John Williams' Column: Deaf Americans Have Contributed to the Country’s History

John M. Williams

Date: 04/03/2002

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On a recent trip from Cincinnati to Baltimore, I sat behind two individuals. One was hearing impaired, and the other was totally deaf. They signed to one another during the entire trip. I watched with envy the fluidity of their fingers as they communicated to one another.

Unfortunately, some of the passengers around the two people were upset with their signing and laughing. I heard comments from one passenger who said, “Look at that. They can’t be American.”

Another passenger said while mocking them with her version of sign language, “All that finger moving and mouthing is kooky and unnerving.”

And still a third called for the stewardess. When the stewardess arrived the passenger said, “Those people with their hand movements are doing something unnatural. Can you stop it?”

While the complaining passengers were in their sixties or older, their lives can’t have been that sheltered that they have not seen deaf people signing.

Fortunately, the stewardess signed and told the complaining and baffled travelers, “They are only signing. I can’t stop them from signing.”

Then the stewardess approached the signers and signed, “Hello. How are you? Some of our travelers have never seen signing before and it rattled them. Everything is okay. Can I get either or both of you something?”

The two people said no. Then the stewardess signed good-bye and promised to return.

After the stewardess left, one of the passengers said, “What can they contribute to the country?”

I have a surprise for the woman who made that statement. Throughout our country’s history, deaf people have made significant contributions to America. And it’s time Americans recognized it.

Laurent Clerc (1785-1869) was one of this country’s first teachers for the deaf. Deaf from an accident at one year of age, Clerc, a Frenchman, learned sign language and became a teacher of deaf students at the Royal Institute for the Deaf in Paris. American deaf education pioneer Thomas Hopkins Gallaudet studied under Clerc and hired him to help found the first school for the deaf in the United States on April 15, 1817 in Hartford, Connecticut.

During the first half of the 19th century, Clerc was the most influential teacher of deaf students in the country, his teaching career spanning 41 years. He taught sign language to new teachers and trained them to teach deaf students. As schools for deaf students opened in America, administrators and teachers came to Clerc to be taught.

Erastus “Deaf” Smith (1787-1837) was one of the bravest heroes of the Texas Revolution in 1836. Called El Sordo (the deaf one) by the Mexican army, Smith found the only three survivors of the Alamo – a woman, her 15-month old baby and an African slave. Later when Sam Houston came upon General Santa Ana’s army at Vince’s Bayou, Smith proposed a daring strategy to his general. Since heavy rains had flooded the surrounding embankments and Santa Ana’s armies had use the only bridge to cross the San Jacinto River, Smith would destroy the bridge and the enemy would be trapped without a way to retreat. Smith succeeded and the rest is history.

Texas honors Smith today with Deaf Smith County and the popular Deaf Smith Country Cookbook. Deaf Smith and Johnny Ear, a 1974 movie starring Anthony Quinn as Smith, was shown worldwide, and Cleborne Huston wrote Deaf Smith, Incredible Texas Spy.

Juliette Gordon Low (1860-1927) founded the Girl Scouts of America. Low became totally deaf in her late twenties. While traveling in Scotland in 1911, Low met Sir Robert Baden-Powell, the 1908 founder of the Boy Scouts. The scouting movement had become successful; through scout activities young men were learning self-reliance and resourcefulness. In response to girls’ interest in scouting, Low formed Girl Scout troops in Scotland, England, and later the United States. She organized the first Girl Scout troop in America in her hometown of Savannah, Georgia, in 1912, when she was 51 years old.

While other women across the country had started troops of their own at the same time, Low is recognized as the founder of the national organization because she solidified and fostered the movement by providing funds and leadership. When she died, she was buried in her Girl Scout uniform. Low’s impact is felt today through Girl Scouting worldwide.

Other famous deaf people in American history include William E. Hoy, first deaf major leaguer; Luther H. Taylor, deaf pitcher; Robert Weitbrecht, inventor of the TTY (text telephone); Frances Wood, the Wonder Dancer; Malcolm Wood, captioned media specialist; Eugene Hairston, professional boxer; Linda Bove, Sesame Street “resident”; Kitty O’Neil, Hollywood stunt woman; and Academy Award-winning actress Marlee Matlin.

It’s the ability of people that counts. Deaf Americans, men and women, have shown they can be teachers, soldiers, inventors, actors, athletes, artists, and leaders.

Every February, this country, as it should, pays a lot of attention to the contributions of African Americans through Black History month. October is National Disability Awareness month. The media and people with disabilities everywhere need to rally around the contributions of Americans with disabilities and give them a higher profile in October. And then maybe, the situation I witnessed on the airplane will not happen again.

It’s time for Americans to include people with disabilities in society.

    Back in the late 1970s, I remember my mother asking my ear doctor about getting a cochlear implant for me. At the time, they were telling about it on the news.  The doctor said he didn't think so because I had a little bit of useful hearing that my powerful hearing aids picks up, and it (was at the time) experimental. That was the first time I learned what a cochlear implant was, and I was only a kid then.

For an "introduction" on cochlear implants, click here. 

Today, cochlear implants have come a long ways, and it is now FDA approved. CIs are now more advanced, and has improved since the experimental stage in the 1970s.  I have met many cochlear implant patients online who are very happy with the devices.  One of my high school teachers, who is deaf, now wears a cochlear implant himself. :-)

  Getting a CI is not like wearing hearing aids or even glasses....it takes patience, practice listening (since sounds will sound weird to you at first), and you may have to go back often to get your customized "mapping" so you can be comfortable hearing with your CI. People with CIs are still deaf, since they have to take off their processor at night or before they take a shower or go swimming.

