Thomas Hopkins Gallaudet

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Thomas Hopkins Gallaudet (1787-1851) Thomas Hopkins Gallaudet (December 10, 1787–September 10, 1851) was born in Philadelphia. In 1805 he graduated from Yale University. He wanted to do many things such as study law, engage in trade, or study divinity. In 1814 Gallaudet became a preacher. After pursuing with that Gallaudet became interested in writing children's books. Gallaudet was a well known man for all the things he did. After graduated from Yale, Gallaudet was not quite sure of the direction he wanted to proceed in terms of a career. He had many interests to include working in a trade, attending a seminary or perform in the capacity of a traveling salesman. Temporarily, he worked as a legal apprentice before deciding to return to Yale University in 1808 as a graduate student where he obtained a Masters of Arts degree. Feeling like he’s calling was to the ministry and after some hesitation he decided to enter the Theological Seminary at Andover in 1811. He became an ordained minister at the age of twenty-seven years old. Gallaudet, working as a traveling salesman, returned to Hartford, Connecticut where he met a prominent physician, Dr. Mason Cogswell and his daughter, Alice Cogswell. Alice Cogswell was believed to be 4 years old at the time (some say she was 9). Filled with compassion for the neglected people in society and aware of no availability of resources for the deaf Gallaudet travel to Europe to study methods for teaching deaf students, especially those of the Braidwood family in England. Gallaudet found the Braidwoods and they were unwilling to share knowledge of their oral communication method. Even though he left without the oral communication Gallaudet was not satisfied that the oral method produced desirable results. Gallaudet was still in Great Britain when he met Abbé Sicard. She was head of the "Institution Nationale des Sourds-Muets" in

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