The Fred C. Nelles Youth Correctional Facility was the first school in the California Youth Authority system, and it ceased operation in 2004. When it opened in 1891 as the Whittier State School, it expressly served juvenile offenders with boys and girls living on site. A separate girls' school was built in Ventura in 1916. Canadian Fred C. Nelles was an early superintendent of the school. During his tenure from 1912 to 1927, he sought to provide humane methods in dealing with the young residents. In the school's Department of Research, Nelles and his colleagues applied "scientific" methods to analyze and treat the youths in attempting to understand traits and behavior for delinquency. Their ongoing work was published in their own journal called the
Journal of Delinquency starting in 1916.
Now six years since it closed, the state had started and stopped the sale of the 91-acres to potential home developers. The City of Whittier failed to win a bid for the land. Some of the buildings on the property are designated historic landmarks.
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| The letters F-A-C-I-L-I-T-Y have been swiped from the sign. |
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| The Administration building, constructed between 1928-1929. |
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| The Superintendent's residence, built 1919-1920. |
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| A forlorn landscape. |
This is a beautiful building and should stay open for the welfare of the children. If I can get some investor's can we reopen it and house children?
ReplyDeleteWhat would it take please let me know?
Thanks, Marianne Jones/Author
Back in the mid 70s I had a chance to visit Nells. I was a Football team member from Garden Grove High that had played their Team. It was an eye opening experience for some of us back then. Every time I see "The Longest yard" with Burt Reynolds I think of those games.
ReplyDeleteCould you elaborate on your interaction with the opposing football team? What were the boys' demeanor? Who won?
ReplyDeleteWe played them as a JV Team.Those of us who did not play the Varsity game the night before were relegated to JV. This was done for experience OTJ training.The initial meeting was shock for all of us. We had the impression it was a all boys school like Mater Dei not a reformatory ! We knew something was up when we pulled up to the Main gate. The Bus driver and Coach had to get to tell the guard (?!) to let us in. I can still see the sign that was on the wall by the entrance " No glass containers beyond this point" or something along those lines. We all fell silent at that point we were scared. I recall their Locker Room had all the Locker doors ripped off the hinges. We walked out to the field and we encountered our first Gay couple we ever saw . Remind you we were ignorant OC boys back then. In the Bleachers the wards all wore Blue Jeans and Light Blue Shirts similar to Sailors. Their Team wore old equipment probably 50 60s era with Black Helmets hence the " Longest Yard " reference. Their team formation was rough as I remember they lined up too deep off the line. All in all they were clean players surprisingly to us. They were big and mean and some had beards ! They had no finesse but they made it up in athletic ability. Due to their coaching ( not to knock it but they did not have the resources) we beat them the first time and the general consensus was we let them win the second time. We played them twice as I remember this was around 1975-77. We later came to the conclusion why they were good competitors. It was because it was a privilege for them to play outside teams. There were no fights or dirty hits that I remember, good sports.
DeleteI was also on the team, with the other comment. It was a shock to all of us on the team, to go past the guard gate. When we saw their team, they look so much older than we did. The 70's we had to shave and have a buzz hair cut, to make the team. The had long hair, and facial hair.
DeleteTheir call cadence, was papa was a Rolling Stone. Whereas we called out the play, blue 2-17, hut hut. It was so different playing them. The played clean, but must not have practiced running their plays, to synchronize everyone together. Our defense demolish them the first year. I remember thinking during the game, I do not want to do anything stupid, against the law, to end up like these guys. Years later thinking about it, I think it was a good program, to give young man a second chance, and to work towards fixing up their lives. I am thankful, that we got a chance to play them, and I hope the majority of them went on to better lives. I live in a different state now, but I think this is a good program. To allow young people, to work toward something, give them hope, and a second chance, at a better life.
Timothy Galuza
Many thanks for your recollections.
ReplyDeleteContact me I played for nelles 1976,77,78. Varsity
DeleteHi Anonymous - that was a teaser. More stories, please, about your experiences playing for Nelles! Sincerely, Betty
DeleteI just talk to a former Team Mate of mine. Like all " Al Bundy's " out there we were reflecting on our past glories . My friend Tim also remembers those games. That is why I came back to this site after 7 years. i wanted him to see this article. The one thing I also remember was we brought the Cheer leading Squad along. They were extremely nervous as you can guess. As we walked in through the school we instinctively formed a protective ring around the girls. Not to disrespect the kids that were in the stands but girls are girls. They definitely had their interest and we felt us too. As I remember they were really tough guys. Their facial hair freaked me out as we weren't allowed have any. OC back in the day was pretty " White Bread "
Deleteit's not like now. Seeing Gays and yes Blacks were a shock for some of us. To me that added to the intimidation factor. Like I stated in my earlier posts we felt they were clean players. I remember we were discussing that on the Bus on the ride home. I'll try to dig some stories out of Tim, maybe he'll comment. Sorry for not properly Paragraphing .