Yvonne: Born @ Geneva State Training School 1963

July 18, 2010 Cherie Bombell 36 comments

I’d like to share an email with you. The author, Yvonne, was actually born at Illinois State Training School, Geneva and would like to hear from anyone that knew her mother. This is a very interesting story with some high profile twists and turns. I think you’ll find it fascinating. Hopefully, one of you will remember her mother and can share your memories with Yvonne. All the best, Cherie

Dear Cherie,

My cousin found this site for me and I’ve sat and read two stories and am really, really sad and upset that my mom never told me how really bad it was. MY mom was there, I believe pregnant with me when she went in, tho the paternity of who my father really is/was is still a mystery that my mom never divulged. You see, she had just left the Shriver’s/Kennedys. She, My mom, Virginia “Ginny” aka “sunny” Shriver, nee Dineen, was a foster daughter of Sgt. Shriver and Eunice Kennedy Shriver. mom had a very rough life, especially after she lost her mother. Her father was deceased when she was young. My mom was put into social services after her mom passed away and a social worker was friends with Eunice. Eunice and her family were living in a penthouse downtown Chicago at the time. Some how, Eunice took my mom into her foster care. bought her couture clothes from Paris, riding and sailing lessons at the Kennedy compound, all during the presidency of JFK. My mom was witness to a lot of the Kennedy functions. She was also best friends with Liza Minnelli at the time. I am going to write a book about my life, but I have to go back in time to my moms era and bring it all forward. Needless to say, my mom had broke the camels back with the Shrivers and they had to give up on her. She ended up in Geneva Detention ctr. My mom hated to speak of that place, but she did tell me about a tiny part of it. she said that she worked in the bakery. When mom was in labor with me, she was usually naked in her room, don’t know why. she told me how she’d talk to me in her belly and of the responses she’d get from me after eating peach cobbler there. she said that when she went into labor, that another girl was in the infirmary in labor as well. they did not come for my mother until I was crowning. she said that it was too late to get to the hospital, so I was born there. they whisked me away from her right after birth. I can only imagine the tremendous heartache she must have felt. she told me of how she’d hear me crying and no one would pick me up or pay attention to me. she would yell and cry for them to pick me up, only to end up in the hole for yelling. she spoke of the hole as a regular part of her life.
My mom passed away last October from a long illness with cancer. I am new to this site and I will continue to read others’ stories. I am already affected with so much sadness of the children sent there.
I have a made up birth certificate. I have no idea if Geneva detention kept a record of my birth or not. I called there once, in about ’79-’80. I asked for the doctor listed at the bottom of my birth certificate. They put a man on the phone with me. He seemed to be very vehement about my not being born there. he said no babies were ever born there. I believe his name was DWYER OR ODWYER? not sure. there’s just so much I would love to find out. do you suppose they still have any records?

Again, thank you for doing this,
Yvonne Marie Dineen

Comments (36)

#1 | Written by Chiquila Pearson on July 23, 2022. Reply

My Mother, Patricia Jean was sent to Geneva School for Wayward Girls in 1968. She was pregnant with me at the time. I was born at St. Joseph Mercy Hospital, not the facility. My grandmother and step-grandfather were allowed to take me home but my mother had to stay in the hospital for a few more days. I am not sure if she was sent back to the school after being released from the hospital or allowed to come home. My mother was sent there because she was a habitual runaway is what I was told. I know she was eventually allowed to go home. Just reading about the conditions of the school and how the girls were treated hurts so much because that is in no way rehabilitation. My mother passed away in January of 2014. I am just doing some personal research on the school because it is a part of my history.
#2 | Written by Sharon Randall on April 7, 2015. Reply

Anyone can contact me anytime at sharmari1@hotmail.com or at sharmarran@gmail.com

peace and love to all who survived Geneva.
#3 | Written by kathie stull (mcCauley) on September 2, 2013. Reply

