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December 18, 2008

Speaking up, moving on: Haverhill man, 54, recounts childhood in infamous state institution

City man, 54, recounts childhood in infamous state school

By Joni Quinn

When Charles Pina Jr. was sent to the Walter E. Fernald State School in Waltham in 1961 at the age of 7, his family thought it was the best thing for him. Little did they know how wrong they were.

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Oct. 10, 1963 — It was reported to Dr. Adrian Blake, house physician, at 9:15 a.m., Friday, Oct. 11, 1963, that 8 boys had been found to have bruises and strap marks on their buttocks and thighs. These had apparently been noticed the previous afternoon between 4 and 6 p.m. The boys claimed that they had been lined up against a wall in Ward I by Mrs. Flaherty, L.P.N., and beaten with a belt ... The State Police are continuing the investigation.

Oct. 11, 1963 — Dear Mr. and Mrs. Pina: I have to inform you that your son, Charles, has been found to have some bruises on his left thigh and abdomen. On questioning him about these bruises, he has accused one of our employees so this matter has been referred to the State Police for complete investigation. Let me reassure you that your son is, otherwise, in good health at this time. Very truly yours, Malcolm J. Farrell, M.D., superintendent.

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On Friday, Dec. 12, Charles Pina of Haverhill and those who advocate for the rights of the disabled rejoiced at news from Gov. Deval Patrick's office that the Walter E. Fernald Development Center and three other state institutions would be closed within the next four years.

What was once known as The Walter E. Fernald State School is the Western hemisphere's oldest publicly funded institution for people who have developmental disabilities. At its peak in the 1950s, some 2,500 people were confined there, most of them so-called "feeble-minded" boys.

Fernald today is very different from the school that Pina knew. The roughly 300 people who live there are adults. Many parents and guardians have fought for years to keep the center open, because of the care their loved ones receive. It is run by the state Department of Developmental Services (formerly the Department of Mental Retardation).

But the school is infamous for forced scientific experiments performed on residents in the 1940s and '50s, and cruel treatment or lack of supervision by staff members, some of which is documented in records from Pina's 14 years at Fernald.

"Unfortunate" incidents

Pina's mother sent him to the school on the advice of a social worker, said his sister, Mary Clark.

When admitted to Fernald, Pina was diagnosed with a moderate mental deficiency and an IQ of 50. According to medical records, Pina stopped breathing at birth, depriving his brain of oxygen.

Clark said their mother believed the social worker who told her she could better care for her four other children if Charles were being cared for at the state school.

Complicating matters at home was Pina's father's reaction to his son's disability.

"He didn't understand (Charlie) and wanted no part in his life," Clark said.

While at Fernald, Pina said, he was raped and beaten, and abused psychologically and emotionally. Hospital staff administered electric shock treatments and medicated him to the point that he could not fight back, he said.

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May 23, 1966 — Charles was involved in an unfortunate incident over the weekend. He was allegedly beaten by one of the attendants. Dr. Su examined him on Sunday and confirmed the superficial injuries. The incident was investigated by Dr. Farrell and others. The employee confessed and resigned. A letter informing the guardian of the incident was sent.

May 23, 1966 — Dear Mrs. Pina: I am writing to inform you of an incident that happened in the Boy's Dormitory in which Charles was involved. He received superficial, minor injuries of no consequence when one of our attendants apparently lost her temper. The incident was thoroughly investigated and the attendant concerned resigned this morning. We would like to express our regrets for this incident, but you will understand that an occasional person anywhere may not conform to the usual standards of behavior. I would like to assure you again that the results concerned were of no consequence at all. Very truly yours, Malcolm J. Farrell, M.D., superintendent.

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"I still have trauma from what happened to me there. I was beaten with leather straps. It's not right that they basically got away with what they did to me. I still suffer from the things they did to me. I don't think anyone can really understand what I went through," said Pina, 54.

Clark said she remembers visiting Pina as a child and always feeling how cold the place was.

"It was dark and dungeon-like. Cruelty stood out in my mind regarding that school," Clark said.

Clark said when Pina would come home for occasional visits, he would be emotional and reclusive.

It wasn't until after he was released from the school in 1975 and returned to live with his family that he began to talk about what had happened to him at Fernald, Clark said.

Also in the mid-1970s, several former patients of Fernald sued the state for violating their civil rights. The former patients, many of whom today would be diagnosed with mild speech problems or learning disabilities, discovered they had been fed oatmeal laced with radium 20 years earlier. They won a judgment against the state and MIT, which funded the experiments.

Their experiences are recounted in a book, "The State Boys Rebellion" by Michael D'Antonio, published in 2004.

A personal rebellion

Pina started speaking out about his mistreatment at Fernald shortly after the book's publication.

The actual rebellion that gives the book its name occurred in 1957, when several boys rebelled against the abuses and staged a protest, occupying one of the wards.

By the early 1970s, many of those boys had been released, according to D'Antonio's book, when staff members realized that their disabilities were not severe enough to require residential treatment.

Although the most heinous cases occurred at the school in the decades before Pina's arrival at Fernald, he said he wanted people to know that physical and psychological abuse continued to be practiced while he was there.

Clark said his family was told that some of the injuries that he sustained were the result of his own behavior.

This year, Pina requested and received his Fernald records.

Among the documents were several reports of injuries that he received at the hands of other boys at the school.

At the age of 21, Pina requested to be discharged from Fernald.

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Nov. 7, 1975 — From a letter to Dr. William Frankel, regional administrator for the state Department of Mental Health

Charles possesses the skills necessary to live independently in the community; in fact, he has been living outside frequently during the past six months.

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Today, Pina has close ties with his sister and extended family, attends the Portland Street Baptist Church, and shares with a roommate an apartment in the outskirts of Haverhill.

Pina spent days at his sister's side after a fire at her Warren Street home claimed the life of two family members, Mary Pina and Daquon Davis.

He is an administrative assistant at The Arc, advocating for the rights and full participation of all children and adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

Barbara Pandolfi, Pina's supervisor and program manager at the Arc, said his work is a great motivator.

"Charles is a very warm and caring person. A day doesn't go by that he doesn't send an e-mail or send cards to everyone. He's grateful for everything he gets to do. He is proud of all his work. He adds a lot to what we do here."

Pandolfi said Pina believes he has a knack for speaking up for others who feel unable to speak up for themselves.

He graduated from the Department of Mental Retardation Leadership Program, where he learned the value of teamwork and was able to discuss common issues people with disabilities face everyday, Pandolfi said. He is involved in the self-advocacy movement for people with disabilities, often traveling into Boston to attend and speak at conferences.

Pina has received awards from the Department of Mental Retardation. This spring, he was recognized for his "inspiring self-determination to overcome challenges, embrace change as opportunity and embark on a new life journey." In October, DMR's Northeast Region's Leadership Institute acknowledged his "commitment to develop leadership, to support self-determination, to advocate for social justice and to further inclusion of people with disabilities in their communities."

He displays the awards in his living room, near the television on the entertainment center.

Pina's sister is proud of his accomplishments.

"I thank God every day that he finally found something for himself. It may be late in his life, but he's finally complete and doing great. He's a self-made man, who has a strong will to be on his own and support himself," Clark said.

He said he looks forward to continuing to work with the state and self-advocacy groups.

"I'm lucky to be surrounded by so many supportive people, but what I went through still bothers me all the time."

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