dave,
I remember you, you were in 8 about the same time i was in 7,Well, here is my 2 cents:
Everyones elan experience was individual and different whether new school or old. Each person encountered different problems with residents and staff.
I think that when a kid of 15 years old (me) is ripped from all familiar surrounds and lives in an alternate reality that is completely fictional for three years and then released back into society at 18 years old, your gonna have some emotional unrest about it.
When I was brought to elan it was by a joint effort of my parents and florida state government.
One day I was enjoying the summer break from school I got arrested, 2 days later i was scrubbing the floor for hours on end for breaking rules like, talking without strength, looking out the window, speaking to the females. I thought It was like i was in the midst of a horrible trip I couldn't come down from. I lost my laces was put on a bright LE, bans, loss of laces, eat last,shower last, put in the corner and made to get my feelings off in encounters the first day. Talk about a shock to the system, I litereally didn't take a shit until october 3 and i got there sept.1, physically impossible? almost,we'll just say i couldnt sit right fot a few days.
To some people it wasn't like this, to some people it was much much worse I will not ever doubt what a student says about elan. no body knew the staff but us, and no one, not even the staff knew everything that went on there. It was in a sense anarchic dictatorship. and maybe even worse than the staff were the students that staff took a particular liking too. Which I'll go ahead and say was not me, they couldve made it harder for, though i probably would have not graduated, they sure as hell made it easier for the kids they favored.
As I'll close, the experiences people had are as individual as the peopl who had them, I believe elans time is coming to a close. We can only pray.
By the way dave- this is whit Long- elan 7 -9/95-6/98, graduate as full coordinator of communications, broadcasting.