Mishka Zena

43 Responses to “For Jack Barr and Other Oral Survivors From A Different Era”

1. DR Hocokan Says:
   August 3rd, 2008 at 3:16 pm

   I agree. They need to come out of their shell and make their experience known, which is difficult but necessary for two reasons. First it encourage the public to learn why we are angry and secondly, it help them find the necessary closure. My wife grew up orally and has shared numerous negative experiences she had at St. Joseph Institute for the Deaf in St. Louis and else where. My wife abandonned oralism method in favor of ASL but it was not without emotional journey whereas she learned to recover from her traumas. Their road is not smooth and easy. It is very difficult. Thank you MZ for taking the time to create this blog.

2. lgrimeau Says:
   August 3rd, 2008 at 3:37 pm

   HI

   I agreed… let the voice be heard aloud so that people won’t do the same thing with the deaf children now… i was thinking about suggest Jack and other survivors to write their expereince-stories and send to the movie producer … they d might want to make a movie to help people understand more from their pasts… it sure will help lot when a movie runs on tv.. millions and millions will understand better and to support ASL exposes!

3. White Ghost Says:
   August 3rd, 2008 at 3:40 pm

   MZ –

   Well, I think Jack Barr needs to see counselors or support group. I have not seen his vlog, however, commenters mentioned about the action for what he did at the end is uncalled for. It was pure and poor example.

   The other hand, he’s an adult and does not make any excuses for setting an example.

   [some comments deleted]

4. Mishka Zena Says:
   August 3rd, 2008 at 3:54 pm

   What support group? As far as I know, there is absolutely no support group for oral deaf survivors. The paucity of qualified therapists compounds the problem. What complicates the situation worse is the excessive denial by the oral education system regarding the abuses of these poor oral kids.

   What Jack did was reckless, however he didn’t mean any harm. He was shooting at the ’symbolism’ of the oppressive and brutal oralism. We all have made very stupid mistakes at one time or other, even as adults. Most importantly he stepped forward to apologize and shared what he went through so we could understand where his anger came from. He was very courageous. Did you take the time to watch his vlog where he described the abuses? It’s pretty bad. Do show some compassion as I feel you were kinda pretty harsh on Jack.

   Sharing these stories online or with friends can be very therapeutic. There are many support system on the Internet. I think it’s a good idea for oral deaf survivors to empower themselves by establishing an online support group or a vlog/blog for this purpose.

5. bluestar Says:
   August 3rd, 2008 at 3:54 pm

   my friend never forgot about me let me explain to everyone when i went to reading class, i watched the techer what does he say become bored i looked at the window and he grabbed my neck against the wall and become blue my face then fell down on the floor i was shock and block out the student were very scard i didnt recall about happend at school they always think about me so far thank you for sharing

6. Drolz Says:
   August 3rd, 2008 at 4:02 pm

   MZ, very powerful post. Thank you. And you’re right, the stories must come out.

   Those of you who know me as “Drolz” on the blogosphere might be surprised to know that I’m actually a “Drolz Jr.”

   My father, also deaf, had more skill and intellect as a kid than I ever did. Every now and then he’ll lament that he got a bum deal because, you guessed it, he ran into the oral school roadblock that derailed many a promising deaf student.

   Here’s the link to his story:

   http://www.deaf-culture-online.com/deaf-class-action.html

   Best regards,
   Mark Drolsbaugh

7. "Nancy" Says:
   August 3rd, 2008 at 4:02 pm

   I went to the same oral school MZ attended. One teacher had a German accent. Nobody understand his speech good. My attention wander He always beat me with his wooden pointer. Same with other students for short attention span.

8. misha Says:
   August 3rd, 2008 at 4:13 pm

   Mishka,

   When I viewed Jack’s vlog about his horrendous experience at oral school, that brought my husband and I back to our oral school. His descriptions are almost identical to ours.

