Kentucky School for the Deaf
Encyclopedia
The Kentucky School for the Deaf (KSD), located in Danville, Kentucky
, provides education to deaf and hard-of-hearing children from elementary through high school levels.
and the first school for the deaf west of the Allegheny Mountains
. The deaf were a special concern of General Elias Barbee, a Kentucky state senator, whose daughter was deaf. In 1822 Barbee and John Rowan wrote legislation authorizing the creation of the school. On December 7, 1822 it was signed into law by Kentucky
Governor John Adair
. With the help of Henry Clay
, KSD received two federal land grants in 1826 and 1836. This land in Florida and Arkansas was eventually sold to finance the construction of school facilities.
In the early years it was thought that the Kentucky school might be able to meet the educational needs of all deaf people in southern and western United States. Pupils from all the southern states except Florida
, and from as far away as Montana
, attended KSD. Eventually, other states established their own schools.
Board of Trustees operated the school until 1870. It was then governed by its own board of commissioners. Since 1960 the Kentucky Board of Education and Department of Education have governed the school.
Many of the officers and teachers at KSD have had long tenures. George M. McClure was associated with the school for eighty years as both pupil and teacher. The school has had fourteen superintendents since its inception. The Rev. John Rice Kerr, the first superintendent, and John Adamson Jacobs, the third superintendent, are credited with nurturing the school from its infancy. Jacobs began his work in 1825, became superintendent in 1835, and held that office until his death in 1869.
Danville, Kentucky
Danville is a city in and the county seat of Boyle County, Kentucky, United States. The population was 16,218 at the 2010 census.Danville is the principal city of the Danville Micropolitan Statistical Area, which includes all of Boyle and Lincoln counties....
, provides education to deaf and hard-of-hearing children from elementary through high school levels.
History
KSD was established as the Kentucky Asylum for the Tuition of the Deaf and Dumb on April 10, 1823. It was the first state-supported school of its kind in the United StatesUnited States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and the first school for the deaf west of the Allegheny Mountains
Allegheny Mountains
The Allegheny Mountain Range , also spelled Alleghany, Allegany and, informally, the Alleghenies, is part of the vast Appalachian Mountain Range of the eastern United States and Canada...
. The deaf were a special concern of General Elias Barbee, a Kentucky state senator, whose daughter was deaf. In 1822 Barbee and John Rowan wrote legislation authorizing the creation of the school. On December 7, 1822 it was signed into law by Kentucky
Kentucky
The Commonwealth of Kentucky is a state located in the East Central United States of America. As classified by the United States Census Bureau, Kentucky is a Southern state, more specifically in the East South Central region. Kentucky is one of four U.S. states constituted as a commonwealth...
Governor John Adair
John Adair
John Adair was an American pioneer, soldier and statesman. He was the eighth Governor of Kentucky and represented the state in both the U.S. House and Senate. Adair enlisted in the state militia and served in the Revolutionary War, where he was held captive by the British for a period of time...
. With the help of Henry Clay
Henry Clay
Henry Clay, Sr. , was a lawyer, politician and skilled orator who represented Kentucky separately in both the Senate and in the House of Representatives...
, KSD received two federal land grants in 1826 and 1836. This land in Florida and Arkansas was eventually sold to finance the construction of school facilities.
In the early years it was thought that the Kentucky school might be able to meet the educational needs of all deaf people in southern and western United States. Pupils from all the southern states except Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
, and from as far away as Montana
Montana
Montana is a state in the Western United States. The western third of Montana contains numerous mountain ranges. Smaller, "island ranges" are found in the central third of the state, for a total of 77 named ranges of the Rocky Mountains. This geographical fact is reflected in the state's name,...
, attended KSD. Eventually, other states established their own schools.
Governance
The Centre CollegeCentre College
Centre College is a private liberal arts college in Danville, Kentucky, USA, a community of approximately 16,000 in Boyle County south of Lexington, KY. Centre is an exclusively undergraduate four-year institution. Centre was founded by Presbyterian leaders, with whom it maintains a loose...
Board of Trustees operated the school until 1870. It was then governed by its own board of commissioners. Since 1960 the Kentucky Board of Education and Department of Education have governed the school.
Many of the officers and teachers at KSD have had long tenures. George M. McClure was associated with the school for eighty years as both pupil and teacher. The school has had fourteen superintendents since its inception. The Rev. John Rice Kerr, the first superintendent, and John Adamson Jacobs, the third superintendent, are credited with nurturing the school from its infancy. Jacobs began his work in 1825, became superintendent in 1835, and held that office until his death in 1869.
Facilities
KSD lies on 166 acres (67.2 ha) near the center of Danville. Buildings on the campus are listed below. It has been proposed that the campus be reduced to 50 acres (20.2 ha), demolishing or selling several of the buildings.- Argo-McClure Hall (1964) Technology classes for middle and high school.
- Barbee Hall (1966) Currently empty middle school girls' dormitory.
- Beauchamp Hall (1966) Middle school boys' dormitory.
- Brady Hall (1981) High school girls' dormitory and offices.
- Bruce Hall (1966) Currently empty middle school girls' dormitory.
- Fosdick Hall (1966) Currently empty middle school boys' dormitory.
- Grow Hall (1968) Food service.
- Jacobs Hall (1857) KSD's oldest surviving building. It is listed as a National Historic LandmarkNational Historic LandmarkA National Historic Landmark is a building, site, structure, object, or district, that is officially recognized by the United States government for its historical significance...
and contains a re-creation of a student dormitory and classroom from the 1850s. - Kerr Hall (1976) High School and Middle School classes.
- Lee Hall (1958) formerly used as girls' vocational classes. Razed in 2010.
- Middleton Hall (Boys Dormitory)
- Thomas Hall (1973) Gymnasium, Student Grille, Swimming Pool, and Athletic Offices.
- Walker Hall (1971) Elementary self-contained department.
Master Plan
A task force was established in 2004 to create a master plan for KSD. The master plan recommends- Reduce the number of buildings from 17 to seven.
- The new campus would contain Argo-McClure, Brady, Jacobs, Kerr, Middleton, and Thomas halls, and a new elementary school to be built at a cost of $6.5 million.
- Beauchamp, Fosdick, and Grow halls would be demolished.
- Campus buildings outside the master plan area are Barbee, Bruce, Lee, Rogers, and Walker halls, the laundry and power plant, and the engineer's residence.
- Reduce the land from 170 acre (0.6879662 km²) to 62.
- Surplus and sell land outside the master plan area. Use the proceeds to fund future campus needs.
Athletics
The school's mascot is the Colonel. Athletic teams have enjoyed moderate success. They have won at least one high school eight-man football championship in fall 1999. In 2007 they won the National Boys Soccer Championship and became a 12th Region contender in Boys Basketball. KSD currently participates in the following sports- Volleyball
- Soccer
- Girls Basketball
- Boys Basketball
- Swimming
- Track and Field