Charity, Children: United States. New York. Pleasantville. Hebrew Sheltering Guardian Society: Hebrew Sheltering Guardian Society Orphan Asylum, Pleasantville, New York: The children and staff eat in the same dining-room at family tables. c. 1900

Editor: So, this photograph, “Charity, Children...” by Apeda Studio, shows a dining room at the Hebrew Sheltering Guardian Society Orphan Asylum. I'm struck by the way it seems to normalize institutional life with those family-style tables. What's your take on this image? Curator: It's crucial to consider the historical context here. Orphan asylums often aimed to assimilate children into dominant cultural norms. How might the setting, like this dining room, serve as a tool for social control and standardization of identity within a marginalized community? Editor: It's like they're trying to replicate a family setting, but it feels very controlled. Curator: Exactly. Considering the power dynamics and assimilation practices of the time, what does this image tell us about the complexities of care and control in institutions? Editor: I see it now, it isn’t just a photograph, it's a record of power and societal expectations. Curator: Precisely, and it challenges us to question the true nature of "charity" and its impact on individual identities.