History and Film in the Deaf Studies Curriculum
John V. Van Cleve and John S. Schuchman
(Abridged Version for Proceedings)
The last 10 years have seen the development of historical studies of the American Deaf community and the initiation of deaf studies courses with historical content. An historical approach to deaf studies allows students to understand themselves within the context of a continuous past. They learn how others like themselves have overcome social and educational obstacles and popular stereotypes of deafness and how deaf Americans have built a community that puts them at the forefront of deaf leadership in the world. A curriculum embodying these ideas can be constructed around the new scholarship, and it can be made appealing to students.
The presentation demonstrated that the careful showing and discussion of films offers a useful method to integrate deaf history into deaf studies. Film has the advantage of attracting student interest and of showing graphically how images of deaf people have been created—and are being created—in the popular media.
Five films clips were presented. Each was accompanied by a narration of the film’s historical context and a discussion of books that help provide historical meaning for the topics, offer ideas for discussion in class, and help explain the manner in which deaf people and deafness are presented in each of the films.
Clip #1:From Preservation of the Sign Language (1913), a film made by the National Association of the Deaf. It showed George Veditz, twice NAD president, talking about the necessity for saving American Sign Language for posterity in the face of oralist opposition to signing and the decreasing number of Deaf teachers in residential institutions.
Books discussed with it:
Nora Groce (1985), Everyone Here Spoke Sign Language: Hereditary Deafness on Martha’s Vineyard
Richard Winefield (1987), Never the Twain Shall Meet: Bell, Gallaudet, and the Communication Debate
Clip #2:From Killer Cure (1926). This Stan Laurel silent film showed the use of deafness for humorous effect and also depicted a residential institution.
Book discussed with it:
John V. Van Cleve & Barry A. Crouch (1989), A Place of Their Own: Creating the Deaf Community in America
Clip #3:From The Story of Alexander Graham Bell (1939). This film was about the inventor of the telephone and prominent advocate of oral education for deaf children. Segments presented the portrayal of Mabel Hubbard Bell, Alexander Graham’s deaf wife, and George Sanders, a young deaf boy whom Bell instructed in speech.
Books discussed with it:
Robert Bruce (1973), Bell: Alexander Graham Bell and the Conquest of Solitude
Jack Gannon (1981), Deaf Heritage: A Narrative History of Deaf America
Harlan Lane (1984), When the Mind Hears: A History of the Deaf
John V. Van Cleve & Barry A. Crouch (1989), A Place of Their Own: Creating the Deaf Community in America
Clip #4:From Johnny Belinda (1948). This film portrays a deaf woman who is raped and bears a child, and is then befriended by a kindly hearing doctor. The segment shown illustrates sign language used in the film.
Book discussed with it:
John S. Schuchman (1988), Hollywood Speaks: Deafness and the Film Entertainment Industry
Clip #5:From Children of a Lesser God (1986). Parts shown were used to illustrate the lead character’s place on the fringe of the deaf community and to introduce the topic of deaf actors and actresses.
Books discussed with it:
Bernard Bragg (1989), Lessons in Laughter: The Autobiography of a Deaf Actor
Jack Gannon (1989), The Week the World Heard Gallaudet
About the Presenters
Dr. John V. Van Cleve is professor of history at Gallaudet University and chairman of the department. He is co-author, with Barry A. Crouch, of A Place of Their Own and editor-in-chief of the Gallaudet Encyclopedia of Deaf People and Deafness. He teaches both undergraduate and graduate classes on the history of the American deaf community.
Dr. John S. Schuchman is professor of history at Gallaudet University. He is the author of Hollywood Speaks. The son of Deaf parents, he teaches courses on the history of deaf people in the media.