1850 GRAND REUNION
On September 26, 1850, over two hundred alumni of the American Asylum for the Deaf assembled in Hartford, Connecticut. Together with the two hundred current students, it was the largest gathering of deaf people ever. They came from all over the country to pay tribute to Laurent Clerc and Thomas Hopkins Gallaudet, who had opened the institution thirty-three years before.
The event was the brainchild of Thomas Brown, an 1827 graduate of the school. Brown said his spirit could not rest until he had expressed his gratitude to Gallaudet and Clerc. He wrote letters suggesting the concept to other alumni scattered around the nation. They responded enthusiastically, contributing six hundred dollars. After some deliberation, organizers decided to use the funds to purchase silver pitchers and trays for Gallaudet and Clerc.
On the appointed day, the alumni gathered at the school. Luzerne Rae, a hearing teacher, later wrote:
A more happy assemblage it was never our good fortune to behold. Former friends and fellow-pupils met again, after years of separation … to recall ‘old times’ and old scenes; to exchange fragments of personal history; and to brighten anew the chain of friendship and gratitude that bound them to one another, and to the institution in which their true life began. And it was most pleasant to see the joy that beamed from all their faces, and gave new vigor and animation to their expressive language of signs.1
Rae added that the alumni had a “general appearance of intelligence and respectability. … To their old instructors, the whole spectacle was of the most gratifying character.”
In the afternoon, a procession was formed that included alumni, students, teachers, the governor of Connecticut, principals and faculty from other deaf schools, citizens, and Clerc and Gallaudet. The group proceeded through Hartford to the Center Church. Lewis Weld, the principal of the American Asylum, welcomed the audience and a minister offered a prayer. After that, all of the presenters except Gallaudet were deaf. Brown signed a few opening remarks. He was followed by Fisher Ames Spofford, the orator of the day. A former student and teacher at the American Asylum, Spofford was known as the “mute Garrick” because of his exceptional signing ability. Finally, large silver pitchers, with accompanying trays, were presented to Gallaudet and Clerc. One side of the pitchers had an engraving depicting Gallaudet and Clerc leaving France; it showed the two men, ships and waves to represent their voyage, and the American Asylum beyond the sea in the distance. The other side featured a picture of the interior of the school, with teachers and pupils. Each pitcher had a long inscription indicating it was “a token of grateful respect” from “the deaf mutes of New England.”
Gallaudet had taught for thirteen years, retiring in 1830. Clerc was still teaching at age sixty-five. In his acceptance speech, Gallaudet made it clear that the enterprise would not have succeeded without Clerc. “What should I have accomplished,” he said, “if the same kind providence had not enabled me to bring back from France, his native land, one whom we still rejoice to see among us—himself a deaf mute, intelligent and accomplished. …”
Detail of the silver pitcher presented to Laurent Clerc at the American Asylum in 1850.
The event demonstrated just how much deaf Americans had come together as a community and culture. The ceremony was in their language, the natural language of signs. It celebrated their common history and values. In Clerc and Gallaudet, they had tangible heroes responsible for bringing them together. The 1850 reunion was the first of many such assemblies and conventions organized by and for deaf people. It officially marked the emergence of deaf Americans’ collective consciousness.
Thomas Brown’s Remarks
After Weld had welcomed the assembly and a minister had offered a prayer, Brown addressed the gathering in sign language. His address was read in English by Weld for nonsigning members of the audience.
The object of our assembling here is chiefly to pay our grateful respects to our early benefactors—to those, to whose assiduous labors we owe our education, and the hopes and happiness it has afforded us.
Let me congratulate you on our happy meeting. How interesting to us all is the occasion, as one for the renewal of former friendships, and the expression of grateful acknowledgments to our best friends and benefactors. Let us ever remember them, and love the great and good institution with the sincere love of children.
