Mansfield Training School and Hospital
Encyclopedia
Mansfield Training School and Hospital was a facility for the mentally retarded
located in Mansfield, Connecticut
, and run by the state of Connecticut
. It was active from 1860 to 1993. Its former campus
in Mansfield is a 350 acres (141.6 ha) historic district
that was listed on the National Register of Historic Places
in 1987.
The caretaker's residence was featured on the SyFy channel's Paranormal Witness
on September 28, 2011 as a location of alleged paranormal activity.
in 1860 as the Connecticut School for Imbeciles at Lakeville. Its name was changed to the Connecticut Training School for the Feebleminded at Lakeville in 1915. Two years later, it merged with the Connecticut Colony for Epileptics (founded at Mansfield in 1910) and acquired its present name.
When it opened in 1917, the merged institution had 402 students in residence. By 1932, the resident population had grown to 1,070. During the Depression
and World War II
, demand for its services increased, resulting in both overcrowding and long waiting lists for new enrollments. Staffing levels increased during the 1960s as philosophies on treatment of mental retardation
changed, and there were 1,609 residents and 875 full-time staff as of 1969. During the 1970s and 1980s many residents were relocated from dormitories
to on-campus cottages or to group home
s located around the state. By 1976 the resident population had dropped to 1,106, and by 1991 just 141 people remained as residents.
In 1993, after numerous lawsuit
s concerning the conditions of the hospital, Mansfield Training School was closed and its patients sent to outpatient facilities and other institutions. After the closure, some dilapidated buildings were demolished. Other buildings were split between the Bergin Correctional Institution and the University of Connecticut
.
in 1987. The listed area was 350 acres (1.4 km²) and included 53 contributing buildings and seven non-contributing buildings. The majority of the contributing buildings were institutional buildings built between 1914 and 1930, all designed by the same architectural firm. Architectural styles represented included Late 19th and 20th Century Revivals, Greek Revival
, and Late Victorian architecture. Also, the district included a farm
that was operated beginning in 1909. The farm supplied the institution with most of its food and provided occupational therapy
for people with epilepsy
, as farm labor was deemed to prevent epileptic seizures. Children housed in the
institution hand-molded the concrete blocks used to construct barn
s on the farm property.
Mental retardation
Mental retardation is a generalized disorder appearing before adulthood, characterized by significantly impaired cognitive functioning and deficits in two or more adaptive behaviors...
located in Mansfield, Connecticut
Mansfield, Connecticut
Mansfield is a town in Tolland County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 20,720 at the 2000 census.Mansfield was incorporated in October 1702 from the Town of Windham, in Hartford County. When Windham County was formed on 12 May 1726, Mansfield then became part of that county...
, and run by the state of Connecticut
Connecticut
Connecticut is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, and the state of New York to the west and the south .Connecticut is named for the Connecticut River, the major U.S. river that approximately...
. It was active from 1860 to 1993. Its former campus
Campus
A campus is traditionally the land on which a college or university and related institutional buildings are situated. Usually a campus includes libraries, lecture halls, residence halls and park-like settings...
in Mansfield is a 350 acres (141.6 ha) historic district
Historic district (United States)
In the United States, a historic district is a group of buildings, properties, or sites that have been designated by one of several entities on different levels as historically or architecturally significant. Buildings, structures, objects and sites within a historic district are normally divided...
that was listed on the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
in 1987.
The caretaker's residence was featured on the SyFy channel's Paranormal Witness
Paranormal Witness
Paranormal Witness is an American paranormal reality television series filmed in a documentary-style that feature eyewitness accounts from everyday people that have experienced paranormal activity. The series premiered on September 7, 2011 on Syfy with new episodes airing Wednesdays at 10pm...
on September 28, 2011 as a location of alleged paranormal activity.
History
The hospital opened in LakevilleLakeville, Connecticut
Lakeville is a village and census-designated place in the town of Salisbury in Litchfield County, Connecticut, on Lake Wononskopomuc. The village includes Lakeville Historic District, which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The district represents about of the village center...
in 1860 as the Connecticut School for Imbeciles at Lakeville. Its name was changed to the Connecticut Training School for the Feebleminded at Lakeville in 1915. Two years later, it merged with the Connecticut Colony for Epileptics (founded at Mansfield in 1910) and acquired its present name.
