Defectives, Feeble-minded: United States. Massachusetts. Waverly. School for Feeble-minded: Massachusetts School for the Feeble-Minded.: Pass Ball. c. 1903

Curator: This photograph by William A. Webster is titled "Defectives, Feeble-minded: United States. Massachusetts. Waverly. School for Feeble-minded: Massachusetts School for the Feeble-Minded.: Pass Ball." It's quite a mouthful, isn't it? Editor: The sepia tones give it a haunting feel, like peering into a forgotten corner of history. The children arranged so neatly in the gymnasium…it's unsettling. Curator: Absolutely. Consider the eugenic context of the time. These institutions were supposedly designed to "help," but often served to isolate and control those deemed "unfit." Editor: It's a stark reminder of how societal biases can manifest in the treatment of marginalized groups. The image is staged, a sort of propaganda, isn’t it? Trying to project an image of harmless activity. Curator: Precisely. The banality of the game is juxtaposed with the charged atmosphere of the facility. Editor: It makes you wonder what those children felt, caught in the crosshairs of flawed science and prejudice. I can’t help but think of what was stolen from them. Curator: An important reflection, considering the insidious ways that these narratives can persist today.