Page 48 - The Westerner Magazine Halloween 2018
P. 48
When I became aware of Dr. Dennis buildings. Pennhurst, and other
Downey’s planned book release on the dark institutional sites, became destinations
story of Pennhurst Asylum, scheduled for for urban explorers.
2019, I asked for an interview for our
TW: What is the book’s name?
Halloween issue. What I thought might be a
door squeaking, shadowy image spotting, Dennis: The name of the book is Between
cold room shiver of an article turned into History and Hope: Pennhurst and the
something more poignant and significantly Struggle for Disability Rights. Penn State
more horrible. Press is set to publish in 2019. Jim
Conroy and I wrote it along with a
Dr. Downey is Professor of History,
number of contributors.
Emeritus, at Pennsylvania’s Millersville
University. He has a bachelor’s and master’s TW: What was your purpose in writing
degree from Florida State University and a the book?
doctorate from Marquette. He has a long
Dennis: To tell the story of Pennhurst,
and distinguished teaching career, which has
but also Pennsylvania’s critical role in
been highlighted by many innovations. He’s
the disability rights movement. We look
a writer who enjoys reading and advocacy
at the rise in institutionalization, which
work.
began at the beginning of the twentieth
The following interview shows his passion century, and the deinstitutionalization
for history and humanity. and return of people into communities,
which occurred at the end of the century
TW: Dr. Downey, I want to thank you
and continues today.
for taking the time to interview with us.
We’re very interested in the subject of Pennhurst was crucial in advocacy, legal
your book and hope you’ll share some cases, and was ground zero in the
ideas. disability rights movement.
Dennis: Please call me Dennis. TW: In what way?
TW: Dennis it is then. Dennis: Pennhurst opened in 1908. It
became one of the largest institutions for
Dennis: The whole concept of urban
people with intellectual disabilities – or
exploration is the place to start. Young
what was then called the feeble-minded.
kids would trespass on these properties,
The early twentieth century was the age
get down into the tunnels and into the
of eugenics. Eugenics had a tremendous