   Yes, Mishka, that is very true that the dorm houseparents who took care of young kids used the sticks, newspapers, even a pot (in my husband’s case), rulers, wood pointers, toilet brushes and even chalkboard’s erasers (any other choice of “weapons” they’d found at hand) to use on us. In classrooms, the teachers usually used the two different kinds of rulers, one in complete wood and other mostly wooden with some kind of silvery metal on the end, wooden and metal(that had a chalk at the end) pointers, chalkboard’s erasers, even chunk of chalks, etc. to hit on each hands and even legs to tell us to stop signing or gestures. Ohh, I recalled in the cafeteria, the houseparents would use the silverware to whack our hands and elbows (when we put our elbows on tables) as well.

   My husband and I aren’t bitter at all but we were somewhat bitter at the memories of those beatings we had to endure. We moved on and put everything behind on us. We’d focus on good, funny, mischevous times we had at our oral school instead. Did we blame our parents for sending us away to oral schools? No, we didn’t since our parents told us the stories how hard they had when they had to send us away upon the doctors’ recommendations. So therefore, obviously we knew all parents and doctors (back in 50’s and 60’s) weren’t very well informed and educated on what to handle and/or deal with deaf babies. Even I heard the stories a few of our friends had told that the doctors had advised their parents to place them in the mental institutions or put in mental retard classes just because the deaf couldn’t take care of themselves or couldn’t learn to talk, whatnots.

   I even asked my friends and old classmates from oral schools to ask their parents if they ever heard of AGBell organization. It turned out they heard about it much, much later after taking the doctors’ advices on the educations. It was surprising. I don’t ever recall that my parents ever mentioned AGBell. But I plan on asking my mom when I see her next time.

   Yes, I’m planning on vlogging to tell my husband’s and my experiences at our oral school someday.

   The moral of the story is the deaf people should never, ever blame their parents for their decisions to send them to oral schools or any other schools such as mainstream public schools. Because they thought they made their decisions for their deaf children. They did their best to do the right thing by their children to their abilities.

   Misha

   [a note from MZ making a clarification: The term oralism system is a generic for complusory oral education with no manual language as it was the primary oral education program back then. The oralism approach have been taught to the medical schools, the audiological schools, the teachers programs, and the public, due to its extensive public relations and educational outreaches.]

9. The Rogue Says:
   August 3rd, 2008 at 4:15 pm

   Jack Barr is the one of Oral victims like me and others. Many Oral victims will come forward slowly. I believe one day everything will prevail!

   My hat off goes to Jack Barr for being courage and forthrightness his story. Everyone always forgive him in no matter what.

   Nobody is perfect and we always made mistakes but we still overcome the tough obstacles.

   Waving hands on Jack!

   Charles B. Downing - The Rogue

10. Julie Rems-Smario Says:
    August 3rd, 2008 at 4:22 pm

    Wow this is a powerful blog. We need to document all the stories.

    I have a friend from an oral program who was forced to enunciate “lavatory” at the age of 4 in order to be allowed to go to the bathroom. She struggled with this word for so long that she could no longer hold her bladder–she urinated on the floor in the classroom . This experience is still painful for her to talk about.

    The parents do need to hear the stories from Deaf adults because we are actually the experts as survivors of oral education.

    To the parents of all Deaf babies– we are sharing our stories because we want your children to have a wonderful, positive experience growing up bilingually.

11. A Deaf Pundit Says:
    August 3rd, 2008 at 4:38 pm

    I hope this is the beginning for our community to come together and share those horrific stories, so that we can start to heal.

    I am glad that Jack shared his story - this and all of the oral survivors’ stories need to be told.

12. misha Says:
    August 3rd, 2008 at 4:49 pm

    Mishka,

    [a note from MZ making a clarification: The term oralaism system is a generic for compulsory oral education without any manual language as it was the primary oral education program back then. The AGBell approach have been taught to the medical schools, the audiological schools, the teachers programs, and the public, due to its extensive public relations and educational outreaches.]

