About the School:
Elan School located at No 5 Rd. Poland Maine opened in 1970 by psychiatrist Gerald Davidson, Investor David Goldberg and college drop out Joseph Ricci. Elan was a private co-ed residential behavior program for students from the 8th grade to beyond High School.
The school worked with students who had behavior problems. Often these students were either using drugs/alcohol or selling drugs. The demographics of the attending students were mainly white upper-middle-class individuals who lived in wealthy homes. Tuition to attend the school ranged from an estimated $20,000 (about 26 days) to $55,000 dollars (about a year).
The program used “humiliation” as a tool in therapy but followed with encouragement and support interventions.
The location of Elan School is down a long dirt road in the middle of the wilderness in Maine. The school is cut off from the rest of society and is about 33 acres. The school is made up of run-down trailers and buildings, giving it a frightening feeling that survivors of Elan reportedly can still remember the feeling of dread when the first saw the school.
It was reported that the teens would often try to run when they first saw the school but were stopped (often by violence) by the guards that were in the woods….waiting. In a 1979 interview Joe Ricci, one of the founders of Elan had stated to NBC News “At Elan, the first thing you learn is that you’re not gonna get out of here, no matter how many times you run away we will go and get you.”
Methods of Abuse
Kidnapping:
The abuse did not begin when the student entered Elan, the way they were taken to Elan was often reported as traumatizing for the survivors of the school. The parents of these troubled teens would first hear about the school through advertisements, by mail, or in the newspapers. The parents would then read about the therapies that were used at Elan to help change the teen from delinquent to an ‘upstanding citizen.’
The parents would contact the Elan staff to make the arrangements to send their children to the school. Each teen sent to the school would bring Elan between $50,000-$60,000 based on length of time the student would spend (sometimes less than the average).
The teens who were sent to Elan often had no idea that the decision was made, nor did they have a choice or a say in the matter. So to transport the teens, Elan would hire “A Teen Escort Company” to kidnap the kids in the middle of the night from their homes and bring them to Elan. The team would break into the teen’s bedroom, physically overpower them, tie them up with plastic handcuffs, throw them into a van and drive them to Elan.
The teens often described this experience as traumatizing, reportedly believing that they were being kidnapped by criminals for ransom, torture, or killed. For the girls it was worse, survivors of Elan later reported they often believed they were going to be raped, sexually assaulted, or murdered.
Dehumanization-taking away a student’s identity:
From the start, Elan had been created to dehumanize the student who attended the school. The idea of Elan was to take their sense of dignity, smash it and turn them into servants who were in fear and obedient. Once entered Elan, the new student would be forced into a shower with no privacy. The student would be forced to undress and give their clothing/valuable items to Elan. The student would be given “No Image” clothing, bland, colorless, and designed to take any kind of identity away from the student.
“Big Brother” and Strengths:
The new students at Elan would be provided a “Big Brother”. The “Big Brother” was an older student who was designed to be a guide to the new student. The “Big Brother” would help the new student adjust to their life at Elan. The “Big Brother” would also enforce the rules and report violations to the leadership at Elan.
The “Big Brother” would be the person to educate the student as to why Elan was an amazing program and why the student was a failure if the student could not accept that. The “Big Brother”, however, was not a friend of the student. Instead the “Big Brother” would often play tricks on the student. One trick, in particular, would be trying to convince the student to run away with them and once the student agreed would bring it to the administration’s attention.
The students of Elan were divided into two classes. “Strengths” and “Non-Strengths” students. Elan had a very strict social hierarchy that came with its own set of rules. From what someone at Elan could eat to who they can talk to is based on the ranking in the school. “Non-Strengths” can not talk to any other “Non-Strengths” at Elan, only the “Strengths” are allowed to talk with the “Non-Strengths”
Monitored Phone Calls and Letters:
Another method at Elan was cutting ties between the students and the outside world. One of the first tasks that the students had to do at Elan was to write a “Guilt Letter” to their parents. In this “Guilt Letter,” the students would explain to their parents why they should be at Elan and not at home. The “Guilt Letters” would be inspected by staff and the students often had to re-write the letter numerous times before it could be sent home.
Students could ‘earn the privilege’ to call home once a week but that came with restrictions as well. The phone lines at Elan would go through a switchboard at one of the trailers at Elan. Controlling the switchboard was an operator that would connect the students with their parents for the short amount of time they had.
