The Sir James Whitney School for the Deaf in Belleville

education, he came to Mackay with strong administrative skills contract to build the school was awarded to the firm of that he learned as dean and then director of the Continuing Kempster & Brother of Hamilton, Ont.; architect for the project Education Program at Dawson College in Montreal. Spencer was a Mr. James Smith of Toronto, with construction super- majored in philosophy at the following universities: Carleton vised by Ontario government officials. Masonic ceremonies University in Ottawa (B.A., 1966), University of Western marked the laying of the cornerstone on August 12, 1869. Ontario in London (M.A., 1967), and McGill University in McGann was offered the post of principal, which he Montreal (Ph.D., 1972), where he also taught philosophy for declined, suggesting another candidate - Joseph John Gurney four years (1972-1976). Under his administration, the Mackay Terrill (b. 1839; d. Nov. 7,1869), his hearing son-in-law and an Center is currently working on establishing a bilingual/bicul- experienced teacher of the deaf whom McGann had supervised tural program for deaf students. The students and faculty held their first reunion on March 11-13, 1988. 'I1lis event, which occurred during the school's spring break, was co-ordinated by Jo Anne Stump (a deaf teacher). The next reunion was held in the summer of 1993, with another planned for 1995 to commemorate the 125th anniver- sary of the school. Ontario currently has three provincial schools for its deaf students: The Sir James Whitney School for the Deaf in Belleville. the Ernest C. Drury School for the Deaf in Milton. and the Robarts School for the Deaf in London. Two of the schools are relatively new, built in the 1960s and 1970s to Main building of the Ontario Institution for the Deaf and accommodate the increasing number of deaf children in the Dumb from 1870 until a new building was constructed in province. All three are also designated "resource centres" and 1921 (Belleville, Ont.) as such provide support services to local school boards and to The Canadian MutelGaliaudet University Archives families with preschool-aged deaf children. Ontario's provincial schools operate under the Ontario Ministry of Education and when his school was in Hamilton. Tragically, Terrill died on the Training. Some of the public and separate. (Catholic) school very day his appointment was confirmed. The search for an boards in the province also provide day schools or integrated administrator began again. In the summer of 1870, Dr. Wesley programs for deaf children. These include the Metropolitan ("Willie") Jones Palmer (b. June 11, 1834; d. June 3, 1888), a Separate School Board programs in Toronto and the Metro hearing man with cOIl'liderable experience teaching deaf chil- "['0r0l1toSchool for the Deaf (both of which are day programs). dren. was secured from the United States to become the first principal of the Ontario Institution. A native of Milton, f\.e.. he The Sir James Whitney School held this position for nine vtars (1870-1879). Prior to his appointment to the Belleville school, Palmer had studied at "for the Deaf Wake forest College (now University) in Winston-Salem. !'J.e. Originally called the Ontario Institution for the Education (1851-1852) and at Columbian College in Washington. D.C and Instruction of the Deaf and Dumb when it opened in 1870. (B.Ph., 1852-1854).88 He taught at the North Carolina this educational facility in Belleville was renamed the Ontario Institution for the Deaf and Dumb and the Blind in Raleigh School for the Deaf in 1913.Sixty-one years later, in August (1858-1860) before being promoted to vice-principal (1860) and 1974, it was renamed the Sir James Whitney School for the later principal (1860-1870) there. (His was the only school for Hearing Handicapped, in honour of a hearing statesman who deaf students in the southern states to remain open during the had been premier ofthe province (1905-1914).The school owes U.S. Civil War.) Two other degrees were bestowed upon him b\' its existence to the persistence of John Barrett McGann (b. his alma mater (Columbian College) - an honourary MA in Dec. 25, 1810; d. Jan. 22, 1880), a hearing Irishman who pio- 1860 and an honourary Ph.D. on June 29,1870. neered deaf education in the province (1858-1870).86 On When the Ontario Institution opened, it was estimated that November 19, 1868, after years of pleading for a provincially there were 312 deaf people of school age in the province. A total funded institution for deaf children, McGann finally received of 107 of these enrolled at the new school, leaving 20~ who were positive support from the Ontario Legislature. However, there still not receiving any education.89 The age of admission was was considerable delay over the selection of a suitable