American Sign Language: The Impact it Made on Deaf People
Opposition
In the 1800’s, a debate arose around oralism versus sign language. Oralism is a communication system using speech and lip-reading without signing. Professor Katie Booth, from a mixed hearing/deaf family, said, "The goal was that deaf people could move through the hearing world without anyone knowing they were deaf. And by doing that, ideally, they would be able to have access to all sorts of hearing privilege" (Booth, 2021). In 1867, the first oral school, Clarke School for the Deaf, opened.
Milan Conference
In 1880, an international conference against signing was held in Milan, Italy. They believed oralism allowed deaf children to be part of the hearing world. Two important resolutions were passed:
“1. The Convention, considering the incontestable superiority of articulation over signs in restoring the deaf-mute to society and giving him a fuller knowledge of language, declares that the oral method should be preferred to that of signs in the education and instruction of deaf-mutes.
2. The Convention, considering that the simultaneous use of articulation and signs has the disadvantage of injuring articulation and lip-reading and the precision of ideas, declares that the pure oral method should be preferred” (Berke, 2020).
"Deaf History - Milan Conference- The Fall Out". (Friend, 2022)
As a result, signing was banned, students signing were punished, and deaf educators were fired. Britain and America opposed the ban, as did many deaf people, and GU continued using sign language, which was important to its survival. Olof Hanson, 1886 GU graduate and the first deaf architect said, “You [people] say, ‘The Sign Language should never be taught.’ That is where you are wrong … The deaf who use sign may get less speech, but they develop more brains” (GU, 2014). George Veditz, 1884 graduate and one of the first to film ASL, said, “It is my hope that we will all love and guard our beautiful sign language as the noblest gift God has given to deaf people” (GU, 2014).
"Olof Hanson"
"George Veditz"
(Gallaudet University, 2014)
Let Them Choose →