Monday, August 19, 2013

New York State Asylum for Idiots


The Syracuse State School was a residential facility in Syracuse, New York for mentally disabled children and adults. Founded in 1851 in Albany, New York as the New York State Asylum for Idiots, acting upon a recommendation contained in the 1846 annual report of the New York State Asylum for Lunatics. The first director was Hervey B. Wilbur, a student of Edward Seguin (another of Seguin's students was Maria Montessori).

In 1855 the facility moved to a new building in Syracuse where it was known as the New York Asylum for Idiots or the State Idiot Asylum. Over the next hundred years the institution went through several name changes, including the Syracuse State Institution for Feeble-Minded Children, the Syracuse State School for Mental Defectives, and finally the Syracuse State School in 1927. The school was closed in 1973 and the building was torn down in 1988.

It’s a shame because New York State really needs it.

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