The entire phone conversation was monitored by the staff at the school. If the student in any way tried to talk down about the school or let their parents know about the abuse, the operator would disconnect the phone line immediately. That was not all, the student would be punished for trying to report the events that were occurring.
Guilt:
“Guilt” was the term used when a student would violate any of Elan’s rules. “Guilt” no matter what was severely punished. Elan had numerous activities that were not permitted at the school. A few of these many activities including;
- Talking (too quietly, too loudly, too much or too little)
- Talking to someone without authorization
- Sex (this included looking at someone or talking to someone of the opposite gender)
- Avoiding looking at someone of the opposite sex/looking at someone of the opposite sex
- Looking outside/looking at the floor
- Being attracted to someone
- Reacting to insults
- Slouching/yawning
- Reading/writing/drawing
- Not falling asleep/sleeping too long
- Being tired
- Eating after meal times/not eating at all
- Rolling your eyes
- Smiling without permission/not smiling enough
It was impossible to follow all of these rules which were how Elan had the power and the point of these rules. No matter how hard the students tried to not break the rules, the rules were set up to be broken by the students.
The Ring:
At Elan students who were being punished would participate in a kind of boxing ring. The ring consisted of students with boxing gloves who would beat on the student being punished.
This method of abuse led to the death of 15-year-old Phil Williams Jr in 1982.
Survivor Testimonies
Anonymous Testimony of a former Elan Student:
Do NOT send your child to Elan. Read this before you decide. Elan is a terrible tormenting place. If a child needs help Elan or places similar should never be considered. It should not even be allowed to be on a list of options. A child may need some time to find a positive path but just because Elan separates that child from the outside world for an extended period of time(two-three years unless you’re lucky enough to be taken out or runaway and not be captured)doesn’t mean it helps. All of the exits are guarded at all times by students. Being screamed at by four different people at once and let’s estimate about an average of three times a day for two years is not just not healthy but is clearly insane. The first day I arrived at Elan I walked into a room where a “three house ring” and “general meeting” was being held. A boy’s nose was the receiving end of a boxing glove and blood streaming down his face was the result from being in the “Ring”. Then about one hundred and fifty students in rows of about five all “got their feelings off”, which involves screaming and swearing in a persons face who is deemed to have done something “wrong” in the eyes of the so called “Directors” of the school that is a “General Meeting”. The “Directors” keep the momentum of these unbelievable events going. I always wished my parents would make a surprise visit and stumble in on a “General Meeting”. What would they think? (“General Meetings” could happen as often as two or more times a day. “Rings” happened occasionally, which consist of a circle of students surrounding the “offender” and the other student who are both wearing boxing gloves. The outside circle is taunting the offender while the two box. When the student gets tired another takes his or her place to be in the ring with the “offender”). The “Directors” are the ones who tightly control each of the students lives. Reading students mail, having phone calls listened to so that nothing could breach their operation of making $50,000 a head a year per student. At night a student stays awake to guard the dorms of his or her gender. Every ten minutes for eight hours a night a “bed check” is conducted. Each student has their sheets lifted up and a flashlight is shone on the students body to make sure they don’t have any hidden clothing to take with them in the event that they try to run away. Could you imagine having your sheets pulled up every ten minutes for eight hours every night for years? Can you imagine that students are expected, who are in positions of responsibility, to stay up all night and be a “night guard”? And if you fall asleep you will be punished and be made to scrub the floors for a couple of days and have your shoe laces taken away. “The Corner”, which is really a term dubbed for being put into isolation, is used to take a child who is not conforming with Elan out of the population. Another student is then placed with them as a “support person”. This support person could be subject to the other student acting out, which could involve attempts at self mutilation, being spat on, sworn at, screamed at, exposed to the students genitals, exposed to them masturbating for shock effect but Elan has a no kick out policy. The “support person” may be expected to physically restrain the acting out student. Sometimes the support person had to hold them down on the floor and have plastic restraints put on the student so his or her hands are behind his or her back. Sometimes this student who is acting out could be in the corner for over a month. Spending his or her days facing the corner of a wall and sleeping on a dingy mattress on the floor. This student could spend a month acting crazy like this and then stop and come out of “the corner” only to be put right back in because he or she starts acting out again. Usually there was at least one student in “the corner” for the two year period I was