asl preservation

Transcript:

You see that girl. She is deaf, and nine-year-old. Her name is Alice Cogswell. Gallaudet showed his black hat to Alice, and tried to speak with her. Alice couldn’t understand what he said. Gallaudet drew H-A-T on the soil ground. Alice copied to draw H-A-T. Gallaudet said WOW. Alice’s father was Dr. Mason Cogswell. He was a wealthy doctor. He came to see Alice with Mr. Gallaudet. Alice showed her father that she wrote H-A-T. Her father was shocked. Dr. Cogswell discussed with Gallaudet about having a meeting. Dr. Cogswell gave a Gallaudet French Sign Language (FSL) book from the Royal Institution for the Deaf in Paris. He encouraged Gallaudet to study FSL books using fingerspelling with Alice. Gallaudet can teach Alice how to learn English in reading, and writing. Dr. Cogswell had a meeting with the wealthy congress, and approved giving some money to Gallaudet, traveled by boat to Europe, and saw how they teach the deaf students. First, Gallaudet went to Braidwood deaf school in Scotland. Gallaudet was surprised that deaf students used oral methods, not using sign language. He decided to leave Braidwood school because he was not happy to find out. Gallaudet spotted a paper on the street, and he picked it to read. It mentioned the Royal Deaf Institute in Paris. Gallaudet met Laurent Clerc. Clerc said what brought you here? Gallaudet said that America did not have any deaf schools. Gallaudet stayed there for 3 months to learn about FSL. He realized that 3 months was not enough. Gallaudet asked Clerc to come to America. Clerc said no because Paris, France was his home. He was a Deaf French teacher who taught his deaf students there. Clerc asked his supervisor, Sicard, to see if he allowed Clerc to visit America for up to 3 years. Sicard approved it.  Gallaudet and Clerc rode on the Mary Augusta ship from England to Connecticut for 52 days. What did they do on the ship? Gallaudet taught Clerc how to read and write in English. Clerc taught Gallaudet how to sign in FSL. They arrived in America with no deaf schools. They worked to establish a new Deaf school in New Hartford, Connecticut. Gallaudet was a school superintendent. Clerc was a deaf teacher for deaf mute school, but they changed it to America School for the Deaf (ASD). They worked there for many years. Gallaudet asked his son; Edward Miner Gallaudet, who was hearing. His mother was deaf. Her name was Sophie. Gallaudet decided to retire working for ASD. Gallaudet asked Edward to work for ASD. Edward didn’t want to. He worked as a banker. He changed his mind to teach deaf students at ASD. Abraham Lincoln submitted a new bill to the U.S. Congress.  In 1864,  Deaf college opened a new campus in Washington, D.C. Gallaudet Deaf Mute College has changed to Gallaudet University. Edward was the first president of Gallaudet University. You know there is a memorial interior’s large central statue of Abraham Lincoln showing his hands displayed A and L handshapes. Daniel Chester French was a hearing sculptor. There is a statue of Thomas Gallaudet with Alice Cogswell out front of Gallaudet University’s Chapel Hall building. Alice was on Gallaudet and showed their right hands representing A-handshape. I visited ASD to see a statue of Thomas Gallaudet, and his deaf student, Alice near NAD Conference in New Hartford, Connecticut. There are two same sculptors in ASD and Gallaudet University campuses. Interesting! I wanted to say “thank you” to Gallaudet, and Clerc came to America, and established a new Deaf school. If Clerc did not come here, then we wouldn't have deaf schools in America, and no ASL for over 200 years. Clerc brought FSL to America, and we signed ASL. I am thankful for deaf culture, and community. ASL is an important language we preserve. 

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