    Yes, that’s correct. Strange thing is most of the parents hadn’t heard of that organizations from the doctors except a few of parents. I don’t know why but I guess the doctors may not want them to know where did the doctors learn from. I recalled one boy from my class during my junior year had told me his parents had heard of AGBell from the doctor. He was sent to Central Institute School of the Deaf in St. Louis for several years from his home in CT! Can you imagine that he had to live in CID except the holidays and summers away from his family?!? I couldn’t! Finally, he returned home and went to Lexington School for the Deaf, I think that’s where he went for a year before transferred to his town’s public school until he came to my oral school for only two years as junior and senior. He knew NOTHING about sign languages! It was a pure torture to teach him to sign because he kept resisting us. However, he gave in after watching us talking in signs at the dorm, cafeteria, and after classes. He opened his eyes to the new world of ASL. I think he went to RIT after his graduation from our oral school. But eventually he finally went to Gallaudet University which was called Gallaudet College at that time. His ASL has improved vastly ever since.

    You wouldn’t believe the kind of method he had learned in CID how to talk. By opening his wide mouth to talk like that (you could see his uvula and tonsils clearly!), that caused some distorted speech that nobody ever told him. :O

    Misha

13. The Rogue Says:
    August 3rd, 2008 at 5:06 pm

    Misha,

    I know it is AGB’s influence based on their Voice magazine, doctors and audiologists over oral schools. I lived St. Joseph Institute for the Deaf in St. Louis, MO for four years and didn’t return home during holidays excepted Christmas times only. I had to spend time with my schoolmate’s family, who lives in St. Louis, during holidays. I know Central Institute for the Deaf as school rivalry as SJI.

    I know nothing about sign language until I turned 19 years old at RIT.

    Charles B. Downing - The Rogue

14. deb ann Says:
    August 3rd, 2008 at 5:09 pm

    Thanks so much for your heart to share this, and Jack’s latest video is so important to be shared. I’m not blaming for his mistake. No one is perfect, but we can be here for each other. He’s so brave to stand and say, “sorry” in his video. He shared his bitter experiences. It’s a good way to get off his chest by sharing his experiences. Hearing parents need to be aware of their own deaf child. No deaf child deserves that kind of thing, and they need to be protected. They can learn how to speak, read lips, and sign..all at the same time. They don’t need to be perfect oralist. Some can do it, and some have worked so hard. It’s okay if they tried and can’t do it. Let them be. It’s healthier that way when they’re exposed to ASL and PSE. Thank you for doing this for LOVE and forgiveness.

15. Platonic's Eye Says:
    August 3rd, 2008 at 5:09 pm

    That is an understandable I can see the real pain in Jack Barr what he had been through that horrible and can’t go away he must heal that pain which is not easy and I can see why he brings up tha issue through his vlog! I am sure there are many Deaf people who have similar to Jack Barr’s painful experience!!! I am ex oralist not real practical that well. I still struggle to figure out how much I got real painful experience. I could not find that one myself.

16. cnkatz Says:
    August 3rd, 2008 at 5:17 pm

    MZ,

    Your words infused me great deep good feelings.

    The words you typed here is forever inscribed in the leather book of the Deaf life.

    Yes, I am using phraseology from the DC epic-myth. Reading this during the actual shooting of c11, leather book today.

    Amazing - “magic in the air”

    Yes, it is the beginning of our “great catharsis” - feeling joyful and empowered while experiencing deep painful victimhood, a paradigmatic shifting going on in our minds - and souls.

    With the internet, the greater society becomes more accessible to the deaf people and the deaf community. We are “leaving-expanding” our closed signing-only society and entering the larger “hearing” world with our video blogsites. That leaving-entering spins like a circle of people, emotions and ideas. Some people, deaf and hearing, are feeling it . . Let’s create more circles of local deaf communities coming out of the grass to fight for ASL to be added-expanded in the development of humanity’s deaf children, the deaf child whole (holistically) . . .

    Your words is a clarion of a call, this time not with a horn but a blog. I hope deaf people everywhere “heard” the call. I could not argue enough more for the deaf people worldwide to take your message well.

    come on - blog - become more computer literate and sign-type our cries of the anguish and the joy of being Deaf, especially the older generation who try hard to master the computer. We, the younger generations, videotape them and put in youtube, dvtv, blogs, and DeafRead.

    MZ, thank you - again . . . .

