North Carolina School for the Deaf

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

North Carolina School for the Deaf
Address
Map
517 West Fleming Drive


United States
Information
TypePublic
Established1894 (130 years ago) (1894)
CEEB code342738
DirectorMark Patrick
GradesPre-K–12
Number of students86
Color(s)Blue and white
MascotBear
Websitewww.ncsd.net
North Carolina School for the Deaf: Main Building
Main Building is located in North Carolina
Main Building
Main Building
Location in North Carolina
Main Building is located in the United States
Main Building
Main Building
Location in United States
LocationU.S. 64 and Fleming Dr., Morganton, North Carolina
Area4 acres (1.6 ha)
Built1892 (1892)
ArchitectBauer, Adolphus Gustavus
Architectural styleLate Victorian
MPSMorganton MRA (AD)
NRHP reference No.76001311[1]
Added to NRHPDecember 12, 1976
North Carolina School for the Deaf Historic District
Historic District is located in North Carolina
Historic District
Historic District
Location in North Carolina
Historic District is located in the United States
Historic District
Historic District
Location in United States
LocationJct. US 70 and US 64, Morganton, North Carolina
Area68 acres (28 ha)
ArchitectBauer, Agustus; Benton, Charles C.
Architectural styleColonial Revival, Late Victorian, Romanesque
MPSMorganton MRA
NRHP reference No.89000325[1]
Added to NRHPApril 20, 1989

History

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"Main Building for the North Carolina School for the Deaf," from the Third Biennial Report of the Board of Directores of the North Carolina School for the Deaf, 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 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]

Under desegregation in the 1960s, black deaf students from the Garner campus of Governor Morehead School were moved to NCSD.[6]

Due to declining student populations, there were considerations on whether to close the school in 1986, 1991, and 2000, but the school remained open.[7]

Today

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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.[8] The main building is a high Victorian three-story brick building with a slate roof and five-story tower.[9] 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 is one of two primary public schools for Deaf and hard of hearing students in Pre-K through 12th grade in North Carolina. The school offers an education program as well as vocational rehabilitation service on campus for students after graduation.

 
Goodwin Hall, 2012
 
Main Building, 2012

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

The North Carolina School for the Deaf Historical Museum is located on the campus of the school for the Deaf at Morganton, NC. The original site was in the Historic Main Building common room before it was moved to the former Superintendent's Home in 2003. The Museum was spearheaded as a Senior Project by Jimmy Autrey, NCSD graduate of 1977 along with a number of student & staff volunteers. The Museum displays a historical timeline of pictures & artifacts pertaining to the establishment of the North Carolina School for the Deaf in 1891 as well as the original NC Institution for the Deaf & Blind in 1845 & the NC Institution for Colored Deaf & Blind in 1869, both at Raleigh, NC. The Museum maintains a record of student enrollment, organizational activities, school publications, memorabilia, photographic images, newspapers & class books in the Archival Collection Room. Currently, the Archives have over 1000 pictures with the state of the art computerized storage for research purposes & exhibition.

Campus

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The school has dormitory facilities.[10]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b c "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. July 9, 2010.
  2. ^ Gannon, Jack. 1981. Deaf Heritage–A Narrative History of Deaf America, Silver Spring, MD: National Association of the Deaf, p. 23-25 (PDF Archived 2012-03-28 at the Wayback Machine)(PDF)(PDF)
  3. ^ [1] North Carolina School for the Deaf at Morganton: 1894-1944.
  4. ^ [2] "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. ^ "$89,927 Blind-Deaf School May Lose U.S. Aid". The Charlotte Observer. Associated Press. September 15, 1966. p. 18A. - "Morganton and Wilson" refer to North Carolina School for the Deaf and the East North Carolina School for the Deaf - Clipping at Newspapers.com.
  7. ^ Welker, Steve (April 27, 2010). "DHHS says school may have to close". The News Record. Morganton, North Carolina. Retrieved June 27, 2021.
  8. ^ 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 August 1, 2014.
  9. ^ 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 August 1, 2014.
  10. ^ "Residential Life". North Carolina School for the Deaf. Retrieved May 21, 2021.
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35°43′52″N 81°41′06″W / 35.7312403°N 81.6850966°W / 35.7312403; -81.6850966