4,537 Comments for Pennhurst State School

nah, the lower pedals are for the bassline. it's kind of interesting to see the old timers play these things, using both hands so much between the upper and lower keyboards, flipping switches to change instruments and moving their feet around.

I think this is a Hammond B3, can anyone confirm this? If not, it definitely looks like one.

This is just adaptive equipment, y'all. Nothing wicked or evil about it. We use it all the time in special ed because people like it and are willing to use it because it's fun. It's for recreation and OT/PT. People have fun with it - it is not used for torture or human degradation. It only looks scary when you are looking for something negative and re-interpret this as something frightening - it is used every day across the U.S. and other countries, and people LIKE it.

This particular piece of equipment is called a "ball bath". You fill the piece of equipment with small colorful balls and folks love to sit in it for sensory activities. You have probably even seen it at your local Chuckie Cheese pizza parlor.

[Although, speaking of torture and human degradation, can you imagine working a shift in that humiliating, hot, scratchy Chuckie Cheese outfit? Now there's something I would never admit to MY grandchildren had I ever done it.]

See:
http://www.pct.edu/schools/hs/oc/facilities.htm
http://www.flaghouse.com/Prod_Images/p5338T.jpg
http://www.thechildrenscenteraz.org/Sensory_integration.htm

This room seemed to have a very wide slide from the window into the room. It might have been a trampoline-like cushion at the bottom of the slide.

what is that thing that looks like a kiddie pool in the back there?

Lots of facilities, including community-based homes, still use safety belts for people who have poor trunk support or who cannot stand safely and risk breaking their heads open if they try to walk and subsequently hit the floor. However, it is true now as it was then that people, when they are short-staffed, use safety belts as an erstwhile protective restraint because there aren't enough staff there to watch every client as they use the toilet.

Of course, if you watch a client who is using the toilet so that you can be there to assist them when they stand, you are accused of violating their privacy. And since the majority of folks who live in these places do not have the ability to understand that many of them can't stand or walk safely . . .

Looks like staff are damned if they do and damned if they don't, eh? :-)

thats a good question? a close family friend grew up in pennhurst she had quite a few problems adjusting to life outside of those walls took her along time to get herself adjusted being as the first 27 years of her life were spent there. she was placed there as an infant never really knew who her family was...spent alot of time helping her find out information.. she now knows who she is..and really doesnt care who she was..and ironically she wont talk about what happened to her while she was there she told me i wouldnt be able to deal with it..she knows me too well i guess.........

it amazes me that the curtains in these buidings seem to be in pretty good shape(most of them) for buildings that have been empty for 20+ years

pink floyds awsome!!!!!

Too bad you missed the toilets with the restraints on them...

I asked my mom today if she knew anything about Pennhurts. Turns out that my Grandma's friend's son was in there, and that she got upset when Pennhurst closed 'cause she didn't know what she was going to do with her son...why couldn't she just love him?

This photo is absolutely incredible...it makes me want to smile because for some reason it makes me feel as if whoever is still there is safe...

...perhaps it looks like someone got too tired to find a bed...if there ever was a bed placed in there.

Motts, I love how you depicted all the lonely chairs. It's your hallmark for Pennhurst. :) Find more! Perhaps take a video camera in there and then put it online so we could all see?

I wonder...is there someone on the other side of that door waiting to say, "Boo!"?