my parents left the city (new york ) for new paltz in 1966. . . i was a year old. . . with two older siblings from moms first husband. . . and mom was pregnant. . . they intended to birth the new one at home . . . mine was the last hospital birth. . . they wouldn't let my father in the birthing room. .. they were appalled that he even wanted to be there. . . he insisted . . . but missed my birth. . . he watched as they sliced my foot and gave me a bottle of sugar water. . . never again. . . when my older brother became school age mom received a notice from the school district which she never responded to, and eventually a warning letter came . . . it was a federal offense to keep children at home. . . we left new paltz in 68 and moved west. "It was a great experiment" "for the children".