Established in 1884, the State Home and School for Children was one of America’s first post-Civil War public orphanages and the first state home for dependent, neglected, delinquent, and disabled children in Rhode Island. It consisted of dormitories for boys and girls, a hospital, school, chapel, farm, greenhouses, icehouse, and cemetery that were added over the years. In 1948, the State Home was renamed the O’Rourke Children’s Center. Over its 100-year history, the State Home became several different institutions with its mission and role constantly changing. In 1977, the Rhode Island legislature called for the Home’s closure due to mistreatment of children. Following its closure in May of 1979, its functions were taken over by the Department of Children, Youth and Families (DCYF) in 1980. Currently, Rhode Island College’s east campus includes the former grounds of the State Home/Children’s Center. Many efforts have been undertaken to preserve the grounds, specifically the Yellow Cottage, one of the original dormitories and the last remaining building of the Home.
The collection contains the records of the Rhode Island State Home and School which detail the identities and lives of the children who were placed in and out of the home. The collection also includes research projects, articles, clippings, programs, interviews, and typed transcripts relating to Rhode Island College’s Oral History Project on the State Home and School.
Researchers are advised to contact Rhode Island College Special Collections for questions regarding permissions to reproduce, distribute, or otherwise publish material from this collection. Although Rhode Island College has physical ownership of the collection, it does not necessarily hold literary rights. It is up to the researcher to determine the owners of the literary rights and to obtain any necessary permissions from them.
As the State Home and School ledgers (series 1) contain sensitive information regarding persons who may still be living, they are closed for a period of 72 years from the date of the last entry, which parallels the schedule for release of federal census information. Ledgers containing medical information are restricted for 100 years from date of the last entry. Photography or reproductions of these ledgers will not be allowed without the permission of the Rhode Island College Special Collections Librarian. Reproductions may be redacted by Special Collections staff prior to dissemination. The unrestricted portions of volumes which also contain restricted data may be viewed under close supervision of the Special Collections Librarian. Scholars who desire statistical information from the records may be, at the discretion of the Special Collections Librarian, permitted to view the records, though no notes may be taken regarding names of children. Additionally, two oral histories in the collection (series 3) are also restricted and will be redacted by Special Collections staff prior to researcher access. Please contact Rhode Island College Special Collections regarding access to this collection.
Rhode Island State Home and School records, MSS-0039, Special Collections, James P. Adams Library, Rhode Island College.
The collection has been arranged into the following series and subseries:
The ledgers were formally transferred by DCYF to Rhode Island College in 2006. Other materials in the collection (series 2 and 3) were added to the collection by Rhode Island College Special Collections staff or transferred to Special Collections by their creators. Additions to the collection were donated in 2025 by Cary Donaldson, a professor at Rhode Island College's School of Social Work, who received the materials related to the State Home and School Project from Diane Martell.
A majority of the ledgers in this collection (series 1) were initially described by Sandra Enos, a RIC Sociology Department Professor, in 2001. In 2023, the items in series 2 and 3 were added to the collection and the collection described by Special Collections intern, Melissa Moniz, under the direction of Digital Archivist and Special Collections Librarian, Veronica L. Denison. Additional material was added and described by Denison in 2024 and Special Collections Assistant Anne Boylan in 2025.
It is believed the ledgers in this collection were held in the Rhode Island Department of Education Offices at 22 Hayes St in Providence as the State Home and School was under the administrative mantle of the Department of Education. There was a fire in the building, which may have resulted in damage to some of the ledgers. The records were transferred to Rhode Island College circa 1976 when the Department of Children, Youth, and Families (DCYF) was formed. The ledgers were kept in the basement of Building 9 on RIC’s campus until the mid-1990s. They were then housed in the office of the Associate Director of DCYF.
Works used in preparation of inventory: Morenon, E. Pierre. Rediscovering Lost Innocence: Archaeology at the State Home and School. Rowman & Littlefield, 2018. “Stories from the Rhode Island State Home and School.” YouTube, uploaded by Rhode Island College. 2 Mar. 2017, www.youtube.com/watch?v=NRxYRF05t28.
Rhode Island State Archives has additional collections of the State Home and School, Rhode Island Department of Social Welfare, and the Rhode Island Department of Children, Youth, and Families.
Books were removed and added to the Special Collections Rare Books Collections: A copy of “Young Folks’ Uncle Tom’s Cabin” that was from the State Home and School, and a Bible given to a resident of the State Home and School in 1949, which was then donated to Special Collections by Ann Gordon. The ledgers in the collection were cleaned and repaired by Northeast Document Conservation Center (NEDCC). Several of the ledgers were rebound for preservation purposes with the original bindings returned to Special Collections separately. Additionally, several blank pages that were heavily stained or damaged from water and/or mold were removed from some ledgers by NEDCC. Fitted enclosures were also made for every ledger. The information in the ledgers was not impacted and the integrity of the items remains intact. There is evidence, however, that some ledger pages were removed prior to the ledgers being repaired by NEDCC and being transferred to RIC Special Collections. The appearance of missing pages is noted in the initial NEDCC preservation assessment completed in 2006. Please contact Special Collections for further information.
