Through the Lens of John McGill

Written and curated by Payton James, in collaboration with the 2026 Mansfield Training School Memorial and Museum Research Team.

John McGill photographed life at Mansfield Training School while completing his Master of Fine Arts in photography at the University of Connecticut from 1969 to 1972. With permission granted by the institution, he created a body of work for his MFA portfolio. For this gallery, a subset of McGill’s photographs were selected by Payton James and Jess Holleran, members of our Summer 2026 student research team, to represent recurring themes found throughout his documentation of Mansfield Training School and across the broader archival collections.

The process of selecting and presenting these photographs raises questions about how historical images should be presented. As discussed in Behind the Black Bar, decisions about what is visible and what is obscured can affect how viewers understand the people depicted. Similarly, Can and Should a Caption Ever Truly Be Objective? examines how the language placed alongside a photograph shapes what viewers notice and how they interpret what they see. The photographs in this gallery are therefore presented with an awareness that neither the images nor the words accompanying them can provide a complete account of the lives they document.

Black-and-white photograph of the entrance to Mansfield Training School on a foggy day. A stone wall runs along the roadside in the foreground, with a large sign reading "Mansfield Training School, Department of Health, State of Connecticut." Institutional buildings and leafless trees are faintly visible through the dense mist in the background, while utility poles and overhead wires frame the right side of the image.

Isolation

Life in an institution often meant separation from one’s home, family, and personal autonomy. Isolation shaped many residents’ experiences, whether physically or emotionally. These photographs offer glimpses into residents’ experiences of isolation. 

Black-and-white photograph showing only the lower half of a seated person on a patterned tile floor. One hand rests beside several stacked plastic cups, while the rest of the body is partially obscured by a wall.
Black-and-white photograph looking through institutional doors toward a resident sitting alone on the floor in a room beyond.
Black-and-white photograph of four people gathered on the front steps of a brick building. Three sit cross-legged on the sidewalk while another sits in a chair in the doorway, and they appear to be talking casually. In the foreground, out of focus, a fifth person lies on the ground with their face turned upward, creating a layered composition that draws attention to both the relaxed group and the blurred figure closest to the camera.
Black-and-white photograph of a person lying curled on the floor in a patch of sunlight. A striped helmet and a pair of shoes rest beside them, with a brick wall in the background.
Black-and-white close-up photograph of a person lying curled on their side with their knees drawn to their chest. Their face is turned away from the camera as they rest on a pillow.
Resident wearing a protective helmet sits on a wooden chair in the corner of a room enclosed by wooden partitions.
Two residents lie on a tiled hallway floor near a wall, with one in the foreground and another farther down the corridor.
Resident lies beneath a stationary playground merry-go-round outdoors with head and arms tucked underneath himself, faced down.
Black-and-white photograph of a tiled hallway outside a dormitory room. One person stands facing the corner with their forehead against the wall, while another looks through a partially open doorway into a room lined with beds. An EXIT sign hangs above the doorway.
Black-and-white photograph of a person lying on their side on a floor cushion beneath a window with curtains. Sunlight casts the shadow of another person across the wall above them, and part of another person's legs are visible at the edge of the frame.
Black-and-white photograph of a person sitting cross-legged on a tiled floor facing a closed door. They hold a long object in one hand, and the hallway is lined with tiled walls and doors on either side.

Injuries

Life in the Mansfield Training School institution presented risks to residents’ health. Close living quarters contributed to the spread of illness, while some residents also experienced visible injuries. These images are glimpses of the health-related challenges of life at the Mansfield Training School.

Black-and-white photograph of a resident seated in a bathtub against a tiled wall, with arms raised and mouth open. Dark stains are visible on the resident's shirt and pants.
Black-and-white photograph of a resident lying in bed beneath a blanket, facing the camera with an eye covered by a bandage and protective eye patch. Additional beds extend into the background.
Black-and-white photograph of multiple residents lying on cots arranged in rows inside a large room while a staff member stands among them. Tables, stacked chairs, and colorful themed wall decorations are visible in the background.
Black-and-white close-up photograph of a resident's face showing stitches above one eyebrow while looking upward with mouth partially open.

Anger

Institutionalization limited residents’ control over their own lives and independence. Moments of anger are preserved throughout McGill’s photographs.

