John Patterson Jr's Story
My name is John Patterson II. I was 13 years old when I was sent to the Florida School for Boys At Marianna. Before I went to FSB I spent 30 days at the Santa Rosa County Jail in Milton. I had no ideal what was going on at the time.
The Master Log at the Arthur G. Dozier Training School ( Formally known as FSB) state the following: (First Time: Date Of Commitment is: 27 April 1967 / Offense: Ungovernable / Date Of Admit: 28 April 1967 / Date Of Release: 06 April 1968). (Second Time: Date Of Commitment: 08 September 1969 / Offense: Incorrigibility / Date Of Admit: 10 October 1969 / Date Of Release: 07 June 1970).
I remember riding to the reform school in the back seat of a Santa Rosa County Sheriff car, I did not know that it was a reform school I was going to and I had no ideal what a reform school was. Remember when we got there I thought the place looked real nice. I thought this place would be a lot better then living at a abused home. A few days later I found out how bad I was wrong. At 13 I was a small guy and was picked on.
One day I had it and I fought back. (Note: a statement was made that the White House was closed in 1967 - before then the beating was called flogging, and after that it was spankings. I know because I had it done a few times). After the fight was broken up, myself and the other boy was sent to the White House by two staff persons. I only remember one staff person by name and that is Mr. Tidwell, only reason I remember him is that he only had one arm. I remember when we first went inside the White House it was dark only with a small light.
The other things I remember is: told to undress down to my underwear, to lie on a old iron type bed. To hold on a rail bar, told not to say anything and to look at the wall. I remember someone turned on a fan that made a lot of noise.
I remember the first time the strap hit my buttock and the force lifted me up. Remembered holding my teeth together so I would not yell out because of the pain, I knew if yelled out the count would start over - I felt it would not end. I could tell that the strap cut into my skin and that I was bleeding. Remember that someone ended up setting on my back.
After it was done I remember how my underwear stick to my skin and how hard it was to go to the bathroom. Also remember during the beating to myself I was crying :Oh God - Why are you allowing this to happen to me - do you hate me that bad?
After the White House I was taken to the detention and put into small room for a few days. I have been to the White House a few times - a few times for trying to escape -I did it so many times I was given the nick name (Rabbit) because they said I had rabbit blood. ( I was one of the boys who survived the 100 lashes beating)
Now I am 55 and I still have bad dreams about the White House and the so-call spankings I got there. The only right way of putting it: The White House Was A Living HELL.
Also I know for fact that other boys went to the White House during the same period of time that I was at the reform school. I have a letter from Roy C. McKay (Superintendent) 14 August 1998 reflecting the two commitments dates above.
I will mail a picture later that was taken of me in front of the detention center at FSB on 10 June 1967.
John Patterson Jr.
