North Carolina School for the Deaf

North Carolina School for the Deaf
Address
517 West Fleming Drive
Morganton, North Carolina
United States
Information
Type Public
Established 1894
Director Audrey Garvin
Grades Pre-K-12
Number of students 86
School color(s) Blue and White
Mascot Bear
Website

http://www.ncsd.net

North Carolina School for the Deaf: Main Building
Location U.S. 64 and Fleming Dr., Morganton, North Carolina
Area 4 acres (1.6 ha)
Built 1892
Architectural style Late Victorian
Governing body State
MPS Morganton MRA (AD)
NRHP Reference # 76001311[1]
Added to NRHP December 12, 1976
North Carolina School for the Deaf Historic District
Location Jct. US 70 and US 64, Morganton, North Carolina
Area 68 acres (28 ha)
Architectural style Colonial Revival, Late Victorian, Romanesque
Governing body Private
MPS Morganton MRA
NRHP Reference # 89000325[1]
Added to NRHP April 20, 1989

The North Carolina School for the Deaf is a state-supported residential school for deaf children established in 1894, in Morganton, North Carolina, USA.

History

"Main Building for the North Carolina School for the Deaf and Dumb," from the Third Biennial Report of the Board of Directores of the North Carolina School for the Deaf and Dumb, 1896 (page 2)
"Class in Swimming," undated photograph from North Carolina School for the Deaf at Morganton, 1894-1944 (page 68)

In 1845, W.D. Cooke was hired by the state and a school was opened in Raleigh with seven deaf pupils. The school remained open during the American Civil War, then later suffered under the incompetent leadership of political appointees.[2]

Around 1890 the education trend in the United States was to have separate schools for deaf children and blind children. This led to a series of hearings that, in turn, led to legislative action. The end result was funding for a new school for deaf children and its location in Morganton, both in 1891. The prime advocate for a new school was Edward McKee Goodwin (1859–1937) of Raleigh who, in 1894, became the first superintendent, an appointment he held until 1936.[3] The person instrumental for the location in Morganton was Col. Samuel McDowell Tate (1830–1897) of Morganton. The school for the blind remained in Raleigh as The Governor Morehead School.[4]

During the Civil War, Confederate money was printed at the school.[5]

Today

The school is on a national historic district campus in Morganton, North Carolina with 12 buildings on 160 acres (650,000 m2) of land. The school now has an annual budget of over $10 million. The historic district encompasses 14 historic buildings constructed between about 1891 and 1939. They include the main building, classroom buildings, recreational facilities, the original infirmary, staff housing, and farm buildings. They representations of Victorian, Romanesque Revival, Colonial Revival style architecture.[6] The main building is a high Victorian three-story brick building with a slate roof and five-story tower.[7] The Main Building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1976 and the historic district in 1989.[1]

North Carolina School for the Deaf and Blind is one of two primary public schools for hearing-impaired students in first through 12th grade in North Carolina. The school offers an education program as well as vocational rehabilitation service on campus for students after graduation.

It is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools and the Conference of Educational Administrators Serving the Deaf.

North Carolina School for the Deaf Historical Museum

The North Carolina School for the Deaf Historical Museum is located in the former superintendent's home at 517 West Fleming Drive in Morganton. Founded in 1977,[8] the museum tells the history of the school and its students, and includes school artifacts, clothing, newspapers, school publications, yearbooks, photos, scrapbooks, furniture, and other materials.

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. 2010-07-09.
  2. ↑ Gannon, Jack. 1981. Deaf Heritage–A Narrative History of Deaf America, Silver Spring, MD: National Association of the Deaf, p. 23-25 (PDF)(PDF)(PDF)
  3. ↑ North Carolina School for the Deaf at Morganton: 1894-1944.
  4. ↑ "North Carolina School for the Deaf at Morganton" as published in Heritage of Burke County Vol. II.
  5. ↑ Gannon, Jack. 1981. Deaf Heritage–A Narrative History of Deaf America, Silver Spring, MD: National Association of the Deaf, p. 8 (PDF)
  6. ↑ Suzanne Pickens Wylie (July 1986). "North Carolina School for the Deaf Historic District" (PDF). National Register of Historic Places - Nomination and Inventory. North Carolina State Historic Preservation Office. Retrieved 2014-08-01.
  7. ↑ C. Greer Suttlemyre and Robert F. Topkins (n.d.). "North Carolina School for the Deaf: Main Building" (PDF). National Register of Historic Places - Nomination and Inventory. North Carolina State Historic Preservation Office. Retrieved 2014-08-01.
  8. ↑ "About". NC School for the Deaf Historical Museum. Retrieved 8 December 2014.

External links

Coordinates: 35°43′52″N 81°41′06″W / 35.7312403°N 81.6850966°W