Defectives, Feeble-minded: United States. Massachusetts. Waverly. School for Feeble-minded: Massachusetts School for the Feeble-Minded.: Cross & - Twist - Kneeling Position. c. 1903

Curator: My first impression is the starkness. An unsettling regimentation, despite the seemingly simple dresses. Editor: This photograph, taken by William A. Webster, is titled "Defectives, Feeble-minded: United States. Massachusetts. Waverly. School for Feeble-minded: Massachusetts School for the Feeble-Minded.: Cross & - Twist - Kneeling Position." It offers a glimpse into the lives within such institutions. Curator: The uniformity certainly speaks to the institutional process. The labor involved in producing those identical dresses, the very choreography of their movements... it all points to a system designed to control bodies and minds. Editor: Precisely. The image exists within the context of the eugenics movement, where institutions aimed to “correct” perceived societal defects. Photography played a crucial role in documenting and promoting these practices. Curator: It is difficult to not think about the human element behind the materials in the image, when presented with the social and political context of the time, it creates a tension that is difficult to ignore. Editor: Absolutely, it prompts questions about who defines “defect” and the ethics of institutional power. Curator: Indeed, it’s a sobering reminder of the intersection between material culture, social control, and the very definition of normalcy. Editor: A chilling reflection on our shared history.