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

Curator: This photograph by William A. Webster, simply titled "Defectives, Feeble-minded", depicts the Brook Band at the Massachusetts School for the Feeble-Minded. Editor: It's strikingly poignant, this image. The sepia tones give it an antique feel, but there's also a starkness in the subjects’ expressions. They all seem to stare off into the distance. Curator: The photograph is a product of its time, reflecting early 20th-century attitudes towards disability. The school, despite its troubling name, aimed to provide care and education, and the band served a rehabilitative purpose. Editor: But the very act of labeling them "feeble-minded" and exhibiting them as such reinforces harmful stereotypes. We must acknowledge the inherent power dynamics at play. Who gets to define normalcy, and at what cost? The framing of this image is crucial to understanding the context. Curator: Precisely. This photograph challenges us to confront the past while acknowledging the problematic aspects of historical perspectives and to think critically about how we represent vulnerable populations today. Editor: Yes, examining such historical depictions allows us to reflect on the ongoing fight for inclusivity and the importance of self-representation.