When it opened in 1917, the merged institution had 402 students in residence. By 1932, the resident population had grown to 1,070. During the Depression
Great Depression
The Great Depression was a severe worldwide economic depression in the decade preceding World War II. The timing of the Great Depression varied across nations, but in most countries it started in about 1929 and lasted until the late 1930s or early 1940s...
and World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, demand for its services increased, resulting in both overcrowding and long waiting lists for new enrollments. Staffing levels increased during the 1960s as philosophies on treatment of mental retardation
Mental retardation
Mental retardation is a generalized disorder appearing before adulthood, characterized by significantly impaired cognitive functioning and deficits in two or more adaptive behaviors...
changed, and there were 1,609 residents and 875 full-time staff as of 1969. During the 1970s and 1980s many residents were relocated from dormitories
Dormitory
A dormitory, often shortened to dorm, in the United States is a residence hall consisting of sleeping quarters or entire buildings primarily providing sleeping and residential quarters for large numbers of people, often boarding school, college or university students...
to on-campus cottages or to group home
Group home
A group home is a private residence designed or converted to serve as a non-secure home for unrelated persons who share a common characteristic.-Types of group homes:...
s located around the state. By 1976 the resident population had dropped to 1,106, and by 1991 just 141 people remained as residents.
In 1993, after numerous lawsuit
Lawsuit
A lawsuit or "suit in law" is a civil action brought in a court of law in which a plaintiff, a party who claims to have incurred loss as a result of a defendant's actions, demands a legal or equitable remedy. The defendant is required to respond to the plaintiff's complaint...
s concerning the conditions of the hospital, Mansfield Training School was closed and its patients sent to outpatient facilities and other institutions. After the closure, some dilapidated buildings were demolished. Other buildings were split between the Bergin Correctional Institution and the University of Connecticut
University of Connecticut
The admission rate to the University of Connecticut is about 50% and has been steadily decreasing, with about 28,000 prospective students applying for admission to the freshman class in recent years. Approximately 40,000 prospective students tour the main campus in Storrs annually...
.
Historic district
The "Mansfield Training School and Hospital" was listed on the National Register of Historic PlacesNational Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
in 1987. The listed area was 350 acres (1.4 km²) and included 53 contributing buildings and seven non-contributing buildings. The majority of the contributing buildings were institutional buildings built between 1914 and 1930, all designed by the same architectural firm. Architectural styles represented included Late 19th and 20th Century Revivals, Greek Revival
Greek Revival architecture
The Greek Revival was an architectural movement of the late 18th and early 19th centuries, predominantly in Northern Europe and the United States. A product of Hellenism, it may be looked upon as the last phase in the development of Neoclassical architecture...
, and Late Victorian architecture. Also, the district included a farm
Farm
A farm is an area of land, or, for aquaculture, lake, river or sea, including various structures, devoted primarily to the practice of producing and managing food , fibres and, increasingly, fuel. It is the basic production facility in food production. Farms may be owned and operated by a single...
that was operated beginning in 1909. The farm supplied the institution with most of its food and provided occupational therapy
Occupational therapy
Occupational therapy is a discipline that aims to promote health by enabling people to perform meaningful and purposeful activities. Occupational therapists work with individuals who suffer from a mentally, physically, developmentally, and/or emotionally disabling condition by utilizing treatments...
for people with epilepsy
Epilepsy
Epilepsy is a common chronic neurological disorder characterized by seizures. These seizures are transient signs and/or symptoms of abnormal, excessive or hypersynchronous neuronal activity in the brain.About 50 million people worldwide have epilepsy, and nearly two out of every three new cases...
, as farm labor was deemed to prevent epileptic seizures. Children housed in the
institution hand-molded the concrete blocks used to construct barn
Barn
A barn is an agricultural building used for storage and as a covered workplace. It may sometimes be used to house livestock or to store farming vehicles and equipment...
s on the farm property.