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Sterilization at the Minnesota School for the Feeble-Minded: Sterilization is a form of permanent birth control usually administered through the tying of the fallopian tubes. Sterilizations became popular in early 1900s with the rise of eugenics. Eugenics promoted the ideology of creating a society free of poverty and crime by reducing fertility in the “undesirable”. States took up this new science in hopes of reaping the benefits of a better society. Institutions were set in place in states such as California, Michigan, North Carolina, Minnesota and many more. Of the institutions that provided these sterilization services in Minnesota, the Faribault School for the Feeble-Minded was one of the most prominent. The Minnesota School for the Feeble-Minded was established in 1879 in Faribault, Minnesota. The school opened as a hospital and school for the “feeble-minded” and epileptics. The school went through a number of name changes including Minnesota Institute for the Deaf, Dumb and Blind (1879), Minnesota Institute for Defectives (1887), School for Feeble-Minded and Colony for Epileptics (1887), Minnesota School and Colony (1949), Faribault State School and Hospital (1955), the Faribault State Hospital (1967), and Faribault Regional Center (1985) and eventually closed in 1998.

Sterilization: Sterilizations took place between the mid 20’s and late 50’s, their popularity came from the rise of eugenics and the passing of the 1925 law that permitted sterilization when the state was in legal guardianship or with the consent of a family member. State guardianship was granted to any citizen, any age deemed feeble-minded, insane, inebriate, dependent or delinquent. The state also passed a law in 1901 that did allow marriage if one the partners was “feeble-minded”, insane or epileptic. Most of these sterilizations were targeted to poor women who were sexually promiscuous and had poor morals as well as women with children who were unmarried. People believed these sterilizations were beneficial to society because they reduced the amount of work for social workers, it was a form a birth control when there were not many other options, it reduced public expenditures and was a platform for fertility studies.

Determining the Feeble-Minded: Minnesota’s law for sterilization of a citizen under state guardianship required a board, made of two physicians and a judge, to approve the procedure. However, when a judge found someone to be “obviously feebleminded” he could override the system. The traits looked for in the “feeble-minded” were low IQ, health, family background, home environment, and school/work records. Often these “symptoms” were supported with erroneous traits such as promiscuity, poor morals and delinquency. Many of the women who were subject to sterilization were victims of physical or sexual abuse or other social factors that could have led to their delinquency and low morals. Many of these women’s records contained information such as alcohol use, religious beliefs and habits.

Example Record Scans from Faribault School: Medical Record 1: https://moodle2.umn.edu/pluginfile.php/825155/mod_resource/content/1/SCAN012.PDF https://moodle2.umn.edu/pluginfile.php/825155/mod_resource/content/1/SCAN012.PDF

Medical Record 2: https://moodle2.umn.edu/pluginfile.php/825195/mod_resource/content/1/SCAN013.PDF https://moodle2.umn.edu/pluginfile.php/825197/mod_resource/content/1/SCAN014.PDF

References: 1. Cardenas, Rick. "Historian Speaks on Sterilization in Minnesota Â« Access Press." Access Press RSS. N.p., n.d. Web. 05 Dec. 2012. 2. Hanna, G. C. "Occupational Efficiency of the Mentally Defective." N.p., n.d. Web. http://www.mnddc.org/past/pdf/20s/24/24-OEM-GCH.pdf. 3. Hatmaker, Susie, comp. "Medical Records." AMST3113W. Moodle2, n.d. Web. 9 Dec. 2012. . 4. Ladd-Taylor, Molly. "Eugenic Sterilization in Minnesota." Minnesota Historical Society, n.d. Web. 9 Dec. 2012. . 5. "Minnesota." Eugenics: Compulsory Sterilization in 50 American States. N.p., n.d. Web. 05 Dec. 2012. http://www.uvm.edu/~lkaelber/eugenics/MN/MN.html