The collection includes CDs, DVDs, audiocassettes, and VHS that are only available in digital format and are available for listening and viewing in the Rhode Island College Special Collections Reading Room. For more information about potential distance access to these records, please contact the Rhode Island College Special Collections.
Note: Ledgers 4 and 28 are restricted for 72 years from the date of the last entry in the ledger due to the presence of sensitive information regarding persons who are still living. This parallels the schedule for release of federal census information. Ledger 2 is restricted for 100 years from the date of the last entry due to containing medical information. Photography or reproductions of the ledgers will not be allowed without the permission of the Rhode Island College Special Collections Librarian. Reproductions may be redacted by Special Collections staff prior to dissemination. The unrestricted portions of volumes which also contain restricted data may be viewed under close supervision of the Special Collections Librarian. Scholars who desire statistical information from the records may be, at the discretion of the Special Collections Librarian, permitted to view the records, though no notes may be taken that include the names of children. Photography of the restricted ledgers is not allowed.
The subseries contains a visitors log that includes the name of visitor, agency or town, position, and date of visit. Later entries include the relationship to the child, the child’s name, and the city or town of the visitor. There is a time lapse in the log from November 1905 to April 7, 1913. In later entries, the date of the visit is not given, but instead visitors are grouped by the month in which they visited.
The subseries contains an isolation (due to illness) register. Entries usually include the name of the child, the date and reason for visit, and a file number; some entries also show action, such as if they were transferred to Exeter; and a discharge date. However, throughout the register, there are differences in the level of information provided.
Restricted until 2059 due to the presence of medical information
Most of the names of the ledgers were taken from the title embossed on the original ledger. The listings in the ledgers often include the child’s name, reference number, town and state of origin, date committed, age, year of maturity, nativity, and religion. Some of the intake ledgers also detail the parents’ conditions, placements, and their ability. Some include information on children's indenture, including the indenture case number, guardian name, town and city, and P.O. Box. Adoption and the adoptive name are also included. In most ledgers, there are additional remarks on the case on the right page, including whether the child was removed from the home and re-placed or whether the child was moved to Sockanosett. In items 5-10, children are listed alphabetically with cross-references to individual page numbers. In items 11-18, 21, and 23-27, entries on individual pages include management issues at the facility, like ice cutting, as well as the hiring and discharging of staff. There are pages titled “Children received” which include case number, child name, arrival date, date of birth, and age of child. There are also records of children placed in homes, returned from homes, information on vacation leaves by staff, and those hired and those that left employment. However, items 17 and 21 exclude employee information. Some ledgers include additional information not stated above; however, this is noted in the individual item list when applicable.
The ledger contains account information of certain children at the facility. On the numbered pages, records show date, child’s name, account brought forward from another ledger, amount received, amount adjusted for expenses, and a balance for each account. Outstanding balances were given to children at discharge. There is a receipt signed by the Superintendent in the amount of $25. Individual records are shown for children with last names starting with BA to BL. All other pages (61-189) are missing.
Includes date of commitment, child’s name, worker initials, placement date, and return date. If applicable, dates to and from the infirmary, and if/when they ran away and if/when they returned. The ledger also includes information on placements at Sockanosett, Exeter, and the date the children’s information was sent to the Census Office. In a latter part of the ledger, there are entries whether a letter was sent to the parent(s), date the child was sent to other institutions if applicable, and notations of religion and birthplace.
Restricted until 2031
Includes information about casework, reasons for entry into the State Home and School, and difficulty of placing children. The information on indenture indicates places where people originated from to adopt the children.
Most daily pages are blank. There are various lists at the end of the diary. “Children transferred” includes name of child, place child came from and where they were going, a file cross-reference number, and an indication whether the place was free (F) or boarding (B). “Children placed in home” includes name of child, where they were placed, date, and file cross-reference number. “Children placed in institutions” and “Returned from institutions” includes date, name of child, and institution name. “Officers hired” includes name, date hired, position filled, and rate paid. “Officers resigned” includes date, name, status, returned or “out at year end.” “Children committed” includes date, name, sex, commitment number, date of birth, case number, committed by, where child came from, relatives, and cottage assignment. “Children returned” includes date, child name, return address name, whether arrangement was free or boarding.
Restricted until 2043.
Blank/Never used
The series contains assorted documents pertaining to the State Home and School, including clippings, journal articles, research projects, programs, and correspondence. Recorded footage of news segments and interviews regarding the State Home and School Project are also included.
All documents in the folders relate to the State Home Oral History Project, including meeting minutes, correspondence, invoices, programs, resident gathering notes, and documents regarding the Yellow Cottage. Recordings and transcripts of interviews from Rhode Island College’s Oral History Project are also included.
This subseries contains meeting minutes, correspondence, drafts of publications, conference presentations, documents regarding the Yellow Cottage, and grant and funding documents produced by the State Home and School Oral History Project steering committee.
This subseries contains transcripts of oral histories collected by Rhode Island College’s State Home and School Oral History Project. Transcripts 1 and 7 are restricted; contact Special Collections to request access to redacted versions.