Deaf Women's Lives: Three Self-Portraits

I Dared!

I Dared! Frances M. Parsons In 1970, Dr. Mervin Garretson, who was then the Executive Director of the Council of Organizations Serving the Deaf, visited Argentina to see how deaf children were being educated. While he was there, a group of deaf adults asked him to send a spokesperson on behalf of deaf children. Being very shy and a reluctant public speaker, I was leery when he recommended me. I asked him to clarify the purpose of making this trip, but he answered evasively, assuring me that all I would do was sit with the parents of the deaf children and share my family experiences with them. I was not at all sure how I could help families in Argentina, but I decided to go. I arrived in Buenos Aires in early June of 1971 and was greeted warmly by a small welcoming committee—a hearing teacher, a hearing father, a deaf mother, and the president of the Argentina Association of the Deaf. While driving toward the city, the teacher, Iris, and I had a long conversation, until I told her we had to stop because the sun was going down and I could not lipread her. She was silent until we reached our destination.I was confused when Iris appeared agitated and the members of my welcoming committee began to argue with each other. It turned out she was stunned to learn that I was deaf! All the VIPs, government people, professors, and teachers were expecting a hearing professor from 189 K America! It was my turn to be shocked when I learned I was to present lectures about the teaching methods used in the United States. I threw up my hands and was all for returning to the States. Iris changed her mind when the group pointed out to her how well I could speak, in spite of my deafness and my ability to sign, and I could be a role model. So they all begged me to reconsider. I refused to listen. I was furious and cursed Dr. Garretson for letting me walk into this trap. Finally we agreed that I would visit a model oral school.The principal was astounded when we arrived unannounced. She asked us to return on the following day, but I had made a firm decision to leave Argentina. Reluctantly the principal welcomed us to the school. I was flabbergasted to see teachers loitering in the halls, leaving children unattended. The principal led me to a classroom where the students were having intensive speech training. As she opened the door, I took a quick glance around the room—there were no blackboards, no pictures, no papers or books, no crayons or pencils. Six five-year-old girls sat on hard benches around a semicircular table. They all looked bored as they waited their turns for speech training. In this classroom, at that moment, my life changed forever. I watched incredulously as the teacher reached out and clutched a little girl’s hair and pulled her head backward. The teacher then whipped out a pair of metal tongs, gripped the girl’s tongue, and twisted hard enough to make the girl jerk. This small child looked at me as she licked her bleeding tongue. Her eyes were brimming with tears that pleaded with me to help her. Horrified, I asked the teacher why she had done this. Her explanation was it would correct the pupil’s pronunciation. I realized then that these children had no one to speak for them, and so I decided on the spot that I would become their advocate. I stayed in Argentina for three months. With Iris as my interpreter, I gave interviews to television, magazine, and newspaper reporters; presented lectures to professors, teachers, parents, and government people; taught and worked with the teachers of the deaf, showing them how to combine basic sign language with speech; visited schools inside and outside Buenos Aires; and took advantage of every opportunity to publicize Total Communication (the method of using sign language, speech, speechreading, and any other 190 Frances M. Parsons communication mode that will help deaf students learn) and the combined method (the simultaneous use of signs and speech). Thus began my global campaign to encourage other countries to incorporate sign language into deaf education. During the academic year, I taught at Gallaudet College, so I was able to travel during the summers . My second trip...