Gary Miller - My Stay at the Lark Ellen Home for Boys
1961-1963

Paul, This is a good web site. When did you start it? I have been typing in Lark Ellen Home for Boys since 1998. I was 15 when I got there and 17 when I left. I have wondered what happened to all my friends. It wasn't always a bowl of cherries, but I was no angel either. I had a lot of fun there. I learned how to play cribbage there at the Lab school for the homeboys only. The principal was Paul Bohem who later was vice principal of juvenile hall. The teachers were Mr. Kostman, and Mr. Barton. If you were good you got to go to Azusa or Glendora High. In 1962 they closed the Lab school. It was almost right on the grounds, Foothill Blvd. and Citrus Ave. They sent us to a school in Azusa where besides homeboys they also had kids that were kicked out of Azusa.

Contact: Gary Miller at: GARYMILLER06@comcast.net

The principal was Mr. Georgiou, I remember getting swats with his big paddle with holes drilled in it to cut down on wind resistance, ouch! They had a good PE coach. I think his name was Larry Mcgregor. He later became an assistant coach for the Lakers. I saw him on TV. I was in the Vikings, which was only recalled with the memory of George Bourke. I have been so many places, Tigers, Rams, Vikings, they are all a blur. I do remember the Y-Wives and all their gifts, I still use English Leather. I loved going to the Biltmore Hotel at Christmas and having Lobster Thermador. Some of the guys wore Kakis and Sir Guys and French toes (always spit shined) others Kennington, Pendletons, Levis and Converse tennis shoes if you were a surfer.

When I first got there they wanted to beat me up cause my last name was Miller like CJ's, they thought I was his son and he put me there to spy. I also learned to play Risk at the home, which I still play today. The food was OK, but the biscuits would go through the window when we had a biscuit fight. My favorite housemothers were Victoria Saunders (mine) and Pauline McCord (Tamers). I corresponded with both even when I was in the army in 1966 they sent me cookies, etc. Hope to hear from more homeboys. How about a Lark Ellen reunion sometime? Gary Miller class of 63.