there. Also if the “support person” may take their eyes off this other student in “the corner” and he or she decides to self mutilate and succeeds then the “support person” will be stripped of his or her position of responsibility and made to scrub floors for a time of maybe two to three days. Can you believe that this is allowed to go on? A fifteen year old child being forced into this responsibility if he or she wants to succeed in Elan? Also that child who is”acting out” does so because he or she is standing up for themselves albeit it is in a damaging fashion but that is how a person may cope when being forced to stay in a place like Elan. The school curriculum, is fabulous for an unmotivated child, with no test, exams, or projects it couldn’t be better. When parents receive news that their child, who was once possibly failing in school, is now getting great marks they could only think that Elan is doing something right. That is one of the tactics Elan uses to decept parents and school boards but ultimately rob that child of a real education. Could you imagine not being allowed to go outside when you want? When I was in Elan you pretty much got outside once a week for a gym class. If you were lucky you got to go out for special outings maybe once every month or two but that only happens after about six months, which I would say is about the average length of time it takes for the “brainwashing effect” to be fully active in a student. After that constant fear and guilt consumes a student and everything from brushing up against the opposite sex to taking a minute longer in the shower than is allowed is written down on a piece of paper(referred to in Elan as “copping to your guilt”) and given to the powers at be so they know your every move. So basically everything that Elan deems as “wrong” is instilled through feeling immense guilt and usually eventually you fess up. When I was in Elan for about a month I spat in a staff member’s coffee but nobody knew except me. A year later I told on myself. By the way Elan is co-ed but no physical or flirty behaviour is allowed. Can you imagine a house full of hormonal teens being watched over so severely that you’re scared to look someone of the opposite sex in the eye for too long? I received a ” general meeting” for being flirty. I had people scream and swear in my face for ten minutes because I am human. This is where the ultimate control happens and the “Directors” or staff were ruthless. They would scream and swear in your face and make you feel absolutely hopeless. They controlled the level of fear among the students. Can being around all of these things and many other detrimental things for years be conducive to grow up healthy? Because you really are growing up in Elan. Two or sometimes three years during your teens is crucial and Elan tears those pages right out of your life. THEY CAN NEVER BE REPLACED.
Anonymous Testimony from a Former Elan Student:
Duck in A Raincoat. This is a must read for anyone who was ever sent to Elan, if they are still alive. I was there from 74-75
Anonymous Testimony from a former Elan Student:
I attended Elan in the early 80’s it was brutal and weird. I recall going 27 rounds in the so called boxing….those you who read this post….Elan 4 know Peter McCann and George Grote were sadistic Bastards who abused us, and nothing was done about it. Any class actions out there, I’m in.
The Comic:
In 2018, a former Elan student who goes by the alias Joe Nobody started his comic book that follows the true and horrific events that occurred during his time at Elan. Joe recalls the experience he had been taken by Elan’s “Teen Escort Company” in the middle of the night. Joe was only 16 at the time.
Joe continues about the “Big Brother” who had tried to convince Joe to run away with him and the punishment that occurred when he agreed. Joe discussed how conversations on the phone had been monitored by the staff because only good things about the school were allowed to be shared.
Joe had even mentioned how his parents had been brainwashed by the school and when Joe had ‘earned’ the privilege to have a visit with his family, they did not believe him about the abuse.
Other methods of Abuse that Joe had discussed were “General Meetings.” Joe recalls these “meetings” would occur between 4-5 times a day. A broomstick would be placed at the foot of a student about 4 inches from the toes. Once the words “GET YOUR FEELINGS OFF” were shouted, the students would soon be around the student behind the broom screaming in that student’s face.
Joe recalls the first time this occurred to him stating that once “GET YOUR FEELINGS OFF” had been screamed by someone of a higher ranking….” the sound of 50 wooden chairs being shoved back across the floor echoed off the walls as the entire room of teens stood up at once.” Joe recalls that they “sprinted” at him and “competed” to start screaming at him.
At Elan, Joe recalls in his comic how his location (along with the other students) were counted EVERY 10 MINUTES. Joe reports how their location was marked down, not only were they counted, but there were random verbal checks.
Death at the school
In 1982, Phil Williams Jr. just 15 years old at the time, died at Elan from a brain injury. On Phil Williams’ death certificate it stated ‘ruptured aneurysm.’ His sister Pam Newall never questioned death for 33 years.
Newall had been contacted by former students at Elan who had been working on a documentary. According to witnesses, Phil was accused by staff for faking headaches. Hours before his death Phil had been punished in the ‘boxing ring.’
