A Mighty Change: An Anthology of Deaf American Writing, 1816-1864

1. Laurent Clerc

1 LAURENT CLERC (1785–1869)
The most influential deaf person in America during the first half of the nineteenth century was Laurent Clerc. With his intelligence, gentlemanly demeanor, sign language skills, and ability to read and write, Clerc gave living proof to the public that deaf individuals could be educated, and educated well. He came from France in 1816 to help found the first permanent school for deaf students in the United States, and taught there for over four decades. An excellent instructor and role model, Clerc had tremendous impact on his pupils, some of whom went on to become teachers, community leaders, and heads of other deaf schools. Deaf Americans linked Clerc with Thomas Hopkins Gallaudet and revered them both as their benefactors. Louis Laurent Marie Clerc was born December 26, 1785, in LaBalme, France. He came from a genteel family; his father was a notary public and the village mayor. As Clerc explains in his autobiographical sketch, when he was one year old, he fell into a fireplace and burned his right cheek, leaving a permanent scar. His parents attributed his deafness and loss of smell to the accident. 1 2 LAURENT CLERC Clerc had no formal education until he was twelve, when he entered the National Institute for the Deaf in Paris. His first teacher was Jean Massieu, an accomplished deaf man who became his close friend. He was also taught by the school’s director, Abbé Roch Ambroise Sicard. Clerc completed his studies in eight years and proved himself brilliant. He became a tutor at the school, and later began teaching the highest class. In 1808, Clerc had the opportunity to go to St. Petersburg, Russia, to help run a new school for deaf students. The proposed director of the school, Jean-Baptiste Jauffret, knew little of deaf people or sign language, so Clerc urged Sicard to let him accompany Jauffret to Russia. To Clerc’s elation, Sicard agreed. However , the Russians provided funds for only one person, and Clerc reluctantly gave up the idea. Little did he know that he would get another chance to spread deaf education to a different land. During the political upheaval in 1815 due to Napoleon’s return to France, Sicard took Massieu and Clerc to London, where they gave exhibitions to publicize the school’s teaching methods. On July 10, 1815, one of the audience members was Thomas Hopkins Gallaudet, a hearing minister from Connecticut. Gallaudet had just arrived in England; a group of Hartford citizens had sent him to learn how to teach deaf students so he could establish a school. Gallaudet was impressed by the exhibition. In the spring of 1816, he visited the school in Paris and eventually invited Clerc to come back with him to the United States. The talented and ambitious Clerc saw that Gallaudet needed his assistance and was eager to help bring deaf education to the New World. Clerc and Gallaudet sailed to America that summer. During the trip, Clerc tutored Gallaudet in sign language, while Gallaudet instructed Clerc in written English. Clerc studied assiduously, reading and keeping a journal. After drafting his daily entries, he would show them to Gallaudet, who made corrections. Clerc then wrote the amended text into his journal, which helps to explain LAURENT CLERC 3 Laurent Clerc (painting by Charles Wilson Peale), 1822 why the version we have today is remarkably free of errors. After arriving in New York in August 1816, they spent the next seven months raising funds for their school. Using his newly-acquired English skills, Clerc wrote speeches for Gallaudet to read on his behalf to legislatures and civic groups. He also answered questions from the audiences; Gallaudet would sign the questions to him, and Clerc would write his answers on a chalkboard. Clerc’s wit and intelligence rarely failed to sway onlookers, and their efforts were successful. On April 15, 1817, they opened the ‘‘Connecticut Asylum, For the Education and Instruction of Deaf and Dumb Persons’’ (soon to become the American Asylum) in Hartford, with seven students. 4 LAURENT CLERC In January 1818, Clerc visited Congress with board member Henry Hudson to seek additional financial assistance for the school. Henry Clay, the speaker of the House, seated Clerc beside him, and during a recess Clerc conversed in writing with congressmen , in both French and English. The next day, Clerc visited President Monroe in the White House. His visits made...