Schools
‘Bad Boy’ Makes Good
Ronald J. Bernier, author of The Class of 1969, will be at the Central Library Nov. 12
From Cranston Public Library:On Sunday, November 12, the Cranston Public Library welcomes local author and survivor of the “Bad Boys School,” Ronald J. Bernier to the Central Library to discuss his recently published memoir, The Class of 1969.
For generations, families passing through the Sockanosset neighborhood threatened poorly behaved children with the fate of ending up at the “Bad Boys School”— formally known as the Rhode Island Training School.
The Class of 1969 follows the story of one Rhode Island child who was not only threatened, but who actually found himself incarcerated at the Rhode Island Training School due to chronic behavioral problems brought on by a childhood full of loss and poverty.
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During Bernier’s time at Sockanosset, he would be “rehabilitated” by the state, endure violence, face racial unrest, and battle profound loneliness while attempting to come to terms with who he was and what he had become.
This event will take place from 2-4 PM in the Central Library’s Meeting Room. The event will feature a reading from the book, followed by a Q&A session. Copies of The Class of 1969 will be available for purchase and signing at the event.
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Ronald J. Bernier was raised in West Greenwich and Riverside, Rhode Island and now resides in Warwick with his wife Nancy. He was educated at Barrington College in Barrington, Rhode Island and Gordon College in Wenham, Massachusetts, where he majored in Social Work and Biblical Studies. He has had an extensive career in social work where he has worked with troubled youth and their families. He has also been a teacher of theology and has started many home church groups. He now works in a local nursing facility as the Director of Social Services.
For more information about author Ronald J. Bernier and The Class of 1969, visit www.ronaldbernierauthor.com.
For more information about the Cranston Public Library, visit www.cranstonlibrary.org.
The Central Library is located at 140 Sockanosset Cross Rd, Cranston, RI 02920.
Image Courtesy of Cranston Library