It feels good to get this off my chest! A scared to death teenager. My crime …a fight with my mom and running away. Put in the macon co. jail with adults and then geneva until they felt like turning me loose. Adults at least got a sentence. I didnt know nothing when I got there. Never drank. didnt smoke. no drugs you get the picture but by the time I got outta there I knew a lot and saw plenty! There were some nice people that worked there , but for the most part they all turned a blind eye. My mom came to see every two weeks, guess I was lucky because there were so many who never had some one to come see them. I was scared to death of this lady named Donna I always felt kinda violated after she searched me. Mom brought magazines and candybars which was all that was allowed. I did keep my mags cause I loved to read but shared the candy cause it kept the wolves at bay. Anybody who doesent know what Im talking about there was either a victim or a predator. Thats why for the most part I really didnt mind staying in my room. Few years later things changed and rooms were open more so had to get a new plan.
- #4 | Written by Sharon Randall on February 8, 2015. Reply
  
  lol I loved Donna ~ she was a bit of an oddball and definitely a lesbo but she was always cool with me ~ Many times she did a half search because she knew I had filled my empty sanitary napkin with packs of cigarettes lol ~ Funny story about Danna ~ one of the times I tried to escape Donna pulled up beside me in the wagon and begged me to stop running because she said she didnt have the strength to chase me lol soI went and got in the wagon [station wagon] and we laughed all the way to the unit aka the hole ~ For those who were there in a different time and didnt know her ~ Donna was a short woman who weighed about 350 lbs lol but my favorite guard was a man we all called TREE ~ he was such a sweet old man ~ we called him TREE because he was over six feet tall and very skinny ~ didnt like uncle willie at all ~ although he always tried to p-lay it cool with me ~ willie [who I always called wille because he was not my uncle] had mean streak and a very strange sense of humor with some of the shyer white girls ~ Donna was cool though ~ but she was very matter~of~fact in her job ~ with a few if us though she opened up- occasionally ~ she was a trooper ~ peace and love ~ Sharon
#5 | Written by kathie stull (mcCauley) on September 2, 2013. Reply

I just found this site yesterday. Saw something about a place in florida and a gravesite and it must have trip a memory. I tried to look up I.S.T.S.G but no luck. Guess I got lucky? yesterday. Not to many people you can talk about this place with except I do have a sister that went through same thing with she is 2 years older. Dont know if I tried to do what my older sister did or if I was was just a dumb teenager but this is not something we talk about. I told my children and my husband all about it but not in a lot of detail. I saw a picture on here somewhere. It was the window with the grill on it. I sat down and cried. That was probably a matron room from late fifties to mid sixties? my room no curtains crappy bed that were not allowed to sit on tiny metal desk screwed to wall where could write our once a week letter home with small stool metal shiny something screwed to wall whiched passed as mirror hook in corner of room for our one cotton dress and something called a vessel (chamberpot) which I swore Id never use but everyone did eventually. Oh yes shouldnt forget the saddle shoes.
#6 | Written by kathie stull (mcCauley) on September 2, 2013. Reply

yes there was a hole. It was underneath oak cottage. About 6 rooms no bed wore robe and slippers slept on floor and bathed once a week. My only contact with humans other than getting my meals in room were talking under the door and hoping someone elase was down there too. big thick glass in outside window wich you couldnt see out of. It was clean but trying sleeping on a cold floor for a week. This pleasant motel was usually reserved for escapees or girls that fought a lot. Oak cottage was reserved for the hard core.
#7 | Written by kathie stull (mcCauley) on September 2, 2013. Reply

Geneva, haunts me 45 years later. I really dont have to many good memories. I was there 3 times from 69-72. I was 14 at my first introduction to a state way of life. One of my few good memories was of working in the green house, being outside in the fresh air , for hours at a time , and getting to eat tomatoes. lol I was always hungry. The ladies who supervised us we kind. I hated having to go back to the cottage.
- #8 | Written by Linda Tart on August 16, 2015. Reply
  