Fisher Ames Spofford’s Address
Fisher Ames Spofford, the orator of the day, then took the stand. Because Spofford had not prepared a written text, Thomas Gallaudet, the eldest son of Thomas Hopkins Gallaudet, interpreted Spofford’s address into English as he signed it. 2
Gentlemen and Ladies:
You have assembled here in this building, truly a large assemblage, for the purpose of witnessing an interesting ceremony. If the remarks I now shall make to you lack point, I trust I shall be excused from the peculiarity of the occasion. I feel a delicacy in expressing my ideas before so many to whom I am unknown, upon such an interesting topic.
We are assembled to express our love and gratitude to the founders of this institution, the first established in this country. There are present former pupils of the establishment, who left it ten, fifteen and even twenty years ago, from distant parts of the country. We once more warmly greet each other. We have experienced great pleasure in being allowed to assist in contributing for the object of this day, and thus testifying our gratitude to our instructors and to the founders of this institution. Their glorious example has been followed, and now, for the education of our fellow-sufferers, there are twelve or thirteen similar places of instruction, all arising from this institution. Thirty-three years ago, the deaf mutes in this country were in the darkness of the grossest ignorance. They knew not God. They knew nothing of the maker of heaven and of earth. They knew nothing of the mission of Jesus Christ into the world to pardon sin. They knew not that, after this life, God would reward the virtuous and punish the vicious. They knew no distinction between right and wrong. They were all in ignorance and poverty, with no means of conveying their ideas to others, waiting for instruction, as the sick for a physician to heal them.3
But their time of relief had come. In this city, a celebrated physician, Dr. Cogswell, had an interesting daughter who had been deprived of her hearing.4 Though her father and her friends looked upon her with pity, yet her deprivation of hearing has proved to have been a blessing to the world. Had she not been left by God sitting in darkness and ignorance, the successful efforts that have since been made for our instruction might never have been attempted. Mr. Gallaudet was an intimate friend of the family, and devoted himself to contrive some means for her instruction. Dr. Cogswell’s inquiries soon established the fact that there were many other persons in the same unfortunate condition, a number sufficient to form a school, if a system of instruction could be discovered. Some gentlemen of Hartford sent Mr. Gallaudet abroad for this benevolent purpose. He visited the London Institution, but circumstances prevented the acquisition of their plan of instruction. The same thing took place at Edinburgh. But at Paris, all the facilities that he needed were given him by the Abbé Sicard, the principal of their Institution. Here he spent some time, acquired the knowledge of their mode of instruction, became acquainted with Mr. Clerc, and with Abbé Sicard’s leave, returned with him to this country. Mr. Clerc, at first, feared that he should be in a strange land without friends. But he soon found that by his amiable virtues and accomplished mind, he made friends here, among his pupils and in the best society of the city. Funds were immediately raised. Instructions were commenced in the building now called the City Hotel. The first class of pupils numbered seven. After a year, a building in Prospect street was taken, and then measures were adopted for the erection of spacious accommodations on Lord’s Hill, the present building of the Asylum.
Thirty-three years ago, there were no educated deaf mutes sent out into the world—now, a large number. What a change does this fact present! Who have been the instruments of this change? Messrs. Gallaudet and Clerc, under the smiles of heaven. Our ignorance was like chaos, without light and hope. But, through the blessing of God, light has shone through the chaos and reduced it to order.5 The deaf mutes have long wished to express their gratitude to these benefactors. Mr. Brown first conceived the idea, and addressed letters to all for their consent. All enthusiastically agreed. The idea flashed over the whole, like the fire on the prairie. The wishes which we then expressed, are now carried out in the offering before us, and the perfume of friendship which they convey to our old instructors, will be as fragrant as the offering of the spices in Persian temples to the sun.