“Not a boxing ring, like a boxing ring. The ring of children where he would be beaten.” Newall said, “20 minutes later they called the ambulance, they took Phil and never saw him again.”
A former student had told newspapers that Phil was being beaten by teenagers wearing boxing gloves for ‘faking headaches.’ Another student said they remembered Phil going into convulsions.
Closing of Elan
In 2011, the school was finally closed down after allegations of abuse. The allegations had dated back to when the school had first opened in 1970.
Топовая Букмекерская контора, рекомендую [url=https://1win-95.ru/]1win[/url]
Лучшая Букмекерская контора [url=https://1win-92.ru/]1win[/url]
Рекомендую топовую Букмекерскую контору [url=https://1win-90.ru/]1win[/url]
ומספקות פורקן וסיפוק רב על רקע הנוף הגלילי הירוק של הצפון — אז חבל על כל רגע נערות ליווי בדרום מתגורר באזור הדרום אך אינך מעוניין לנסוע צפונה? פורטל האינטרנט ליאור סקס מאפשר לך להזמין נערות ליווי בדרום ולשדרג את ההנאה שלך. כאן תוכל למצוא קטלוג מקיף סקס נערות
הרגשה טובה יותר מלקבל עיסוי אירוטי מפנק על הבוקר ואין שינה יותר טובה מאשר לאחר הרפיה מלאה. מודעות של מגוון מעסות ארוטיות מקצועיות ולוהטות מחכות לך באתר, לך נשאר רק לבחור נערות ליווי פרטיות שיודעות להפוך כל ערב לחוויה נערות ליווי פרטיות מכל הסוגים נערת ליווי אתיופית
שלך. במסיבות רווקים, לדוגמה, לעתים שתי חשפניות או חשפנית ומעסה ארוטית יהיו האפשרות המשתלמת כלכלית ולא רק חשפנית אחת כיצד מחפשים באתר בעזרת מנוע חיפוש קל ונוח לשימוש, בליאור סקס הצליחו להקים את הפלטפורמה המושלמת בשבילך ליצור את החוויה הפנטסטית הבאה שלך. נערות ליווי בדרום
לא הסטייל שלהם, והם מעדיפים לתכנן זאת מראש ולהקצות כמה ימים במלון כל אחד – על פי תפיסתו. מה שחשוב הוא להכיר את התפיסה שלך היטב על מנת לקיים אותה וליהנות עם נערת ליווי מהדרום בהתאם למה שאתה אוהב דירות דיסקרטיות במרכז הארץ בעיקר באזור המרכז, דירות דיסקרטיות נערת ליווי
Отличный сайт! Всем рекомендую! [url=https://mit-sk.ru/uslugi/ryte-kotlovanov]земляные работы[/url]
поиск seo специалиста https://seo-goody.ru/
Отличный сайт! Всем рекомендую! [url=https://mit-sk.ru/uslugi/ryte-kotlovanov]рытье котлована [/url]
different ways. They are aware of dozens of techniques that can make any man horny. Each of these girls is a beautiful tigress, from Exeter escorts services is confidence. Until you tell your friends about the goddesses of love you met, no one will learn suffolk escorts
Наиболее качественная и популярная [url=https://asiacolor.ru/]порошковая краска[/url]
Отличный сайт! Всем рекомендую! [url=https://mit-sk.ru/uslugi/ryte-kotlovanov]разработка котлована[/url]
Из всех, эта наиболее качественная [url=https://qemtex.ru/]порошковая краска[/url]
груз из казахстана в россию https://perevozka-iz-kz.ru/
Рекомендую оригинальный сайт [url=https://medoprovet.ru/]1win[/url]
кортинефф польша
Саратов доставка цветов на дом
Отличный сайт! Всем рекомендую! [url=https://notmsk.info/services/nasledstvo/]нотариус по наследственным делам[/url]
Изучайте на ресурсе грифы для штанг https://grify-dlya-shtang.ru/ с любым посадочным диаметром для силовых занятий. Это необходимое спортивное оборудование для площади свободных весов в фитнес клубах.Отечественный изготовитель рекомендует большой ассортимент сильноизогнутых EZ грифов по выгодным ценам напрямую у компании-производителя. Все комплекты поступают в реализацию с фиксаторами для дисков. Завод из России… Read more »