Steven’s new facility was an honor camp about 50 miles northwest of Springer. With no cells or fences, it was not unlike the adult honor farm north of Belen, in Los Lunas.
Boys were required to follow the camp’s rules and not try to escape, for fear of being sent back to Springer. Run much like an army camp, the boys were responsible for making their cots, washing their clothes and standing for inspection every day but Sunday, when they were able to attend a Catholic mass.
The boys’ days began at 6 a.m. After breakfast and inspection, they policed Cimarron Canyon for trash or worked on local farms or ranches each morning. They attended classes taught by local teachers each afternoon. Steven made progress on completing his high school diploma.
Meals were decent, except for a few items on the menu, especially lima beans. Steven learned to stash the hated lima beans into his pockets and empty them into a fish pond after meals. Lights went out at 10 p.m. sharp.
Boys at the Eagle Nest camp were brought into Cimarron once a month to watch a movie in the small town’s theater. Steven could have visitors once a month. His mother and the girl he fought for in Belen often came by to visit, sitting at picnic tables or taking short walks down forest trails. His mother and girlfriend often brought much-appreciated care packages to last him through the month.
A majority of boys followed the rules, knowing that serving their time at the open-air camp was far better than conditions back in Springer. But there were boys who seemed unable to avoid trouble. Some went AWOL. Others were caught with liquor, ironically left by the side of a road by their parents.
Steven and most boys kept their noses clean and adjusted to their environment. They especially adjusted well under the guidance of effective adults who lived in camp, not as guards but as advisors.
Steven was fortunate to have a Mr. Pompey as his “house parent.” Steven remembers Mr. Pompey talked to him man-to-man about what to expect in life. He taught Steven he had to respect others before they would respect him and, most important, he taught the young man to respect the law, first in camp and then in society.
Evaluations were held to discuss each boy’s progress. There were no demerits and no “good time” offered for staying out of trouble. Progress was all that mattered in each boy’s case history.
Apparently, Mr. Pompey and other adult supervisors believed Steven had made sufficient progress to be eligible for early release. After a year and a half, the court released Steven and allowed him to go home to Belen in 1964.
Steven now remembers his time at the Eagle Nest camp as a good learning experience, a place where he first experienced life on his own; where he learned discipline to finish projects and how to follow instructions and obey rules.
He also learned three other parts to adulthood: responsibility, respect and patience.
He learned all this without undue stress or any signs of post-traumatic stress disorder that other boys experienced at Springer. In fact, after returning home, Steven told his mother his 18 months away were the best thing that had ever happened to him in his young life.
Original source found here.
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