I was in Happiness Hill from Aug.1st,1996-July22nd,1997. My first few months there were pure hell, but that wasn't the Palmers fault. It was an evil woman named Debbie Shore. She used to make new girls put their heads down going to church. We could not even look around while we were on the bus. She used to shave her chin on the bus. I thought that was so funny. She was sick all of the time. I heard she used to work with cancer patients and started taking morphine. She made my life miserable and I would love to tell her. She made up all these rules that the Palmers didn't know about. We could not even part our hair in the middle. We could not pull our socks all the way up. We could not say cool or dude. We had to say corny words like fluff instead of poot. She was the upstairs dorm mom. Ms Becky was the downstairs dorm mom. She was only 18. I actually loved her. She was really close to Jennifer Justice from Muscle Shoals Alabama. I would like to get in touch with some of the girls. There was a few of us girls that got together in Gulf Shores, Alabama. Does anyone remember the Dyes. I liked Bro. Dye, but Mrs. Dye reminded me of a snake in the grass. They had to leave for some reason. I forget why but the Palmers asked them to leave. I also remember Ms Paula Bischo from Texas. She was another downstairs dorm mom. I also loved her. She was really close to Tana Shank from Canton, Ohio. She used to give us chocolates sometimes even though we weren't allowed to have white sugar. She is a loving person. The Palmers were also loving people. I could tell they cared about us. Everything was fine when Debbie Shore left. My first room captain was Korean Tentenman. She was from Detroit. She also was very mean to me. There was another girl named Nikky Turner from Detroit. She also gave me a hard time. I was wondering if anyone was ever in the first room to the right when you go upstairs the top bunk . I was in that bed and had a dream that seemed so real. I have chills right now thinking about it. This old woman with a long skirt or dress was floating above me. She looked like a witch or something. She was looking straight at me. To this day, I don't know if it was real or not. I found out in 2003 that another girl who stayed in that room in the same bunk bed saw that same woman. I freaked out. This girl came to the home after I was already out. Her name is April. I forgot her last name, but she was from Alaska. She was a nice girl. I met her in 97 or 98 when I went back to visit. It was weird because I never tod anyone about my dream. Someone get back to me.
Guest said:
My first few months there were pure hell, but that wasn't the Palmers fault. It was an evil woman named Debbie Shore. She used to make new girls put their heads down going to church. We could not even look around while we were on the bus.
From GentleStormi:
This method of looking down on the ground while going about, is a very old Roloff method. Done in Rebekah, Bethesda, and Jubilee and probably all the other places. It was a very common practice all the way back to the early 1970's and one that apparently all Roloff Workers did, Palmers would have known of it for thier long association in the Roloff Organization.
I am wondering if you could share if you wanted to, how this method of being forced to look down on the ground may have felt back then?
i know one Rebekah Survivor who has said that she has lived that way as a result of that ingraining into her, she walks around to this day with a habit of looking down on the ground. It also affects how she thinks of her self and her self esteem in her life. it has left a negative impact on her.
I personally feel that this method of the Roloff Methodolgy, is one that is trying to bring about a shame to the girls that had to do this, this looking down to the ground. This not allowing any of us to have eye contact with others, its the same kind of thing that slave owners did to slaves. A slave was not to look his mistress or master in the eye and assume they were "equal". so to me its a demeaning practice and one that goes miles in creating a sense of being "less than" of not having a voice or a right to speak.
although there is always need for all children and teenagers to show respect to their parents and teachers, this is taking it way too far into the realm of a twilightzone surrealism.
Palmers and Dye's ran homes on the compound in Corpus Christi, they operated these homes in trailer houses from what i have been told by those who were there. Palmers would have been very aware of all the methods of the Roloff homes , how ever well intentioned they may have wanted to be. I am sorry that they lost their daughter in Roloff crash.
I would firmly hold to an idea that because the Palmers were involved in the Roloff homes for so many years, they would have seen the heads down, would have talked about it, would have been aware of this method and approved of it.
Their not speaking about it, only emphasizes to me of their aggreement to it and collusion in it.
btw, they still do this practice, to this day. i went to visit the roloff farm recently and noted that the lighthouse men and the jubilee women all would not meet my eye and all looked to the ground.
GentleStormi
Roloff Rebekah Survivor to Overcomer
77-78
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/roloff-si ... -bethesda/http://roloffsisterssurvivors.bravehost.com/index.html