Photos and story by Rick Hiduk
March is Intellectual Disabilities Awareness Month, and the occasion will be marked in Bradford County with the reading of a proclamation on Friday, March 3 at 11 am at the courthouse in Towanda. The proclamation was approved by the County Commissioners on Feb. 23.
County employees to be involved in the event will include Stephanie Dodge, supervisor for intellectual disabilities and Mame Carter, director for intellectual disabilities. Commissioner Ed Bustin is slated to read the proclamation.
In addition to the proclamation and a display of pink ribbons in front of the courthouse, an exhibit opened inside the rotunda on March 2 that depicts the saga of Pennhurst Hospital near Philadelphia, and how the mistakes associated with early treatment of those with metal health issues were exposed and challenged.
“Pennhurst – A World Apart” shows how America moved from a society where the intellectually challenged were stripped of their humanity and literally housed like animals to a more compassionate nation that continues to struggle with how best to ensure quality of life for people with mental disabilities.
The 13-panel display wraps around the base of staircase on the first floor of the courthouse and is accompanied by a a framed video screen on which viewers can see photos taken inside Pennhurst and clips of documentaries about the facility to which the doors were finally closed in 1987. The exhibit was curated by the Pennhurst Preservation & Memorial Alliance.
Viewers should be cautioned that a number of the images associated with the exhibit, as well as the stories that accompany them, can be disturbing. “Pennhurst – A World Apart” will be accessible for at least one week, beginning Monday, March 6.