Remembering Bill Crawford

Sylvia Forest Crawford

Bill Crawford left this existence on October 12, 2004.  In Synanon, he was a Director of the Oakland Facility, on the Board of Regents for many years, played drums with the Sounds of Synanon, presented the funny, yet factual Synanon Year-End Reports, opened the Puerto Rico house, and developed the Reno, NV Prison Project.  He was the Conductor of the Synanon Trips. He was one of the few male demonstrators in the Synanon School. He built the most incredible playgrounds to challenge toddlers and frighten adults.  He was famous for his Morning Meetings and his Saturday Night talks.  He never laughed at his own jokes but we did.

Just before he passed, Dr. Gerald Newmark met with him to collate his observations of children into the book “The World Through the Eyes of Children” Bill Crawford’s Synanon Journal. 

To honor his life, I wanted to make this book available to Synanon folk, particularly the Synanon children.  Read through the stories, it might trigger your memory or you might spot yourself or your friends.  Please feel free to download the pdf to keep for yourself.  The last names of the children were omitted, I believe, because Gerry was going to publish this booklet and needed to get permissions from the subjects involved.  There wasn’t time to do that since Bill wouldn’t be around too much longer.  Gerry gave out some copies of the book at one of the Synanon Reunions. 

Bill being “childlike” himself understood how children interacted with the world.  He also was able to self-analyze his own failings, as an adult and parent.  I hope you all enjoy and learn from these “word-pictures”. 

“Good-job” Bill.  We’ll never forget you.  Thank you for your contributions to our community and to my life.

Here is a copy of Bill’s Book, you can read it here or download it