1. Deaf History & Deaf Education in America

2. American School for the Deaf
Gallaudet and Clerc return to America and founded the American School for the Deaf in Connecticut.
Subjects included: math, reading, writing, geography, history, bible/religion
President Monroe visited school. First school to receive $$ for land for school from the gov’t.
1st school for the deaf in US.
Opened in 1817
Birthplace of American Sign Language

3. ASL/French Influence Laurent Clerc
2/3 of ASL signs have French origins
Thomas Gallaudet
Laurent Clerc
Edward Gallaudet
Are known for improving deaf education and encouraging equal rights for deaf.

4. Expansion of Deaf Education
New York 1818
Pennsylvania 1820
Kentucky 1823
Ohio
Virginia 1838
Indiana 1843
In 40 years, 20 schools were open in the US.
The majority of deaf students attended residential schools.
By 1860, deaf teachers represented 40% of the teachers for the deaf

5. Amos Kendall
Donated 2 acres of land for school and housing for 12 deaf and 6 blind students
Most of these children were adopted by Amos
Amos Kendall asked Edward Gallaudet to be the superintendent

6. Gallaudet College 1864
Abraham Lincoln signs the charter for the college of the deaf in Washington D.C.
It is the only accredited university for the deaf in the United States to offer college degrees.
The first president of the university is Edward Gallaudet, son of Thomas Gallaudet.

7. 1864 President Lincoln gave the school permission to offer college classes.
1869 first college degrees were awarded Diplomas are signed by the President of the US
1894 Name was changed to Gallaudet College
First college for the deaf in the World!!
1986 Renamed to Gallaudet University

8. A change in the teaching approach
encouraged deaf to avoid learning to speak
Encourage deaf to only socialize with each other
Marked them as different
Encouraged romance with other deaf therefore increasing the rate of deafness
Speech and lipreading started in the 1860 and 1870’s.
By 1920, 80% of deaf were not taught sign language.
However outside of school deaf continued to sign

9. Alexander Graham Bell 1870’s
Inventor of the telephone.
Famous, wealthy, influential
He studied sound and acoustics ( so did his dad and grandfather – it was called elocution)
Developed a mechanical man that had a skull, lips, could speak when air was pushed through life like head

10. AGB background
Mother experienced a gradual hearing loss from the time he was 12
In 1872, Bell opens a school in Boston that focuses on oral methods for the deaf.
Helped his dad with Visible Speech
He believed without speech, you can’t participate in society.
* He was against banning deaf marriage as he felt it was impractical.

11. Beliefs and Techniques
Deaf could learn to speak
Deaf should not use signs or gestures
Deaf need to learn to assimilate into the hearing world.
Techniques
Typing hands behind the back to prevent children from making signs/ gestures

12. AGB – Oral Schools Visited private oral schools in London
Massachusetts 1867 ( 1st private oral school in US)
Boston (1st public oral school in US 1869)
1872 opened his own school in Boston ( 30 students)
Then… he met Helen Keller

13. AGB warning… 1880
He was given 3 days to present his philosophy. Sign language was given 3 hours. Conference of Milan voted to ban …
Sign language
Deaf teachers
Residential schools
100 year ban - debate still continues today.
Deaf people are forming clubs
Deaf people are socializing with each other
Deaf people are marrying each other

14. Results of Milan Hearing teachers only
Women are cheaper (1/2 the salary)
Women are more patient
Need to provide oral training (repetitive, hard)
Gallaudet continued “saved” sign language
By 1920, 80% of deaf children were taught without sign language.
Less than 15% of students were in residential schools.

15. The Milan conference First international meeting
Represented Italy, France, Britain, Sweden, Belgian, Germany , US
5 delegates from America
US and Britain - signs
164 people in attendance
Planned and organized by the Perierie Society (against sign language)
More than ½ of people who were invited were oralist supporters
Included 12 people – 9 oral and 3 sign language

16. National Association of the Deaf
Civil rights organization for deaf and hard of hearing
Established in 1880 to give the deaf community the right to sign, meet and have a voice
Topics include
Education
Employment
Health care
Housing
Technology
Telecommunications
Transportation/Travel

17. Deaf Employment Rises 1910
Deaf people are not allowed to serve in the U.S. military during World War I and World War II, but labor shortage offers new job opportunities for deaf. Many take manufacturing jobs, and new deaf communities flourish.