17. Dianrez Says:
    August 3rd, 2008 at 5:24 pm

    These vlogs need to be written as well so that hearing people who know no signs can be informed, too. Our rich collection of vlogs is largely inaccessible to the world and it’s a pity.

    Oral abuse is not limited to physical abuse, which was apparently more common in every kind of school during the 40s and 50s, and more severe in oral schools. Speech training is as stressful for teachers as it is for students; a real exercise in guesswork and frustration. Frequently teachers would be short-tempered and punitive as a result.

    It is also a psychological abuse: children who signed were made to feel less than acceptable. Orally succesful children were trotted out in front of visitors in their own classrooms, while those not as successful were supposed to watch and stay silent.

    Some teachers were more democratic: they forced each student speak in turn. Around the room, we were made to say our names, the city we came from and what we wanted to be when we grew up. Then the teacher would ask visitors, “Did you understand that?” and then give a background on those of us who didn’t make themselves clear. It was hard to understand what she said, but personal things were mentioned, like no father, entered school at age 8, or difficulties with speech training. Even if the teacher sometimes covered her mouth with a program book, we weren’t fooled. Of course, in this classroom we were daily threatened with rulers and pointer sticks when there were no visitors. Although the worst that would happen would be a hand or stick slammed on our desktops, it felt as assaultive as if hit directly.

    “Do not sign!” we were often told. “It is for low minded children who are not very smart. Only unintelligent people talk with their hands.” The more orally successful students were given special favors such as being excused from class to go on trips to outside meetings and luncheons with teachers after public demonstrations.

    “Signs are ugly. You do not want to grow up like THIS,” and awkward, gross finger movements would be made in front of our faces. Students caught signing in class were made to stand in the empty hallway or in a corner facing away from the classroom.

    My parents were enlisted in this massive indoctrination, too. They told me not to look at people who signed in public. “They’re not very smart. It’s not polite to stare at poor people.” They smiled when I turned away from a man who fingerspelled to me. “She doesn’t talk with her hands. She was educated better than that.”
    Telling my parents about personal interests or news from school often was an ordeal. They would interrupt me after the first few words to make me say it over again, four or five times, before letting me continue. It could take up to half an hour to finish what I was trying to tell them.

    When I went to Gallaudet, they wrote me, “Don’t babysit for signing children of the graduate students. You might lose your speech.”

    As I grew up, people encouraged me to join the Oral Deaf Adults section of the AGBell organization. They told me I would “meet other smart people and form liasions” with people rising in the ranks, and that “it would help” me in my career. Why they thought so beats me, because by this time I had learned sign and enthusiastically was throwing in my lot with the Deaf community and found others just as intelligent as anywhere else. Perhaps more evidently so, because it was for the first time, true discourse was visually understandable.

    Throughout life, I would always feel apologetic that my speech wasn’t normal despite all the energy spent on me, and that I deserved to have my career prospects limited because of my not practicing speech enough.

    To this day, it still rankles me that my limited speech was more judged by others than my intellectual or overall abilities.

18. mcconnell Says:
    August 3rd, 2008 at 5:29 pm

    There’s no doubt there have been abuses in the past. Including sexual abuse that I blogged about in my 3-part series even though a few Deaf readers berated me for bringing it up. But I’m sure some form of “abuses” or for a lack of a better word perhaps “mistreatments” still exist today in America when it comes to oral-only schools. Certainly what we have today isn’t like what we had back 30, 40 or 50 years or more so ago solely because there are more educational studies and better understanding on the nature of hearing loss and communication issues. It is still evolving as we speak.

    I still get the impression from some bloggers or commenters that they are still attempting to equate AGBell’s current philosophy and support system (voice and hearing) in what they do hasn’t changed from the horrid practices of the past from all other oral schoolings that were either influenced or not by AGBell (take your pick if you want to choose Clarke or others). Check out a video about Clarke school and they make an important point, technology over the past 10 to 20 years has changed everything. Not to mention the understanding of early intervention and early implantation or hearing aids.

