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

Alphabetical by state, then alphabetical by institution.

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.

Microfilm is available at the New York State Archives.

A1994Series A1994, Photographs of Custodial Facilities in New York and Other States (State Board of Charities), contains a number of identical or closely related photographs.

Folder list is available at the repository.

Collation 1914-1915.

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.