Death of Thomas Gallaudet
Deaf education pioneer, Thomas Gallaudet died on September 10, 1851.
Thomas Hopkins Gallaudet was born on December 10, 1787, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. From a young age he wanted to be a priest, but also considered other vocations. He graduated from Yale University at 17 before earning his master’s degree there three years later.
After graduating, Gallaudet considered a career in law, trade, or theology. He chose to attend Andover Theological Seminary and became a preacher in 1814. However, Gallaudet changed his plans after he met a young girl named Alice Cogswell. Alice had suffered a terrible fever that left her deaf. At the time, America had no schools that taught deaf children, so her father, Mason Fitch Cogswell, met with Gallaudet.
After spending some time with the girl, Gallaudet believed that, contrary to popular belief, she could be taught. Cogswell and nine other citizens realized the need for a special school for these children. They raised money and sent Gallaudet to Europe to find qualified teachers.
Gallaudet’s first choice, the Braidwoods, demanded compensation for every student taught using their method. Refusing to pay this fee, he turned to the School for the Deaf in Paris. Soon, Gallaudet was on his way back to America, learning sign language from Laurent Clerc on the boat. On April 15, 1817, Gallaudet and Clerc opened the American School for the Deaf in Hartford, Connecticut, the first school for deaf children in America. About two years later, the school became the first school of its kind to receive federal aid.
Gallaudet went on to write children’s books and continue to be a champion for the deaf. He died on September 10, 1851, in Hartford, Connecticut. Years later, his youngest son helped to establish Gallaudet University in Washington, D.C., in his honor.
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American School for the Deaf is 100th year this year.
I have some dear friends who have ministered to the deaf in Colombia, South America. Some of the deaf there were profoundly deaf, while others had some hearing. The friends brought them together in learning by using only American Standard Sign Language and no spoken language. From what I could see, that worked very well. Everyone was “on the same page”, so to speak. Some of these young people went to college and graduate school.
My cousin was deaf from spinal meningitis at 15 months in 1928. He got an excellent education st the New York school for the deaf and St. Joseph’s school for the deaf. His parents wanted him to go to Gallaudet university. He said he was not interested but it is great that it is there.
I am deaf and first school when I was 5 years old in 1957 that it open first new deaf school in Macworth Island at Falmouth Maine before I never in old school at Portland maine that means 60 years ago governor Baxter bought island before time built his summer camp. I thank him to have deaf school.
This is a good article. Thank you!