    MZ, a support group doesn’t necessarily require a psychologist. A support group are about like minded people who experienced similar experiences come together and offer support for each other. DeafTV can be a good used as a support group. Chat rooms for oral survivors is another possible venue. What about support group through video phone? Emails? Blogging/vloggings? See support from people who make supportive comments in a blog comment page. And so on. So, please don’t limit to the idea that a psychologist or a professional counselor is required in order to have a support group. Doing a quick Google you can find many support groups that people can go to whether it’s alcholism, spousal abuse survivors, etc…

    As for me, I briefly attended an oral school (Birney School, Tacoma, Washington) from age 4 to grade 1 and had many wonderful memories from that. Grade 2 and 3 I attended a mainstreamed type of school and then from grade 4 onward it was regular school (not mainstreamed) after educational professionals realized my level of hearing and speaking ability allowed me to function without much problems in a public school setting all the way up to 12th grade.

    [several comments were deleted due to tangents and politics. I’ll allow others.. to point out the abuses of the past are no longer carried nowadays in the educational system]

19. misha Says:
    August 3rd, 2008 at 5:30 pm

    Platonic’s Eye,

    I agree that the real pain in Jack Barr had endured during his oral school days. My husband and I had been through the similar incidents as Jack Barr had gone through. The pain inflicted upon the oral survivors vary from each individual. Some had dealt with it by talking to the therapists. Some had dealt with it by talking to anybody who listen. Some may block it out for years and years until it resurfaces that cause some anger and bitterness like Jack had been currently exhibited.

    Nowadays, I don’t think there is any abuse at any current oral school/mainstream public school. Perhaps handful? Who knows? But it is against the law to abuse the children of any ages nowdays. To tell you the truth I really don’t know but I’d like to know or hear from them since the abuses tended to take the place from 1880’s to early or mid ’70’s…perhaps little later due to high populated oral schools expanded everywhere.

    Anyway, I’m really glad that Jack stood up and apologized for what he did to his vlog. I’m glad that he recalled his horrid memories of being endured through hell at his oral school. That would help him heal his wounds and scarred memories someday.

    Jack, if you’re reading this, remember you’re not alone. I’ve been there and done that. Yes, it was pure hell. It’s good to talk about it until you heal and move on to enjoy your ASL life. Yes, you’re already forgiven. It’s time to heal. Hang on there, Jack.

    Misha

20. Tami Says:
    August 3rd, 2008 at 5:37 pm

    Thank you for posting this. I am one of a few hearing parents that has been allowed to sit and listen to these stories from so many Deaf friends of mine over the years. These abuses are not limited to schools. They occur in homes as well.

    Lack of accessible communication causes frustration…which can lead to abuse. This cannot continue but unfortunately reality is that isolation, frustration, fear and abuse is occurring even in today’s society for Deaf children.

    [remaining parts deleted due to politics]

21. The Rogue Says:
    August 3rd, 2008 at 5:58 pm

    Tami,

    Yes, it is true that some abuses can occur at homes as well. It called communication abused.

    Charles B. Downing - The Rogue

22. Mishka Zena Says:
    August 3rd, 2008 at 5:59 pm

    I want to clarify that the physical abuses that many oral deaf students witnessed in 1970’s and earlier are no longer conducted routinely nowadays.

    Not all oral deaf students were abused. Some had good experiences in their oral schools.

    Even the stringent and repetitive rote speech sessions of the past aren’t even used nowadays, as they have evolved into play sessions, from what I understand.

    The oral educational system nowadays are also drastically different due to more modern technology, better educational approaches and early intervention programs. So it would be unfair to compare the current system to the archaic system back then. These systems are different as night and day.

    The oral survivors came from a different era, the old days where the rights of the children to humane treatment weren’t recognized. They still need to be heard.

    Please refrain from bring which communication method is currently best for deaf kids nowadays, etc as this has no revelance to the topic of abuse.

