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Visitors of this site may or may not be familiar with the book "THE STATE BOYS REBELLION" by Michael D'Antonio, if you haven't read this book you really must (prepare to have your heart literally torn loose). It describes the plight of a group of boys at the Fernald School in Massachusetts, a near carbon copy of Pennhurst. Specifically it details the lives of a number of boys who were not necessarily retarded to begin with, but merely had a speech problem, or didn't "test" well; the tests used in those days to determine that a child was "defective" are now known to be faulty and not at all a good indicator of there true intelligence or potential. This practice of placing essentially normal children (they are referred to as "almosts") in an institution as a method of disposing of them was widespread. Here is a segment from "Suffer the Children" that I have transcribed:

TV10: This boy, was he mentally retarded when he came to Pennhurst?

Dr. JF: He was mentally retarded in the sense that he did not receive proper education, he came from parents that were delinquent themselves

TV10: In other words this boy was normal as far as his mind and being retarded was concerned?

Dr. JF: He can progress to a normal level

TV10: But he never will as long as he is here at Pennhurst is that right?

Dr. JF: I can not say that but chances are poorer here than they would be where they had a program set up for this type of case

TV10: There are too many Johnnies here at Pennhurst this Friday evening.

It just makes me sick with shame that this could have happened

I 'm wondering how they made it up .... amazing .... how the dish went up there .....wow ... !!

My mom, a social worker for NY state, still works on the ground here (in a newer building). As a kid I always though her (old) office was cool b/c it had a sink in it. I always tried to picture the rooms as they might've been, when they were home to patients, not desks and social workers.

That streetlamp goes on and off every now and then... I don't think there's a light bulb left in that building.

I absolutely love the way you have been able to find these old photos and then have contrasted them with the same places as they currently stand. Most remarkable!

If that is true, why did these lights happen to turn on and off? This also happened in the front by the keep out signs

Thanks! I love this site. You have quite a technique in the way you photograph and present these buildings and grounds - very artistic yet respectful, gentle, and open-minded - it's very much appreciated.

I use to hang at Byberry when I was just a youngster. Oh how I miss it . Those were the good old days.
Getting high, drinking, walking through the buildings in the pitch dark. And running from the cops. Again how I miss those days.......SIGH

okay, is any one else wierded out at the word mouth gags? And what the heck are tap bells?

The great eye (oculus) is ever watchful over this shot, it almost has a strange sort of pyramidal effect, pointing to the sky.

NY

Hrm, I think summer 2003 or 2004. It hasn't really changed since then.

You might be interested in [ this photo ] as well.

OK you know where to find me :)

the building had even more presence b4 they knocked down the smoke stacks, the ones in the pics are only the base to the once very large stacks

I would like to know when this photo was taken. I went to school at Pilgrim back in the '60s.