From the P.O.V of one of Quaker reformers:

Eastern state was a place for prisoners to come to terms with what they’d done, and to pray in solitude for forgiveness.

Eastern state penitentiary is an exemplary pioneer in the pursuit of reforming prisoners through isolation.

The idea of reforming prisoners rather than just looking them up was revolutionary and enlightening, even though it tended not to work in the practices Eastern State used.

It should work cause the nature of human beings is kindness, so as long as they stay alone and contemplate, they will eventually find the way to their true heart.

Eastern state penitentiary was for the most part a failure: prisoners found ways to communicate and rebel, and often played or refused the help of their reformers.

ESP was a place where they believed prisoners in solidarity would be able to repent for their sins, so that upon their release they would live more wholesome lives.

Eastern state provided prisoners with ample time and silence to think over their wrong doings, confess and improve themselves.

Eastern state Pen was efficient in providing an isolated environment for convicts to think about their wrongdoings and give penance.

I am disappointed by the loss of the original mission statement (now they lost the part about isolation), but proud of how it affected other prisons throughout the world.

“Flawed from the start.”

“ESP is a decaying island that stands as a reminder of the suffering it caused.”

“I see this place the same way I saw it years ago: broken, cold, and useless.”

“Far more strict and penalizing than how it is now. Happy it doesn’t exist anymore.”

“Small sense of satisfaction that it failed because of its unrealistic goals.”

“It was not a luxury to live in it, to be confined to your thoughts.”

“Gone are the tiny insanity-inspiring chambers, replaced by shared-chambers capable of providing a life to their inhabitants.”

“The endless and repeating days are terrible.”

“But sitting here for 5 years, isolated, dark, lonely, I really want real life.”

“These wall that used to be crisp white are falling down, the whole structure of the building is decaying. It has all passed.”

“For prisoners inside, it’s not much different: no freedom, isolated, frustrating, desperate and somehow made the lonely people more aggressive.”

“It is very much the same; It is broken and not useful.”

“It is ridiculous and useless. Why are these visitors visiting?”

If I get any words wrong, can you comment to it so that every one else can see?:)

The original design of Eastern state forced people to really look into themselves and their actions, alone in a cell with nothing to do but explore your own mind allows a person to form a new perspective on themself.

Eastern State seemed more like a place of torture than reform. Solitary confinement can quickly make a person go mad, so I understand why Eastern State had so many problems, especially after getting a short glimpse at what the prisoners experienced.

ESP is an important but also overcelebrated milestone in American history with an interesting and rich history. ESP cells are lonely but also made me realize our own dependence on technology.

I found the cell to be interesting. Due to time constraints, myself and two others sat in the cell at the same time, but we did our best to ignore each other. I meditated for the half hour, found it very relaxing. Found myself annoyed by the little sounds the others made, very annoyed by the passing tours (and, admittedly, amused then they exclaimed about ‘how creepy’ the people in the cell were).

It is a cold penitentiary consisting of 10 cells, which are both better than how I thought it would be, and also worse than my original imagination.

The cell is cold and a little bit smelly. I am afraid and do not want to stay any longer at all. The grey walls around me make me feel lonely and constrained. 

Eastern State Penitentiary was an innovative attempt at changing the very hearts of prisoners, but which failed to take into account the role of kindness.

Prison reform in Eastern State was one of the cruelest and severe. Prisoner’s lack of communication and isolation did not aid in improvement but rather inspired rebellion.

It’s an inspiring and illuminating pioneer in reforming the prisons although it failed.

From the POV of a contemporary American citizen interested in prison reform, ESP was a place that shouldn’t be glorified as a breakthrough design.

The morals of Eastern State are questionable, and the role of success of reforming prisoners (rather than simply punishing them) is disappointingly low for how many people were forced to stay there.

“Freedom belongs to everyone, no matter who made mistakes or not.”

It is a place built to reform prisoners, and gives us hope since US has been striving to do so for a long time.

From the POV of a contemporary citizen who is interested in prison reform, ESP was a place that stripped people of what made them human, and prevented people from performing acts that keep people sane. It could almost be seen as a method of torture, where instead of helping people as the founders had hoped, it took away every liberty a person has.

The prison was a site of mental torture, inconceivably harsh to anyone who had not seen it with his own eyes.

Eastern State was an eerie place, not necessarily having the effects on its prisoners it hoped to.

Eastern State was a prison unlike any other, where the methods were so damaging to the human spirit, and was so radical that the fascination that came with the prison was far greater than the suffering.

It is a place where prisoners try to fight against isolation, which is meant by the builders in order to make the inmates contemplate and reflect towards reformation.

The prison would seem useless-does it really do anything for reform and penitence? Who rules the prison, the guard or the prisoners, comes into question.

ESP was a place you wouldn’t want to end up in lest you enjoyed the company of your own criminal soul and the judging eye of god.

Eastern State is truly unlike the other prisons today, prisoners must face perhaps the strongest punishment of our time, solitude.

This doesn’t work well-most of prisoners have no ability to read and spend their time (which is what they got) in trying to communicate with their neighbors.

Eastern State is not successful. Treating prisoners so cruelly with isolation will only drive them madder.

Testament to the failure of the American Dream.

Like all the others, it ended up a very expensive storage areas for criminals.

Is it practical?

Today this pattern still continues but in a subtler way.

There are still hundred of thousands of prisoners today kept in dungeons, medieval-like conditions, for years, huge portion of their lifetimes, with nothing but (conditions?) for their brains to to (ziet?), be warped, and emerge with hatred, anger, and frustration toward the world.

(I couldn't read two of the words.)

Once prison was reform, now it is anti-recidivist and a source of income.

These two things (great conditions and to be pentitent) are irrelevant, and may lead people to thinking committing a crime isn't a big deal, because prison isn't too bad anyway. 

It started out as an attempt to reform individulas but even now the corruption and evolution of corruption is visible in the empty space. 

It might be easier or safer for some of them to stay in jail. 

The original idea of build such prison is good. But the truth is, it overlook the prisoners' crazy behavior. 

I disagree with the way prison is ran by today, but I'm quite confused whether as before, far more strict, is better because less people were imprisoned or if today's system, a better sustained prison life is a better alternative yet having more prisoners.

Lately it seems as though a consciousness raising has been happening regarding preconceived thoughts on certain areas of language and associations. One area in particular has peaked my interest--a general fear of the term "feminist". A recent Jezebel article, to which I have posted the link below, highlights a deeply misplaced rejection of that term by current public figures. "Feminist" has moved from being a word used to describe politically active, socially aware people to one invoking images of angry, man-hating monsters hell-bent on shrieking at any innocent, simply to cause a scene. Society has fueled a negative bias against the term, and it has infected many, impeding on the cause. One of the first times I became aware of such an apprehension was while talking with a close friend from home. Since I met her in middle school, she has always wanted to be a pilot in the air force; currently, she is on the path to doing so. During our discussion, she mentioned that she doesn't consider herself a feminist, because "women are basically equal", and that feminists are "too aggressive" for her. She didn't even realize her ability to peruse her chosen career is entirely due to the feminist movement, let alone the fact that the current military system is still profoundly kyriarchal and, frankly, dangerous for many women/minorities, and that feminist work is necessary to combat such issues.