Ahoy

very intriguing

think maybe they got water down there on stormy days so they had the kids play along with it rather than get upset? people do strange things to cope with awful conditions.

Yaggy's idea is definatly an amusing one, but I think maybe it was more along the lines of having the children have active imaginations?
If they were pretending to be sea captains and pirates, it would stimulate their minds into learning more, and possibly destract them from the grief of being in such a place and "not being normal".
Also, playing make believe would allow them to form friendships and make them feel not as alone.
Believing is seeing, after all. Somethings need to be believed to be seen.
And there is nothing more liberating (in my opinion) than being free on the open seas, able to control your own ship vessel, than being confined in the walls of a state school.

I think they would need to know how to read. Kind of like the early Disney movies, I never got how they had the begining of the movies start in a make shift book with text. Most preschoolers don't know how to read, unless they are exceptional.

what a picture! really makes you appreciate the freedoms of being "normal". to think a young child locked in a state school. makes you appreciate the small things in life more.

I think it was more of a good intentions thing. They painted the room in some kind of a cheery theme, and then lacked the enthusiasm to do anything more with it. Nothing really makes me assume that, I guess, except that's how I see it playing out. Although putting the kid's name on the wall probably made them feel important.

I actually think that was a pretty cute Idea for them to do that for the kids.

And getting into that wheelchair how? Looks so displaced.

Yes, I'm sure I'm over analyzing this..but I take it the beds were bunk beds? That or they were very close together. But from what I gather some of the children were disabled so I don't see how they would be able to get into top bunk. So I take it the beds were either pushed close together, or the beds were not nearly centered under the names. Don't know know why I started wondering this, I like things centered and even and its 2:30 in the morning...

Whoa... I just noticed I posted in the wrong image comments I had two screens up at the time was multitasking... I swear. lol

... a dorm in the basement?

Not so happy at all...

You know, sometimes I wonder if we are getting it all wrong. I mean, there's all these comments about "so sad" and "I'm glad I'm normal" and "well, it takes the children's mind off of how they are not normal", but really I begin to wonder if many of them were even that self-aware. I mean, my friend's brother has a high-functioning type of autism of some sort. He's quite intelligent in certain topics like history which he will obsessively study, but he's certainly not "normal" by most definitions, but he really doesn't seem to comprehend that in any way. He's pretty much always just laughing and enjoying things regardless. Even if he's being made fun of or something it never quite registers in his mind that there is "something wrong with him". That being said, I don't feel many of the children in places like this would comprehend their situation to the degree many would like to believe. These places look pretty stark and depressing now, but even the nicest mansion in the world after 30 years of abandonment would pretty much look the same. So, I don't know. I kind of imagine that the staff for the most part tried to give them a good life. Also, they at least had the prospect of having playmates. I mean, how many of these children would have had a chance of having very many friends? At least in a facility like this there was plenty of other children that they could associate with if for no better reason than because everyone was pretty well stuck with one another. Who knows? I'd much prefer to keep the child at home with limited visits to a clinic or some other day-time care facility, but I guess what I am going at is that we can't always jump to conclusions and assume everything was doom and gloom every hour of every day of every week of every month of every year. Especially when we are dealing with people who's minds certainly would give them a far different perspective on the world. There'd probably be alot of terror when the child first arrived, but as they got to know staff and understand the daily schedule, I think many of the children would have settled in without too much thought of their situation, at least in the sense that many would like to expect they would. Or, I could just be drunk. Who knows?

Keith -- I think your comments are thoughtful and well said. I am sure Lynne will second this. But, on the other hand, who knows!! You seem like a very kind person.

argh me harties!

keith i think you are right..i work in a place like this one and as a staff i try to give each child the best care and alot of the staff i work with are the same way...most children do not know anything different...no we don't live there 24 7, but i work with a lot of caring people...not to mention at times some of these places are the best place for children...i work with a lot of behavior children and we are trained on how to deal with that..sure times have changed and we are more understanding of laws, right, respect..in just 10 years of working in the human service feild i have seen the changes..and yes any empty building left for years will look this way i'm sure..

In the Midwest where education for special needs children is to age 26, factories, hospitals,fast food restaurants,school cafeterias,retail stores,car washes,movie theaters, etc teach and hire these individuals. And yes,they are very aware of their surroundings

to unknown: some are very aware of their surroundings and their abilities/disabilities, but there are those that do not have the ability to acknowledge in any way, that they are aware... they cannot walk,talk, or express many emotions. there are differing levels mental retardation.I have worked in this field for 25 years (originating at this particular School).
The clients that I took care of which happened to be total care ( wheelchair bound, diapered) had to be cared for as you would care for infants... In very rare cases some clients did get abused by some staff and even other clients over the years. I will tell you honestly, that all of the clients in my building were cared for and loved by many of the staff who in many cases became the only family that these people ever knew. Some very fortunate clients had families that were very involved ...but the majority DID NOT.
I will also say that in many cases the clients lost more than they gained by this place being closed and being forced into the community. Here they had 24-7 nursing,security & just more freedom than they do now. In the community, while their houses are more pleasing to the eye, they do not have skilled certified nurses in most homes 24-7and there are deficiencies in general. they do not have the rec therapy, physical therapy, occupational therapy, psychiatric therapy readily available to them that they had at the school. Personally, I think that they would have been better off demolishing the buildings on grounds and put either 8 or 4 person housing in their place and kept the staffing that they had.

Thank you for your comments Thad! Im sooo glad that there are still those who are well suited for their jobs and who go to work with caring and loving hearts!

I agree with Thad alot of the clients could walk around the campus and were free to do as they wished. They were also taken on trips, to sporting events and concerts, etc. From what I witnessed the staff did treat them like family. I did work direct care and my clients were wonderful most didn't have any family that visited them at all. When they were put into the community they were put into neighborhood where people were afraid of them and acted as if they were lepers.