Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-05-18
DEAF-SPEECHLESS CLERGYMAN
FINDS BEAUTY IN LIFE WORK
Rev. Arthur D. Bryant, Here
Since Boyhood, Widely
Active.
Graduate of GaIIaudet in
1880, Achieves Note as
Artist, Teacher.

Beauty has ranked with godliness in
the life If Rev. Arthur D. Bryant, deaf
and speeches. Baptist clergyman, who
has been ministering to the spiritual
needs of the Capitals deaf at Calvary
Baptist Church 20 years or more.
Student, artist, teacher, clergyman
Rev. Mr.. Bryant has been them all,
storing up the experiences OF each TO
use In his sign language sermons at
Calvary Baptist Church. His home, at
322 East Capitol street, Is a house OF
memories, for In it are the paintings
he executed and the pictorial trophies
he has brought back to Washington
from his travels. And in that house
he'll tell you his story, If you urge him
and one of his deaf admirers did.
Rev. Mr.. Bryant's deafness dates back
to q severe attack of scarlet fever which
so ravaged him as 2-year-old child
that his hearing-and consequently his
powers of articulation-were taken from
him for all time. But despite this
physical handicap Rev. Mr.. Bryant was
well educated and In 1911 was ordained
Baptist minister, the second deaf
clergyman of that faith to be named,
before a brilliant gathering in Calvary
Baptist Church. His fellow deaf min
lister, Rev. Mr.. Michaels Of Arkansas,
himself attended the ceremonies.
Came Here in 1854.
The minister came to Washington
as q boy Of 8 years in 1854, strangely
enough, the same year which witnessed
the founding of Gallaudet College.
from which he was to be graduated. He
attended Kendall School, which was
headed by Amos Kendall, through
whose gift of 100000 the Calvary Bap-
list Church was erected,
School days over, Mr.. Bryant yearned
for college education and was promptly
welcomed at Gallaudet College, where
he was graduated in 1880. He was so
proficient and industrious in art work
that President Edward M. Gallaudet,
particularly fond Of him, appointed him
Instructor In drawing and painting at
Kendall Green. For So years MIR. Bryant
worked in the various media, develop
ing latent talents among his charges
to witness several of his students at
tain wide celebrity in art, architecture
and sculpture. In 1911 he abandoned
teaching for preaching, but still retains
his connection with Gallaudet College
as instructor emeritus.
Among the best known former art
students Of Mr.. Bryant are Cadwallader
Washburn, whose dry-point sketches
have become internationally known;
|
architects, of Nashville, Tenn, for years
famous as designers of million-dollar
State and private buildings in the
South, and Dr. Olof Hanson, who, after
a successful private practice In Min
nesota and Washington, is consulting
architect at the University OF WASH
ington.
Following his own advice to his stud
ents, Mr.! Bryant spent many hours In
creating pictures. He was best known
for his landscapes. excelling In par
ticular In his cloud effects.
Many Paintings In Home.
His East Capitol street house still Is
filled with oil portraits and diverse
drawings. There are separate oil por-
traits of his father and mother, and pas
toral, floral and marine scenes.
Proficient with camera as well as
sketch box, Mr.. Bryant succeeded In
making an exceptional photograph Of
the ONCE of Robert e. Lee at Washing
ton-Lee University Of which the illus
trious Southerner was president. The
since Lees death, and on q visit to
the university Mr.. Bryant received per-
mission to photograph the chamber just
as Lee had left this papers end books
untouched by any one else-on condi-
ton that he never conmercialize the
picture. One of the prints of that pic
ture is on view today in the Lee Memo
rial Museum where 1t rests against the
uniform worn by the general when he
surrendered to Gen. U. 8. Grant at
Appamotax.
His interest in the Lee office and his
reverence for that early photograph are