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In one of the earliest photos of the American School
for the Deaf, girls pose for the student picture in front of the
"Old Hartford " building.
American School for the Deaf.
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The exhibition has 4 text/panel content areas:
Formation of a Community
"Formation of a Community" introduces the visitor to the ways
that the Deaf community was formed, with primary emphasis being on the
founding of schools and the common experiences of the deaf children who
attended residential schools.
Introductory Text:
Westward expansion, industrial growth, new transportation systems, and
increased government, church, and individual support of public education
in the 1800s made it possible to establish schools for deaf children
throughout the nation. Schools became the place where children and adults
formed a Deaf community.
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Candles were often used to teach speech because
the flame flickered when a student correctly pronounced letters
such as "t," "b," and "p."
Clarke School for the Deaf
Center for Oral Education
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Language and Identity
"Language and Identity" addresses the post-Civil War/early
1900's societal emphasis on use of English and the importance of speech.
Much of this section tells the story of "oral" schools and oral
instruction in "signing" schools.
Introductory Text:
Increasing immigration in the late 1800s caused many Americans to fear
ethnic, racial, and linguistic diversity. The patchwork of immigrant
communities crowded into growing industrial cities threatened some Americans'
sense of national identity. Calls for immigration restrictions, limits
on the employment of foreigners, and the banning of languages other
than English in schools were common. In schools for deaf children classes
were increasingly taught without signing and oral training was stressed.
Deaf adults and children were discouraged from using sign language in
public.
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Students from the American School for the deaf
in West Hartford, Connecticut display a coverlet they are donating
to the Hartford Chapter of the Red Cross.
American School for the Deaf.
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Community Building
"Community Building" brings to light the work and social connections
during War and post-War years of the 1900's, demonstrating how deaf people
experienced these years in ways similar to that of women and minority
groups.
Introductory Text:
The early 1900s saw a country shifting from an agricultural to an industrial
economy. People were moving from rural farmlands to urban cities for
work. With World Wars I and II and the military need for products, factory
work was plentiful. Like women and minority groups who gained employment
during the war, deaf people found work in large numbers. This concentration
of deaf people provided the opportunity to build social clubs, church
groups, sports organizations and alliances that would foster community
life.
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A placard and button from the "Deaf President
Now" protest of 1988
Gallaudet University Archives
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Awareness, Access, and Change
"Awareness, Access, and Change" picks up in the 1960's and
provides the visitor with a glimpse of the diversity and unity of deaf
life. Issues addressed in this area include academic recognition of American
Sign Language, racial desegregation of schools, the TTY as a tool for
change, interpreting becoming a profession, diverse educational options,
cochlear implants, captioning, and communications access.
Introductory Text:
The civil rights movement of the 1960s inspired many minority groups
to press for greater self-determination and economic opportunity. Marches,
sit-ins, and protests became tools for change and increased awareness.
As many Americans came to accept greater cultural diversity, deaf people
began to explore more openly their cultural-linguistic identity and
assert their right to access information. Interpreting services, captioning,
and telephone access were among the accommodations stressed. New technologies,
in medicine as well as communications, have changed the experience of
being deaf and the ways deaf individuals communicate with each other
and people everywhere.
Video/DVD Component
A DVD interactive is part of the exhibition, housed in a cabinet with
a touch screen control and large plasma screen playback. Twelve chairs
are provided to create a mini theater. The DVD is titled: "By Necessity
and By Choice: How We Communicate." It is 8 interviews with a diverse
group of deaf people talking about the many ways they communicate and
the historical forces that influenced the choices made by or for them.
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