Logging the Lives of the Children of the Dr. W.F. Roberts Hospital-School, Saint John, New Brunswick, 1965-85

Stefanie Slaunwhite, University of New Brunswick

When it comes to historical research regarding children, scholars should be skeptical of the sources they consult. In the case of the Dr. W.F. Roberts Hospital-School, located in Saint John, New Brunswick, the archival record is rich with administrative details, legislative accounts, and newspaper articles. However, there is one distinct element missing, and that is the voice of the children themselves. Using a critical disability studies lens, this paper will interrogate and extrapolate from one of the few archival sources that offer insight into the daily lives of the children at the WFRHS: the ward logbook. The logbook from 1981 is the only extant logbook in the fond located at the Provincial Archives of New Brunswick. This book includes hand-written entries from staff members and offers a rare glimpse into daily interactions on the units. It must also be considered carefully. For example, restraint was a commonly used punishment within the institution, and is spoken about rather casually and regularly in the record. The record does not include any signs of corporal punishment or abuse, but does record bruises, scrapes, and scratches of undetermined origins. Therefore, these records must be read against the grain to gain understanding of a troubled and tumultuous past. While the hospital-school was heralded as a modernized facility for children with disabilities, this logbook illuminates the true nature of the WFRHS as a reformatory and regulatory institution for children with behavioral issues.

No extended abstract or paper available

 Presented in Session 41. Challenges of Childhood in the Late Twentieth Century