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"People coming into the business today, I can't imagine them seeing the advancement and the progress that we saw." Randy Krieble talks about witnessing the evolution of institutional custody and control of people with disablities into…

In 1964, Paul decided to interview at the Fort Wayne State School as a recreation aide. They had football and baseball games, dances, and a summer camp. Although these activities were fun, the experience was different in retrospect. The daily living…

"When I started in 1977, when people were admitted they brought with them what was called their death bag." The bag contained the clothing that residents of New Castle State Hospital were to be buried in. Sue Beecher recalls her employment at the…

When Ruth Stanley moved to Indiana, she took a job at Fort Wayne State Hospital in 1968. She moved on to Central State Hospital in 1982. Ruth talks about the differences see saw in the two state hospitals. One big difference was the higher turnover…

In 1977, Sue Beecher started her professional career at New Castle State Hospital in New Castle, Indiana. In this video, Sue recounts some of the institution's early history and speaks about her experiences working there.

“I mean, you know, people 40 years ago were locked in isolated areas,” describes Randy Krieble of restraints used in institutions. “The ammonia sprays were used especially in the children’s unit,” explains Sue Beecher. Professionals in the field of…

“The mistreatment, people encouraged to mistreat each other,” explains Paul Shankland of his time as an activity therapy aide at Fort Wayne State Hospital from 1964 to 1971. In reflecting back on what he witnessed, Paul shares a story about a…

Erika Steuterman visited the Indiana State Archive in 2013, as a way to face the difficult memories of visiting her older brother at Central State Hospital (Indianapolis) in the 1960s and 1970s. In this video, Erika shares some of those memories, and…

Thomas Hancock, age 10 months, with nurse at General Hospital in Nashville, Tennessee, October 1946. Thomas entered Muscatatuck State School in 1951, living there until he died in 1981.

An article headlined "Governor Vows Changes at New Castle" appeared on the front page of the Logansport Pharos Tribune on May 7, 1997. Governor Frank O'Bannon visited the New Castle State Developmental Center on May 6, 1997 after an Indianapolis…