| 08/30/2010 |
| @Stacy S - I agree w you about preserving structures, but I don't hold the employees directly responsible. Society created Pennhurst. Institutions like Pennhurst were put in place by federal and local govts. The people allowed this to happen and the people must have something to help remember. |
| 08/29/2010 |
| The bad things that happened at Pennhurst had nothing to do with the building, but the horrible people who did these things. If there is nothing wrong with the buildings structurally, I think they should be turned into something consturctive such as a school. |
| 08/16/2010 |
| My father was in a place like this in Rome NY when he was a kid. |
| 08/15/2010 |
| I was in a similar facility in the early 90's. Like Pennhurst, it was shut down because of similar reasons and I am glad. Old buildings where harm took place are nothing worth saving and pointless. |
| 08/12/2010 |
| Deplorable conditions for all those sick people. Save the grounds and the buildings. We also found a small cemetary with some of the people who lived and died there. Very young victims, outcasts of the surrounding areas. Not to be seen or heard from again. Sad. |
| 08/02/2010 |
| I am a actor for a haunted attraction in glen mills pa named arasapha parms the bates motel and we recintly obtained part of pennhurst and we are using it as a hauted attraction opening september 24 of 2010 for the mounth of october i love pennhurst the history the buildings and everything about i |
| 07/27/2010 |
| PENNHURST should never be forgotten people suffered at the hands of ignorant politicians, doctors people that call themselves educated.The history of Pennhusrst should be told by all that know the truth and those that are cowards that know the truth, sooooo we never let this happen to an |
| 07/12/2010 |
| ALSO! DON'T turn any of the buildings into job centers/conference places/etc. Just restore everything and clean it up and just keep up with it. Maybe have people walk through it. |
| 07/12/2010 |
| I really think this place should be preserved, or at least have a mass-cleanup and make it a historical landmark. We should honor those men/women/children that suffered here instead of just forgetting about it. DON'T DESTROY IT!! |
| 07/12/2010 |
| My question, Why? Why save such an awful place? Are we saving this place as a form of remembrance, or as a tourist attraction? I do not feel that this building will serve as any educational guide. Pennhurst will forever be a place of suffering. Please allow this building to be torn down. |
| 06/13/2010 |
| We must remember not to forget that happened here and educate future generations of this place. We need to preserve this in memory of all who suffered there and the changes that were made because of it. |
| 06/04/2010 |
| from mexico.I think Pennhurst shouldn't be demolished. The building can be used as a museum or a school for people who needs special education in honor to the people who lived/died there. In the past was a horrible hospital but in a future you people americans can make a difference |
| 06/03/2010 |
| penhurst should NOT be fixed up. that place was a cruel hell hole and treated the patients very badly. they would pull their teeth out, rape them, and beat them. that is why the place is haunted. so many hurt sad and mad souls wonder still in the halls. just let the building go. |
| 05/12/2010 |
| I think pennhurst should be fixed up and turned into a place to teach mentally disabled skills, like a school for the disabled, not a place that will house them overnight or anything like that, a nice learning facility to help the type of people that it once hurt so bad. |
| 05/07/2010 |
| I think Pennhurst shouldn't be torn down simply because of the fact that, if anyone ever either suffers this same way or creates this same situation, they need a physical reminder of previous events. If the buildings are torn down, no one will be likely to remember, and just go |
| 05/05/2010 |
| something is going on at Pennhurst. They have cleared all the trees and bushes. I think the buildings are next to go very very soon but it does look like they are saving the administration building. I talked to a worker, asked are you preserving it. He said no do you have a couple million? |
| 04/26/2010 |
| I'm torn. Such horrific things happened at Pennhurst. How can it be a good thing to keep those buildings up? Surely there is a better way to remember and honor the victims of such depraved neglect. It's not like those rotting buildings are doing anyone any good, if they ever did. |
| 04/26/2010 |
| My feelings are that Pennhurst should not be torn down. I know there were horrible things that happened, however, there were also good ones. I would be a sin to tear it down. Refurbish the buildings. It can be a beautiful place. |
| 04/23/2010 |
| I believe we should preserve Pennhurst also. lET IT STAND AS A MEMORIAL FOR ALL THOSE WHOSE LIVES HAVE BEEN CHANGED BY BEING THERE. |
| 04/15/2010 |
| From all I have heard of Pennhurst, it was a horrible place for patients there. Not enough staff for all the patients. Sexual acts against the patients. I really dont know how the staff that was working there at that time can even live with themselves knowing what was |
| 04/09/2010 |
