The Washington herald., 1914-06-25
We'd BY signs
OF DEAF PASTOR
Gallaudet College Romance
Climaxed by Marriage at
Alumni S Reunion.
NEWLYWEDS CAN TALK
Became Lovers While Learning to
CAN TALK
Became Lovers While Learning to
Teach Speeehless = Preacher Is a
Mute-Another Wedding Today.


There was tremendous iuttering Of
fingers in expression of surprise and
pleasure at the closing session OF the
semi-centennial celebration Of the Gallau-
det Alumni Association yesterday when
the principal even, of the day was an
nounced.
This event was the marriage Of Miss
Edith Long daughter of Jay Schuyler
Long, class -. and Elwood A. Steven
son. son OF a member OF the class Of IS.
The bride, who Is twenty-five years old,
has been a teacher in the 81. Louis
School for the Deaf. and the groom Is an
Instructor in the haywood School for the
Deaf in New York City. While their
parents are deaf the newlyweds have all
their senses II was while attending
Gallaudet Normal School and fitting
themselves TO become teachers to the
deaf. that they became friends and
lovers
Deaf Pastor oHIcIates.
The ceremony was performed by deaf
preacher. and In the sign language. The
young couple were married by Rev. DR..
James II. Cloud. pastor Of a deaf con-
gregation and principal OF the st. Louis
School for the Deaf. in which Mrs.
Stevenson taught The ceremony took
place in Episcopal Church OF the Good
Shepherd and was witnessed by the
parents and sister OF the bride. Immedi-
ately after the ceremony the couple
started on a honeymoon trip through the
Middle States. They will live In Brook
lyn, N Y. the residence OF the bride
groom's family. Mrs. Stevenson's home Is
at Council Bluffs. Iowa, where her father
Is superintendent of the School for the
Deaf. The marriage license was obtained
at the once OF the clerk Of the District
Supreme Court. from which DIR. Cloud
had to get especial authority TO perform
the marriage.
Elect Omcers To-day.
The celebration will end today, when
the old grads will elect officers and then
20 back to their respective occupations
or to the convention Of instructors to
the deaf, at Staunton, Va
Today another Gallaudet romance VIII
eliminate in marriage when Miss Edith
r. Knox, a graduate Of this year. and
Vernon S. Birk. 1872. a noted athlete
and football player when a student here.
now military and physical instructor OF
the North Carolina School for the Deaf.
will be wed by the Rev. Lucius c.
Clark, pastor Of Hamline NJ. z. Church
They got the license at the city hall yes
as Cleveland, Ohio, and Birk, his as New
York City. They will spend their honey
moon in New York. Both are deaf.
The alumni had a great picnic yester-
day afternoon at Great Falls where they
went In special cars, after the morning
exercises In the chapel on Kendall green
Dr. Edward NJ. Gallaudet, founder OF the
college and its president until 1910. did
not attend the picnic. Instead he start
ed for Staunton to attend the deaf teach
ers' convention. to which about sixty Of
the alumni will go today in q special
train.
Speeches iR Sign Language.
The invocation was delivered by the
Rev. Brewster Allabough, OF Ohio, and
speeches were made in the sign language
by DR.. Robert Patterson, principal OF the
Ohio School for the Deaf: DIR. J. r.
Dobyns principal OF the Mississippi
School for the Deaf Mrs. Sylvia Chaplin
Balls. instructor in an Ontario school for
the deaf: and the Rev. Francis MaEinn.
Of Belfast, Ireland. Gallaudet and It's
influence was the principal subject or
most of the talk which was inter
preted by Miss Elizabeth Peet, dean Of
the woman students OF Gallaudet. and
Dr. Charles Ely. of the faculty. Presi- |
dent Percival Hall also made an address.
Besides the chapel exercises there was .
baseball game between teams OF married
and single alumni The bachelors won,
is to g. \
Last night the o. W. L. s. a secret
society of the women alumni. held q
meeting, at which several members were |
initiated and officers were elected. No
body, however. could tell Just what TOOK |
place. for everything about the owls |
is a deep secret. Although women, they |
have kept their secrets for twenty-five |
years. The mems society, Kappa |
Gamma, also initiated several new mem |
hers This ton is a secreT societv