Our thanks are likewise due to the founders of this institution, on which Heaven has smiled. Some may say that deaf mutes have no gratitude; that they receive favors as the swine do the acorns of the forest that are shaken down for them, but it is not so. We all feel the most ardent love to these gentlemen who founded this Asylum, and to these our earliest instructors. This gratitude will be a chain to bind all the future pupils together. Those who succeed us as pupils will be told of the debt of gratitude they owe to the founders of the American Asylum. Our ship, moored by this chain of remembered gratitude, will float safely hereafter, and never be wrecked on the rocks of pride and envy. I close with earnest prayers for the happiness of our instructors, both in this world and the next.
George H. Loring’s Address to Gallaudet
The audience applauded Spofford’s address for a long time. Next, George H. Loring, a former student and teacher at the American Asylum, presented the pitcher and the platter to Thomas Hopkins Gallaudet on behalf of all the school’s alumni. He signed his address, which was then read to the audience by Principal Weld.
Accept this plate which I offer to you in the name of the subscribers, former pupils of the American Asylum, as a token of their profound gratitude and veneration.
Thirty-five years ago, there was no school for the education of the deaf and dumb in this country. They had, for a long time, been neglected, as their case was considered hopeless.
An interesting child, the daughter of a much esteemed physician in this city, was deprived of her hearing by severe sickness.6 In consequence of this misfortune, she was the object of the parents’ constant tenderness and solicitude. They used every means they could contrive to teach her the simplest rudiments of written language, and, in the attempt, they partially succeeded. The physician had read that there were schools in Europe in which the deaf and dumb were successfully taught to write and read, and this fact he communicated to you, and proposed to you to go to Europe to acquaint yourself with the art of teaching the deaf and dumb, for the benefit of your unfortunate countrymen. Moved by compassion for the deaf mutes in general, and sustained by several benevolent persons, you embarked for Europe, and after encountering many difficulties, you accomplished the object of your mission in France. In returning to America, you brought back an intelligent and well educated deaf mute, for your coadjutor in your labors. He demonstrated, by his intelligence and conversation, the truth that deaf mutes are capable of being taught to write and read. The public were induced to second, by their liberal contributions, your efforts to establish a seminary for the education of the deaf and dumb. On this occasion, a public demonstration of gratitude on the part of the educated deaf mutes is due to those benevolent persons who contributed by their benefactions, to the establishment of the American Asylum in this city. We lament some of them who have since died, and we will endeavor to show ourselves grateful on all occasions to those who survive.
It is fortunate and it was also by a kind dispensation of Divine Providence, that you adopted the best method of instruction of the deaf and dumb.7 By this method we have been instructed in the principles of language, morality and religion, and this education has qualified us to be useful members of society. For these blessings of education, we have felt ourselves obliged to you; we have long wished to make you some permanent testimonial of our gratitude, and have happily succeeded in getting one prepared. In presenting it to you, we all offer our earnest prayers for your welfare in your declining years, and for your reward in the other world.
Loring’s Address to Clerc
After Gallaudet accepted the gifts, Loring presented a pitcher and salver to Clerc.
Accept this plate, which I present to you in the name of the subscribers, former pupils of the American Asylum, as a testimonial of our heartfelt gratitude for the great benefits of education which you have bestowed upon us.
When Mr. Gallaudet had initiated himself in the art of teaching the deaf and dumb, under the illustrious Sicard, he proposed to you to come to America, to establish a school for deaf mutes; and you did not hesitate to leave your beautiful country. You accompanied Mr. Gallaudet in his travels to raise funds for the benefit of the deaf and dumb, and interested the public, by your intelligence and conversation, in favor of that unfortunate and neglected portion of this country. When the lamented Mr. Henry Hudson and yourself were in Washington, soliciting Congress to grant some bounty to the American Asylum, your intelligence and talents effectually pleaded in favor of that institution, so that Congress made that liberal grant of land which has since secured ample funds to the Asylum.
You alone have continued in your profession since the establishment of the Asylum. We are touched with a tender interest for you, when we see you growing old in your benevolent labors. We could not think of letting you make your exit, without offering you some substantial memorial of our high esteem and affectionate regard. May you spend the remainder of your life with comfort, and receive your reward in the other world.
