Defectives, Feeble-minded: United States. Massachusetts. Waverly. School for Feeble-minded: Massachusetts School for the Feeble-Minded.: Clothes Folding - Laundry Class. c. 1903

Curator: William A. Webster's photograph, "Defectives, Feeble-minded: United States. Massachusetts. Waverly. School for Feeble-minded: Massachusetts School for the Feeble-Minded.: Clothes Folding - Laundry Class," presents a striking image. Editor: It’s immediately unsettling; there’s something deeply amiss in this seemingly ordinary scene of labor. Curator: The photograph captures the students, likely young women, engaged in laundry work. We must consider the institutional setting. The labor performed here becomes both an enforced activity and a means to reduce operational costs within the institution. Editor: Exactly, the title itself is brutal. We must confront the eugenicist context that defined these women and their worth. Their very identities were shaped by labels of defectiveness, influencing their treatment and opportunities. Curator: The uniformity of their labor, their clothing, and the starkness of the room all emphasize the institutional processes at work, shaping lives. Editor: This isn't just a historical artifact; it’s a stark reminder of how easily society can dehumanize and marginalize vulnerable groups under the guise of progress. Curator: By examining the materiality of the setting and the repetitive nature of the labor, we gain insight into the mechanisms of control within the institution. Editor: Absolutely, it forces us to confront the legacy of these practices and challenge ongoing forms of discrimination and exclusion. Curator: A sobering reminder of the past indeed. Editor: One we cannot afford to forget.