Alice Cogswell Research Paper

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Alice Cogswell
Alice Cogswell was an incredible little girl from the 1800s who helped to change the course of history for deaf people everywhere. Alice was one of the first and most prominent figures in the creation of ASL as well as an education system for American deaf people. She became this brave pioneer at only 9 years old.
Alice Cogswell was born in 1805 in Hartford, Connecticut. When Alice was only 2 she contracted “spotted fever”, a form of meningitis, which resulted in the loss of her hearing and speech. When she was 9, Alice Cogswell met Thomas Gallaudet, her neighbor. Gallaudet had recently graduated and was hoping to pursue law or ministry, but he quickly grew fond of his young neighbor and began teaching her how to read and spell to the best of his abilities. During the early 1800s in the U.S., it was extremely difficult for deaf people to receive the resources and education they needed. There was no regular form of sign language in America, and deaf educators were extremely scarce. Before …show more content…

The statue was created by Daniel Chester French, the artist behind the Abraham Lincoln sculpture inside the Lincoln Memorial. This statue serves as a reminder for the students, faculty, and general public of the hardships deaf people endure throughout history, as well as the great efforts of these two inspiring figures.

References
Alice Cogswell Changed the World for Deaf People - New England Historical Society. (2013). Retrieved September 19, 2016, from http://www.newenglandhistoricalsociety.com/alice-cogswell-changed-world-deaf-people/
Alice Cogswell - The Beginning of American Deaf Education - Start ASL. (n.d.). Retrieved September 19, 2016, from https://www.start-american-sign-language.com/alice-cogswell_html
The Legacy Begins. (n.d.). Retrieved September 19, 2016, from

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