CA CA - Rose Cole, 16, Oakland, 1972 - #1

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HeartofTexas said:
I don't have an exact answer for your question re the envelope, Shadow, but I can pretty easily guess the envelope is from Oakland, CA, since that's the Synanon treatment center she was in, and the only envelope the SIL has is for one mailed while Rose was in Synanon.

I would love for the person who graduated from H.S. in 1973 in NE to be this Rose. However, she would have only been 16 years old (having turned 16 just 6 mos. prior, in December of 1972), would have just run away from Synanon in California, would have moved from California to Nebraska, and would apparently have condensed at least 2 years of high school into a short 6 months. It's possible it was her.. and the identical name certainly alludes to it being her... but the facts just don't seem to add up.
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I found this article about a girl who grew up in synanon. It might make how Rose(if that was her) was able to finish high school at such an early agemore believable.
http://www.rickross.com/reference/synanon/synanon2.html

"I went into the high school when I was about 12 and a half. They wanted to make sure we knew about the outside world, so every student in high school had to have a subscription to Time magazine and each week we had to read it cover to cover as part of our curriculum."
 
The article said around 1974, when Synanon became a "church". But it seems plausible that it could have happened earlier.

I also saw references to a farmer who lived next to the Synanon facility in '78 (and possibly earlier, it doesn't say), who was beaten by Synanon members for helping children run away from Synanon and reuniting them with their parents.

So it looks VERY possible that Rose could have ran away from Synanon. What happened to her afterwards is anyone's guess--is there any contact info for the Rose Leanna Cole who graduated in NE?

Kelly
 
The article said around 1974, when Synanon became a "church". But it seems plausible that it could have happened earlier.

I also saw references to a farmer who lived next to the Synanon facility in '78 (and possibly earlier, it doesn't say), who was beaten by Synanon members for helping children run away from Synanon and reuniting them with their parents.

So it looks VERY possible that Rose could have ran away from Synanon. What happened to her afterwards is anyone's guess--is there any contact info for the Rose Leanna Cole who graduated in NE?
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Thanks for the info on when the underground railroad was used. I did read about the neighbor who was beaten. At least he lived.

Since the Rose Leanna Cole in Nebraska graduated in 1973, I'm guessing she' since married and changed her name. I tried to find the same info Shadowangel did, but can't. Some states have great marriage records online, but Nebraska doesn't seem to be one of them.
 
Just to clarify, I wasn't implying that the girl who went to high school at age 12 1/2 WAS Rose. I was trying to show that it could be done. I think that the way I wrote that last post was confusing. When I said (if it was her), I was refering to the girl by the name of Rose in Nebraska. I hope that I didn't confuse everyone even more by trying to explain what I was trying to say. whew...it's been a long day lol.:doh:
 
NO! You didn't further confuse us, Shadow. I knew exactly what you meant.

I just got an email from the SIL, and she has been inside the Synanon site and posted a picture of Rose some time back. She's searching for the password now to see if she can find it. I doubt it would still be good, though, since she was kicked off the site! I also just emailed the SIL to ask if anyone recognized Rose's picture.

BTW, the SIL is so appreciative that we are looking for her. She's never had any help before and she said tonight that this means so much to her family.
 
Here is what little information the SIL was able to get from other family members re a description of Rose:

No known birthmarks
Long Brown Hair
Green, olive eyes
Pretty tall (My husband is 6'3" and Pose is very tall too)
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HeartofTexas said:
Rose Cole was born December 23, 1956 in Flint, Michigan. Rose's full name is Rose Leanna Cole, but her family says she rarely used her middle name.

In 1972, at the age of 15, she was sent to Synanon Foundation in Oakland, CA for some kind of addiction (I'm assuming drugs).

For those who aren't familiar with Synanon, it was an unscrupulous drug treatment center whose clients rarely had a chance to leave once they arrived. Rose ran away from Synanon some time in late 1972 and wrote two letters to her family after leaving Synanon. To quote her sister-in-law:

I have written the SIL requesting data on Rose's description. I have also asked her to re-type the letters, since I assume they might offer more details about her circumstances at Synanon.

I've checked death and marriage records in California, and death records in all states, and no Rose Cole shows up. Nor does she show up on any public records or phone book directory.

As her SIL stated, they have not heard from her since December of 1972. Rose would be 49 now, and would turn 50 this December.

Once additional information is received on Rose, I'll post it.
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Oakland, California is a rough area.
 
Goody said:
Oakland, California is a rough area.
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Oakland CA has rough areas but the entire city unfortunately gets stereotyped.

