Clerc Family
From France to Hartford
Louis Laurent Marie Clerc was born on December 26, 1785 in La Balme, France. Born hearing, an accident by a fireplace when he was one year old caused him to become deaf. The trauma also resulted in scarring on the left side of his face that he carried with him for the rest of his life and became the basis for his sign language name (two fingers flicking downwards on one cheek). Unlike the United States, France had a school for deaf children, called theInstitution Nationale des Sourds-Muets à Paris. He studied there under Abbé Sicard and traveled around Europe with him to garner support and awareness for deaf education.
Clerc became a teacher at the school and met Reverend Thomas Hopkin Gallaudet during his visit in the 1810s. Gallaudet was impressed with his intelligence and invited him to return with him to the United States. Gallaudet and Clerc sailed aboard theMary Augustawhere Clerc learned English from Gallaudet and Gallaudet continued to learn French sign language from Clerc.Credits and Sources:
Photos courtesy of:
Keenan; ASD/ Wadsworth; ASD/ Wadsworth.
