In the first decade of the 20th century, the state of Massachusetts
established itself as a leader in the education of individuals with
disabilities. The third state school for the feebleminded was built in
rural Belchertown, in the western part of the state. Opened in 1915,
Belchertown State School would eventually encompass almost 900 acres of
land and would become the largest employer in town. For nearly 60 years,
the state school educated individuals with disabilities who were
otherwise excluded from public education, training the residents to
become independent members of their families and of society. The model
was a success until reports of abuse and neglect began to surface,
culminating in the landmark 1972 Ricci v. Greenblatt case, which
ultimately led to the state school's closure in 1992. The state school's
rich history, maintained and curated by the late Donald LaBrecque,
chronicles the rise of special education and developmental services and
the ultimate collapse of the state school system.