Lang and meathlang, deaf persons in the arts and sciences. This illness took her hearing and later she lost her speech as well. The story of thomas hopkins gallaudet, alice cogswell, and laurent clerc. Hank klopping, h03 ca 2014 elizabeth lizzy weiss ca 20 joel w. Isolated, brooding alice cogswell, a deafmute child, stirs the compassion of neighbor thomas gallaudet, who pulls her from a kind of tomb by teaching her to read and write, then seeks greater knowledge abroad before returning to establish the school that would become the american school for the deaf. Thomas hopkins gallaudet,december 10, 1787 september 10, 1851 was an american educator. This is lydia huntley sigourney who taught alice cogswell twohanded alphabet, before alice enrolled at american school for the deaf in connecticut and picked up old american signs. Nineyearold alice cogswell, with wellgroomed curls and a tidy ruffled dress. American sign language hasnt yet been invented, and as was the case with so many smart kids from that time who emily arnold mccully is consistently one of the best picture book authors that ive ever read. The oldest book on sign language in english, chirologia, 1644. He saw alice cogswell playing and found interest in her, he gave up his dreams.
Thanks to joan naturale, rit librarian and the folks at the gallaudet university archives mike olsen and donna moore. Advocacy for the alice cogswell and anne sullivan macy act. Alice cogswell made history at the age of 9 by sparking the beginning of the creation of american sign language and american deaf. In short it was a deaf utopia but recently its deaf population has declined. Cogswell, a prominent hartford physician, was concerned about proper education for his daughter. Cogswell was the grandfather of alice cogswell, whose deafness led thomas hopkins gallaudet and laurent clerc to found the american school for the deaf. Thomas gallaudet 17871851 was a minister and an educator whose neighbor, alice cogswell, was a 9yearold deaf child. Alice cogswell august 31, 1805 december 30, 1830 was the inspiration to thomas hopkins gallaudet for the creation of the american school for the deaf in hartford, connecticut at the age of two, alice became ill with spotted fever cerebralspinal meningitis. Lloyd harrison, the tenth superintendent of the missouri school for the deaf, who labored over several years to bring the project to fruition. Alice cogswell was born on august 21, 1805 in connecticut. Alice cogswell, was the first to graduate from the american school.
She was a young deaf girl who inspired the creation of the american school for the deaf, which is in hartford, connecticut. Alice became ill with, spotted fever the illness took her hearing then later she lost her voice as well. The lccf alice cogswell award is presented to a person for valuable service on behalf of deaf citizens. As his neighbor and friend, gallaudet became equally concerned for this cause. She was born fifteen years after this encounter with young brewster. Nov 20, 20 alice cogswell was a precocious little girl from hartford, conn.
Motivated to educate deaf people and funded by alices father, gallaudet traveled to europe to learn the deaf education methods employed there. Cogswell was close to the hartford wits, a group of young writers from connecticut. When opened on april 15, 1817, it was called the connecticut asylum at hartford for the education and instruction of deaf and. Kathleen brockway, deaf history expert 1814 thomas h.
Deaf teachers lost their jobs, and some students had their hands tied behind their backs if caught signing. Gallaudets future changed when he met alice cogswell, a young deaf mute girl. She was just nine years old in 1814 when she met her neighbor thomas hopkins gallaudet, a young yale graduate who, after apprenticing to be a lawyer, decided to enter the ministry. Oct 25, 2008 next, i went directly to the american school for the deaf, in hartford, where alice was in the first class. Isolated, brooding alice cogswell, a deaf mute child, stirs the compassion of neighbor thomas gallaudet, who pulls her from a kind of tomb by teaching her to read and write, then seeks greater knowledge abroad before returning to establish the school that would become the american school for the deaf. She broke down a lot of stereotypes and allowed hearing people to realize just how smart deaf people are. Cogswell had taken interest in deaf education due to the deafness of his daughter, alice, and the fact that there were no schools for the deaf in the united states at that time. Cogswell is a highly influential person within american deaf cultural history. She was just nine years old in 1814 when she met her neighbor thomas. Along with laurent clerc and mason cogswell, he cofounded the first permanent institution for the education of the deaf in north america, and he became its first principal. Alice was one of the most important symbols in deaf history.
