Near Petersburg in Dinwiddie County, Virginia — The American South (Mid-Atlantic)
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Petersburg State Colony for the Negro Insane
Petersburg, Virginia
— Dinwiddie County —
Photographed By Bernard Fisher, October 18, 2009
1. Petersburg State Colony for the Negro Insane CRIEHT Marker
Inscription.
Petersburg State Colony for the Negro Insane. Petersburg, Virginia. , In 1938 the Virginia Assembly chartered a residential care facility for mentally retarded African-American males between 8 and 21 years of age. The Petersburg State Colony for the Negro Insane, as it was named, was located on the present site of Richard Bland College about seven miles southwest of here. A female unit housing 70 women was added in 1941., At the beginning of the 20th Century, the terms “idiot”, “imbecile”, and “moron” were commonly used legal definitions for the mentally retarded. Care for the mentally handicapped at this time was not directed at education, but at bare maintenance. There were no admission criteria, and young people and hardened criminals were placed together., From 1943 to 1952, as attitudes changed and the idea of occupational education began to take hold, the Colony became a training school, similar to a boarding school. Criminals were discharged, the atmosphere changed, and the facility was renamed “Evergreen” because of its beautiful green setting., In 1960, the institution moved to its current 66-acre site across from Central State Hospital and its name was changed to the Petersburg Training School. In 1967 the facility was integrated, and in 1971 the facility received an influx of clients with mental retardation from Central State Hospital. This was the result of a legislative decision to separate persons with mental retardation from those who were mentally ill. At this time the name was changed again to the Petersburg Training School and Hospital., When the services and facilities were expanded in 1975, the facility was renamed the Southside Virginia Training Center for the Mentally Retarded. The Training Center is one of five regional centers in the state to provide health, habitation and educational services for those eligible and stands as an example of the change in policy and attitude toward the education of persons with mental retardation through the years., (sidebar) , (Above) Built in 1904, the Female Psychopathic Building was occupied on all floors for dormitory purposes for female psychopathic patients. Clients with mental retardation were housed in this Central State Hospital building along with the mentally ill before the 1971 legislative change to separate them., (Top Left) The Training Shop and Implement Storage Building was a two story frame building with an ordinary wood joist roof covered with metal. The first floor, which was entirely open, had an earth floor and was used for the storage of farm implements. In the center of the building was a small enclosed portion which contained a pipeless furnace which heated the training shop second floor., (Bottom Left) This is a one story Quonset building with cinder block foundations. The building was used as a barber and beauty shop for patients., (Above Right) The Milk Barn was a two story frame building with an ordinary wood joist roof. The first floor contained forty-four metal cattle stanchions. The second floor was used for storage of feed. The building had no means of artificial heat and was lighted by electricity.
In 1938 the Virginia Assembly chartered a residential care facility for mentally retarded African-American males between 8 and 21 years of age. The Petersburg State Colony for the Negro Insane, as it was named, was located on the present site of Richard Bland College about seven miles southwest of here. A female unit housing 70 women was added in 1941.
At the beginning of the 20th Century, the terms “idiot”, “imbecile”, and “moron” were commonly used legal definitions for the mentally retarded. Care for the mentally handicapped at this time was not directed at education, but at bare maintenance. There were no admission criteria, and young people and hardened criminals were placed together.
From 1943 to 1952, as attitudes changed and the idea of occupational education began to take hold, the Colony became a training school, similar to a boarding school. Criminals were discharged, the atmosphere changed, and the facility was renamed “Evergreen” because of its beautiful green setting.
In 1960, the institution moved to its current 66-acre site across from Central State Hospital and its name was changed to the Petersburg Training School. In 1967 the facility was integrated, and in 1971 the facility received an influx of clients with mental retardation from Central State Hospital. This was the result
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of a legislative decision to separate persons with mental retardation from those who were mentally ill. At this time the name was changed again to the Petersburg Training School and Hospital.
When the services and facilities were expanded in 1975, the facility was renamed the Southside Virginia Training Center for the Mentally Retarded. The Training Center is one of five regional centers in the state to provide health, habitation and educational services for those eligible and stands as an example of the change in policy and attitude toward the education of persons with mental retardation through the years.
(sidebar) (Above) Built in 1904, the Female Psychopathic Building was occupied on all floors for dormitory purposes for female psychopathic patients. Clients with mental retardation were housed in this Central State Hospital building along with the mentally ill before the 1971 legislative change to separate them.
(Top Left) The Training Shop and Implement Storage Building was a two story frame building with an ordinary wood joist roof covered with metal. The first floor, which was entirely open, had an earth floor and was used for the storage of farm implements. In the center of the building was a small enclosed portion which contained a pipeless furnace which heated the training shop second floor.
(Bottom
2. Civil Rights in Education Heritage Trail® Map.
Appomattox County
1. Winonah Camp/Mozella Price Home
2. Carver-Price School
3. Education in 1800's Rural Virginia
Buckingham County
4. One-Room Schoolhouse
5. Carter G. Woodson Birthplace
Cumberland County
6. Hamilton High School
7. Rosenwald School at Cartersville
8. Jackson Davis
Amelia County
9. Russell Grove Presbyterian Church and School
10. Mrs. Samantha Jane Neil
Chesterfield County
11. Virginia State University
Petersburg
12. Earliest Known Public High School for African Americans in Virginia
13. McKenney Library
14. The Peabody-Williams School
Dinwiddie County
15. Southside Virginia Training Center
16. Rocky Branch School
17. Early Education in Dinwiddie County
Nottoway County
18. Blackstone Female Institute
19. Mt. Nebo Church
20. Ingleside Training Institute
Lunenburg County
21. The People's Community Center
22. St. Matthew's Lutheran Church Christian Day School
Prince Edward County
23. Prince Edward County Public Schools
24. R. R. Moton High School
25. Farmville Female Seminary Association
26. First Baptist Church
27. Beulah AME Church
28. Hampden-Sydney College
Charlotte County
29. Southside Virginia Community College - John H. Daniel Campus
30. Charlotte County Library
31. Salem School
Halifax County
32. Meadville Community Center
33. Mary M. Bethune High School
34. Washington-Coleman Elementary School
35. Mizpah Church
Mecklenburg County
36. Thyne Institute
37. Boydton Academic and Bible Institute
Brunswick County
38. Southside Virginia Community College - Christanna Campus
39. Saint Paul's College
40. Hospital and School of the Good Shepherd
41. Fort Christanna
Left) This is a one story Quonset building with cinder block foundations. The building was used as a barber and beauty shop for patients.
(Above Right) The Milk Barn was a two story frame building with an ordinary wood joist roof. The first floor contained forty-four metal cattle stanchions. The second floor was used for storage of feed. The building had no means of artificial heat and was lighted by electricity.
Erected by Civil Rights in Education Heritage Trail®. (Marker Number 15.)
Location. This marker has been replaced by another marker nearby. It was located near 37° 12.611′ N, 77° 27.215′ W. Marker was near Petersburg, Virginia, in Dinwiddie County. Marker could be reached from 7th Avenue, half a mile north of Albermarle Street. This marker is on the grounds of Central State Hospital. Touch for map. Marker was in this post office area: Petersburg VA 23803, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Credits. This page was last revised on February 2, 2023. It was originally submitted on October 19, 2009, by Bernard Fisher of Richmond, Virginia. This page has been viewed 3,119 times since then and 173 times this year. Photos:1, 2, 3, 4. submitted on October 19, 2009, by Bernard Fisher of Richmond, Virginia.