History
Before 1838, wealthy families provided tutors for their deaf children or paid for the children to attend a school for the deaf outside Louisiana.
The 1838 Louisiana legislature passed an act on January 16, 1838 to provide state-supported education of deaf children. As a result of this act, 11 children from Louisiana were enrolled at the Kentucky School for the Deaf.
In 1852, a member of the General Assembly, Mr. Francis Dubose Richardson, introduced a bill to provide $25,000 and empowered a Board of Administrators to oversee the establishment of the Louisiana Institute for the Deaf and Dumb and the Blind. The bill was passed on March 1852 and approved by the governor. The seven board members were authorized to buy land, make contracts, or do whatever was necessary to begin the school.
The first school was in the former Baton Rouge College (located where the Mayflower campus is). The board recruited James S. Brown from the Indiana Asylum of the Deaf and Dumb as superintendent. On December 8, 1852, the 11 Louisiana students and Brown arrived in Baton Rouge.
Notable achievements during 1852–1860 were completion of the state Administration Building, acclaimed as one of the most elaborate and elegant buildings for that era, the hiring of a woman teacher, and including vocational training as part of the program.
The new Administration Building was completed in 1858 and stood for 99 years, Money was appropriated for the purchase of a printing press and fonts, thus printing as a vocational skill began. A carpenter on campus was enlisted to teach carpentry skills.
In 1860, the school had 60 students. By 1862, there were 72 students. As the war drew closer to Baton Rouge, the only ones at the school were the orphans. Early in 1862, gunboats were sighted on the Mississippi. The school was an easy target. It is said that a cannon ball shot through the wide ball and landed at the rear of the school. The front facade was shot at many times before principal Martin and matron Mary Dufrocq could run the half-mile to the riverbank and beg the commander to save the school. The soldiers were ordered to stop shooting and to convert the school into a hospital to care for federal soldiers.
In January 1863, the federal troop again seized Baton Rouge and the school, using the building for hospital purposes again. Schooling continued. The soldiers ruined the printing equipment. But one advantage — General Augur permitted full rations to the school. From 1863 to 1867, the children had enough food and fuel.
On October 15, 1869, a fire destroyed the Louisiana State Seminary of Learning and Military Academy at Pineville. After the fire, governor Warmoth asked the board and administrators and superintendent J.A. McWhorter for the use of half of the school building for the seminary.
Major John Patton, professor of Greek at Louisiana State University, was appointed superintendent. Among his first tasks, was to arrange for the deaf students to be removed to another location. The old Heroman Building on Church and Florida Streets (opposite the former State-Times and Morning Advocate building) became the third location of the school.
In 1884, there were only 56 students and Dr. John Jastremski was appointed superintendent. Jastremski assumed superintendence in 1885. He immediately appointed Edith S. Rambo who was trained at the Clarke School for the Deaf as the first oral teacher. The Deaf Mute Pelican, the forerunner of The Pelican, began publication in 1859. In 1892, the print shop and sewing department were enlarging. Carpentry, cabinet making, and glazing were taught. In 1892, another articulation teacher was hired and a shoe shop installed.
The 1898 act separated the two schools, set up two boards, and specified that the children receive a good education, instruction in hygiene and physical culture (physical education), and industrial training. Basketball was bought for the girls and the boys played football.
Superintendent S.T. Walker lobbied for changing the name of The Louisiana Institute for the Deaf and Dumb. On July 8, 1908, a bill changing the name to the Louisiana School for the Deaf became law.
The goal has been to prepare the students for full, useful and happy lives after finishing school.
Read more about this topic: Louisiana School For The Deaf
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