Discussion question 4- SPOILER ALERT

[Kristin]

The Seviers seem to have adopted the Foss girls with good intentions. Do you think they were aware of or at all suspicious of Georgia Tann’s methods? Should they have been?

[Michele]

I don't think they were aware of Georgia Tann's intentions really until she came back and blackmailed them. I think they should haven been alarmed when Fern kept wetting the bed and when May was stand offish with them. Especially after she tensed up with the friends comment. I would think that if you had wanted kids that bad you would have wanted to hear or press more about what went on at the children's home I guess.

[Tiffany]

I agree with Michelle I don't think they had any idea. Even when they were blackmailed I don't think they realized the extent of her madness.

[Kristin]

Can you imagine seeing some of those ads in the paper to "bring this one home for Christmas" or whatever else it said. Like buying a kid from the paper, like a dog, was actually a thing. I was shocked that this was a thing that happened. I don't think the Seviers (edit: not the Foss) family knew. But, I can't believe that they weren't more inquisitive. But, I suppose people back then didn't think like we do now. It's hard to put your perspective from 'today' on people from back then. I also wanted Rill to tell them, once she went back, the whole story. Maybe then, those powerful families could have done something. Maybe. Then again, maybe they would be ashamed or embarrassed. What a crazy historical story. I can't stop thinking about all those kids, stolen, sold, killed. Unimaginable.

[Michele]

I think the Foss family if they knew all that went on would have been able to do much as they weren't high in the society ranks and had no political pull, and were probably not well like by the local police units being nomads and were probably harassed a lot because of that. But I figured the Seivers would have tried to do something once they realized that they were going to be blackmailed vs moving to a completely different state. But I always had a good vibe from Mr. Seivers. I figured he would have made a bigger stink about Georgia Tann and her coniving ways.

[Kristin]

Michele wrote: "I think the Foss family if they knew all that went on would have been able to do much as they weren't high in the society ranks and had no political pull, and were probably not well like by the loc..."

I meant the Seviers in my response!! Oops. The Foss family had no options!!

[Jessica]

I don't think any of the families who chose to adopt through G. Tann were aware of it. I think had they been, they would have tried to shut it down earlier. It went on for so long because the first children that came through there had to become adults and start speaking up about what was happening before something could be done.

[Cassandra]

If it were today I think the kids' mental health would have been a red flag that something was wrong at the orphanage, but I don't think parents were quite aware of stuff like that back then and would probably not think the worst of Ms Tann right away. I can only imagine the tales she spun about kids that parents didn't question. The blackmail though, Mr. Sevier knew right away it was bullshit.