New York State Commission to Investigate Provision for the Mentally Deficient Photographs of Custodial Institutions for the Mentally Deficient A4228

New York State Commission to Investigate Provision for the Mentally Deficient Photographs of Custodial Institutions for the Mentally Deficient

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Overview of the Records

Repository:

New York State Archives
New York State Education Department
Cultural Education Center
Albany, NY 12230

Summary:

This series consists of several hundred black and white photographs illustrating conditions at custodial institutions for the mentally deficient in New York and other states. The photographs were gathered by the Commission to Investigate Provision for the Mentally Deficient to illustrate its final report. The photographs show a wide range of views including building exteriors, interior facilities and rooms, and patients working, eating, in classroom activities, and at play or rest.

Creator:

New York (State). Commission to Investigate Provision for the Mentally Deficient

Title:

Photographs of custodial institutions for the mentally deficient

Quantity:

1.3 cubic feet

Quantity:

2 35mm microfilm roll(s)

Inclusive Dates:

circa 1910-1914

Series Number:

A4228

Arrangement

Alphabetical by state, then alphabetical by institution.

Scope and Content Note

The series consists of several hundred black and white photographs illustrating conditions at custodial institutions for the mentally deficient in New York and other states. The photographs were gathered by the Commission to illustrate its final report, although many of the photographs in the records were not used in the report. Many of the photographs appear to have been gathered from the State Board of Charities.

The photographs show a wide range of views including building exteriors, interior facilities and rooms, and patients working, eating, in classroom activities, and at play or rest. The majority of the photographs are from six New York institutions: Rome State Custodial Asylum; New York City Children's Hospital and Schools at Randall's Island; State Custodial Asylum for Feeble-Minded Women at Newark; Syracuse State Institution for Feeble-Minded Children; Craig Colony for Epileptics at Sonyea; and Letchworth Village at Thiells. A large portion of the photographs from other states were gathered from the Massachusetts Training School at Waverly and the Menantico Colony and Training School at Vineland, New Jersey.

For the photographs contained in the final report, there is also a printer's proof showing the photograph as it appeared in the report.

Alternate Formats Available

Microfilm is available at the New York State Archives.

New York State Archives Digital Collections

Photographs of custodial institutions for the mentally deficient, circa 1910-1914

Related Material

A1994 Photographs of Custodial Facilities in New York and Other States (State Board of Charities), contains a number of identical or closely related photographs.

Other Finding Aids

Available at Repository

Folder list is available at the repository.

Custodial History

Collation 1914-1915.

Access Restrictions

Access to photographs depicting patients is restricted in accordance with Mental Hygiene Law, Section 33.13, relating to confidentiality of clinical records. Access is permitted under certain conditions upon approval by the Office for People with Developmental Disabilities.