Comments

Lol XD

Anybody wonder what happened to all our Clients? I would like to know. Not every aide that worked there was an abuser. We did care for our clients. We would bring in things from home to make their lives a little brighter. Before we got more funding I remember bringing in soap so we didn't have to wash them with the pink state soap - anyone else remember? Don't condem unless you have lived the life.

The walls were cubicles. There were two to four clients in each cubicle with closets for their belongings. It was an attempt to give some privacy. There were no ceilings on the cubicles. The ceilings of the buildings were high and in order to have heat and light you could not box in the cubicles.

The wooden enclosures were to prevent injury from hot radiators and in case someone fell against them. It also protected the radiators from the clients.

The Mayflower building was used for Profoundly Retarded Handicapped Male clients. Most were confined to wheelchairs and a few ambulatory. All had some sort of disability. Speaking from experience, from the late 70's to just about closing.

to Former Employee

I sure as hell hope you did report that as abuse. If not SHAME ON YOU.

I worked there in the late 70's until almost closing. The only people I saw in a crib like that were those that were likely to fall out of bed. You have to remember until there was public outcry Pennhurst did have to work with what was available. After that newer beds and equipment came on the scenes. You are also seeing photos of things left to rot for 20 years and many things that were not in use when I worked there. Retarded persons are "Special" people now - before they were to be hidden. People did not talk about having a family member with a disability. Institutions did not make themselves People and Society did. At one time prisons and institutions were dumping grounds for the unwanted. Easier to forget them. Unfortunatly there was no seperate placement for the Insane, Retarded, Orphans, Deformities. Thankfully now there are and there is no need for larger institutions.

By the time this toy was manufactured there were no "children" at Pennhurst Center. There were only adults with the mental capacity of children.

I worked at Pennhurst Center - I sat in a chair like that - I worked on the violent ward and there was a need for that type of chair to prevent injury to other clients. I also worked on a ward with profoundly handicapped people and believe me there was a need for soft furniture that would not tip over.

Good luck with whatever serious stuff you've encountered in live, welcome back.

Those windings do look like an electric heater element, so it may be the pressure vessel of a still.

If this is the alter from the original catholic church, there will most probably be a holy relic from one of the saints in a stone on top of the alter. If this is still there, this should be reverantly removed to another catholic church,

there is sumthing about this picture that calms me. its like an asylum. not a mental place, but like a place u go for urself, u feel safe here. u can think clearly.

you probably know this now, but it looks like an iron lung. I'm not sure what they're used for but if they do what their name says, they replace your lungs for breathing. and stuff.. :|

Oddly enough, I find this shot very disorienting, but I can't help but keep staring at it. Really lovely. Of course, as always, I am a sucker for your black and whites.