Crime, Children, Truant Schools: United States. Massachusetts. Oakdale. Worcester County Truant School: Worcester County Truant School, Oakdale. 1903 - 1904

Curator: At first glance, the pages here look like pale, ephemeral documents. What am I seeing? Editor: This is a collection of handwritten documents titled "Crime, Children, Truant Schools: United States. Massachusetts. Oakdale. Worcester County Truant School," created by various authors. They are currently held in the Harvard Art Museums. The work appears to be mounted writings from the Worcester County Truant School. Curator: The collection certainly conveys vulnerability and a sense of institutional observation. The handwritten texts carry an emotional weight—you can almost feel the children's presence. Editor: The text, combined with the unadorned presentation, really drives home the stories, doesn't it? It highlights the political context of social control and how the power of literacy itself was used in these institutions. Curator: The pages capture a poignant moment in time, revealing how these children experienced confinement and the values imposed upon them. Editor: It is a stark reminder of societal attitudes toward children.