  Kathie, I was there 2 years prior to you. I was on Willow Hall. I do not remember the green house. I didn’t work because I was 13, but I do remember eating like a dog. I gained over 40 lbs. by the time they kicked me out. The cook on Willow Hall, was Mrs. Scott. She like me and would slip me oranges, apples, hot dogs, apricots, and anything else I wanted. We ate potatoes with lunch and supper, EVERYDAY. Mashed, fried, scalloped, baked, you name it, we ate it. As I read this site, I see EVERYBODY’S experience was different in Geneva.
#9 | Written by deborah morrissey on January 29, 2013. Reply

I was on hope cottage during my last 2 times of being there. I have a lot of memories of the place. I even remember going into the graveyard to look at the headstones because a volunteer from the outside wanted to sketch them. I remember a lot of the matrons names and a few of the teachers. Im so glad to have found this and hope maybe someone will see this and remember
- #10 | Written by Cherie Bombell on January 29, 2013. Reply
  
  Hi Deborah. Thanks for writing. What years were you there? I remember a counselor that I think was on Hope Cottage in the early-mid 70s – Sharon English. Do you remember her? If you’d like to write your story and about your memories, I’d be happy to give you a page like I did the other women. It’s amazing to hear people’s experiences and I believe it teaches others about what shouldn’t happen to children. Some women have found comfort in telling thier stories and letting the truth be known but it’s entirely up to you.
  Thanks again for writing, Deborah. I hope we hear from you again.
  - #11 | Written by kathie stull (mcCauley) on September 2, 2013. Reply
    
    Hi I remember Sharon English. She help me get my final release. Think it was 1973. Been so many years ago. I got married in late summer of 73 so it had to be spring of 73. She was a nice woman and seemed willing to help.
#12 | Written by Mac English on March 3, 2012. Reply

I just found this website. Wow !!! I am doing some investigating on the Reception and Diagnostic center for girls and Illinois State training school for girls. My mother was Barbara J. McNamara. She was at this facility in 1968 when I was born. The name of the M.D. at that facility who certified my birth was John A. O’Dwyer.

I am trying to find out if there is anyway to obtain records of my mothers stay and of my birth. Along with that I am looking to find out if my fathers name had ever been mentioned some how as my mother never told me who he was. I have a name of Steve Mercer but I am not too sure if that is the real name of my father.

Please!!! Please!!! if there is anyone who can hear me I need any help you can give me. My mother has been deceased for 20 years now. My grandmother never knew who my father was as well as she has been deceased for 8 years now.

I am 44 now and just recently have had time to go thru some of my families personal papers. I am now finding bits and pieces but I need help trying to put the puzzle togther. I need to know who my father may have been.

Again if anyone can help and would like to contact me please email me at macenglish@ymail.com

Thank you,

Mac A. English
- #13 | Written by Cherie Bombell on January 13, 2013. Reply
  
  Mac, have you progressed in your search? I think Dr O’Dwyer is still alive and living in or near Geneva. I wish you well in this important research and hope you are successful.
#14 | Written by Melissa on September 12, 2011. Reply

I was in the Geneva school for girls in 1963.The reason I was sent there I kept running away from home.Not because my home life was bad.I met a older boy that my parents hated,and tried to keep me away from.I thought I knew best so I snuck out at night to be with him,then would not come home till my family found me.I was sent to the House Of Good Shepard,ran away from there the sent to geneva.
You lived in cottages,you had your own room.If your mother was naked she stripped herself maybe from being hot.Geneva was not a bad place, of course I wanted out of there and to be home.If you broke the rules you were locked in your room.I do not remember a hole.You went to school or work.had to do chores.Did not like the house mother and old lady I believe her name was Miss Poole.Loved the lady that ran our kitchen in our cottage I think she was Lady Bird.This in many years ago I have children and they do not know I was ever in any detention school,would not believe you if you told them. I was very ashamed of all the worries and trouble I had caused my family.I went to nursing school have been a RN.for 37 yrs.
I was there for 18 months, graduated and turned my life around.God only knows what may have happen to me if not.No one was sent there for no reason we all did some thing wrong.
- #15 | Written by Cherie Bombell on September 16, 2011. Reply
  
