Timeline of Institutionalization at Huronia Regional Centre by https://padlet.com/robinarnott88/vfmr1c3b713sqsuk Inside and outside of the institution en-us 2022-02-08 18:52:10 UTC 2022-12-02 16:31:01 UTC hello@padlet.com 1839 robinarnott88 https://padlet.com/robinarnott88/vfmr1c3b713sqsuk/wish/2036314556
Ontario's poor houses and prisons were overcrowded and the Province enacted "An Act to Authorize the Erection of an Asylum within this Province for the Reception of Insane and Lunatic Persons" (Remember Every Name, 2022). 

The dominant belief was that people in prisons and poor houses were one of two categories - curable and incurable (Remember Every Name, 2022). 

Initially, only those deemed curable were institutionalized, yet that soon changed (Remember Every Name, 2022). 


]]> 2022-02-08 19:14:25 UTC https://padlet.com/robinarnott88/vfmr1c3b713sqsuk/wish/2036314556 1876 robinarnott88 https://padlet.com/robinarnott88/vfmr1c3b713sqsuk/wish/2036333290 Since the institution provided employment opportunities, the provincial government decided to reopen the institution independently of the Provincial Lunatic Asylum (Remember Every Name, 2022). It was named The Asylum for Idiots and Imbeciles (Remember Every Name, 2022). 

On September 22nd, 1876, hundreds of people came out to see the train bring the first 44 inmates to the institution (Remember Every Name, 2022). ]]> 2022-02-08 19:22:55 UTC https://padlet.com/robinarnott88/vfmr1c3b713sqsuk/wish/2036333290 1861-1870 robinarnott88 https://padlet.com/robinarnott88/vfmr1c3b713sqsuk/wish/2036346182 In an empty hotel, the Orillia branch of the Provincial Lunatic Asylum opened its doors. Metal bars were placed on the verandas to prevent the 150 inmates from escaping. 

By 1870, the institution was closed because the hotel was not a suitable environment (Remember Every Name, 2022). ]]> 2022-02-08 19:29:20 UTC https://padlet.com/robinarnott88/vfmr1c3b713sqsuk/wish/2036346182 Early 1900s robinarnott88 https://padlet.com/robinarnott88/vfmr1c3b713sqsuk/wish/2036349996 Dr. Helen MacMurchy, the Provincial Inspector for the Care and Control of the Feebleminded, along with others, believed that 'feeblemindedness' was the cause of sexual deviancy, crime, juvenile delinquency, and other forms of 'social ills.' People were taken from schools and institutionalized based on their scores in intelligence tests (Rossiter, K. & Crawford, A., 2013).

Also, in 1913, Ontario passed the "Act Respecting Houses of Refuge for Females" which legislated the seclusion of women who were diagnosed with "feeblemindedness" (Rossiter, K. & Crawford, A., 2013). ]]> 2022-02-08 19:31:15 UTC https://padlet.com/robinarnott88/vfmr1c3b713sqsuk/wish/2036349996 1880-1911 robinarnott88 https://padlet.com/robinarnott88/vfmr1c3b713sqsuk/wish/2036355566 In 1885, the province acquired 150 acres of land on the shores of Lake Simcoe to build the institution (Remember Every Name, 2022). Between 1887 and 1888, the first two 'cottages' were built, which were eventually named Cottage B and Cottage L. Despite being called 'cottages,' these were 3-strorey brick buildings with basements and attics that housed hundreds of people (Remember Every Name, 2022). 
In 1891, another building with administrative offices, classrooms, and more space for housing (Cottage A and Cottage K). 

The classrooms, and well as new housing was only intended for the small percentage of resident who were labelled "high grade mental defectives" (Remember Every Name, 2022). 
By 1911, the institution had expanded to 456 acres of land (Rossiter, K. & Crawford, A. 2013). ]]> 2022-02-08 19:34:00 UTC https://padlet.com/robinarnott88/vfmr1c3b713sqsuk/wish/2036355566 1920-1939 robinarnott88 https://padlet.com/robinarnott88/vfmr1c3b713sqsuk/wish/2036548522 The dominant belief was that out of every 200 children born every year, three would need institutional care (Berton 1960/2013). 

In the 1920s, the public feared that the number of people with 'genetic abnormalities' was starting to exceed the number of 'normal' intelligence (Rossiter, K. & Crawford, A., 2013). Although there were never any laws allowing involuntary sterilization, it was routinely being used both in and outside of institutions (Rossiter, K. & Crawford, A., 2013).


]]> 2022-02-08 21:27:51 UTC https://padlet.com/robinarnott88/vfmr1c3b713sqsuk/wish/2036548522 1890-1931 robinarnott88 https://padlet.com/robinarnott88/vfmr1c3b713sqsuk/wish/2036552883 More research about 'feeble-mindedness' was beginning to surface, and it promoted the benefits of rural of rural isolation and vocational training. The use of unpaid labour, that had become commonplace, increased. Inmates were responsible for general labour, laundry, kitchen tasks, and general household duties (Rossiter, K. & Crawford, A. 2013). 

