On the site where San Francisco General Hospital now stands, a group of Irish nuns called the Sisters of Mercy opened an institution that was, at the time of its founding in 1856, a refuge for sex workers. Twelve years later, the Magdalen Asylum (today it’s unclear why the ‘e’ was dropped from the original Irish spelling of Magdalene) began taking in girls and women who had more generally been deemed in some way delinquent. These included petty criminals, “vagrants,” girls whose morals had been put into question and teens who lacked parental supervision.

<p>On the site where San Francisco General Hospital now stands, a group of Irish nuns called the Sisters of Mercy opened an institution that was, at the time of its founding in 1856, a refuge for sex workers. Twelve years later, the Magdalen Asylum (today it&rsquo;s unclear why the &lsquo;e&rsquo; was dropped from the original Irish spelling of Magdalene) began taking in girls and women who had more generally been deemed in some way delinquent. These included petty criminals, &ldquo;vagrants,&rdquo; girls whose morals had been put into question and teens who lacked parental supervision.</p>

KQED serves the people of Northern California with a community-supported alternative to commercial media. We provide citizens with the knowledge they need to make informed decisions; convene community dialogue; bring the arts to everyone; and engage audiences to share their stories.

<p>KQED serves the people of Northern California with a community-supported alternative to commercial media. We provide citizens with the knowledge they need to make informed decisions; convene community dialogue; bring the arts to everyone; and engage audiences to share their stories.</p>

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