| Hometown Experiences: Mount Pleasant, Pennsylvania |
| "I don't know what I'm searching for I never have opened the door, Tomorrow might find me at last, Turning my back on the past, But, time will tell, of stars that fell, A million years ago. Memories can never take you back, home, sweet, home. You can never go home anymore." - from "You Can Never Go Home:" Justin Hayward / The Moody Blues |
| My Experience with the Mount Pleasant Website |
The Following is the message I placed in the Mount Pleasant Home page Guest book in December of 1998:
I grew up in Mount Pleasant and graduated from there in 1971. I moved away in the early 1970's and experienced
many changes since leaving. Though I've traveled extensively, I haven't been back to Mount Pleasant except for a few
brief visits (none in recent years). As the holidays approach I especially miss the people and places that were so special
for what seemed like all too brief a period of time. The people I knew have become lost as time and life's changes have
distanced me from Pennsylvania even further than what geography has. Their memories though are forever alive and
not forgotten. The places tend to fade more rapidly as, even after a short absence, a visit can find many landmarks
changed. Thanks for a glimpse back into those warm memories and a look at some of the special places of my
childhood again.
I grew up in Mount Pleasant and graduated from there in 1971. I moved away in the early 1970's and experienced
many changes since leaving. Though I've traveled extensively, I haven't been back to Mount Pleasant except for a few
brief visits (none in recent years). As the holidays approach I especially miss the people and places that were so special
for what seemed like all too brief a period of time. The people I knew have become lost as time and life's changes have
distanced me from Pennsylvania even further than what geography has. Their memories though are forever alive and
not forgotten. The places tend to fade more rapidly as, even after a short absence, a visit can find many landmarks
changed. Thanks for a glimpse back into those warm memories and a look at some of the special places of my
childhood again.
The Response:
The next day my entry and name were removed from the guest book. I contacted the Webmistress explaining the
purpose of my entry with an explanation of myself. In the subsequent exchange of e-mail I learned that the
Webmistress had been inundated with Spam on her guest book promoting and advertising pornographic sites as well as
other sites not appropriate to her web page. This, unfortunately, has become a common practice on the Internet -
unsolicited advertising via guest book entries which are too often ads for pornographic websites. She wrongly assumed
from the title of my website that my guest book entry was just another such unsolicited advertisement.
After considering the attitudes in Southwestern, Pennsylvania I decided to not make another entry in her guest book
with my website data. I find her website a wealth of information and a treasury of reminiscence. I do not want to
endanger it - it's the last link I have to that area as well as a past era in time.
This experience was a sudden dose of reality. After going years without experiencing any prejudice from New York to
Seattle to obscure places like Wyoming, I am struck like running into a stonewall in my former hometown. At times
like this I realize we have a long way to go for acceptance of transgendered and transsexual persons in this country.
The next day my entry and name were removed from the guest book. I contacted the Webmistress explaining the
purpose of my entry with an explanation of myself. In the subsequent exchange of e-mail I learned that the
Webmistress had been inundated with Spam on her guest book promoting and advertising pornographic sites as well as
other sites not appropriate to her web page. This, unfortunately, has become a common practice on the Internet -
unsolicited advertising via guest book entries which are too often ads for pornographic websites. She wrongly assumed
from the title of my website that my guest book entry was just another such unsolicited advertisement.
After considering the attitudes in Southwestern, Pennsylvania I decided to not make another entry in her guest book
with my website data. I find her website a wealth of information and a treasury of reminiscence. I do not want to
endanger it - it's the last link I have to that area as well as a past era in time.
This experience was a sudden dose of reality. After going years without experiencing any prejudice from New York to
Seattle to obscure places like Wyoming, I am struck like running into a stonewall in my former hometown. At times
like this I realize we have a long way to go for acceptance of transgendered and transsexual persons in this country.
The Purpose:
I simply was feeling nostalgic as the holidays approached and I do love that area that I grew up in. After I decided to be
"out" about having undergone sex reassignment I decided to try to search for a few old friends. I hadn't had much luck
through other mediums and decided to sign the guest book. I noticed that a number of other people were rekindling old
friendships through this method so it looked promising after other searches had failed.
Since my graduation in 1971 I had only kept in contact with one person from my graduating class and had briefly
bumped into another once in 1972. Everyone else remains a mystery to this day. There were so many other friends too
that I didn't attend school with but I wonder what has become of them.
I had hoped that one of these former friends and acquaintances would come across my guest book entry. I knew they
wouldn't recognize the first name but I hoped if they had graduated around 1971 they may be curious enough to look at
my web pages. Only then would they learn of my former identity and, if they had no problem with my gender
reassignment, I hoped they would contact me.
Quite an innocent and basic request.
I simply was feeling nostalgic as the holidays approached and I do love that area that I grew up in. After I decided to be
"out" about having undergone sex reassignment I decided to try to search for a few old friends. I hadn't had much luck
through other mediums and decided to sign the guest book. I noticed that a number of other people were rekindling old
friendships through this method so it looked promising after other searches had failed.
Since my graduation in 1971 I had only kept in contact with one person from my graduating class and had briefly
bumped into another once in 1972. Everyone else remains a mystery to this day. There were so many other friends too
that I didn't attend school with but I wonder what has become of them.
I had hoped that one of these former friends and acquaintances would come across my guest book entry. I knew they
wouldn't recognize the first name but I hoped if they had graduated around 1971 they may be curious enough to look at
my web pages. Only then would they learn of my former identity and, if they had no problem with my gender
reassignment, I hoped they would contact me.
Quite an innocent and basic request.
| View of Chestnut Ridge. As seen from the home on Church Street where I grew up during my teen years. A familiar view for me. |
| My grandmothers farm house in Armbrust, Pennsylvania holds many fond memories for me. |
| Summer flooding by Sewickley Creek on the road from Armbrust to Youngwood, Pennsylvania in 1988 |
| Winding Mountain roads going down Chestnut Ridge to Laurelville, Pennsylvania |
| Freeman Falls after a summer rain in 1981. Located on Chestnut Ridge between Acme and Laurelville, Pennsylvania. A favorite mountain swimming hole for both many years as well as generations. |
| Jeri sitting on a Rock just behind the dam at Freeman Falls after a summer rain in 1981 |
| No rain at Freeman Falls on a visit during 1981 |
| Rick at the Dam during 1981 |
| Old water wheel at Freeman Falls |
| Jeri on the Dam during 1981 |
