Anyone can drive along the property and stop and take picturesI believe because the roads are not owned by TWI. You just can't walk on the property unannounced or without permission. Though I may disagree with some of TWI policies, I agree with that one.
1.) It's private property. End of story. It belongs to The Way International. 2.) If someone has issue with their rights to visit unannounced the best procedure would be to work within the laws of the state of Ohio to try and get some of the laws changed regarding that issue. To tresspass or go unnanounced will not solve much in my opinion except to make things worse. It may or may not be morally wrong to have the visiting restrictions that exist, but that's not the point. We must either follow the laws of attempt to get them changed. 3.) There are children on those grounds. There has been vandalism through the years. Even when I was there in 1978 rednecks would drive by and shoot bullets through the OSC building and the guppy sign. If you were on staff and had kids there would you feel comfortable allowing open visitation on grounds or people taking pictures with telephoto lenses? Security is a necessary evil around that area. 4.) It is probably better to call ahead and state what you want to do and ask in advance. Some people have been allowed to go on grounds and take pictures and such. 5.) if you show up unnanounced like I did or find yourself in the area driving by you have rights to stop and look and take pictures as the roads are not private property. But be polite and respectful. Do not tresspass. I admit I did that once many years ago to take a picture by the fountain but in hindsight I was wrong. Those were tumultous times. Talk to security or even seek them out and talk to them like we did. They were pretty cool about things but they watched us from a distance....as they should in my opinion.
Thanks, Randy, for the walk down memory lane. What a beautiful place.
John, so you can visit if you do not go on grounds? I have been wanting to visit for quite a while.
It's funny, Randy. When I went by there this year on a Saturday with a buddy Davis Crowell, it was like a ghost town but this time I think it was lack of actual people. We had fun. It still looks the same. Well maintained, like a park. Security questioned us of course, but they were nice. Brooks Mason (chief of security) came out. We were in the 7th Corps together so he knew me. He is still on staff since we graduated in 1979! Wow!
It is private property so I can understand and appreciate their security. There are children there as well. We assured them we were just passing by and taking some pictures and had no intentions of going on grounds. They were cool with that. Brooks and I reminesced a little bit. It was great to see him again. I also told him about this site. I hope he joins us here some day.
The lack of people in my videos is a little misleading. I intentially waited for people to pass or get out of the shot as much as possible. When people did get in the shot, I edited the video when possible. In addition, I shot the videos on days we had "off" - which meant most people were in town running errands or relaxing in their units/rooms/homes. You are right John, many times HQ was like a ghost town - especially on Saturdays. There were times during it's peak in the 80's when the OSC dining room was packed with people during lunch. I think we were serving somewhere between 500-800 everyday. I helped in the kitchen sometimes and helped prepare food for all those people. I might spend four hours just putting food on sheet pans to prepare them for cooking for the noon meal!
If I'm not mistaken, Randy, you said you took this on a Satruday afternoon? If I recall from my brief time on staff it was like a ghost town at different times, even at it's peak employment. Some people were only at "grounds" when they went to the ROA or Corps Week when there were thousands roaming around.
Randy, Did they move the "fish" Way sign? I drove by Rt. 29 last year on my way to Colorado and didn't see the sign. I drove up and down a few times but was not able to see it. If I'm not mistaken, wasn't that sign at the end of Wierwille Rd. and Rt. 29, welcoming people?
Comments
1.) It's private property. End of story. It belongs to The Way International.
2.) If someone has issue with their rights to visit unannounced the best procedure would be to work within the laws of the state of Ohio to try and get some of the laws changed regarding that issue. To tresspass or go unnanounced will not solve much in my opinion except to make things worse. It may or may not be morally wrong to have the visiting restrictions that exist, but that's not the point. We must either follow the laws of attempt to get them changed.
3.) There are children on those grounds. There has been vandalism through the years. Even when I was there in 1978 rednecks would drive by and shoot bullets through the OSC building and the guppy sign. If you were on staff and had kids there would you feel comfortable allowing open visitation on grounds or people taking pictures with telephoto lenses? Security is a necessary evil around that area.
4.) It is probably better to call ahead and state what you want to do and ask in advance. Some people have been allowed to go on grounds and take pictures and such.
5.) if you show up unnanounced like I did or find yourself in the area driving by you have rights to stop and look and take pictures as the roads are not private property. But be polite and respectful. Do not tresspass. I admit I did that once many years ago to take a picture by the fountain but in hindsight I was wrong. Those were tumultous times. Talk to security or even seek them out and talk to them like we did. They were pretty cool about things but they watched us from a distance....as they should in my opinion.
John, so you can visit if you do not go on grounds? I have been wanting to visit for quite a while.
It is private property so I can understand and appreciate their security. There are children there as well. We assured them we were just passing by and taking some pictures and had no intentions of going on grounds. They were cool with that. Brooks and I reminesced a little bit. It was great to see him again. I also told him about this site. I hope he joins us here some day.