long time ago, but I think it was around 84/85 to ~86/87. She lived there for around 2 years I think. Maybe more. I was around 12 or 13 at the time so my sister, would have been about 6 or 7. My dad was in the Air Force and we were stationed at Castle AFB, Atwater, CA.. So it was a long drive to see my sister. I remember us having to make the 5-6 hour drive about once a month. We sometimes camped at a campground nearby when we visited her so we didn't have to make the 11-12 hour round trip drive all in one day. It was tough on my parents, especially my mother, having to leave her young child behind with people we knew very little about at a place in the middle of the woods. Today, I have three of my own children who are all grown now. But when they were young, I could never imagine leaving them with strangers. I can only imagine how difficult that was for my mom. Even today, I wonder how my sister felt.. Or if she knew or understood why we had to leave her there. Little was known about my sister's condition, other than that she was mentally disabled. I think eventually, one of her social workers came up with severe autism. But back then, very little was known about Autism.
ReplyDeleteMany years later, I looked up Clearwater Ranch on Google and found out that it was a place for troubled children.. My sister was mentally disabled, not a troubled child. At least we never thought of her as a “troubled child.” Not sure why she ended up at Clearwater Ranch but she did. When we went on our visits, we never met or spent time with other kids like her. We were only able to spend a few hours with Silvina each visit. Sometimes we were able to have a little picnic by a river nearby. After a few years, she was moved to another children's home in Merced, CA. It was much closer which made seeing her easier, but she wasn't there too long. Not sure why, but she was moved again to another place in Hollister, CA. It was at this location that I remember one time, my mother was in tears because Silvina was so full of medication that she could not control her saliva and could not recognize who we were. We suspected my sister was physically abused by her care takers there because of her tantrums. In 1988, my father was stationed back to Clark Air Base in the Philippines. We took Silvina to the Philippines where she lives today with people who care for her daily. No more drugs or medications like the types she was given when she was a little girl to calm her. She celebrated her 48th birthday last MAR. She still has her tantrums from time to time, but she lives on her own ranch these days, complete with chickens, goats, ducks and other animals. Enough space where she can yell and scream all she wants. The neighbors don't care as they have grown accustomed to her daily presence and they love her the way she is. It's been almost 4 decades since Silvina left Clearwater Ranch. From time to time, when I go home to the Philippines to see her, I would listen to her as she would talk to herself in her room. She sometimes repeats the names of other people she probably has memories of, despite her disability. People who we think were with her on Clearwater Ranch. Percival and Milton are among the names she says out loud from time to time.