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Deafblind clippings and other materials collection

finding aid

Creator:

Perkins School for the Blind

Date Range:

1845-1974, bulk 1900-1929

Call Number:

AG139

Abstract:

A cataloged collection of materials related to deafblindness and organized by individuals, organizations, or locations such as country or state. Collected by the Perkins School for the Blind, the collection was cataloged by the Perkins’ Samuel P. Hayes Research Library, under the Dewey Decimal classification number 371.913, and arranged alphabetically. The collection primarily consists of newspaper clippings, but also contains documents, manuscripts, photographs, ephemera, and correspondence. Individuals with deafblindness compose the bulk of the collection. Notable individuals mentioned include Tad Chapman, Leonard Dowdy, Poh Lin Chan, Richard Kinney, and Edith Thomas. 

Extent:

2 linear feet

Language:

English, German, Russian, French, Finnish

Processed by:

Jennifer Hale, 2015; Historical note added December 2022, Susanna Coit.

Historical note:

The second director of Perkins, Michael Anagnos, founded the Samuel P. Hayes Research Library, formerly known as the Blindiana Library in 1880. The Library and Museum steadily increased in size of the years. In addition to books, pamphlets, booklets, and more, the library collected newspaper clippings about topics such as blindness and deafblindness.

Restrictions:

None

It is the responsibility of the user to obtain permission to publish from the owner of the copyright (the institution, the creator of the record, the author or his/her transferees, heirs, legates, or literary executors). The user agrees to indemnify and hold harmless Perkins School for the Blind, its officers, employees, and agents from and against all claims made by any person asserting that he or she is an owner of copyright.

Credit line/Citation:

AG139 Deafblind Clippings and other Materials Collection. Perkins School for the Blind Archives, Watertown, MA.

Scope/Contents:

The bulk of this collection documents the lives of individuals who are deafblind, with some materials also related to organizations, institutions, and individuals who are involved in the field of deafblind. The bulk of the collection dates from the 1900s through the 1920s. Materials from the second half of the 20th century are primarily found in the files dedicated to organizations and places, including France, Switzerland, Sweden, Canada, and Finland. While this collection highlights individuals in the United States who are blind, there are clippings and materials related to individuals from around the world. A few files include personal items such as photographs and correspondence. Correspondence and photographs from other schools for the blind around the world are also included.

Arrangement:

5 Boxes 2 Series

  • Series 1: Deafblind Individuals
  • Series 2: Deafblind Information Categorized by Name of Organization or Location

AG39 Helen Keller Clippings and Poster Collection. Perkins School for the Blind Archives, Watertown, MA.

AG59 Laura Bridgman Collection. Perkins School for the Blind Archives, Watertown, MA.

AG587 Photographs of Students with Deafblindness. Perkins School for the Blind Archives, Watertown, MA.

AG54 Students with deafblindness at the Perkins School for the Blind Collection. Perkins School for the Blind Archives, Watertown, MA.

AG52 Teacher Journals of Laura Bridgman and other Deafblind Pupils Collection. Perkins School for the Blind Archives, Watertown, MA.

Digital collections on Flickr

Container List:

Series 1: Deafblind Individuals, 1845-1971

Newspaper clippings and other materials related to individuals who are blind, or deafblind. Some individuals who work with the blind are also included. Arranged alphabetically.

