| Show gallaudet was wa first to start school for deaf dr thomas hopkins gallaudet whom gallaudet college is for or named was the first american educator to establish a school for or the deaf in this country born in philadelphia on december 10 1787 he was a tutor and a theo theological logiL al astl student adent but because e of ill health declined a ministerial po siti tion then gallaudet became acquainted with a deaf child named alice cogswell and it was his interest in her education which led him to devote his life to the education of the deaf furnished with funds raised by alices father and a number ot of friends he went to europe to make a study of methods employed there upon his return relates leslie hartley in the washington star gallaudet in 1817 founded at hartford conn the first free american school tor for the deaf and was its president until 1830 during that period he was able to train a number of men in his methods of teaching and these in turn became heads of similar schools all over the country dr gallaudet married one of his pupils sophia fowler they had two sons thomas who became a missionary i to the deaf and edwa edward rd miner who was the first superintendent of the columbia institution for the deaf when it was established in washington the advanced department part ment of this institution which is the only college for the deaf in the world is named in honor of thomas hopkins gallaudet |
