Christmas In Purgatory
"Christmas In Purgatory" is a real story about five state institutions for the mentally retarded. These institutions were located in four eastern states of the United States of America. During 1965, Fred Kaplan and U.S. Senator Robert Kennedy visited and observed several institutions. Fred Kaplan took pictures of what they saw by using a hidden camera attached to his belt. Some of what Kaplan and Kennedy saw were beds were arranged side-by-side and head-to-head, solitary confinement cells consisted of just a bare floor, children's hands tied and legs bound, the odor of the rooms overpowering, and infants placed in cribs with no interaction of any physical or mental stimulation. Their reactions and thoughts about the visits were shown by the help of the media. These findings stunned millions of Americans. Also, public office holders and professional persons responsible for the care and treatment of the mentally retarded began to be questioned.
The individuals in these facilities were being treated so poorly because there wasn't enough staff to attend to each person. To accommodate, the staff began to loose personal interaction with the individuals because they had so much to do and not enough help. There are so many infants in the facilities because families gave up their children and sent them away. The families either could not give them proper care for they intellectual disability or didn't want to deal with them. I find it unbelievable that people can just drop off their child or loved one and just turn their heads and look the other way. I believe that people are treated much better now in intellectual disability institutions because there is so much more awareness about these disabilities. People are looking to help the mentally retarded now and teach them how to be useful in society, not to just stuff them somewhere until they pass away. The language that the author's used is extremely powerful. They make sure to get their point across and make the audience realize how tragic these institutions were.
I think that this is very beneficial to read about. This story is not just about the history of institutional care. It is also about society and what was observed as acceptable and normal. One of the most amazing things I learned was that as a educator, it is my job to help better the education and accommodations for students with disabilities. Most of what occurred was allowed because people just turned and looked the other way. They thought that it was none of their concern or place to say anything. I hope after learning and reading about this, people realize that they are able to make a difference and need to speak up. They should take action not only on mental retardation institutions, but other topics as well.
-Ashley Taus