  • B1:F1:  Angelika, [Greek] 1950 
  • B1:F2:  Bailey, George, 1863
  • B1:F3:  Bean, Samuel, 1917
  • B1:F4:  Bodmer, Ursula, [Swiss] 1960
  • B1:F5:  Brawner, Earl I., 1966
  • B1:F6:  Chan, Poh Lin, 1961-1963
  • B1:F7:  Christianson, Christina Maria, 1906
  • B1:F8:  Chapman, Winthrop Clark, 1927-1971
  • B1:F9:  Cocker, Cora Adelia, 1901-1908
  • B1:F10:  Coker, Jakie Gennoi, 1959
  • B1:F11:  Cooms, Wolcott, 1912
  • B1:F12:  Del Signore, Joseph, 1964
  • B1:F13:  Diettrich, Edward K, 1869
  • B1:F14:  Dowdy, Leonard, 1971
  • B1:F15:  Driggs, Frank M., 1907
  • B1:F16:  Fellows, Alice, 1907-1908
  • B1:F17:  Ferrei, Guilio, 1907
  • B1:F18:  Frick Katheryne, 1916-1927
  • B1:F19:  Fung-Ying, Wang, 1916
  • B1:F20:  Gammon, Very, 1907-1912
  • B1:F21:  Galeron, Bertha de Calvone, [France] 1914
  • B1:F22:  Goins, Tommie, 1966
  • B1:F23:  Haguewood, Linnie, 1895-1904
  • B1:F24:  Halliday, Eva, ca. 1905
  • B1:F25:  Halonen, Angeta, [Finland] undated
  • B1:F26:  Harris, Perry, 1955
  • B1:F27:  Heady, Morrison, 1869-1916
  • B1:F28:  Herbert, Marcel, 1911
  • B1:F29:  Heurtin, Marie, [France] 1903-1911 [folder 1 of 3]
  • B1:F30:  Heurtin, Marie, [France] circa 1903 [folder 2 of 3]
  • B1:F31:  Heurtin, Marie, [France] circa 1905 [folder 3 of 3]
  • B2:F1:  Higgins, Willeta, 1921-1929 [folder 1 of 2]
  • B2:F2:  Higgins, Willeta, 1920s [folder 2 of 2]
  • B2:F3:  Johnson, Ana, 1913-1925
  • B5:F1:  Kaata, Ragnhild, 1901-1932 [see also Volta Review, May 1930]
  • B2:F4:  Kerr, Aileen, 1910, 1911
  • B2:F5:  Kinney, Richard, 1954-1971 [includes photographs of the Pope and Ghandi]
  • B5:F1:   Kubricek, Emma, circa 1900-1910
  • B2:F6:  Leneru, Marie, 1911
  • B2:F7:  Linstrom, Anna, 1910 
  • B2:F8:  Listron, Jessie, 1924
  • B2:F9:  Lucas, Lindsay B., 1921, 1924
  • B2:F10:  Martin, Helen May, 1934-1959
  • B2:F11:  Wallace, Madeline, 1903
  • B2:F12:  McGirr, Katherine A., 1913-1923
  • B2:F13:  Meystre, James Edward, 1851-1906
  • B2:F14:  Mitchell, James, 1845-1834
  • B3:F1:  Pattinson, Jane, 1902 [includes correspondence in English braille]
  • B3:F2:  Pierce, Theodocia, circa 1920s-1930s
  • B3:F3:  Prentice, Donald, 1950s
  • B3:F4:  Ransburg, Irene, [Austria] 1930 [includes photographs of school for the Blind in Graz, Austria]
  • B3:F5:  Reyes, Juncar, 1893
  • B3:F6:  Rice, Ruby, 1898-1906
  • B3:F7:  Robin, Elizabeth, circa 1894-1906 [includes correspondence in square hand]
  • B3:F8:  Rouleau, Mrs. Wilfred, 1933 [worked with the deafblind]
  • B3:F9:  Sabonaitis, Gail, 1966
  • B3:F10:  Schaefer, Dr. Theodor, 1907
  • B3:F11:  Schultz, Helen, 1926-1937 [includes photograph]
  • B3:F12:  Scott, Maud, 1901-1903
  • B3:F13:  Seifert, Helen, 1930s-1940s [folder 1 of 2]
  • B3:F14:  Seifert, Helen, 1930s-1940s [folder 2 of 2]
  • B3:F15:  Simmerly, Martha, 1909
  • B3:F16:  Simpson, Uma, 1916-1920
  • B3:F17:  Smith, Ernest, 1919 [includes photograph]
  • B3:F18:  Smithdas, Robert, circa 1950-1970 [folder 1 of 2]
  • B3:F19:  Smithdas, Robert, circa 1968-1974 [folder 2 of 2]
  • B3:F20:  Sullivan, Lottie, 1904-1914
  • B3:F21:  Sutherland, Tommy, 1905
  • B3:F22:  Thomas, Edith M., circa 1891-1910
  • B3:F23:  Thornton, Sallie, 1897
  • B4:F1:  Winitsky, Nellie, circa 1906-1917 [includes manuscript and photographs]
  • B4:F2:  Yott, Louis, 1908, 1909 [includes description of ichthyosis vulgaris (“fish skin disease”)]

Series 2: Deafblind Information, circa 1845-1968

Clippings and other material related to deafblindness and categorized by name of organization or location. Arranged alphabetically.

  • B4:F3:  Chambers’s Miscellany, 1845-1877 [Publication with story that includes Laura Bridgman and James Mitchell]
  • B4:F4:  Deafblind, circa 1920s-1950s [folder 1 of 4]
  • B4:F5:  Deafblind, circa 1920s-1950s [folder 2 of 2]
  • B4:F6:  Deafblind, circa 1900-1960s [folder 3 of 4]
  • B4:F7:  Deafblind, circa 1920s-1960s [folder 4 of 4]
  • B4:F8:  Education of deafblind, 1920s-1930s [manuscripts and correspondence, U.S. and Austria]
  • B4:F9:  England, Condover Hall, 1958
  • B4:F10:  Finland, 1962
  • B4:F11:  France, circa 1960s
  • B4:F12:  National Center for Deaf-Blind Youths and Adults, Brookly, NY, 1968
  • B4:F13:  Parent Association, (Rubella) U.S.A., 1968
  • B4:F14:  Russia, 1932
  • B4:F15:  Switzerland, 1950, 1953
  • B4:F16:  Vancouver, British Columbia Blind and Deaf, 1923-1929 [See also Halifax School for the Blind, Charlie Crane]
  • B4:F17:  Venersborg, Sweden, School-Home for the Blind Deaf, 1904

Provenance:

Perkins School for the Blind

Subject headings:

  • Perkins School for the Blind
  • Perkins School for the Blind–History
  • Children who are deafblind
  • People who are deafblind–Education
  • People who are deafblind
  • Smithdas, Robert J.
  • Robins, Elizabeth
  • Chan, Theresa 

Explore more resources from the Archives

Learn more about our collections, including digitized materials, and resources related to the history of Perkins School for the Blind and the history of education for people with blindness or deafblindness.