Walter Fernald
Photos From: Katherine on Flickr
Originally known as the Experimental School for Teaching and Training Idiotic Children, the Fernald School was established as part of the Eugenics movement, a misguided belief that aimed to prevent genetically inferior individuals from having children. The school sprawled across 196 acres, boasting an impressive 72 buildings, and held a staggering 2,500 children.
After the passing of its third superintendent, Walter Fernald, in 1924, the school was renamed in his honor. Over time, the Fernald School developed collaborations with prestigious institutions like Harvard and MIT, involving the testing of nuclear medicine on the children. Shockingly, these experiments were conducted without any consent from the children or their guardians.
In a lawsuit that came to light later, troubling revelations emerged about the school's practices. Some children were part of a so-called "science club" and unknowingly ingested radioactive cereal as a special treat. Instead of receiving proper education, students claimed to be trapped in a monotonous routine, taking the same classes and reading the same books year after year.
Beyond the lack of education, the children were subjected to harsh physical labor, responsible for maintaining the school by farming for their own food, sewing clothes and shoes, and working at the on-site powerhouse. The living conditions were deplorable, with 36 children cramped in one room, sharing overcrowded beds.
Allegations of abuse and sexual misconduct cast a dark shadow over the institution. Staff members reportedly inflicted cruel punishment, including stripping and confining runaways in barred rooms. Disturbingly, one former patient recalled being forced to dissect the brains of deceased individuals labeled as "retarded" for scientific study.
Despite facing numerous controversies, the Fernald School remained operational until the early 2000s, catering solely to mentally disabled adults by that time. In 2004, Governor Mitt Romney announced its impending closure, and the facility gradually wound down its operations.
In June 2013, a few residents still remained on the grounds, but the institution officially discharged its last patient by 2014. The Fernald School's troubling history serves as a poignant reminder of the dark periods in the treatment of mentally disabled individuals, highlighting the importance of ensuring compassionate care and respect for all members of society.