| As a young girl I visited my uncle many times in Pennhurst. I remember hearing the screams as we entered the building.It was a joyous day when my uncle was relocated to a group home minutes from our house. There were 10,400 people in Pennhurst and on 4-10 I'll be there to honor them. |
| 04/08/2010 |
| The buildings and grounds of this institution were once so beautiful I think it should be preserved to its original grandure, modern arcitecture dosen't hold a candle to the workmanship that went into the buildings of that era. |
| 03/31/2010 |
| I think it would be great to make it like The eastern state penitentiary then we can preserve the buildings give tours. It would also bring jobs to the area last off all to have the cemetery cleaned up shown some respect for the people who are buried there. |
| 03/08/2010 |
| I think it should be gutted and turned into a Universary/College, and keep it as a memorial to all who've lived and passed away there. I do believe a place like this can still be transformed into a beautiful and inviting place. |
| 03/07/2010 |
| I think if this is going to be preserved, it should be rehabilitated in honor of those who live and suffered there. Remember the past, but educate the future and making this a college would be a great way to do both. |
| 02/18/2010 |
| Hello all. 28 years ago.. I worked at Pennhurst! As I remember the grounds were vast and beautiful. My first position was in a building called Captitol 1. It was a locked ward with if I remember right about 60 MH/MR women of different ages and disabilities. Long halls and lots of electrical lig |
| 02/09/2010 |
| @Dena actually, there were many who lived at Pennhurst which remember it foldly. A place of Home for many. It can be a struggle to understand this dichotomy, but Pennhurst was home. Let us honor those who passed through it's doors, lived, died, and, for some, moved on from there. |
| 01/24/2010 |
| I think that we owe it to the victims of this atrocity to maintain and preserve their demise. If we continue with blissful ignorance, how do we as a society remember where we came from and what we have achieved to better it. |
| 01/10/2010 |
| I believe they should make it a historical landmark or reuse the buildings.. would be such a waste not using whats already there |
| 01/02/2010 |
| I feel we should perserve Pennhurst. There are so many people that died still live in spirit thru the tragedy they went thru. If we perserve this place into something better it may help these spirits to move on. |
| 01/02/2010 |
| Tearing it down ignores the history. We have a real opportunity to educate here. And education is the only true weapon against ignorance. People like to gloss over the Ugly part of history. To do that would dishonor the men and women who suffered here. |
| 01/02/2010 |
| Carla- Often times, when the place of brutality or bad memories is torn down, it makes it easier for everyone to forget it ever existed. Erased from the memory so to speak. To leave this campus UP, and make it a museum of sorts and information center, well, it forces people to confront the truth. |
| 01/02/2010 |
| I think they should preserve this place as a historical landmark. Why destroy it? |
| 01/02/2010 |
| I agree. This is a horrible place. I think if you were able to ask any of the people that had to stay here what they wanted they would want it torn/burned down. Build a memorial. |
| 12/18/2009 |
| I don't think we can just push this aside and not think of. Less fortunate people did not ask to be born this way. Unfortunately things that happened were horrible but it was a stepping stone, a learning experience. It has helped less fortunate of today. We need to remember how fortunate we are. |
| 12/04/2009 |
| @David J and Carla - i think the memorial being discussed here is more to triumph than to pain. pennhurst is where the disabled found their voice. halderman vs. pennhurst ushered in a better era and improved treatment for millions of disabled. it's a memorial to perseverance and compassion. |
| 12/03/2009 |
| @ Carla A memorial to pain is just that. If we are going to honor the sacrifice of those who were abused or killed, that can be done anywhere. I find this type of tribute troubling. |
| 11/08/2009 |
| In the matters of preserving such a place, it stresses the importance to not forget the errors that were once made. If we were to rip down anything that held terrible memories with it, we wouldn't have the concentration camps in Germany. Preserve to remember the otherwise forgotten. |
| 11/07/2009 |
| I think this is a living monument to the people that lived/died at Pennhurst. Good or Bad we need to preserve, educate, and learn from the past. |
| 11/07/2009 |
| Carla, people acted on the 'best' information and practices of their time. Turns out many old notions of 'care' were flawed. But many workers honestly tried hard to improve conditions there. But, like the patients, they were struggling against an institution destined for failure. |
| 11/06/2009 |
| I'm really confused about this. Why would anyone want to keep something around that has such horrible memories to it. There are NO good memories to this. Are any of the people responsible for this still alive? And if so, why are they still alive? There are no words to even discribe this sitution. |