  How wonderful you became a nurse and have helped people for so many years, Melissa. It’s good to hear Geneva was a positive experience for some people. I remember hearing the name Lady Bird but can’t remember if she was still there when I was. Thanks for sharing your memories with us.
- #16 | Written by Mya on January 14, 2012. Reply
  
  You are so full of shit Melissa! I know for a friggen fact I did nothing wrong when I landed in Geneva… I was sent there shortly after my parents died and stayed there until I was 16… You must be getting senile in your old age to not remember the hole and to call the place not bad…
  - #17 | Written by kathie stull (mcCauley) on September 2, 2013. Reply
    
    you got that right!
  - #18 | Written by Sharon Randall on April 7, 2015. Reply
    
    I must say, I have to agree with Mya. I think maybe Melissa is confused about which institution she was in, because ‘everyone’ knew about the Hole [also sometimes referred to as ‘the unit’], even those who never had the misfortune of visiting it. Personally, I was there more times than I could count, and at times, strapped to a criss-cross metal bed frame with no mattress. During my time there, we were only allowed a mattress at night [if you were quiet and they felt you deserved one] and it was taken away in the morning. We ourselves, were let out of our rooms, one at a time, to collect the heavy matresses ourselves, from a room at the end of the corridor, and drag them back to our rooms. Likewise we had to return them in the early mornings before the dawn. We spent the day sitting/ lying on the cold floor. Sometimes we would talk/ sing to one another from the gap under our doors [unless you were down there alone]. Depending on which matron was on duty. Most matrons yelled at you to be quiet, as there were only a few really nice matrons in Geneva. Which brings me to another issue. The women in charge of the cottages, to my knowledge, were never called ‘house mothers’. At least not in my time. They were always referred to as ‘matrons’.
    
    As for Melissa’s comment that all the girls who were in Geneva deserved to be there, and that Geneva was not all that bad. I have to ask, ‘Bury your head in the sand, much?!’ If you truly were in Geneva, then you are lying to yourself. I was there between 1963 to 1968, and I knew ‘many’ girls who did not deserve to be there, including myself.
    
    Through my own extensive research, I know a great deal about the history of that institution. From the very first days they opened that horrid place, until the day they shut it down, literally hundreds of girls were sent there for no good reason. If a girl showed any signs of independence …she was sent there. In those days, having a mind of your own was a crime. If Melissa assertions were even remotely true, then I should think that all the young women who fought for our independence and woman’s equal rights, should most definitely been sent to Geneva! :/
    
    Prior to, during, and after the reign of the infamous Ophelia Amigh, girls were forced into servitude, working on farms and as maids/ servant for no pay. And much worse.
    
    I was probably one of the luckier ones, because my name struck terror into the heart of everyone, staff and girls alike. I was deemed as being crazy. Because no one had ever seen a white girl fight like I did. White girls were mostly intimidated by the blacks. But I was never the sort of person who could be intimidated. plus my size fooled a lot of people at first. I was tiny. 5’3″ and weighed about 97 lb. but I was very strong, and very agile. Most often, my trips to Hole were for defending myself against some new girl, looking to make a name for herself, and for my attempts to escape. I was never more happy, than the day that I knew that I would never have to see that place again.
    - #19 | Written by Linda Tart on August 15, 2015. Reply
      
      I knew about the hole. I was in Geneva, from Jan. 1961-Jan1962. I did not have a bad experience in there. I was treated well, much better than home. I went to school, earned straight A’s. I was NEVER an honor girl nor did I want to be. I was on Willow Hall and Mrs. Miller and Mrs.. Breckenridge were the house mothers. Mrs. Scott, ran the kitchen.
      I was 13, when I went and was placed in high school, IMMEDIATELY. I never finished 8th grade. I had a few fights, but nothing to send me to the hold. I guess I was the lucky few. I was there for running away from home and having sex. My home life was horrible and Geneva was like heaven to me.
      - #20 | Written by Janet Shuey on March 3, 2018.
        
