4,537 Comments for Pennhurst State School

"I know its not... But it reminds me of a Confessional."

Being a Catholic, that's the first thing I thought of. (LOL)

From the few titles I could make out, they're school books. I also think they're from the 60's as a couple covers look familiar

I bet as you walk through that maze of peeling paint, plaster, broken glass and who-knows-what, it crackles beneath your feet.

Judging by the clothes and the hairstyles (and the fact that it's politically correct) I'ld say this painting is no more than twenty years old. Thirty at the most.

Mr. Motts, you should make a book out of both Pennhurst albums they are truley historical documents. Thank you, I enjoyed it.

researcher, checked out your website, very nice, but the pic of pennhurst didnt download. will check again later

I also had the toy on the right, it stay around the house long after it was removed from my crib.

This picture reminds me of the sad things in my childhood.

I agree with everyone taking things from a site that you visit is very disrespectful to all the paitents that resided at pennhurst. Everything should be left as it was or where it is. Pictures and Documentation of places should be the only thing you need. Stealing from pennhurst is like a crime in society. I think that stealing something from an abandoned place then transforming it to a lamp is f****** stupid.

"I must say people are projecting their own issues onto this picture"

Replace "this" with "these", add an "s" to picture, and apply it to the entire site, and you have a truth that applies to most, if not all of the user comments.

this was one scary and sick place, as i have been on the grounds many times, and attended grade school where former PH residents would up and wander the halls ways until the principal spotted them. my fave was at church, this one old lady (mrs reed, anyone remember her?) would wander in an interupt the priest. i remember grade school dances where they would wander in too.

wow lynne- you sure do have a lot of free time to offer your thoughts on this stuff. interesting...

I do have a web site yes ..
I do have some photos of pennhurst.. i will be going back next week, and i plan to get more shots..
http://ecpighosts.tk

Motts, What Type of film did you use here .. to get the bleached looked?? very wicked shot...

I would not call this pic evil or depressing.Yes the Pit of Oblivion was but this picture is different from the other ones here as it seems to give hope.I wonder who painted all of these anyways?Was it the same artist?

As someone who works every day with folks with severe disabilities, I must say people are projecting their own issues onto this picture. Personally I am always thankful to find a picture that includes a person who uses a wheelchair to get around, and I find it frankly bizarre that someone would assume this means the child who uses the wheelchair is getting left behind when in fact this is a picture of inclusion, something you most certainly do not see very often out in the "normal world" that everyone thinks is so very marvy and so non-restrictive. In the "real world" folks with handicaps get ignored for the most part and aren't even IN most pictures.

Guess if it's a picture in an institution it must automatically be evil, since all institutions are evil. Black and white. Right and wrong. Good and bad. Everything or nothing. Hang-dang those shades of gray because they make people think through the issues, and that seems to be a lot to ask.