Kentucky School for the Deaf

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Location
Kentucky School for the Deaf

Jacobs Hall, A National Historic Landmark in 1987
303 S. 2nd St, Danville, Kentucky
Information
Head of school	Dr. Harvey Jay Corson
Enrollment	140^[1]
Faculty	45
Type	Public
Grades	K-12
Mascot	Colonels
Established	April 10, 1823
Homepage	Official Web Site

The Kentucky School for the Deaf (KSD), located in Danville, Kentucky, provides education to deaf and hard-of-hearing children from elementary through high school levels.

1 History
2 Governance
3 Facilities
4 Master Plan
5 Athletics
6 References
7 External links

[edit] History

KSD was established as the Kentucky Asylum for the Tuition of the Deaf and Dumb on April 10, 1823. It was the first state-supported school of its kind in the United States and the first school for the deaf west of the Allegheny Mountains. The deaf were a special concern of General Elias Barbee, a Kentucky state senator, whose daughter was deaf. In 1822 Barbee and John Rowan wrote legislation authorizing the creation of the school. On December 7, 1822 it was signed into law by Kentucky Governor John Adair. With the help of Henry Clay, KSD received two federal land grants in 1826 and 1836. This land in Florida and Arkansas was eventually sold to finance the construction of school facilities.

In the early years it was thought that the Kentucky school might be able to meet the educational needs of all deaf persons in southern and western United States. Pupils from all the southern states except Florida, and from as far away as Montana, attended KSD. Eventually, other states established their own schools.^[2]

[edit] Governance

The Centre College Board of Trustees operated the school until 1870. It was then governed by its own board of commissioners. Since 1960 the Kentucky Board of Education and Department of Education have governed the school.

Many of the officers and teachers at KSD have had long tenures. George M. McClure was associated with the school for eighty years as both pupil and teacher. The school has had fourteen superintendents since its inception. The Rev. John Rice Kerr, the first superintendent, and John Adamson Jacobs, the third superintendent, are credited with nurturing the school from its infancy. Jacobs began his work in 1825, became superintendent in 1835, and held that office until his death in 1869.^[2]

[edit] Facilities

KSD lies on 166 acres (66 hectares) near the center of Danville. Buildings on the campus are listed below. It has been proposed that the campus be reduced to 50 acres (20 hectares), demolishing or selling several of the buildings.^[3]

Argo-McClure Hall (1964) Technology classes for middle and high school.
Barbee Hall (1966) Currently empty middle school girls' dormitory.
Beauchamp Hall (1966) Middle school boys' dormitory.
Brady Hall (1981) High school girls' dormitory and offices.
Bruce Hall (1966) Currently empty middle school girls' dormitory.
Fosdick Hall (1966) Currently empty middle school boys' dormitory.
Grow Hall (1968) Food service.
Jacobs Hall (1857) KSD's oldest surviving building. It is listed as a National Historic Landmark^[4] and contains a re-creation of a student dormitory and classroom from the 1850s.
Kerr Hall (1976) High School and Middle School classes.
Lee Hall (1958) Was used as girls' vocational classes.
Middleton Hall (Boys Dormitory)
Thomas Hall (1973) Gymnasium, Student Grille, Swimming Pool, and Athletic Offices.
Walker Hall (1971) Elementary self-contained department.

[edit] Master Plan

A task force was established in 2004 to create a master plan for KSD. The master plan recommends ^[5]

Reduce the number of buildings from 17 to seven.
- The new campus would contain Argo-McClure, Brady, Jacobs, Kerr, Middleton, and Thomas halls, and a new elementary school to be built at a cost of $6.5 million.
- Beauchamp, Fosdick, and Grow halls would be demolished.
- Campus buildings outside the master plan area are Barbee, Bruce, Lee, Rogers, and Walker halls, the laundry and power plant, and the engineer's residence.
Reduce the land from 170 acres to 62.
Surplus and sell land outside the master plan area. Use the proceeds to fund future campus needs.

[edit] Athletics

The school's nickname is the Colonels. Teams have enjoyed moderate success. They have won at least one high school 8-man football championship. In 2007 they won the National Boys Soccer Championship and became a 12th Region contender in Boys Basketball. KSD currently participates in the following sports