        I was Janet Buck back in 1958 when I was sent to Geneva. I’m 75 now & I still hate my parents for sending me there. We lived in Palatine then & I had a father who never wanted me & a mother who was afraid to defy him. I was never physically abused but definitely mentally abused by him. I ran away one night & stayed 2 days at a girlfriends house down the block until her mom called my mom & told her that I was there & my parents called Palatine police & they came & picked me up & took me home where my parents told them they couldn’t handle me & wanted me to be put in Geneva reform school. I was there for 1 year & never once heard from my parents until I was ready to get released from Geneva & was told my parents moved to Santa Ana Ca. while I was there & because I wasn’t 18 yet they had to take me back home. It’s sad how the first 20 Years of my life affected a lot of the wrong decisions I made afterwards. Both parents are gone now & 5 children & 2 marriages later I find myself still angry. I wish I could just forgive them & let it go before it’s my time to go.
- #21 | Written by Linda Tart on August 15, 2015. Reply
  
  I was in Geneva, 2 years before you and I remember the name Ms. Poole.
#22 | Written by Lucille Dalbis on March 31, 2011. Reply

I just found this website. My mother is deceased and never told me that she was at the Illinois State Geneva School for Girls. I found out after her death. She was there along time ago – from 1927 to 1930. In 1930, her mother died and she became a ward of the state. I want to find the records of when she was there so I can find out what she could have possibly done. A 15 years spent 3 years in that place. If anyone knows how to find the records – pelase contact me – I would be grateful. Lucille
- #23 | Written by Yvonne Powers (nee Dineen) on April 26, 2011. Reply
  
  Dear Lucille,
  
  I was born there. I have been doing some research as well on the place. Up until a cousin of mine came across the geneva cemetery site, I didn’t know it even existed. I know the building is long gone now, but seeing a pic of it just sent shivers down my spine…I am so sorry to have read about your mom being in that place as well. I was just telling another lady on these comments who’s doing research that I heard of a tid bit of helpful info for us. My birth certificate is not correct with most of the information. The useful info is that, our certificate number supposedly never changes. If we do have originals, even sealed, the numbers would be the same on different documents. I also have to look into the catholic charities. I believe they helped to place me into temporary foster care.
  If you get a chance, check out my blog and the story that placed my mother there.
  Sincerely,
  Yvonne
- #24 | Written by Sarah on November 4, 2013. Reply
  
  I am researching my family history and discovered my Great Aunt Lois Maude Sutton was a teacher at Geneva. I am horrified at what I am reading. As far as I can tell she worked there from 1934 until she retired (date unknown). On behalf of all the the Sutton family members I want to say I AM SO SORRY. Maude as she was known was a professor at Wesleyan prior to her years at Geneva. She was the eldest of seven, never married and lived in Batavia.
  
  There is a book Defining Deviance: Sex, Science, and Delinquent Girls, 1890-1960. Drawing on exclusive access to documents from the Illinois State Training School for Girls in Geneva, Illinois, Rembis provides a historical study of the treatment of troubled girls, often perceived as threats to the American race. He uses the Geneva Girls School as a case study to show how implementation of involuntary commitment laws in the United States reflected eugenic thinking about juvenile delinquency.
  
