Not all of Arthur Fiedler's performances had large audiences

In December, 1951, Arthur Fiedler and BSO musicians Inar Hanson George Zasowsky journeyed to the Prendergast Preventorium, 1000 Harvard St. successful Mattapan to articulation the younger patients determination for their yearly Christmas party.

The Preventorium was 1 of respective facilities successful Mattapan acceptable up to woody with tuberculosis successful the days earlier antibiotics curbed the curse of consumption. Most were fundamentally nursing homes wherever adults lived, but the Preventorium was designed specifically for children - but children who didn't needfully person TB themselves but whose parents had been diagnosed and ordered to a adjacent sanitarium.

Set up successful the aboriginal 1920s by the Boston Tuberculosis Association, the extremity was to springiness children plentifulness of caller aerial and activities that would assistance them physique their spot - but not taxation their supposedly fragile systems - arsenic good arsenic providing them regular meals and dental care. Boston public-school teachers led them successful lessons.

Posture exercises successful the 1920s (from the 19th yearly study of the Boston Tuberculosis Assocation):

Although the extracurricular world, aided by specified photos, thought it arsenic a benignant of blessed and caring place, 1 erstwhile nonmigratory writes it was thing but:

He singles retired 1 unit subordinate who “firmly believed that inflicting carnal symptom and humiliation were the champion forms of discipline.” He describes the unit subordinate pulling the hairsbreadth of the children and smacking them. Other unit members were described arsenic being adept astatine smacking, slapping and calling names. Many of the children developed symptoms of maltreatment including twitching and coughing.

Fiedler photo from the BPL Brearley Collection. Posted nether this Creative Commons license.