23. Susan Says:
    August 3rd, 2008 at 6:11 pm

    What a powerful blog as the rest of the commenters have been saying already. I admired you Jack for your strength to come out and talk about it. I know how painful it was for you some of you what Jack went through. I didn’t have any problems growing up mainstreamed and never learned ASL till in my late 20’s cause it wasn’t in the picture. I don’t have any regret at all not done my education without ASL, even if it did exist I don’t think I’ve seen it as bad as what Jack gone through as I could be wrong. To me, not all oral/mainstreamed programs was ever like this

    What I’ve been hearing or seeing here is something I cannot even fathom it that it really did exist. I feel sorry for the ones that have had gone through this awful pain that I couldn’t imagine feeling what you feeling.

    We can’t keep blaming sources for destroying our past cause they didn’t know any better at that time. The only way we can heal is talking it out and do what others have been saying, write a book, do a documentary or something that will help you heal.. Don’t keep it all bottled up inside.

    We can forgive but not forgotten. We all have a choice either live to be angry the rest of your life or enjoy your life what you have now not in the past as well we don’t have any control over but to speak out with calmness. Life is too precious and short.

    Yes, anyone that have gone through this pain, you are never alone and you are always be a good person inside no matter what happens don’t ever to change that. Remember one day at a time and time will heal.

    Bless your heart Jack and others coming out to tell your awful pain you went through in the past. You are forgiven, keep on ASLing that’s what you love doing!!!

    Namaste,
    Susan

24. JD Says:
    August 3rd, 2008 at 6:13 pm

    Thank you for deleting some of White Ghost’s comments. It shows that you do have empathy for people like Jack Barr who went through a lot of communication abuse during his childhood. To say that someone needs counseling is very condescending. It minimizes oral people’s experience. Communication abuse is a serious one! Some people can’t or don’t want to forgive their parents or the system for what they have gone through. That is OKAY! To say that one has forgiven parents and to put down others for not forgiving parents is nasty and insensitive.

25. deafk Says:
    August 3rd, 2008 at 6:34 pm

    hi, mz,

    The abuses still exists, only reducing to the psychologicial abuses… perhaps more, we do not hear any people from the current generation. I have witnessed the only one teacher for the Deaf at hearing high school telling the Deaf guy what to do… “Do not go to community college, because you do not have qualifications for any higher education.” It occurred in 1992. It is not in 1970s’. I do not see any encouragement! She put this student down, period!

    Okay, I guess I could share a bit more… not only about myself but what I have witnessed.

    Thanks for posting this.

26. Lisa C. Says:
    August 3rd, 2008 at 6:40 pm

    I told Jack that I understood how he felt and I felt his pain.

    I was abused verbally and physcially by the same oral teacher for three years. My language was also taken away by the teachers when I was growing up and I suffered being deprieved from learning how to read and write. My mom provided me some comic books with the languages that helped me learn how to read and later bought me some more books everytime I asked for. I will blog about my experience tomorrow.

27. Mishka Zena Says:
    August 3rd, 2008 at 6:48 pm

    deafk, yes, but that is different from what I’m addressing. Unfortunately audism remains a serious problem to this day.

    I am referring to the physical abuses endured by some oral deaf students due to their inability to understand and/or pronounce speech intelligbly in the old days.

    Susan, too often the abusers knew what they were doing was wrong. We are not talking about the corporal punishment.

    Not everybody has the capacity to forgive. It’s up to the individual to forgive or not. Some of the truamatic experiences may be too profound that the individuals may never fully heal. If there has been no justice for the wrongdoings, it can make healing harder.

    We should not judge those who are still hurting and angry.

28. Candy Says:
    August 3rd, 2008 at 7:02 pm

    These abuses are real and I can understand why people are affected by it.

    Interesting that you have blogged about this, I had just recently did a post about how blogging can be therapeutic for some.

    Even setting up a website for those former oral abused victim can be a good way to share and let it all out and heal, somehow.

    If you want to check it out, click on my name.

29. Susan Says:
    August 3rd, 2008 at 7:11 pm

    Mishka,

    I have to agree with you, like I said in my post that I can’t even imagine what they’ve been feeling cause I’ve not experienced it since I was from the 60’s era.

    Of course we can’t judge if they are feeling it to this day. I’ll take that back as I was just trying to help to find a balance or way to deal with it or if it’ll help or not. Of course they will never be fully healed. There’s no right for the tactic towards like AGBell or any sources but I do understand where they were coming being angry about it without thinking what to do with it. Thanks for pointing it out to me.

