Ep. 94: History of the Fernald State School (1889-1912) Artwork

Behind the Walls of the World’s Psychiatric Hospitals

This podcast examines the history of now-defunct or abandoned psychiatric hospitals. Listen every week to learn about the history of mental health care and the true stories of the people who lived and worked behind the walls.

All Episodes

Behind the Walls of the World’s Psychiatric Hospitals

Ep. 94: History of the Fernald State School (1889-1912)

August 10, 2025 • Episode 94

Send us a text

This week we discuss the first two decades of Dr. Walter E. Fernald's tenure at the Massachusetts School for the Feeble-Minded. Find out how he was able to expand the school in order to quickly grow to over 1,000 residents! Learn about Dr. Fernald's role in the eugenics movement of the early 20th century and what scholars were trying to legalize in the state of Massachusetts.

My primary sources are the annual reports from the Fernald State School website. All other sources are listed at the end of the episode transcript.

Support the show on Patreon: http://www.patreon.com/behindthewallspodcast

Support the show on Beacons: https://beacons.ai/behindthewallspodcast

Follow on Instagram: @behindthewallspod

Recoverycast: Mental Health & Addiction Recovery Stories
Real talk, real recovery, actually entertaining. Find Recoverycast now.

Listen on: Apple Podcasts Spotify

Support the show