Clerc attended the famous school for the deaf in paris and was taught by abbe sicard. Cogswell,aliceaugust31,1805december30,1830 inspiration. She showed that the deaf are capable of being taught and of high intelligence. Alice cogswell made history at the age of 9 by sparking the beginning of the creation of american sign language and american deaf education. Ask julio if its challenging to be a person who speaks asl. Learn vocabulary, terms, and more with flashcards, games, and other study tools. At first glance, this historical picture book about the development of american sign language may seem like an unusual recommendation for spiritual reading. A chronological account of her life is when she was 2 years old. Nineyearold alice cogswell, with wellgroomed curls and a tidy ruffled dress, sat in her neighbors yard in hartford, connecticut. Alice is known as the young deaf girl who inspired thomas hopkins gallaudetthe man who began the education of the deaf in america. A big bronze statue of alice cogswell and thomas hopkins gallaudet sits near the entrance of gallaudet university in washington. There sign language was openly used and accepted, deaf children went to school longer than hearing children, which resulted in better literacy rates for deaf children. He saw the potential in nineyearold alice cogswell who couldnt hear.
He invested in her and millions of others benefited from this like andrew foster. National association of the deaf moving picture project. She broke down a lot of stereotypes and allowed hearing people to. Most books about asldeaf history start with thomas gallaudet i love how this book starts with alice and her family all the work they did to preparepave the way. Together they profoundly improved the lives of deaf people in america. Through deaf eyes prominent figures in deaf history.
This site is created as a resource for folks interested in learning more about deaf history. He told me stories about alice cogswell and thomas gallaudet and examples of other peoples writing about them. One day, though, an equally curious young man named thomas gallaudet, alices neighbor, senses. His daughter, alice, became deaf at the age of two as a result of surviving scarlet fever. Advocacy for the cogswellmacy act american foundation.
Alice had lost her hearing at a young age which was caused by an illness. Barb attended the deaf history conference at gallaudet and gathered fascinating facts that changed the whole picture of alice cogswell who was once thought to. Gallaudet departed for europe to seek methods to teach the deaf. At the time, deafness was viewed as equivalent to a mental. Alice cogswell changed the world for deaf people new england. She was one of the schools six original students during.
Alice cogswell is actually the little girl who perhaps inspired the start of deaf education in america. Draper 1899 oral work by deaf teachersmanual work by oral teachers draper 1901 deaf section of 1900 congress draper 1902 on rev. Gallaudets goal, to serve as an itinerant preacher, was put aside when he met alice cogswell, the 9 years old deaf daughter of a neighbor, dr. It is for this reason that thomas hopkins gallaudet is my favorite historical figure in deaf history. She was one of the schools six original students during its opening in april 1817. Alice cogswell is known as a remarkable figure in the history of deaf culture, illustrating a breakthrough in deaf education.
A study of alice cogswell is a nonfiction that gives the reader the option to decide for themselves if alice is a heroine in deaf history or not. Albert ballin, alice cogswell, alice terry, alice terry taylor, alto lowman, alto lowman kavanaugh. Deaf education continues to spread especially in the united states 18181912 1818 new york school for the deaf established 1820 pennsylvania school for the deaf 1823 kentucky school. One day, though, an equally curious young man named thomas gallaudet, alice s neighbor, senses. Lloyd harrison, the tenth superintendent of the missouri school for the deaf, who labored over several years to. Over time, the movement spreadall inspired by alice cogswell, whom thomas gallaudet believed should be given the opportunity to be the vibrant, educated person. Alice cogswell changed the world for deaf people new. How was alice cogswell significant to deaf culture answers. At that time, there was no education for the deaf students in america until thomas hopkins gallaudet met his neighbor, the cogswell family. Remembering the girl who inspired gallaudet washington post. Mar 01, 2014 while we limit ourselves to us deaf history, the links section will include information about deaf people world wide as well as other important websites related to deaf history. Mason cogswell and thomas hopkins gallaudet met for the first time as did alice cogswell and gallaudet. After learning this, gallaudet began to teach the children he met u. Gallaudet found his lifes calling, however, when he met alice cogswell, the deaf daughter of one of his congregants.