    Susan

30. Lorraine Flores Says:
    August 3rd, 2008 at 10:12 pm

    Thanks for sharing with us on Jack’s videoclips. I understand where he is coming from. No question about it. This is more proper to be share and we all there to support and at the same time, educate our people about our history. Thank you for you and Jack to bring up our attention.

31. nacpac Says:
    August 3rd, 2008 at 10:18 pm

    Well, I strongly feel someone need to be accountable for the abuses that had occurred in Oral Deaf Education….. [deleted] or that oral kids of modern times may not be experiencing equal suffering as those who did in the past.

32. Shelley Potma Says:
    August 3rd, 2008 at 11:04 pm

    Mishka,

    Thank you for posting the links to Jack’s vlogs about his horrific experiences in the oralist system, which still haunt him to this day. Yes, his anger is most definitely justified.

    There is a real need for support groups for survivors of abuse in the system, not only for those who were abused, but also for those who witnessed the abuses as it has got to leave a psychological scar on those who witnessed such horrors.

    I feel that Jack’s vlogs should be translated into English for those who don’t know ASL for the purpose of educating the public. Perhaps someone should ask Jack if he would like this done, and I think the translations should be done by a professional who would do his vlogs justice.

    There should be a website collecting all the stories so they can be found in one place. The stories are a part of history, and would be cathartic for the survivors. It’s about time.

    Shel

33. Diane Says:
    August 3rd, 2008 at 11:57 pm

    While I was a young student in the small Deaf oral program, I remember clearly that my teacher often made a fun of a young frail girl with her bright orange hair because her speech is unintelligible. (And she was very skinny) My heart often went out to her. I was taken out of that program and placed in the hearing school a four years later (because I didn’t learn anything!) — not far from that program in the next town. I just learned that she had a hard life in her adoptive family home and school. She finally learned ASL after she estranged from her family in Florida (after she finished high school). I hope to see her again thru my old classmate. It is very important for every Deaf and HH to be heard.

    One time a Deaf friend of mine bragged to me about herself as a young girl who had done very well in the Deaf school while others weren’t. The teacher often punished them. I reminded her that they are Deaf and their speech are unintelligible. She got back off. Her speech is great and easily understood by many people.

34. Diane Says:
    August 3rd, 2008 at 11:59 pm

    Once more I feel for Jack and the rest. They don’t deserve this kind of abuse in school.

35. Karen Mayes Says:
    August 4th, 2008 at 6:09 am

    I do notice that the abuses occurred more among residential students than the day pupils. It never happened to me, because I was the day pupil… I always went home after school, feeling jealous of the residential students.

    I wonder if it was due to the inability of dormparents to deal with the stress (I do remember one housemother for girls… gosh, I thought she looked mean with a humpback and I avoided her. She usually supervised the recess after lunch for all of us.) There were no trainings, no workshops, etc., for houseparents/residential advisors.

    If my parents decided to send me to the dorm from Kentucky, where we were living at that time my parents visited oral schools in Missouri, it might be a different story.

    I hope the survivors would find some closures. I am sorry to hear about it… you all did not deserve the abuses.

36. CheryLfromMA Says:
    August 4th, 2008 at 7:54 am

    Good morning, all…i second Shel and MZ, great blog & thanks so much!! \../, to u ALL!

37. OldLady Says:
    August 4th, 2008 at 10:29 am

    Hi mishka
    Thanks show jack,s vlogs.I just been watch this his story,I feel so shock,feel heart tore,I say oh whoa how much he been pain bother think old past happen he little boy,he been experience oral shcool..His who,s teacher very so mean bad person does to him..Same me before old pubic shcool my teacher were teach me speech,When sound not right..Teacher easy mad..I feel inside hurt-tired keep dicisiple keep practice speech yes hard time..Jack better forget old past carry show his brain keep carry past make he feel inside come boil angry..I feel still need fight how all deaf ppls experience,Need help all deaf ppls must show to court or counsler or soemthing special succus trying need tell STOP abuse,control to deaf children can suffer or pain like us was old past who teacher been mean..Need STOP don’t need force must deaf children speech keep struggle right sound can speak or know some words..Who child,s family full deaf how can speak good well??..About hearing family who chid deaf..Need tell them pls just teach speech don’t abuse or so mean..Be nice teach to kids will be more undy give time practice than force not good idea do that…Need all who ppls are deaf need help fight good idea something protect against hearing teacher or person teach speech don’t abuse or force and things worse hurt deaf child NEED STOP..Thansk your sharing.Bigger smile

