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History of the treatment of the deaf in America


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*I likely am not using pc terms here. Please know that no offense is intended. If needed, please correct my wording so that it ISN'T offensive*

 

When my kids watched the movie of Helen Keller, there is a scene with Anne Sullivan describing how horrible life was for persons in asylums.

I'm looking for information that talks specifically about the treatment of persons that were deaf/hard of hearing and/or blind. I'd like something more than "they went to an asylum" for an "education" unless of course, education really meant education.

Google is failing me, I'm hoping the hive can help! Links are appreciated!!

Can you tell me about the treatment of the deaf AND the views held by common people towards such persons? Looking back from the 1700's (or so) to the present.

TIA

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Henrietta Lack's dd Elsie was deaf. She also had other medical issues.

 

I cried boohoo, gasping-for-breath, snot-running-down-my face sobs when I read in this book about the "treatment" Elsie received. She didn't get the chance to get an education, so this post is probably not useful. Still, what happened to poor Elsie is haunting.

 

Of course, you'll find lots of socio-economic ties to the level of care given as you research this.

 

 

 

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Guest kbell804

Are you wanting information like personal stories only of Deaf individuals who were put in institutions or Deaf culture and treatment at residential schools and in the hearing world?  My degree is deaf education and my husband is deaf.  If I have a better idea of what you are looking for, I can probably get you links to some really good books.  

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I think the Stuff You Missed in History podcast has done some episodes on deaf-related issues. I do not remember what all they covered, but it's not unusual for them to give their listeners places to find additional information. You might check out their website or archived podcast list.

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I typed out a long reply yesterday on my phone, and then it got deleted before I hit reply. Sigh. Let's try this again...

 

Are you wanting information like personal stories only of Deaf individuals who were put in institutions or Deaf culture and treatment at residential schools and in the hearing world? My degree is deaf education and my husband is deaf. If I have a better idea of what you are looking for, I can probably get you links to some really good books.

I guess I'm really looking for a couple things.

can you tell me about the treatment of the death in saying the 1700s, the 1800s, the early and late 1900s? how has society's view towards people that are deaf changed over time?

 

I'd like some biographies of people that have influenced deaf culture, and education. Who is important?

 

What things should hearing people know about the deaf culture?

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There is a documentary that was on PBS called "Through Deaf Eyes". It used to be on Netflix as well, I'm not sure if it still is. The superintendent of Matyland School for the Deaf, my son's former school, was interviewed and felt like they did a good job of explaining what it was like for deaf individuals. It's been a few years but I remember lots of 1st person ancedotes combined with narrated history.

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This is maybe an aside, but have you read El Deafo? It's a graphic novel memoir about a deaf girl. It won a Newbery Honor last year. We saw the author speak at the National Book Festival and it was really interesting to hear her talk about how as a result of how people thought about deafness when she was little, she still does not know ASL at all really. I think ideas about deafness have just changed dramatically over time and are still changing.

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There is a book called "Deaf Like Me," a true, modern-day story about a couple whose first child was born deaf. The author describes his and his wife's experiences as hearing parents of a deaf child through the many years that they were advised to absolutely NOT NOT NOT teach her sign language...until they did. :-) It's quite good. I read it all in one night.

 

In 1978, Sally Struthers was in a movie called "And Your Name is Jonah." It's *very* good. You can stream it on NetFlix. Jonah spent the first 10 years of his life in an institution because it was thought he was mentally retarded (tough word, but it is what they thought). Turns out he was deaf, and he was sent home to a hearing family with no experience with deafness. The ending reminds me of Helen Keller. :-)

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There is a wonderful memoir, Train Go Sorry, by Leah Hagar Cohen.  She is hearing but her grandparents were deaf and she grew up on the campus of a residential school for the deaf, where her (hearing) father was the superintendent.  It's a good read and very illuminating.  

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While I was growing up, our church congregation included a deaf congregation that was part of us, while at the same time separate. Many of us took sign language classes, so we could communicate with each other, at least to some extent. When the children's choir sang, we always learned signs. :) It was good to connect, good to have sign language to be a bridge. All these years later, I'm glad that my girls are learning signs, too.

 

During my teen years, my mom taught at a School for the Deaf. She used to say that deaf culture is like a world within a world -- with its own language, jokes, history, heroes, obstacles, and triumphs.

 

In our neighborhood, my sister and I were close friends with a girl who was deaf. Her two older siblings were also deaf, but they were quite a bit older than we were. The three of us used to hang out, and because she could "read lips" somewhat and we knew some signs, we all just understood each other most of the time. If we didn't, either my mother or her mother could help out. I still remember her putting up the volume of the record player, in order to feel the vibrations. Good times.

 

I miss those years. Deaf people are cool.

 

You might find some information from here: Gallaudet University. Check out the links to their museum and to the History of Gallaudet University.

 

Thomas Hopkins Gallaudet

 

Laurent Clerc

 

American School for the Deaf

 

Deaf History

 

HTH.

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During my teen years, my mom taught at a School for the Deaf. She used to say that deaf culture is like a world within a world -- with its own language, jokes, history, heroes, obstacles, and triumphs.

 

 

 

It's hard for people, especially the hearing parents of deaf children, to understand that English (or whatever the language is where they live) will *always* be a second language to the deaf, and the culture where they live will never really be the deaf children's own culture. We underestimate the effects of hearing on all parts of our lives.

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