Laurent Clerc (1785-1869) Louis Laurent Marie Clerc Pioneering educator

Quote: “…why there are among the human kind white, black, red, and yellow men. The Deaf and Dumb are everywhere, in Asia, in Africa, as well as in Europe and America…I think our deafness proceeds from an act of Providence, I would say, from the will of God…We therefore cannot but thank God for having made us Deaf and Dumb…” (1818).

[Engraving from Silent Worker (1902) 14 (18), 124]

Born: 26 December 1785 La Balme, France

Died: 18 July 1869 (83 years old) Hartford, Conn. Spring Grove Cemetery

Family of origin: Father (Joseph Francis Clerc) was a notary public and mayor of the town Mother (Elizabeth Cady)

Involvement/Contributions to the Deaf Community: Attended and taught at Deaf School in Paris Co-Established the first permanent public Deaf School in the Celebrated as the first Deaf teacher in the United States Wrote articles for Deaf press

Schooling: 1797: entered Institution Nationale des Sourds-Muets à Paris (INJS) Master of Arts: Trinity College, Hartford

Professional Experiences: 1806: appointed as teacher at the Nationale des Sourds-Muets 1817: with T.H. Gallaudet established the American School for the Deaf and was a teacher and retired in 1858 1821-1822: Acting Principal of the Pennsylvania School for the Deaf Prepared and tutored to teachers/administrators for work with Deaf students

Honors (too numerous to list all, some examples): 1850: Deaf alumni and community members organize a tribute to Laurent Clerc (and Rev. ) at Hartford, Conn. Busts of Clerc at ASD and Many Deaf organizations are named in his honor such as: Laurent Clerc National Center at Gallaudet University (Kendall Demonstration School and Model Secondary School for the Deaf), Laurent Clerc Cultural Fund (Gallaudet Alumni Association), and Association Laurent Clerc (La Balme, France)

Personal information: 1819: Married Eliza Crocker Boardman Four children survived to adulthood: Daughter Elizabeth Victoria Clerc (Beers) became an instructor at ASD Son Rev. Francis Joseph Clerc became ”a missionary to Deaf people”

List of original documents/links : Clerc, L. (1849) . American Annals of the Deaf, 2 (2), 84-89 and American Annals of the Deaf, 2 (4), 203-217. (Download article: http://saveourdeafschools.org/massieu.pdf)

The Diary of Laurent Clerc’s Voyage from France to America in 1816 (West Hartford, CT: American School for the Deaf, 1952).(Download book: http://saveourdeafschools.org/diary_of_laurent_clercs_voyage.pdf)

Clerc, L. (1847 and 1848). “Visits to Some of the Schools for the Deaf and Dumb in France and England,” American Annals of the Deaf, 1(1), 62–66, American Annals of the Deaf, 1 (2), 113–120, and American Annals of the Deaf, 1 (3), 170–176.

Clerc, L. (1852). “Laurent Clerc: Autobiography.” In H. Barnard, A Tribute to Gallaudet. (pp. 106-116). Hartford, Conn: Brockett and Hutchinson. (Download book at: http://books.google.com/books/about/Tribute_to_Gallaudet.html?id=3gMBAAAAY AAJ)

References and books/articles/links about Laurent Clerc : Braddock, G. C. (1975). Notable Deaf Persons. Washington, DC: Gallaudet Alumni Association.

Denison, J. (1847). “The Memory of Laurent Clerc: Dedication Address for Clerc Memorial,” American Annals of the Deaf, 19 (4), 238–244.

“Facts in relation to Deaf Mutes and their Education.” (1902) Silent Worker, 14(8), 124-6.

Gallaudet, E.M. (1888). "Life of Thomas Hopkins Gallaudet – Founder of Deaf-Mute Instruction in America." New York: Henry Holt and Company. (Download book: http://saveourdeafschools.org/life_of_thomas_hopkins_gallaudet.pdf)

Lane, H. (1984). When the Mind Hears: A History of the Deaf. New York, NY. Random House.

Lang, Harry G., and Meath-Lang, Bonnie (1995). Deaf Persons in the Arts and Sciences. Westport, CT: Greenwood Publishing Group.

Porter, S. (1858) “Retirement of Mr. Clerc,” American Annals of the Deaf, 10 (3), 181–183.

Other information/documents/images:

[below image from: www.findagrave.com]

[above image from: http://www.disabilitymuseum.org/dhm/lib/detail.html?id=654]