Clerc’s Address
Clerc responded in sign language, and Gallaudet read his address in English.
Dear Pupils and Friends:
This is the most pleasant day we have ever had: I do not speak of the state of the weather, but the day you have appointed to come and see us after so long a separation from each other; and glad indeed, are we to see you again. If we, your teachers, have done you any good, as you are pleased to say we have done, we are satisfied and ask nothing more: but you have chosen to present most valuable and valued gifts, both to Mr. Gallaudet and myself, in memory of our having been the first to teach the deaf and dumb in America, and as a testimony of your gratitude for the instruction you have received.
I thank you for my part of this beautiful present: I accept it, not that I think it due from you to me; but on account of the pleasure it affords me to see that our exertions to render you better, have not been made in vain. In fact, what were you before your instruction? Without communication with other men, and consequently without any means of learning from them any thing purely intellectual, never would you have been what you are now; nor would the existence of God, the spirituality of your souls, the certainty of another life, have been made known to you. The religion of Christ would have been for you a material religion, a religion of sense and not of faith. You would have been able to say no prayers; you would have attended church with your friends without deriving any benefit whatever either from prayer-book, or from sermons preached by clergymen. Strangers in mind and in heart to all the doctrines, to all the mysteries, to all the precepts of the gospel, you would have passed your whole lives in a kind of excommunication like that of the reprobate, shutting your eyes upon the continual miracles of divine mercy, and opening them only on justice.8 Your unfortunate parents, deprived of the advantage of implanting in your souls what instruction has inculcated on your minds, would have lamented your birth. But instead of this, what a happy fate you have in exchange! And to whom are you indebted for it? Never, my dear friends, could we have thought of the deplorable destiny to which the misfortune of your deafness had condemned you, on your coming forth into being, without coming to join ourselves to those, who, in 1815, laid the foundation of the first school for the deaf and dumb in this country. And who were those benevolent persons who first thought of you? They were the citizens of Hartford in general, and the directors in particular, who were like fathers of yours.9 Therefore, to them all, under God, is your gratitude due, and great indeed it must be. Most of the directors whom you have known, alas! are gone. The few who still remain, and the new ones who have been chosen to replace the departed, are still your friends and the friends of all the other deaf and dumb who are now with us, and who are to come hereafter. Some, if not all of those noble directors, are, I believe, among us in this church. If you please, we will rise and bow to them as a feeble mark of our gratitude toward them. Again, let us rise and bow to these ladies and gentlemen who also have been your earliest or latest friends.
Your gratitude is not the less due to the governors and legislatures of New England, who have supported, and still support you at the Asylum. If there be any of these benevolent individuals here present, and if I could point them out to you, I would also request you to rise and bow to them; but not being able to do so, let us give them three cheers by clapping our hands three times.
You have also another debt to pay: I mean that which you owe to certain citizens of the states of Massachusetts, Connecticut, New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania, who, also, in the autumn of 1816, gave us handsome donations for your benefit. We have not yet done: there is still another debt due—it is that which you owe to the general government of the United States, for the grant of land it made us in 1819, ’20, the proceeds of the sale of which enabled our kind directors to purchase the lot and erect the buildings where the American Asylum is now in operation. Three more cheers by three more claps of your hands, therefore.
I shall not speak of the gratitude you also owe your teachers, guardians and matrons; for I doubt not that you have already expressed it, either on leaving the Asylum or on seeing them again at a subsequent period.
I presume my dear friends, you would like to know how many deaf and dumb persons we have taught since the school commenced in the spring of 1817. Well, I will tell you. On examining our records a few days ago, I found the number to amount to 1,066 (one thousand and sixty-six) including those who are present at the institution, viz., 605 boys and 461 girls. The number is rather small in comparison with the number of the deaf and dumb in New England; but we have done as well as our means would allow. It is, however, gratifying to know that much has also been done elsewhere; for besides our own, there are now nine or ten other schools for these unfortunate beings in the United States, most of whose teachers have been qualified by us, and of course, employ the same method of teaching and system of signs; so that wherever you may chance to go, and whomsoever you may happen to meet, you will not be strangers to each other.
