Path to the Institution: The New York State Asylum for Idiots

The New York State Legislature voted in 1851 to establish the New York State Asylum for Idiots. At the time, idiot was a generic term used by physicians, educators, lawmakers, and the public to identify people who today would be described as having moderate to severe intellectual disabilities. This book explores the school’s fascinating history—including the origins of the school’s first educational method, the legislative struggle to create the school, the people who were the most influential in the school’s development, and how the school evolved over its 147 year existence. Featuring rare and never before published images, this book provides a unique glimpse into New York’s first state-sponsored school for people with intellectual disabilities.