Harold Ames , Jr. (1924-2011) peacefully passed away, January 16, at Johns
Hopkins Sibley Memorial Hospital, Washington D.C. Harold was not only a
great humanitarian and a good friend, and together with his wife Rose Marie
a genuine therapeutic community booster. Harold was a language teacher. He
submitted in 1976 his PhD dissertation "The adaptive functions of language
use in the transition from narcotics addiction to a drug-free life" to the
department of languages and linguistics of Georgetown University and it was
approved by the committee. Dr. Harold Ames was one of the first to
understand how important TC language can be for the structuring of daily
life and recovery of the residents. The hospitality of Harold and Rose Mary
was unsurpassed, and their home was a quiet shelter for many Belgian TC
leaders such as Rudy Bracke. My wife Katie and myself were introduced by
them for an internship at Last Renaissance Washington DC. They organized
visits and residence at Odyssey house New York and Synanon San Francisco.
It may be said without exaggeration, that without their help the therapeutic
community "De Kiem" in Belgium had never been born under such a lucky star.
In the early years of "De Kiem" Harold and Rose Marie have been teaching
the young staff in Belgium. Later we visited their home regularly and it was
always a pleasure to be there. Harold played and sang folksongs on the
guitar and Rose Marie on the auto-harp. For all of this Harold will always
keep a warm place in our hearts and be an enlightening example to all of us.
Eric
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Eric Broekaert
Hoogleraar orthopedagogiek
Professor of orthopedagogy
Department of orthopedagogics
Postadres: H. Dunantlaan 2, B-9000 GENT
Werkadres: Begijnhoflaan 464, B-9000 GENT
Tel: 09/331 03 03
Fax: 09/331 03 15
http://ortserve.ugent.be/indexnl.php
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