Other former Linton Hall cadets have written about their experiences:
Augustus Cho has written two books about Linton Hall Military School
The most recent covers his first year at Linton Hall during the 1968-1969 academic year, and my review is in my blog. I highly recommended.
His earlier book begins with his immigrating to the US from South Korea, and continues with his being sent to Linton Hall approximately a month after arriving to the US. The month prior to his arrival at LH is marked with wonderful, exciting experiences: major one such as rejoining his mother who had immigrated to the US two years previously, spending a week in Japan, and vacationing in Florida, as well as minor experiences such as the joy of playing with the power windows in the car, described from the point of view of a child who has just turned ten.
The most recent covers his first year at Linton Hall during the 1968-1969 academic year, and my review is in my blog. I highly recommended.
His earlier book begins with his immigrating to the US from South Korea, and continues with his being sent to Linton Hall approximately a month after arriving to the US. The month prior to his arrival at LH is marked with wonderful, exciting experiences: major one such as rejoining his mother who had immigrated to the US two years previously, spending a week in Japan, and vacationing in Florida, as well as minor experiences such as the joy of playing with the power windows in the car, described from the point of view of a child who has just turned ten.
Not only does his emigration from Korea mark a new chapter in his life, but beginning the narrative at that point allows the reader to see the sharp contrast between his life before and after entering Linton Hall.
With extremely limited knowledge of English, much of it learned by watching television over the previous month, and even less knowledge of American customs (gleaned from the same television shows) he faces greater hardships adjusting to Linton Hall Military School than others. He recounts a particular incident when he is unjustly punished for "not washing his face." As many, or possibly most, people outside the US, he washes his face by first soaping up his hands, without the use of a washcloth. An officer, too ignorant of foreign behaviors and too quick to jump to conclusions, notices his washcloth isn't wet and punishes him, with Kim unable to explain his innocence.
The book's greatest strength lies in the author's abilities to write from a child's point of view. Even though this book was published forty years after the events it describes, the author is able to describe them so clearly and accurately, that it is as if he were describing something that had happened only recently. In addition, in sidebars throughout the book, he discusses the meaning and value of his experiences from the point of view of an adult. Although he sees his experience at Linton Hall as being far more beneficial than I do, his book brings back many memories and provokes much thought. The sentence that resonated most deeply within me in the entire book is "It was LHMS' goal to break me down as an individual and rebuild me in their image, and I wasn't interested." (page 81.)
Great Light Will Shine III is the third volume in Cho's autobiography, and the volume that deals with Linton Hall Military School. He has told me that a sequel is being written and should be available sometime in 2012. The book (printed version) can be ordered from www.lulu.com
Also available for the nook reader at barnesandnoble.com
Another blog about Linton Hall Military School
has been started by an alumnus who calls himself "LHMS Cadet." (Despite the similarity in our pen names, we are two different people.) This alumnus has previously posted lengthy, detailed, and extremely perceptive comments on my blog.
In his own, excellent blog he describes "Growing up at Linton Hall Military School: the good, the bad, and the ugly" just as I remember it, and has also written extremely interesting details about two significant events at Linton Hall that I was not aware of until reading about them on his blog.
A recent blog post deals witht he ways in which cadets (children) were punished, and the author wisely notes how "They would stay on you until they either broke your spirit and if they could not do that, they found a way to expel you from school."
He is in the process of writing a book which I can't wait to read. I will post further details as they become available.
"A day in the life of PFC Charles Carreon, nine years old" is an autobiographical account of just one day at Linton Hall, from Reveille to Taps, when "In the darkness Charles would have liked a piece of bread, some bit of luxury to comfort him, but he always forgot to bring his own contraband." Written in 1982
You tube video of Linton Hall
This is a 360-degree view of the front of the school and convent.
Linton Hall Military School photos
These were taken on 7/7/07 by the same person who took the video:
http://www.wincingdevil.com/LintonHall/
http://www.wincingdevil.com/LintonHall/
Linton Hall Military School alumni on Facebook
You are invited to share memories with me and others by sending a
friend request to "Linton Hall Cadet" on Facebook.
Two more websites
Opinions and memories from former cadets of Linton Hall: Linton Hall Linton Hall Military School
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Copyright 2011 "Linton Hall Cadet"
Please respect copyright by linking to this post instead of just copying and pasting. Thanks!
This blog is NOT affiliated with Linton Hall Military School. The opinions contained are those of the author.
Copyright 2011 "Linton Hall Cadet"
Please respect copyright by linking to this post instead of just copying and pasting. Thanks!
This blog is NOT affiliated with Linton Hall Military School. The opinions contained are those of the author.
I must be the exception to the rule about positve comments on this school. I had a cadet officer who bullied cadets mercilessly and was even physically abusing them by beating them with his fists and the like. I complained to school officials who did nothing and my parents came and raised hell about it and removed me from the school. It was a minor scandal at the time and changes were made and the cadet officer was disclipined. He had been bullying and beating other cadets as well. This would have been in the late 1950's or very early 1960's. I subsequently attended Leonard Hall Military Academy in Leonardtown Md. Enjoyed it but my parents had to take me out after the first year as their finances took a reversal due to my Father's health issues. He was in the Army for 30 years and later told me he would not have tolerated such behavior by any NCO when he was a Master Sgt.
ReplyDeleteI didn't fantasize about running away, I fantasized about demolishing the place to the ground. One of the worst experiences of my life.
I can recall plenty of horror stories. One I'll never forget was during dinner. A cadet was sick and didn't want to eat. Sister Jude made him eat and the cadet threw up in his dinner tray. Sister Jude got mad and pushed his face down into the tray, into his vomit and said "you eat that". Joseph Reed, who was head corpsman of the medical corps got up and ran down to the infirmary and got sister Joan who was the school nurse at the time. She came to the dining hall and had a talk with sister Jude out in the hallway.
DeleteThank you for your comments, George. If it was possible for Leonard Hall to be enjoyable, why couldn't those in charge of Linton Hall have done the same?
ReplyDeleteMy brother Michael and I ( Bobby ) went there in April 1964 thru August 1965. I made platoon sergeant. We have soooo many memories of that place. Our sister just happened to be in the convent that ran the school. She was a nun. I remember most all of the nuns nams. They taught school and on Saturday nights the Ramseys came from town to show us a movie. Bill Facquier was an exceptional man who worked there and lived across the street. He is deceased now. Every May was Military Day when we paraded for officers. I will come back and visit this post soon again.
ReplyDeleteBobby, thanks for posting! You were there a couple of years before I was, so I would love to know how your experience was similar/different than mine.
ReplyDeleteRichard Leddel “Tim” Seward moved with his family to Washington DC when he was age 7. He’s our dad, born in McGill, Nevada 7 January 1926.
ReplyDeleteHe was a page in the US Senate for Senator Key Pittman of Nevada (Pittman’s adopted state because he’s originally from Vicksburg, Mississippi) (Pittman was also a hands-on miner and in on the Alaska Klondike gold rush).
At age 12, 75th Congress, he’s depicted in a photograph in a 1938 issue of Life magazine sleeping during a senator's speech. Zzz ��
Our dad attended Linton Hall School, a military school at that time, in Bristow, Virginia, and West Nottingham Academy in Colora, Maryland. Those were times for Linton Hall one could be justly proud; our dad returned to Linton Hall for one last visit before he died. — Gwynne Seward (his firstborn)