District News

As part of a Bernards High School unit on overlooked chapters in American history, students in the Untold Histories elective had the opportunity to meet Kristen Martin, a journalist and author of ‘The Sun Won’t Come Out Tomorrow: The Dark History of Orphanages in the USA.’

In preparation, students read two chapters of her book, including one on the Orphan Trains-a 19th-century program that relocated impoverished children from New York City to rural homes in the Midwest. Though often framed as a benevolent rescue effort, Martin’s research uncovered a far more complicated and often troubling reality.

During her visit, she shared insights into her investigative process, including time spent in historical archives uncovering records from the Children’s Aid Society. She spoke candidly about the challenges of constructing a narrative from incomplete, contradictory, or biased sources-a struggle familiar to historians. Martin’s work aligns closely with the goals of the course, as it challenges popular myths (like those found in Oliver Twist or Little Orphan Annie) and reveals the deeper truths behind the American orphanage system. Her book sheds light on how the history of orphanhood intersects with key periods in U.S. history, including post-Civil War reconstruction, industrialization, and the nation’s ongoing development. The class is looking forward to an upcoming walking tour field trip related to the curriculum.