Pennhurst State School and Hospital
Hospital in Chester County, PennsylvaniaWikipedia
19
MENTIONS
7
EPISODES
6
PODCASTS
Search complete. 19 mentions across 7 episodes found for "Pennhurst State School and Hospital".
Oct 25, 2026
Carol HughesHOST
Now, Pennhurst Asylum wasn't actually... an asylum.
Carol HughesHOST
It was actually known as Pennhurst State School and Hospital when it opened in 1908.
Carol HughesHOST
And this is a big place.
Carol HughesHOST
Like there's like 25 buildings.
Mrs. PearlmaniaHOST
Okay, so here's the thing.
Mrs. PearlmaniaHOST
I hate that this asylum, in quotes, exploits the history of Pennhurst State School as a spooky Halloween attraction.
Mrs. PearlmaniaHOST
And I wanted to do a deep dive into the Pennhurst State School so that...
Mrs. PearlmaniaHOST
Maybe people could understand why making those type of things a Halloween attraction perpetuates incredibly damaging and negative stereotypes about people that are physically and mentally disabled.
Alex PearlmanHOST
Okay.
Mrs. PearlmaniaHOST
Okay?
Alex PearlmanHOST
I understand.
Mrs. PearlmaniaHOST
So I did this deep dive in Pennhurst State School, and I do need to do a quick content warning.
Maggie KentHOST
Our Tyrande Thomas takes us to Pennhurst Asylum where you can walk through some spooky attractions.
Taronda ThomasCORRESPONDENT
By day, the site of the Pennhurst State School portrays a haunting history.
Taronda ThomasCORRESPONDENT
Many did suffer and die here.
Taronda ThomasCORRESPONDENT
There was a lot of abuse, a lot of neglect.
John PaulHOST
Tyrande Thomas takes us to Pennhurst Asylum where you can walk through some spooky attractions.
Taronda ThomasCORRESPONDENT
By day, the site of the Pennhurst State School portrays a haunting history.
Taronda ThomasCORRESPONDENT
Many did suffer and die here.
Taronda ThomasCORRESPONDENT
There was a lot of abuse, a lot of neglect.
Carol HughesHOST
Now, Pennhurst Asylum wasn't actually an asylum.
Carol HughesHOST
It was actually known as Pennhurst State School and Hospital when it opened in 1908.
Cathy GordonHOST
Okay.
Carol HughesHOST
And this is a big- ... place.
Isabel CortezHOST
But after the NBC exposé aired, all of those stories were proven to be true, and then some.
Isabel CortezHOST
Baldini himself said that what he witnessed that day stayed with him the remainder of his career, even admitting to breaking down in tears on the car ride out of the asylum because the Pennhurst State School and Hospital, popularly known as the Pennhurst Asylum, has that effect on people.
Isabel CortezHOST
It haunts, and it continues to do so to this day.
Isabel CortezHOST
1900s Pennsylvania was dealing with a large issue.
9 MINS LATER
Isabel CortezHOST
Fear was waiting for them on the other side of an exam room door.
Isabel CortezHOST
Dr. Fear's reign of terror came to an end in July of 1968, when he was suspended from Pennhurst after news of his barbaric practices came to light.
Isabel CortezHOST
The Indiana Gazette printed an article about the suspension, stating, quote, A resident physician at Pennhurst State School and Hospital in Westchester has been suspended by Welfare Secretary Thomas W. Georges, Jr., a department spokesman said Friday night.
Isabel CortezHOST
The spokesman said Dr. Jesse Fear was suspended without pay for 30 days for using harmless but painful injections on patients at the Westchester School for Expletive Children.
1 more episode mentions Pennhurst State School and Hospital.
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