A Historic Landmark in Bentley's Backyard: The Fernald School's Role in Disability, Past and Present - April 2, 2026

Alex Green, Adjunct Lecturer in Public Policy at Harvard Kennedy School and visiting scholar at Brandeis' Lurie Institute for Disability Policy. Author, A Perfect Turmoil: Walter E Fernald and the Struggle to Care for America's Disabled

The Fernald State School lies in ruins at the edge of Bentley's campus but was once a global destination at the forefront of education, policy, medicine, government, and even the business of what it means to be disabled in America. The first public institution for the education of people with intellectual disabilities in America, it became world-renowned under the direction of Dr. Walter E. Fernald, an enigmatic figure whose shadow hung over the institution until it closed in 2014.