How many of your fellow-pupils have died since you departed, I cannot say exactly: I hope, nevertheless, the number is not great.
As far as I have been able to ascertain, upward of one hundred have married, the greatest part among themselves, and the remainder have wives or husbands who can hear and speak. Thanks be to God, with a few exceptions, they all are blessed with children enjoying all their faculties, which will be a great consolation to them in their old age. The fact that a few of them have deaf and dumb children like themselves, must not be wondered at: we are not more privileged than other men; for we also are condemned to undergo some of the chastisements which divine providence sees fit to inflict on us poor sinners.
You, young men, are all above twenty-one years old. You are freemen. You vote, and I know that many of you feel interested in political matters, and belong to one or the other of the two great parties which unfortunately divide our fellow-citizens. I do not pretend to dictate to you on this subject, as I am persuaded that you act according to the dictates of your conscience and best judgment; allow me, however, to recommend to you to vote only for good men, for honest men, for men who love their country, their whole country.10
But let me return to you, my dear friends, and repeat that I am very happy to see you once more. You are going to return to your homes soon. My best wishes for your health and temporal comforts accompany you, and my prayer is that when we must leave this world, we may all be tendered into another where our ears shall be unstopped and our mouths opened—where our happiness shall have no alloy, shall fear no change and know no end.
[Editor’s Note: Following Clerc’s address, the Reverend Job Turner of Virginia, an alumnus of the Asylum, offered a prayer in sign language and the event concluded.]
1. Luzerne Rae, “Testimonial of the Deaf Mutes of New England to Messrs. Gallaudet and Clerc,” in Tribute to Gallaudet: A Discourse in Commemoration of the Life, Character, and Services, of the Rev. Thomas H. Gallaudet, with an Appendix, 2nd ed. (New York: F. C. Brownell, 1859), 201, 203.
2. Because Spofford composed and delivered his address in ASL, the version here is technically not “written” by him, but rather a translation of his signs by a hearing person. In this respect, his address differs from the other orations in this collection, which deaf presenters wrote in English ahead of time.
3. Like other writers, Spofford exaggerates the condition of deaf people before education. While many such individuals lived in ignorance, certainly not all did. For example, John Brewster, a deaf folk artist in colonial America, learned to read and write without formal schooling. Meanwhile, on Martha’s Vineyard from the seventeenth to the nineteenth century, a high rate of hereditary deafness led to a community in which both deaf and hearing people used sign language. Such exceptions tend to be elided by Spofford and other commentators.
4. Mason Fitch Cogswell and his daughter, Alice.
5. Spofford draws on the imagery of Genesis to underscore the deprivation of deaf people before the advent of deaf education. Just as God created the world out of chaos and darkness, he says, so Gallaudet and Clerc, with God’s blessing, helped to transform deaf Americans’ lives. Deaf people often used biblical language to emphasize how the schools converted them from ignorance to knowledge, from isolation to community, from no language to ASL and English, and from heathenism to Christian redemption.
6. For a fuller version of the Alice Cogswell story, see the general introduction.
7. The “best method” refers to education through sign language, as opposed to oralism, which was then dominant in Germany and common in some schools in England.
8. Like Spofford, Clerc paints a bleak picture of deaf people before education. Still, he points to the dramatic effects that the American Asylum had. His remarks carry special force because he directly addresses the alumni in attendance.
9. Clerc’s calling the hearing benefactors “fathers,” together with Brown equating the deaf alumni with children earlier, could well strike modern readers as promoting paternalism. The parent–child rhetoric reflects how nineteenth-century deaf Americans, from Clerc on, were keenly aware that without hearing people’s involvement, the schools probably would not have been founded.
10. An allusion to the increasing tensions over slavery that divided the nation in 1850.