I went to the library today to look at microfilm on the Synanon. I happened to talk to the librarian who knows a professor that wrote a book about the Synanon. I have his address and # and will be contacting him tomorrow.
 
itsreenw said:
Oakland CA has rough areas but the entire city unfortunately gets stereotyped.

I went to the library today to look at microfilm on the Synanon. I happened to talk to the librarian who knows a professor that wrote a book about the Synanon. I have his address and # and will be contacting him tomorrow.
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Is this the book itreenw?

The Rise and Fall of Synanon : A California Utopia (Hardcover)
by Rod Janzen "During the second half of the twentieth century Synanon was one of the most successful and most innovative communal societies in the United States..."
 
Shadow205 said:
Is this the book itreenw?

The Rise and Fall of Synanon : A California Utopia (Hardcover)
by Rod Janzen "During the second half of the twentieth century Synanon was one of the most successful and most innovative communal societies in the United States..."
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Yup!! That's the name of it. I actually wanted to find a book called "Escape from Utopia" but when I mentioned it to the librarian he seemed very familiar with Synanon. He also said Rose wasn't the only one that "ran away" and never made it back to the parents. He told me about his acquaintance, Rod that wrote a book about it. He pulled a card out and gave it to me with this man's email, mailing address and phone #. Small world. I am going to inquire about the # of people that are still unaccounted for. He said to also research the Pt. Reyes Light for more info.???
 
itsreenw said:
Yup!! That's the name of it. I actually wanted to find a book called "Escape from Utopia" but when I mentioned it to the librarian he seemed very familiar with Synanon. He also said Rose wasn't the only one that "ran away" and never made it back to the parents. He told me about his acquaintance, Rod that wrote a book about it. He pulled a card out and gave it to me with this man's email, mailing address and phone #. Small world. I am going to inquire about the # of people that are still unaccounted for. He said to also research the Pt. Reyes Light for more info.???
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itsreenw,

Escape from Utopia: My ten years in Synanon (Unknown Binding)
by William F Olin

For Sale at amazon.com

The Light on Synanon: How a country weekly exposed a corporate cult--and won the Pulitzer Prize (Unknown Binding)
by Dave Mitchell

Availability: Available from these sellers.


10 used & new available from $1.90
 
Great work, Itsreenw! It's amazing that the librarian knew the author of the book and was able to give you their email address. I guess it shouldn't surprise me that there were others who "escaped" but never made it home... but it does.

A weekly newspaper (sorry, forget the name) won a Pulitzer prize for their expose on Synanon. I'll see what I can find on that today.
 
He said to also research the Pt. Reyes Light for more info.???
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Well, what do you know... the Pt. Reyes Light was the weekly newspaper that won the Pulitzer for its expose on Synanon. I knew I had seen the name somewhere yesterday when I was researching Synanon, but didn't remember it being the newspaper.

http://www.ptreyeslight.com/light.html
 
Apparently the Point Reyes Light is a community newspaper covering a few small towns in Marin County, CA. That's just across the bridge from San Fran. Surely one of the SF libraries would still have a copy of the story in their files?
 
HeartofTexas said:
The original story by the Point Reyes Light was done April 16, 1979... don't know if the story is available on microfilm at a library or not, but it would be worth checking out. Here's a synopsis of their story:

http://www.ptreyeslight.com/stories/apr15_04/synanon_story.html
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Very interesting story.

I was living out there when this happened: Member Lance Kenton, son of band leader Stan Kenton, and another member named Joe Musico hid a 4.5-foot rattlesnake, whose warning rattles had been cut off, in Morantz’s mailbox. The snake bit the attorney when he reached for his mail, but a quick response by paramedics saved him.

Cults were springing up all over California at the time as I recall.
 
itsreenw said:
Oakland CA has rough areas but the entire city unfortunately gets stereotyped.
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Have you read Chris Darden's book. He grew up in Oakland.
 
I lived in San Fran in 1975-76 myself, and remember it was a really weird time to be there. Patty Hearst was kidnapped, the SLA was setting fire to apartment buildings, etc. I remember reading in the newspaper (I think I was in Texas at the time) about the rattlesnake in the mailbox. As soon as I heard the name Synanon, I knew there was the potential for trouble in this case.
 
HeartofTexas said:
I lived in San Fran in 1975-76 myself, and remember it was a really weird time to be there. Patty Hearst was kidnapped, the SLA was setting fire to apartment buildings, etc. I remember reading in the newspaper (I think I was in Texas at the time) about the rattlesnake in the mailbox. As soon as I heard the name Synanon, I knew there was the potential for trouble in this case.
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From the time of Charles Manson and the Spann ranch forward, it was weird times out west. When that rattlesnake thing hit the airwaves, I remember being afraid to open my mailbox. LOL! I mean, if the attys could not protect themselves......eerie!
 
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