The Christian's Duty Toward the Deaf: Differing Christian Views on Deaf Schooling and Education in 19th-Century Dutch Society

A historical study is conducted into the founding of three boarding schools for Deaf children in the Netherlands, in 1790, 1840, and 1888. The article focuses on how three different religious views inspired divergent perspectives on citizenship and the role of the state, the church, and charity in helping Deaf people to become well-integrated citizens. For each school, a brief general context and a brief description of its political and religious background is given. The founding of the school, with accompanying difficulties, is then described, as well as the fundamental ideas of the founders regarding the image of the Deaf person, Deaf children and their capacities, societal goals of the institution, subject matter considered important in the school, further relevant organizational aspects, and financing and the responsibilities of state, church, charity, and private enterprise. The views of the three institutions are compared and contrasted.