Black-and-white photo of a boy lying on the ground outdoors, wearing a white shirt tied at the waist with a dark sash, looking up toward the camera.
Black-and-white photograph of two children in a tiled hallway engaged in a physical altercation in front of a closed door. One child is pushing the other against the door with both hands, while the other leans back with their hands raised defensively. Motion blur emphasizes the struggle.

Living Conditions

Mansfield Training School was designed to house hundreds, even thousands, of residents at this time. The buildings, dormitories, and other common spaces shaped residents’ privacy and their sense of “home.” These photographs document the physical environment that influenced residents’ everyday experiences. 

Black-and-white photo of a dormitory-style room with rows of low partition dividers separating beds, each with a nightstand. Several boys peek over the partitions from adjoining bed areas; curtained windows line the tiled wall in the background.
Black-and-white photograph of a person lying face down across the edge of a large institutional bathtub, with one arm hanging over the side in a tiled bathing room.
Black-and-white photograph of a group of children standing along a cinder block wall in a tiled hallway. Several children appear to be interacting or jostling with one another, while others stand apart or look toward the camera. Some faces and bodies are blurred, suggesting movement.

Occupational Therapy

A common feature of disability institutional programming has long been preparing, or “rehabilitating,”  patients for the workforce. Oftentimes this occupational “therapy” was also a way that institutions could avoid hiring additional staff; these pictures offer a glimpse of what that practice looked like at Mansfield.

Black-and-white photograph of a resident standing behind large metal cooking pots in an institutional kitchen, looking to the side. Large windows and industrial kitchen equipment are visible in the background.
A person stands beside a mop bucket and mop in a tiled hallway, leaning against the mop handle in front of a closed door. A drinking fountain is mounted on the wall to the right.
A person wearing a winter coat and knit hat sweeps an outdoor concrete walkway with a broom while standing in front of a brick building entrance. A pair of gloves rests on the ground nearby.

Seeking Comfort

At Mansfield Training School, many of the residents relied on one another for companionship. Living apart from their families, residents often found comfort in the relationships they formed with fellow residents. These photographs reflect those opportunities for connection. 

Two residents sit together in a worn upholstered chair, with one wearing a protective helmet and the other sitting on his lap leaning against him.
Two residents embrace outdoors while standing together; another person walks in the background.
Two residents sit closely together by a window, with one resting their head against the other's shoulder and chest.
A resident sits on the floor leaning over and resting his head on another seated elderly resident who smiles.

Bright Spots

Life at Mansfield Training School was complex. Residents experienced joy alongside the real challenges of institutionalization. It is likely that no two residents experienced the school in the same way. These moments capture laughter, recreation, and the individuality of the people who lived there. 

Black-and-white photograph of several residents outdoors on a winter day. Two wheelchairs are aligned on a sidewalk while other residents stand or walk nearby in front of an institutional building.
Black-and-white photograph of a smiling resident seated indoors with chin resting on one hand, looking toward the camera. A blurred figure appears in the background.
A resident sits smiling at the camera while an older resident leans down to plant a kiss atop his head.

Moments of Notice

Some photographs stay with you, even if you cannot explain exactly why. These images do not fit neatly into another theme, but each stood out in their own way, eliciting unique reactions and shared conversation among the Summer 2026 research team members. 

Black-and-white photograph of a child looking upward through the wired-glass window of a closed door, with one hand raised against the glass.
Black-and-white photograph of a person seated in a wheelchair with their upper body bent to the side, facing a shelf filled with stuffed animals, toys, and other objects in a recreation area.
Black-and-white close-up portrait of a person resting one hand on their head and the other over their mouth while looking directly toward the camera.
A black and white photograph of two Mansfield Training School residents. One sits near the camera with his mouth open and the other sits in the backdrop with his face in his hands.
Black-and-white photo of a group of boys in a tiled institutional room, seated in metal-frame chairs arranged haphazardly. Several chairs with white linens sit in the foreground; a boy climbs over the back of a chair while others sit nearby.
Black-and-white photograph of two people standing on a road between institutional buildings. One person smiles while wearing a wide-brimmed hat and long coat, while the other stands behind with one arm in a sling.