  I am going to try and locate it tomorrow. If anyone has information about Maude Sutton please forward it so me. This is a piece of a puzzle regarding my Sutton history that I will refer to as being called “strong discipline”.
#25 | Written by Josie on March 13, 2011. Reply

I am also doing research on this place. My Cousin was there also 1960-196?would like to know if anyone remembers her. Latin girl age 15, from Cook, County Chicago, Il. . Sharon can u email me. I would like to know if u remember her.
- #26 | Written by Yvonne Powers (nee Dineen) on April 26, 2011. Reply
  
  Hi Josie,
  
  I would like to ask you to please share any info and how you came to find it, so that I can enhance my search as well. I will, of course, do the same for you. I did find out an interesting tid bit, it may be you know this already, but our birth certificate number, supposedly doesn’t change when you’re adopted. Sure there could be totally different information on a birth certificate, like how mine is for instance…but the number on it is the same and when looking for original, maybe even sealed docs, that number is key. That’s something I’m going to work on as well. I also need to find out more about catholic charities. I think they were influential in getting me placed in foster care. I know I was in St. Vincents orphanage from birth til 8mos. old. A family did foster me and desperately wanted to keep me. A number of years ago, when I was about 30ish, my step dad finally told me the name of the foster family. Back then, I didn’t have a personal computer, so I had to call chicago and get every name to match, one at a time…wouldn’t you know it, it was the last number on my list…lol….
  Feel free to check out my blog and read the rest of the story that actually put my mom in that place.
  
  Sincerely,
  Yvonne
- #27 | Written by Sharon Randall on April 7, 2015. Reply
  
  Josie, I dont believe our email addresses are shown on here for privacy reasons,so I have no way of contacting you. But if you tell me what your Mother’s name was, I will be more than happy to tell you whether I knew her or not. I have to say, I am amazed that you wrote that message to me back in 2011, and that I didnt know about it until today. Many apologies sweetie.
#28 | Written by YVONNE M POWERS on January 24, 2011. Reply

Dear cheri,

Wow…I had no idea that there were responses to my story. My cousin debbie just notified me. I had thought this site would notify me of any responses..lol…but it didn’t.
I haven’t worked on my book for a few months, health issues. But, I’m feeling ready now to go back to work on this.
I really appreciated hearing from Sharon. I will post more pics of my mom in hopes that maybe it’ll be more helpful to Sharon or any other girl there at the time.
I hope this letter finds you doing really well cherie and that you had a wonderful holiday time!

always, vonnie
#29 | Written by Barb aka Poppie on September 9, 2010. Reply

Sharon, how are you? I wondered whatever happened to you. Hope life after death has treated you well. I have left some comments after brenda’s story. Read them see if you remember me. My first time I was 11 in 1964 I walked away in 1970 hahahaha. They did not even look for me. I got my discharge papers in the mail. I am going to post some of my story which I am sure you know some of very well contact me at my email if you like. May the ghosts of the past not haunt you anymore.
#30 | Written by Sharon on September 7, 2010. Reply

Dear Yvonne,

I cried when I read your heartbreaking story. I was one of the girls in Geneva’s ILSTSG, and it was my home for the better part of the 1960’s. A small part of my story is on Cherie’s website.

The man you spoke to at Geneva, blatantly lied to you. This, I know for certain. Many girls gave birth in Geneva’s ISTSG infirmary/ dispensary. In fact, in the early years, some of the girls and their babies died in childbirth there in the facility, and are indeed buried in the little cemetery that still stand on the old site. If your Mother said that you were born there, then you were. However, you must understand, that inappropriate/ neglectful administrational treatment toward us girls was never recorded. Therefore, you may never be able to find actual proof.

I can understand why your Mother did not want you to know how bad it was in Geneva, Yvonne. Any Mother would certainly want to shield their child from knowing the any unfortunate/ unpleasant circumstances surrounding their birth. To someone like your Mom, the only thing that would have been important at that time, was that you were her’s, and that she loved you with all of her heart. It is truly sad to think of how heart-broken she was when they took you from her at birth.

I did know a couple of girls named Virginia who were in Geneva with me during the 60’s. Both were pregnant at the time. I am sorry to say that I didn’t know either of them well, only in passing. However, without a description of you Mother, I could not tell you if she was one of the girls I knew. To find someone that knew her really well, you will need to find someone that was housed on the same cottage with her.