"High-grade" inmates were often placed in caring roles for "low-grade" inmates (Rossiter, K. & Crawford, A. 2013). 
By 1931, the conditions at the institution were seen as "impoverished and unsanitary" (Rossiter, K. & Crawford, A. 2013).]]> 2022-02-08 21:31:29 UTC https://padlet.com/robinarnott88/vfmr1c3b713sqsuk/wish/2036552883 1939-1960s robinarnott88 https://padlet.com/robinarnott88/vfmr1c3b713sqsuk/wish/2038089548 Early in the 1920s, there started to be some movement towards training 'high-grade' inmates to work outside of the institution and be integrated into the community. In 1939, a small group of inmates were sent to live in 'approved' community homes with people who were paid to take them in  (Rossiter, K. & Crawford, A. 2013). 

Although 'community integration' was starting to take place, mass institutionalization remained to be the most common practice until much later in the century (Rossiter, K. & Crawford, A. 2013). It has been noted that some inmates who could have been released were not because they were an integral part of the labour force within the institution (Rossiter, K. & Crawford, A. 2013). 

Toronto Star journalist, Pierre Berton visited Huronia in 1960 and wrote an article exposing the tragic overcrowding and poor living conditions (Berton, 1960/2013). 


]]> 2022-02-09 14:59:14 UTC https://padlet.com/robinarnott88/vfmr1c3b713sqsuk/wish/2038089548 2004-2009 robinarnott88 https://padlet.com/robinarnott88/vfmr1c3b713sqsuk/wish/2038109726 The province completed their five phase plan to establish community based services to allow individuals with developmental disabilities to live in their communities (Rossiter, K. & Crawford, A. 2013).   

By 2009, the Rideau Regional Centre, the  Southwestern Regional Centre and The Huronia Regional Centre were closed (Rossiter, K. & Crawford, A. 2013).


]]> 2022-02-09 15:07:10 UTC https://padlet.com/robinarnott88/vfmr1c3b713sqsuk/wish/2038109726 2009-now robinarnott88 https://padlet.com/robinarnott88/vfmr1c3b713sqsuk/wish/2038151415 Researchers and advocates argue that "...people who were vulnerable inside the institution, remain vulnerable within the context of community care" (Rossiter, K. & Crawford, A. 2013). 

The fight continues.


]]> 2022-02-09 15:22:47 UTC https://padlet.com/robinarnott88/vfmr1c3b713sqsuk/wish/2038151415 1975-2009 robinarnott88 https://padlet.com/robinarnott88/vfmr1c3b713sqsuk/wish/2038159417
The institution's name was changed from the Ontario Hospital School to the Huronia Regional Centre to reflect the depatholigization of care for people labelled/with intellectual disabilities (Rossiter, K. & Crawford, A. 2013).

]]> 2022-02-09 15:25:50 UTC https://padlet.com/robinarnott88/vfmr1c3b713sqsuk/wish/2038159417 2009-now robinarnott88 https://padlet.com/robinarnott88/vfmr1c3b713sqsuk/wish/2038166104 Many patients died and were buried in Huronia. Grave markers were labelled only by patient numbers, and at times, were ripped out of the ground and the space and materials were used for other purposes.

Survivors and allies banded together to address the appalling way children and adults were buried. To the best of their abilities, patient numbers were matched with photographs and names and then put on proper grave markers. 

Unfortunately, improper burials and poor record keeping made locating each individual burial extremely difficult. As a result, Government workers placed a list of names at the end of a row of grave markers to mark the approximate location of each individual. 

Survivors and allies created a beautiful monument to honour the people who were inmates of Huronia. Advocacy for an improved burial site continues. For more information, please visit https://www.remembereveryname.ca/


]]> 2022-02-09 15:28:34 UTC https://padlet.com/robinarnott88/vfmr1c3b713sqsuk/wish/2038166104 INSIDE robinarnott88 https://padlet.com/robinarnott88/vfmr1c3b713sqsuk/wish/2038353623 2022-02-09 16:44:36 UTC https://padlet.com/robinarnott88/vfmr1c3b713sqsuk/wish/2038353623 OUTSIDE robinarnott88 https://padlet.com/robinarnott88/vfmr1c3b713sqsuk/wish/2038394781 2022-02-09 16:59:20 UTC https://padlet.com/robinarnott88/vfmr1c3b713sqsuk/wish/2038394781 1839-1861 robinarnott88 https://padlet.com/robinarnott88/vfmr1c3b713sqsuk/wish/2393406742 The Provincial Lunatic Asylum was created in an old Toronto Jail, and later a larger institution was built at 999 Queen Street West (Remember Every Name, 2022). This location now houses the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH)(Remember Every Name, 2022). 

The Provincial Lunatic Asylum quickly became overcrowded, and several branches were built (Remember Every Name, 2022). ]]> 2022-11-22 01:57:56 UTC https://padlet.com/robinarnott88/vfmr1c3b713sqsuk/wish/2393406742 1949-1960 robinarnott88 https://padlet.com/robinarnott88/vfmr1c3b713sqsuk/wish/2405538955
In 1949, 196 new inmates were brought to the institution. 310 more were moved in by 1959. In 1960, reports showed that 3 new inmates were brought in each day (Berton, 1960/2013).
Beds were crammed together, head to head, less than a foot apart (Berton, 1960/2013). 

]]> 2022-12-01 17:57:21 UTC https://padlet.com/robinarnott88/vfmr1c3b713sqsuk/wish/2405538955