American Association to Promote the Teaching of Speech to the Deaf

American Association to Promote the Teaching of Speech to the Deaf
Name	American Association to Promote the Teaching of Speech to the Deaf
Founded	1890
Founder	Alexander Graham Bell
Key people	Alexander Graham Bell, Sarah Fuller, Gardiner Greene Hubbard
Focus	Oralism, Deaf education
Location	United States

American Association to Promote the Teaching of Speech to the Deaf was a pivotal organization established in the late 19th century to advance the oralist method of educating deaf individuals. Founded primarily through the efforts of Alexander Graham Bell, it championed the teaching of speech and lip-reading over manualism and the use of sign language. The association played a central role in the contentious oralist-manualist debates, significantly influencing educational policy and practice for deaf students across North America and beyond for decades.

History and founding

The association was formally established in 1890, emerging from a growing movement that favored oralism in the education of the deaf. Its creation was spearheaded by Alexander Graham Bell, who was deeply influenced by his father, Alexander Melville Bell, and his work with visible speech at the Boston School for Deaf Mutes. A key catalyst was the Second International Congress on Education of the Deaf held in Milan in 1880, where oralist methods were officially endorsed, leading to a decline in sign language instruction globally. Bell, along with other prominent figures like Gardiner Greene Hubbard and educator Sarah Fuller, consolidated efforts in the United States to institutionalize this pedagogical approach, forming the association to provide a unified platform for advocacy, teacher training, and the dissemination of oralist techniques.

Mission and objectives

The core mission was to promote the exclusive use of speech and lip-reading in the instruction of deaf children, aiming to integrate them into mainstream hearing society. Its objectives included establishing teacher-training programs focused on oral methods, such as those at the Clarke School for the Deaf and the Horace Mann School for the Deaf. The association worked to influence state legislatures and school boards to adopt oralist curricula, often lobbying against institutions like the American School for the Deaf that supported manual communication. It also sought to publish research and materials supporting oralism, directly countering the work of manualist advocates such as Edward Miner Gallaudet of the Columbia Institution for the Deaf.

Key figures and leadership

Alexander Graham Bell served as the association's first president and its most influential figure, dedicating significant personal fortune and prestige to its cause. His father-in-law, Gardiner Greene Hubbard, a founder of the National Geographic Society, provided crucial financial and organizational support. Pioneering educator Sarah Fuller, the first principal of the Horace Mann School for the Deaf, was instrumental in developing practical teaching methodologies. Other notable leaders included Harriet B. Rogers, a founder of the Clarke School for the Deaf, and John Hitz, who served as superintendent of the Volta Bureau, which became the association's research and publishing arm. These individuals formed a powerful network that championed oralism from Boston to Washington, D.C..

Educational methods and philosophy

The association's philosophy was rooted in the belief that deaf individuals should assimilate into the hearing world, rejecting American Sign Language and French Sign Language as inferior. Its endorsed methods emphasized intensive training in articulation, speechreading, and the use of residual hearing, often employing tools like the Visible Speech system developed by the Bell family. Schools following its tenets, such as the Lexington School for the Deaf, focused on strict oral communication, forbidding the use of signs in the classroom. This approach stood in direct opposition to the bilingual-bicultural education model and the legacy of Thomas Hopkins Gallaudet, prioritizing integration over Deaf culture and community.

Evolution and name changes

The organization underwent significant evolution, beginning as a focused advocacy group. In 1908, it was reorganized and incorporated as the Volta Bureau Association, aligning more closely with the research activities of the Volta Bureau established by Bell in Washington, D.C.. This shift reflected a move from pure advocacy to supporting sustained research and publication. Later, in 1956, it merged with the Alexander Graham Bell Association for the Deaf, a name it retains today. This merger marked a broadening of its scope to include newer technologies like electroacoustic hearing aids and later, cochlear implants, while maintaining its core commitment to listening and spoken language.

Legacy and impact

The association's legacy is profound and controversial, having successfully institutionalized oralist methods in many public schools and programs for the deaf throughout the 20th century, profoundly affecting generations of deaf individuals. Its advocacy contributed to the decline of Deaf schools that used sign language and influenced policies that marginalized Deaf communities. However, its impact has been re-evaluated following the rise of the Deaf rights movement, the recognition of ASL as a complete language by scholars like William Stokoe, and the Deaf President Now protest at Gallaudet University. Modern organizations, including the present-day Alexander Graham Bell Association for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing, continue to promote listening and spoken language, while the field of Deaf education now increasingly embraces a broader spectrum of approaches, including Total Communication and bilingual education.

Category:Educational organizations based in the United States Category:Deaf education Category:Organizations established in 1890