Gail - Wow, I grew up in Vineland and never heard the "other side of the story". How awful. I know that at both schools, parents seldom visited in the 1980's also. I remember when I was working at the school across the road, name is still escaping me, how sad it was that I probably spent more time with some of the people living there than their own parents did. This was in about 1985/6. My mom also worked as a case worker at the same one I didfor awhile, she would always come home so upset at the lack of "family involvement". Take care - Deb > [Original Message] > From: Gail Murphy <gstillings@worldnet.att.net> > To: <NJBURLIN-L@rootsweb.com> > Date: 1/29/02 7:38:38 AM > Subject: Re: [NJBurlin] New Jersey Home for Feeble Minded Women - Vineland > > Dear List, > It is the Vineland State School. It housed many different types of > individuals. A lot of the (clients) were mentally challenged but several > were runaways that were placed there by the courts. The different building > were called cottages. These women were not feeble-minded. Several of the > clients would runaway from the school and come back pregnant. Many of the > girls took care of these little ones until they could be placed, if they > ever were. Most of these girls had family just many did not visit. This is > not heresy this is from knowledge of the school. In the late 70's I did a > college report (Psychology) for Burlington County Community College and had > an interview with doctors' , i.e..e, surgeons as well as psychologists. The > State was in most cases appointed the girl's guardian and many of these > girls were sterilized or fitted with the coil without their consent. They > had no say. The so-called feeble-minded in quite a few cases were girls that > had been neglected when young and/or were never given schooling. Just > thought you'd like to know "The other side of the story". > Gail Stillings-Murphy