Alice cogswell was a precocious little girl from hartford, conn. Popular deaf history books meet your next favorite book. Where did clerc go to school and where did he travel afterwards. Alice cogswell 18051930 is an inspirational symbol in the history of deaf education breakthrough. Cogswell, alice august 31, 1805 december 30, 1830 inspiration for the founding of the first permanent school for the deaf in the u.
They were being privatetutored while cobbs was being renovated due to damage from the revolutionary war of 1812 submitted. Wait is the archivist there and he welcomed me warmly, showed me the books in his library and the objects on exhibit. Jul 15, 2008 isolated, brooding alice cogswell, a deafmute child, stirs the compassion of neighbor thomas gallaudet, who pulls her from a kind of tomb by teaching her to read and write, then seeks greater knowledge abroad before returning to establish the school that would become the american school for the deaf. The story of developing american sign language is wonderfully narrated by emily. Alice cogswell bio, facts, family famous birthdays. These were some of the first major steps toward creating modern asl. He traveled in europe to study educational methods for teaching the deaf. As more students graduated from the school, they accepted teaching jobs elsewhere in the country. To ensure that these students receive the education they deserve, the alice cogswell and anne sullivan macy act h. Alice cogswell was not the only student who helped spread the word on deaf education.
Next, i went directly to the american school for the deaf, in hartford, where alice was in the first class. Alice cogswell the beginning of american deaf education start. What year did thomas hopkins gallaudet meet alice cogswell. Alice was greatly responsible for the birth of deaf culture in the united states. Alice was a very smart girl she enjoyed many hobbies like sewing and dancing. Apr 24, 2007 barb attended the deaf history conference at gallaudet and gathered fascinating facts that changed the whole picture of alice cogswell who was once thought to have little or no ability to read and.
Marthas vineyard was an island with a high deaf population. Todays schools are not prepared to help children who are deafblind, deaf or hard of hearing, blind, or visually impaired develop to their full potential. Alice cogswell was a bright and curious child and a quick learner. And, unfortunately, in the early nineteenth century in america, there was no way to teach deaf children. Gallaudet considered deaf people outside the reach of the word of god. She was the first student enrolled in the american. King jordans famous quote, deaf people can do anything hearing people can do, except hear. Mar 07, 2011 they were being privatetutored while cobbs was being renovated due to damage from the revolutionary war of 1812 submitted. My heart glow tells the true story of alice cogswell, a deaf american girl living in the early part of the nineteenth century. Alice became ill with, spotted fever the illness took her hearing then later she. Icon of deaf culture known for being the inspiration behind the creation of connecticuts american school for the deaf.
Cogswell and others from hartford, ct, gallaudet along with clerc started the 1st school for the deaf in america, with alice cogswell as their first pupil to enroll. Two years after gallaudets meeting of little alice cogswell, again with financial backing from dr. Alice cogswell, thomas gallaudet, and the birth of american sign language. She does a good job of conveying the gist of the story. Though highly intelligent, her intellectual progress was slow. Alice cogswell the beginning of american deaf education. Gallaudet nyc draper 1904 the education of the deaf in america. When people think of american sign language, many mistakenly think of helen keller as the first heroine of this amazing visual language. Mason fitch cogswell family and their deaf daughter, alice. The statue symbolizes alice cogswell, the first deaf youngster in the united states to be educated in an american school for the deaf.