by Clark Watts (Author)
Were orphanages warehouses of horror for neglected and deprived children as depicted by the arts and the media of the past two centuries? Or were they havens of security in which these children could develop to their maximum capabilities? The author, with successful careers in medicine, law, and the military, in this rather intimate portrayal of his life in an orphanage, makes a case for the latter. With a series of stories, some light hearted and humorous, some tragic, all personal and revealing, the author tells of his maturation from an insecure and fragile nine year old child from a broken home, into an independent-minded teenager at graduation from high school. In these stories is seen the humanity of the caring teachers and disciplinarians as they strived to inculcate within the children in Buckner Orphans Home a value system that stressed a strong work ethic and respect for others. The results of their efforts are registered in the highly successful careers of many who were raised in this orphanage, especially when juxtaposed to their backgrounds before they were taken into the Home.