A Letter From Dr. Ladd

The following letter addressed to the Director of Social Welfare (the agency responsible for overseeing the Exeter School) was written by Dr. Ladd in 1946. By this time, the second World War had come to an end, and eugenics had begun to fall out of favor in the United States in view of the war crimes perpetrated by Germany's Nazi regime halfway across the world.



The Doctor's proclivity for detaining women indefinitely at the institution throughout the 1920s, 1930s and beyond is well documented. Taking into further consideration his determination to sexually sterilize women - illegally - and in fact snuff out entire family lines, the question with which he concludes the following patient history raises some questions of its own:

Was Dr. Ladd beginning to doubt the basis upon which the Exeter School operated as a concentration camp for social undesirables? Or was his concern only that the institution was grossly overcrowded and could not possibly sustain its population? Or is his question rhetorical?


December 12, 1946
My Dear Mr. France,

Barbara was born in 1912 of parents said not to have been married one to the other. She was one of several siblings. One sister was the mother of an illegitimate child.

In 1923 she was committed to the State Home and School by the 6th District Court at the request of the RISPCC. Following is a statement concerning her behavior while there:

"The low type of sex perversion with which the child would maliciously involve all other children and attendant who come in contact with her in my estimation is of poor prognostic significance so far as being able to live in the community is concerned." -- Signed A.S. Briggs, M.D., Superintendent

Patient was admitted to the Exeter School from the State Home and School in 1926. Patient is a strong, robust, well developed individual, short in stature and somewhat overweight. Her health is excellent. She has an intelligence quotient of 71, and a slight impediment of speech in that she stammers some of the time.

Her behavior in the institution has been very erratic, one day she would be perfect, the next day she would be extremely disagreeable, pugnacious, and impudent. Her good days very greatly outweighed her bad days, and aside from her undue interest in sexual matters fir the most of the time she was quiet, well behaved, courteous, a willing and efficient worker. She took a great deal of interest in the piano music, and was of real assistance in teaching some of the younger children.

However, while here she had many homosexual love affairs, almost without exception with colored girls. The matron also reported her to be a chronic masturbator.

In view of this patient's reported excessive masturbation, homosexual love affairs, predilection for colored companions and history of illicit sexual experiences there would appear to be a perverse streak in her makeup which augurs ill for proper adjustment in the community.

This is one of the cases that raises doubts as to our justification in keeping this person confined. Intellectually this patient is well equipped to earn her living, and a good one and to take care of herself so far as material things are concerned. Her actions are not due to any intellectual defect, but are due to a defect of character or perversion of ideas. Intellectually she knows that the things she does are not considered to be the right things to do, but emotionally she does not accept this idea. Her further stay in the institution will accomplish no useful purpose except to possibly prevent her contracting some venereal disease or becoming pregnant, and to remove her from society as a possible contaminant. Is this our function?

Very truly yours,
Joseph H. Ladd, MD, Superintendent


Barbara was discharged in 1947 after 20 years of confinement. The only reason given for her discharge was written: "Not feeble-minded."