Gallaudet University (named Gallaudet College at the time of the events told in this post), founded in 1864, in Washington, D.C., is the world’s foremost institution of higher education for deaf and hard of hearing students. Fifty years ago, a handful of Latter-day Saint students attended the school and were members of the stake headquartered in Washington, D.C. Keepa’ninny FMc ran across a copy of the Washington Ward’s newsletter for March, 1964, which included this article regarding the organization of a Deseret Club (today it would be an Institute) at Gallaudet, and scanned it for us. Thanks, F!

Silent Teaching

By Bill Anderson

Just about one year ago my wife, Margaret, and I became acquainted with a strange new Church assignment. Since leaders of our Church have always recognized the importance of members meeting together to participate in spiritual and social activities, it was not surprising to me that a Deseret Club should be organized on the campus of Gallaudet College to fulfill, in part, the needs of certain of our deaf members for continued religious instruction. We were surprised, however, when Bishop Eames requested that we act as sponsors to the club. Neither of us had had any previous experience in Deseret Club activities. At the time of Bishop Eames’ request I was attending evening law school and saw an immediate conflict in scheduling. And, we could foresee as the greatest difficulty, our obvious inability to communicate.

The assignment proved to be a very challenging one. We immediately set about to subdue the manual alphabet and some of the more useful signs used in the American Sign Language;. Certainly there was considerable confusion. I often used the sign for death when I meant baptism and used the sign for ugly when I meant funny. There was also the immediate problem of “starchy” fingers which prevented a quick transition from letter to letter when finger spelling.

The club was organized in January, 1963 with ten members. Our meetings and activities during our first semester were always spiritual, friendly and fun. I remember on one occasion arranging for three automobiles to transport the club membership to Pentagon City for an ice-skating party. Mary Lou Foote, then the social vice-president, finally had to make arrangements for a bus when 36 enthusiastic students gathered to attend. The final activity of the academic year was a work day at the Stake farm in Maryland where all of the Club members, including six healthy girls, tossed and stacked bales of hay.

The Deseret Club is not active this year. Our past President, Betty Jo Alldredge, graduated last spring with a Bachelor of Arts degree and returned to her home in Utah. The new President elect, Mary Lou Foote, was unable to return last fall. The others, Wayne Bennett, Jack Obermeyer, Audrey Smeators, Karen Schultz … have also returned to their homes for assorted reasons.

The only charter member of the Club now with us is Dennis Smith. Dennis, only recently baptized, now holds the office of teacher in the Aaronic Priesthood. He is very faithful in the execution of his Church duties and has become an effective missionary with his friends on the campus.

With the recent emphasis by the First Presidency on responsible teaching and fellowshipping of Church members, our program for providing the blessings of Church activity to ward members attending Gallaudet College has taken on a new dimension.

Since most of the students (both members and investigators) rely exclusively upon the American Sign Language for communication, it was recently decided that the whole Church program, including Relief Society, M.I.A., Genealogical instruction, etc., could be offered if more officers and other ward members could use the sign language and alphabet.

Just over one month ago we began weekly sign language classes with 18 interested and enthusiastic ward members enrolled. I am happy to report that most members have faithfully continued and attend a two-hour session each Monday evening, beginning at 8 o’clock. We are following, as a course of instruction, an outline prepared at Gallaudet College. With approximately 480 signs to be learned from the outline plus the ability to spell quickly, the members will be well equipped to converse with the deaf.

A poem, which I like, expresses for me the awakening received by those who participate in this program.

Pity not the silence of the mute,
But first observe their nimble moving hands.
The finger tips alive and breathing thought,
The watchful eye that hears and understands.

Their language echoes loud on muffled ears
While all your oral shouts would be in vain.
So pity then your lack of speaking hands
For without them you in silence must remain.