Clarke School for the Deaf

Introduction

Clarke School for the Deaf was founded in 1867 in Northampton, Massachusetts as the first permanent oral school for the deaf in the United States and has gained an international reputation as a pioneer and a leader in the field of auditory/oral education. Clarke School was not only the first school to teach children with hearing loss to speak in the United States, but also the first to initiate education in the early years and the first to recognize the importance of students entering mainstream classrooms. Clarke School also was the first to train teachers in auditory/oral education and in 1962 enhanced the Teacher Education Program by partnering with Smith College where graduates can earn a Masters of Education of the Deaf. The school has been fortunate in having outstanding leadership to determine its programs and policies. Alexander Graham Bell, President Calvin Coolidge, and First Lady Grace Coolidge served on Clarke’s Board of Trustees.