Defectives, Epileptics: United States. Massachusetts. Palmer. State Hospital for Epileptics: Farm Group #3. 1905. 1905

Curator: Looking at this old photograph, probably from 1905, I feel this deep quiet, a stark stillness. It's like the world is holding its breath. Editor: Indeed. The photograph, titled "Defectives, Epileptics: United States. Massachusetts. Palmer. State Hospital for Epileptics: Farm Group #3," captures a group outside the State Hospital for Epileptics. The title itself is jarring. Curator: Jarring is the word! It’s so detached, almost clinical. But behind those labels are people, right? I feel that disconnect. Editor: Absolutely. These labels reflect early 20th-century eugenics movements and the dehumanizing language used to classify those deemed "unfit." Curator: It makes you wonder about their lives, their stories. What does it mean to be part of a "farm group?" Editor: These farm programs were, in theory, therapeutic. In practice, they were exploitative labor under the guise of care. Curator: It’s so easy to forget the people behind the policies, isn't it? Editor: Precisely. It's a stark reminder of how language and power can shape perceptions and reinforce injustice. Curator: I'll carry that with me, seeing beyond the frame. Editor: As will I—it's a discomfort we must sit with.