Abandoned Schools in Indiana: Forgotten Playgrounds

This is the third photoshoot I’ve done of abandoned schools in Indiana. Unlike the other two, this one had closed relatively recently.

Perhaps because of that, I could still hear the children playing.

Backed up to Indiana farmland, the wind whistled across the empty fields, carrying echoes of the daily songs that once filled the playground.

It was sad to see the swings moving in the breeze. The rusting hinges still calling out…come, swing with me.

Play is a rich, vital component of children’s learning. There will be no more playing here, but if you listen in the wind? Their laughter and games can still be heard.

Or maybe, it is our own memories creating an illusion.

It is our own childhood selves that we remember. Legs pumping the swings, urging it to go higher, higher.

Feeling the exhilaration of making to the top of the monkey bars, swinging back and forth.

Now, the bell will call children back to class no longer. Its reverberating gong silenced.

What is the story you feel when you look at these pictures?

Thank you for joining me on this journey into abandoned school Photography in Indiana—what memories do these images stir for you?

Exploring With Care: Photography Notes

***IMPORTANT: Most places prohibit trespassing, for legal reasons. For SAFETY reasons. Zoom lenses are critical. I urge you to gain permission before photographing places of ruin. The floors, walls and ceilings might be unstable. There could be dangerous chemicals, depending on the facility. You might not be alone, and in danger.