Defectives, Feeble-minded: United States. Massachusetts. Waverly. School for Feeble-minded: Massachusetts School for the Feeble-Minded.: Weaving. c. 1903

Editor: This photograph, "Defectives, Feeble-minded," taken by William Webster, shows a classroom at the Massachusetts School for the Feeble-Minded. The scene is eerily calm, given the loaded title. What strikes you most about this image? Curator: The explicit categorization and institutionalization of these individuals based on perceived intellectual ability is stark. This image is more than a simple classroom scene; it's a document reflecting the eugenic ideologies prevalent at the time. Editor: Eugenic ideologies? Curator: Precisely. It's crucial to consider how people with disabilities were historically marginalized and often subjected to forced sterilization, echoing the broader oppressive structures surrounding class, race, and gender. This image asks us to confront the ethics of labeling and the consequences of institutional power. Editor: It’s unsettling to think about the power dynamics at play. Curator: Indeed. By examining the historical context, we gain a deeper understanding of how social biases shape our perceptions and treatment of vulnerable populations, challenging us to be critical of contemporary systems of categorization and control.