I hope you find the answers you are looking for, and I wish you all my best with your book. Please feel free to write to me any time. You can ask me any questions you like, and I will do my best, as my memory allows, to answer them for you.

Peace & Light,

Sharon
- #31 | Written by Yvonne Powers (nee Dineen) on April 26, 2011. Reply
  
  Dear Sharon,
  
  I’m so sorry that you cried….and I’m so sorry you were in that place Sharon. I have a picture of my mom on my blog site. My mom’s nickname was ginny. She was very pretty, in my opinion. She also had a very hard life, from her earliest beginnings. If you want to, you can go on my blog page and read the rest of the story. I believe that you’d have to hit the drop down menu on the “blog” box and start from the earliest date. My moms connection to the Kennedy family is the real deal. The story of who my bio father is, is still a great mystery and I am troubled by it every day of my life. My mom never revealed it to me, even when she knew she was dying. I thought that maybe, she was waiting to pass and might have had a letter for me, with the truth for me to find. But, no one found such a letter.
  Please, let me know after you see her picture, if you do remember her. I’m going to give you my personal email addy so you can contact me directly. It’s :
  poohter@aol.com….
  I had stopped writing my book and my blog for a while, due to so many memories happening to me, that it just got to be too much. I am going to try it again…do a little at a time. I’d also like to tell you that I consider myself a survivor….my heart does ache for the young mothers and babies that are lying in that cemetery. I’m coming home to chicago in july for a visit. I plan on visiting the cemetery. In an odd way, I feel drawn to it. I’m not afraid, just rather sad. I also feel a connection to the other babies, I could have easily been yet another one. It also struck me, after first seeing the cemetery on the website for the first time, that there’s a name on a headstone…YVONNE. I had wondered after seeing that, if my mom borrowed that name for me.
  
  Thank you sharon, for your kind and gentle words about my mom,
  Sincerely, Yvonne
#32 | Written by Devin Gilmartin on August 29, 2010. Reply

Yvonne, if you were born there, did you live there?
- #33 | Written by Sharon on September 7, 2010. Reply
  
  Dear Yvonne …I hope you do not mind my taking the initiative of replying to this person’s question on your behalf.
  
  Reply to Devin’s question “Yvonne, if you were born there, did you live there?”
  
  The answer is, definitely not. Girls were not allowed to keep their babies in correctional facilities. At least not in those days. As Yvonne stated, the new born babies were taken from their mother’s at birth. The babies were then either given to a family member, or placed in temporary foster care.
- #34 | Written by Yvonne Powers (nee Dineen) on April 26, 2011. Reply
  
  Hi Devin,
  
  I spent three days there after I was born. My story is on my blog page. Http:/vonniesbirthatgeneva.blogspot.com. You can read all of what brought my mother there and I do believe you will be surprised.
  
  Thank you for your interest and please don’t hesitate to contact me,
  Yvonne
#35 | Written by Yvonne Powers on August 22, 2010. Reply

Dear Cherie,
Thank you so much for posting my story on your blog. I just read all about Brenda and Mya….my lord, they are indeed, survivors of a lost childhood. I wrote to both of them.
I’m on chapter 12 now of my book…zooming right along….lol…hope you have a restful evening and a truly good day tomorrow….always, yvonne
- #36 | Written by Yvonne Powers (nee Dineen) on April 26, 2011. Reply
  
  Hey Cherie,
  
  Hi honey…long time huh? I had written you a letter just a little bit ago. I wrote it via a response to your comment about liking my stories. I hope it went thru, cause after I wrote it, I wasn’t sure if it really was sent…lolol…it entailed some info regarding liza minelli….will you write back, when you have a chance, and let me know if that letter went thru? lol….cause if not, girl…do I ever have some stuff to tell you…lolol….
  
  Sincerely,
  Yvonne

Cherie Livett Bombell

Yvonne: Born @ Geneva State Training School 1963

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