    Here are some Cochlear Implant links where you can find more information, and to see if you are a candidate, plus seeing the new cool CI devices:

• Cochlear NUCLEUS implant site
• CLARION (Advanced Bionics) cochlear implant site
• MED-EL cochlear implant site

Here's a followup about how a cochlear implant surgery is done:

(written by Jaime Berke - Guide of About.com: Deafness/Hard-of-Hearing), from this URL: http://deafness.about.com/od/basicsofcochlearimplants/a/cisurgery_p.htm

What Happens at The Hospital?

Today's cochlear implant surgery is a relatively minor operation of just a few hours. Children who have had the surgery have been known to go home immediately afterwards, playing normally with minimal post-surgical effects. The surgery has the same normal risks associated with any surgery, and serious complications are rare. Meningitis has been shown to be a risk, and patients should take steps to reduce that risk, such as being vaccinated. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention offers suggestions for reducing the risk of meningitis on their website.

Prior to Surgery:

The implant candidate is anesthetized with a general anesthesia.

Preparing for Surgery:

Some hair is shaved off where the surgery will be done. This is usually a small amount of hair. The area shaved is behind the ear.

Making the Cut:

An incision is made and the skin and tissue flap is lifted so that the surgeon can drill into the skull bone behind the ear. A receiver is placed into the drilled-out area and an electrode array is inserted into the cochlea.

Closing Up:

The surgical area is closed up with stitches (a small permanent scar may result) and the head is bandaged.

After Surgery:

Depending on the length of the surgery and other factors, the patient may either be sent home shortly after surgery or have to stay in the hospital for a short while.

Recovery Period:

During the recuperation from the surgery, there may be minimal side effects such as temporary swelling. Side effects are minor if they do occur and generally temporary: pain, changes in taste, dizziness, inflammation, bleeding, etc.

Photographic illustrations:

Plenty of graphic photographs (Not for the squeamish. These photographs show blood and tissue.) of implant surgery are available online. Here are a few:

• Jacob's World has photographs showing the child's stitches, the implant itself after insertion, and the surgical area.
• This page has photographs showing the actual surgery close up.
• Elijah's Surgery Pictures has more actual surgery photographs.

For myself, when I lose a little bit of more hearing in my right ear, I am considering getting a cochlear implant, because I want to have opportunities and be involved with others. I am already deaf in my left ear, so I may be a good candidate in this ear.  Before I get one, I have to go through a battery of tests and x-rays first. :-)  This will be in the far future, when I lose a little bit more hearing.

To learn more about cochlear implants, go to this site.

Nancy

      At work, I went to a workshop about "Celebrating Diversity", which helped me to learn about other people in different backgrounds and races.  This workshop also helps us to respect coworkers' and customers' views and differences, and to accept them.

     In the deaf world, Gallaudet University (a higher institution for deaf and hard of hearing students...hearing students go there too) provided a website about Deafness and Diversity here.  We have Jewish deaf, Christian deaf, Gay deaf, Hispanic deaf and others....there are valuable links in the website that the university had provided about diversity on these type of cultures...so here it is again.

Nancy

Here are my favorite websites on deafness/hearing loss:

GENERAL:

About.com: Deafness/Hard-of-Hearing (by Jaime Berke, Guide)

Hear-It

Healthy Hearing

HEARING LOSS FORUMS:

Hearing Exchange

DeaFreedom

AllDeaf

SayWhatClub

COCHLEAR IMPLANTS:

CLARION Cochlear Implants

Nucleus Cochlear Corporation

UNIQUE HEARING LOSS SITES:

Antique Hearing Aids Archives

Free Online Hearing Test

How to Read Your Audiogram (Hearing Test)

I have found this really wonderful website a couple of years ago. This program lets the deaf and hard-of-hearing people borrow CD-ROMs, DVD, or VHS closed captioned movies for free.
So far, from borrowing several VHS movies from them, I have no problems whatsoever...so I am sure you will be as pleased as I am with this very helpful company.
For example, I have seen "Gone with the Wind" several years ago without closed captioning. Of course, I have missed half the dialogue in the movie. I recently borrowed the same movie from Captioned Media Program, and let's just say I enjoyed understanding the dialogue for the first time with this movie.

To visit the site, "Captioned Media Program", go here.

Oticon is the brand that is what my current BTE (behind-the-ear) hearing aid is. Oticon hearing aids is one of the best brands, and I have no problems with mine since it was bought new in 2000.
Here's the link where you can learn about Oticon and their share of hearing aids. Highly recommended brand! :)

Oticon International

Starkey hearing aids are the ones I have worn from 1991 to 1999, and I've worn the BTE (behind-the-ear) ones. This is a very good brand, however I had trouble with it at the beginning. Since it has been repaired (under warranty), the rest of the time I worn the Starkey BTE turned out fine. Overall, it is a very good choice to purchase if you need a new aid.

Below is the link to Starkey:
Starkey Laboratories, Inc.

I have used Unitron BTE hearing aids from 1986 to 1991 (from my high school years to 21 years old), and this brand works very well. I have used mine with an FM system I wore to my classes in my Sophomore year (the FM system that I wore looked like a big body worn aid..yikes...but that was a long time ago!).

To view the Unitron hearing aids and the cool things they can do, go to the link below: http://www.unitronhearing.com