Evening star., 1938-12-04
.DegreesGiven
First During
Civil War
Thomas Gallaudet
Began Work for
Deaf in 1914

studies at Harvard and a normal
course at the National Deaf-Mute
College, Joined the faculty. He had
previously also taught two years at
the New York Institution for the
Deaf. It was Percival Hall who,
on the retirement Of DR.. Gallaudet
in 1910, became the second presi-
dent of Gallaudet College.
In many ways there is a curious
parallel between the lives Of DR..
Hall and Thomas Hopkins Gallau-
det. Both married early pupils and
the sons of both carried on in the
interests of the deaf. Percival Hall,
jr., is a professor of mathematics
at the college today and Jonathan
Hall is member of the newly es-
tablished research department.
Gallaudet College stands today
paradoxically unique and normal.
1t is the only college for the deaf
in the world and has drawn its
students virtually from the ends of
the earth. Yet its program Of in
struction and undergraduate ac-
tivity is just what would be found
in any hearing college.
The faculty is definitely unique.
Like one big family, they live on
the campus and turnover is prac-
tically nil. Several members are
the hearing children of former stu
dents at Gallaudet or of former
professors. There has been q Fay"
on Kendall Green almost since the
college opened. The father and
grandfather of DR.. Elizabeth Peet,
dean of womel, have worked in the
interest of the deaf, though not at
Gallaudet The deafness of
brother decided another member to
enter service.
The combined method is used In
teaching the students. This means
that the professor uses speech and
sign language simultaneously. A
great deal of time is given to
speech and speech reading in a
specially equipped room.
In their preparation to live in a
hearing world, the deaf students
maintain the usual undergraduate
activities. They play the usual ath-
letic games and in the Bun and
Blue boast the only college pubh-
cation in the world edited by a deaf
staff. A 48-page magazine Of STU
dent works is also published three
times year.
Nor is the social life neglected.
There is a mems fraternity and a
womens group. The students have
dances and faculty members promise
that no one who did not already
know would suspect that the stu
dents cannot hea' the Clusic Of the
orchestra. They pick up the rhythm
through vibrst jon of Aae drumbeat
along the floof, it is said.
Also located on Kendall Green is
the Kendall School, to which are
sent the deaf children in the Dis
trict of Columbia. The combined
method is used here also, but en-
phasis is laid on oral work. Rhythm,
conveyed through the child's finger
tips from a piano, is taught to de-
velop infection in the voice. The
recitation to music is not called
singing, but is designed to put ex-
preston into the childs voice.
In recent years there has been a
decided change and expansion in
the college curriculum, to which has
been added courses in printing,
library cataloging, drawing, agri-
culture, home economics and special
courses in the principles Of teaching
and psychology.
A print shop equipped with three
linotypes, cylinder press and other
devices has made it possible for q
number of graduates to get posi-
tions as printing teachers In schools
for the deaf or as linotype operators
in print shops. The library courses
have opened to graduates posts in
the Hispanic Museum in New York,
in schools for the deaf and in city
libraries.
As the result OF expansion In
chemistry and bacteriology Rradu-
ates have had openings to Jobs with
State governments and corpora
tions.
One of the main occupations Of
alumni, however, is teaching in
schools for the deaf. Their work in
home economics and the psychology
of teaching prepares them for this.
In its years since 1891, the normal
school has turned out more than
200 hearing young men and women,
more than half Of whom arc cur
rently engaged in teaching the deaf
In America, Canada, India and other
(See GALLAUDET, Page C-S0