Laura Bridgman

Laura Bridgman (December 21, 1829 - May 24, 1889) is known as the first deaf-blind person to gain a significant education in the English language, fifty years before the more famous Helen Keller.

Related Topics:
December 21 - 1829 - May 24 - 1889 - Deaf-blind - Helen Keller

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

She was born in Hanover, New Hampshire and became deaf-blind from scarlet fever at age 2. She learned through touch to sew and knit as a child but had no language. She was brought to the Perkins School for the Blind in October 1837, age 7, by Samuel Gridley Howe, the director of the school. Howe had been recently met Julia Brace, a deafblind resident at the American School for the Deaf who communicated using tactile sign, and developed a plan to teach the young Bridgman to read and write through tactile means ? something that had not been attempted previously. At first he used words printed with raised letters, and later they progressed to using a manual alphabet expressed through tactile sign. Eventually she received a broad education.

Related Topics:
Hanover, New Hampshire - Scarlet fever - Perkins School for the Blind - Samuel Gridley Howe - Julia Brace - American School for the Deaf - Tactile sign - Manual alphabet

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Charles Dickens visited the school in 1842 and, impressed by Bridgman's successful education, wrote about her in his American Notes. Decades later, Helen Keller's mother Kate Keller read this account and was inspired to seek advice which led to her hiring a teacher and former pupil of the same school, Anne Sullivan.

Related Topics:
Charles Dickens - 1842 - American Notes - Helen Keller - Anne Sullivan

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Bridgman remained at the school as a sewing teacher for the rest of her life.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

A Liberty ship was named after her.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~