location, seven to 17 years, and students could only attend for seven years and it was not until April 1869 that the city of Belleville was cho- (or until they reached the age of 21, whichever occurred first). sen as the site for the new school. A large tract of land of 86 During Palmer's tenure, the Ontario Institution became the acres was purchased about two and half kilomctres west of the first Canadian school for deaf students to publicly embrace the municipality on the picturesque shore of the Bay of Quinte, and American system of manual education. Palmer discarded the work commenced at once with an initial grant of $85,000.87The British two-handed fingerspelling, which was commonly used _ 92 ~ ,.ilJJ7(-1(».. f . 1»..£-1 JVu'3i -7 - ~ &-~ . ",ufo tJTl; : Me~ - >M.; 1I IZ.If; !if S (}-A J <:.,q 0( c, . 0- 01- ~51378-1 in Ontario at that time, and introduced the American one-hand- by one visitor to the school as "a born teacher, an accomplished ed alphabet. He also encouraged the use of "the sign language" scholar and a man of keen, strong, intellectual power. He has, (which became widely known as American Sign Language in and he deserves, the thorough confidence of his pupils and he the 1960s). As he wrote in his first report, "we have adopted the is doing noble work."98 When a sixth class was formed in system of instruction pursued in all of the older Institutions in September 1871, Palmer recruited the school's second deaf America," but admitted that he was still keeping an eye on the teacher - Annie Maria Perry (b. Mar. 28, 1838; d. Dec. 23, oral system being tried in a few United States' schools.90 For 1938) of Cobourg, Ont., a former student at the New York the majority of deaf students, Palmer felt that "the sign lan- Institution for the Instruction of the Deaf and Dumb in New guage, the natural language of the deaf and dumb, supplies the York City (1847-1852). proper means of communication, and through this medium The years between 1873 and 1894 saw new construction at they are made to understand written words and to use them the Ontario Institution. In 1873, the east end of the main build- correctly."91 To make sure that the instruct<,>rscould commu- ing was extended to enlarge the dining room so that two class- nicate effectively with their students, Palmer reported that "the rooms could be constructed overhead. The first vocational teachers are required to assemble weekly for practice in the building (used for carpentry classes and unofficially called the sign language."92 "Carpentry Building") was completed on the east side of the Unfortunately, in the later years of his educational career, main building, and fully equipped for the students. During the Palmer suffered from a drinking problem (more delicately 1876-1877 school session, Wood Hall, which was northwest of referred to in those days as "intemperate habits"). This condi- the Carpentry Building, was built to house a bursar's store tion was attributed in part to the long illness of his wife, "which for room, isolation hospital, sitting room, and dormitory for older several years deprived him of his much-needed rest at night."93 male pupils; in 1896 this structure was converted to vocational Whatever the reason for his personal problems, he lost his prin- classrooms. Both buildings were demolished in the late 1960s. cipalship in 1879.94 He moved to Marquette, Mich., where he The superintendent's residence, the only one of the original "engaged in business ... but never succeeded in recovering buildings built between 1870 and 1877 still standing today, was entire self-mastery."95 He then returned to North Carolina and constructed on the west side of the main school building. The was later committed to the Western Insane Asylum in next oldest building still remaining is the former Gibson Morganton. He died there in June 1888, killed "by deadly blows from one of the deranged inmates of the asylum."96 On the 20th of October, 1870, a large crowd witnessed the formal opening of the school, which had been built in the Gothic style and was officially named the Ontario Institution for the Education and Instruction of the Deaf and Dumb. The first three students were Duncan Morrison of Grey County, Arthur Bowen of Simcoe County, and Mary Ettie Grace of Norfolk County.97This number had increased to 70 by the end of the school term. One of the four teachers appointed for the first session was deaf. Samuel Thomas Greene (b. June 11. 1843: d Feb. 17, 1890), a graduate of the American Asylum for the Education and Instruction of the Deaf and Dumb at Hartford, Conn., and the National Deaf-Mute College (now Gallaudet University) in Washington, D.C., became the first deaf person The schQol's shoe shop (circa 1896) ever to teach in the province of Ontario.

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