38. OldLady Says:
    August 4th, 2008 at 10:38 am

    I forget add one more time okay..Who deaf ppls been bother brain old past…Who hearing teacher or parent or who did hurt deaf ppls..They forget about god watch and feel sad ready go punishment to them when they dies go heaven face to face to god..Let god will show pics what they doing to deaf ppls hurt sure who hearing ppls feel shock bigger gulity cry not mean to deaf ppls..Ready god will judge say to them… Dont worry…Sure god love deaf ppls are innocent feel filled hurt for enought and god be happy give peace go home be forget happen old past..Thansk again..

39. Mishka Zena Says:
    August 4th, 2008 at 12:19 pm

    Again I request that no current communication methods be discussed here. This is about the physical abuses the oral survivors underwent decades ago.

    Thank you

40. AL Says:
    August 4th, 2008 at 1:39 pm

    MZ, my eyes also filled with tears while watching Jack Barr’s vlog. I have heard of many other deaf people from his era enduring physical abuse due to their inability to hear. I agree with you that all of these stories should be shared so that we as a community can ensure that the school system does not repeat the mistakes of the past. These stories were not only confined to oral schools, many deaf schools at that time were oral-only and many deaf students depended on their hard of hearing classmates to survive. These painful memories are an important part of our collective deaf history.

41. exwisconsianite Says:
    August 4th, 2008 at 6:52 pm

    hi,

    I used to live in Wisconsin. Jack is one of the good guy. I will vouch for him. His story is horrible to watch and reminded me of my own public school experience.

    Jack will come out real strong after this vlogs and I do admire him for fighting for a mighty cause.

    He did a fabulous job in expressing himself that I would probably struggle of what to say.

    Jack thank you for coming out and apologizing and moving on slowly to heal.

    You are a great warrior of Wisconsinites and the Deaf community in whole.

42. Lisa C. Says:
    August 7th, 2008 at 6:13 pm

    I had tried to get some oral survivors from the Edna Davis School in Spokane, Washington together to discus about the abuses we had gone thru by the teacher, Miss Elizabeth Anderson in the early 1970’s BUT they refused because I understand they had some fears to speak out. Miss Anderson had grabbed and shook our chins repeatly and she repeatly yelled at us for what we had done in the classroom. My mom spoke to the principal Richard Reames about what Miss Anderson had done to me and one of my classmates who lived a block from my home but he told her that she was a good teacher. My mom bluntly said that he was supposed to be in her classroom to witness. I changed school afterward.

43. Stanelle Says:
    August 8th, 2008 at 11:14 am

    Some children,..who were not successful under the pre-1970’s oral systems of education,..were put into mental institutions and institutions for the mentally retarded. What happened to those then children,..and now adults,..still thirty years later,..give me horrible nightmares!

    I was their teacher in the mental institution of Apple Creek Ohio and the mental institution of Massillon State hospital. I bear human bite marks on my arms and hands as evidence of those horrible days as I tried to teach uneducated deaf and non-hearing children how to use basic communication in sign language. I was looked down on by other teachers because I was trying to teach so called “retarded” kids…(I would have said NEGLECTED KIDS..by no means retarded!!)…victims of the old oral system!

    How can I explain such happenings to you as educated and free Deaf people of today?

    I STILL am having nightmares about the horrors of those days!!

    Some other workers and myself DID manage to save a few of those individuals. But i don’t know what happened to the rest of those poor children. deaf,..not retarded,..not crazy,..sentenced to a lifetime of the STIGMA of mental illness and thorazine…..

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