4,537 Comments for Pennhurst State School

Me too Ed, they're one of the most compelling things about this site, up there with the shots themselves. But Lynne, surely this must freak even you out a little bit? Knowing what we do about what went on at Pennhurst?! I don't think most people here are saying that all institutions are, or even were, hideous places full of terror and abuse, or even that all of Pennhurst was like that, but the shots of this room are very unnerving.

I don't pity the 'children' that lived here for their disabilities, as I said I know a couple of people who are developmentally 'challenged' in some way or another and I certainly don't feel sorry for them, nor would they want people to do so. But I do pity the Pennhurst clients for the way many of them were treated, whether that took the form of deliberate abuse by a tiny minority of the staff or the more widespread neglect that saw residents tied to their beds, attacked by other patients or simply so regressed that they were unable to walk or talk because they'd never been given the opportunity to do so.

Of course even with testimonies from ex-patients, and footage of the place in use, Pennhurst was so massive and affected so many people over nearly eight decades that we'll probably never know the full story behind it. These murals could well have been painted by some of the residents themselves. And it's odd to think how if that were confirmed to be the case, I think most would agree that this room would lose many of its unpleasant connotations...

Well Lynne, you certainly made me think and reconsider some of my views... so the wall isn't the only thing to benefit from your 'rants' :-)

I look forward to Lynne's rants!!!! ;-)

I enjoyed that soap box rant the best of all!

Lynne you are a good soul, I love you!

"These are people FIRST; THEN they are people who have disabilities. "
i want to see T-shirts with this slogan

now that I look at it, just what in the hell is that monster-y looking thing on the left side of the picture?
Is it a tree?

i live near pennhurst and a lot of kids from my highschool went exploring there, including myself. We always went at night and sometimes lights would be on. The lights that were on were usually near the administration building and they were ALWAYS in teh basements or tunnels. I have no idea how or why the lights were turned on and off.

But it's a lot easier to pretend it's the "good guys and the bad guys", isn't it? I don't know why people avoid taking the extra step of looking at the complex fabric that is life, but I suppose it's less effort to live that way, plus it can also be a lot more dramatic when you want it to be. Funny thing is, people with disabilities hate to be pitied and hate for people to speak for them without checking it out with them first. They believe, just like everyone else, that it is degrading to make assumptions about them just because they have a handicap. They like people to talk WITH them, not ABOUT them, to see what it's like to walk in their shoes (or roll in their chair). People who want to make this a one-note play sometimes do as much harm, albeit unintentionally, as the people they claim are the problem. Both sides act like folks with disabilities are "things" to be taken care of when what these people want is just to be treated like any other human being. Pity can be as deadly as neglect or abuse because it leads to folks with disabilities being seen as less than human. These are people FIRST; THEN they are people who have disabilities.

Damn that soap box! >:-( Where did it come from?

I live in phoenixville. There are alot of people living there who were in pennhurst.

Over the years, Simone, years of neglect and decay.

Lynne, it's kinda like working in retail. People that have never worked in retail have NO earthly idea how hard it is. Likewise....

Oh geez . . . .

I've been talking to the wall, haven't I? :-(

is this how this place actually use to look like or over the years did it become like this

Out of all the photos on this site the ones of this playroom of horrors were the ones that I found truly creepy and disturbing.Pennhurst I think might be the one location covered here that gives off the biggest feeling of dread.

The people that ran this place could have cared less if the kids had any joy.They were for a large part sadists I would assume and this is what they would think would appeal to children in their twisted minds.

Extremely misplaced murals apprear here as sick and hideous.I agree.What joy could be obtained from these murals?I know I'd have a difficult time getting any.

where abouts would you see this sort of decoration these days?No where.It, in my opinion just would not fit modern day facilities,where traditional recreation, to certain extents has been replaced maybe with computers and such like.I think that this one such theory may help to clarify the seemingly disturbing apprearence of such murals.