Laurent Clercs Deaf School - 529 Words

Laurent Clerc was born on December 26, 1785. It is believed that Clerc became deaf by falling off of his high chair into the kitchen fireplace around age one. He had gotten a severe burn on his right cheek, and a fever developed, and later on his hearing and smelling senses were damaged. It was never quite clear whether he was born deaf, or if it had been a cause of his accident. Clerc’s parents had tried many different treatments to get Clercs hearing back, although none of them succeeded. Clerc did not go to school and didn’t learn to read or write. For 11 years Clerc stayed at home instead of going to school. While at home Clerc spent his time either exploring the village, or taking care of the animals, such as; cows, turkeys, and horses. Eventually, at age 12 Clercs uncle-godfather, Laurent Clerc, who he was named after, entered him into the Institut National des Jeune Sourds-Muets, which was the first public school for the deaf in the world. In school, Clerc’s assistant teacher, Abbe Margaron, tried to teach Clerc to pronounce his words, which Clerc had a difficult time with this, at one point his difficulty in pronouncing words enraged Abbe so much that he hit Clerc So hard underneath his chin, which caused Clerc to accidentally bite his tongue so hard, he decided he wanted nothing to do with speaking, and would never again learn to speak. Because of this experience, it later caused Clerc to make his belief that signing is the greatest procedure for deafShow MoreRelatedEssay Laurent Clerc Pioneer Teacher958 Words   |  4 PagesLaurent Clerc Pioneer Teacher 1785-1869 Laurent Clerc was born in LaBalme, France, on Dec. 26 1785. His father was Mayor of the town and the family could boast of a long line of magistrates in the Clerc lineage. At the age of one, the infant fell from a kitchen chair by accident into a nearby fireplace. He was burned on one side of his face and a fever left him totally deaf. He had uncle also named Laurent Clerc, who heard about the school for the deaf in Paris. When he was twelve years oldRead MoreThe Apostle Of The Deaf Essay1833 Words   |  8 PagesLouis Laurent Marie Clerc or commonly known as the â€Å"Apostle of the Deaf in America†, was born December 26, 1785 in La Balme -les-Grottes, France. Mr. Clerc was born in a village in the south-eastern side of France; he came from a well off middle class family that would have been considered bourgeois for his time. His father was Joseph Francis Clerc a civil attorney for the royal family and his mother was Marie Elizabeth Candy whose father was a notary public. He r father as well as being an attorneyRead MoreImproving the Lives of So Many: The Invention of Sign Language823 Words   |  3 Pagesâ€Å"A day when deaf people and their language are completely accepted-no, more than that, truly welcomed-as a part of the family of man in which god created diversity not to oppress the minority who are different, but to enrich the lives of all.† This important quote from Laurent Clerc shows his opinion on the acceptance of Deaf people in the world. He understood through first hand experience the importance of communication and education for the Deaf community. Eventually with the help of ThomasRead More Deafness and the Power of Signing Essay examples3577 Words   |  15 PagesDeafness and the Power of Signing When the deaf Miss America spoke to a crowd of thousands about overcoming her handicap, deaf people across America were disgusted. Deafness is not a handicap, I have been told again and again. It is a cultural identity, a way of life, a choice, even (some hard-of hearing people speak of the time when they had to decide, deaf or hearing), but never a handicap, never something to be overcome. The sign for people like Miss America is the sign for hearing,