Percival Hall
Encyclopedia
Percival Hall, was the second president of Gallaudet University
(1910 – 1945). He was a strong advocate of the use of sign language in the education of the deaf, and also an advocate for deaf rights to vote, work, participate in sports, marry, and drive automobiles.
The son of astronomer Asaph Hall
, III (1829 – 1907) and Angeline Stickney Hall (1830 – 1892), he was born in Georgetown, Washington, DC, the youngest of four brothers.
Percival Hall took a degree in mathematics at Harvard University
in 1892. While still a student, he worked as an architectural surveyor for the Chesapeake & Ohio railroad, making drawings of existing structures with plans for improving bridges, as well as plans for proposed structures in the expansion of the railroad. The work was hard, as much of the time was spent in wild areas that required him to camp; hunting and cooking his own food. He observed that he saw few older people in this employment and that the work took a heavy toll on his colleagues.
A friend and roommate from Harvard, Allen Bradshaw Fay, whose father, Edward Allen Fay was the Vice-President of the college, suggested that he teach the deaf. Initially his family tried to dissuade him, as they felt that, with his adventurous spirit, he would soon be bored with life as a teacher. But Hall felt that he could make a contribution to the developing field of deaf education.
Hall entered Gallaudet's Normal School, graduating with an MA in Deaf Education in 1893. Following his graduation, he taught at the New York School for the Deaf for two years before teaching mathematics and Latin at Gallaudet. He became president after the retirement of President Edward Miner Gallaudet in 1910. In 1935 President Hall was given an Honorary Doctorate (L.H.D.) by the college.
He felt that, given the opportunity of higher education, there were many fields in which deaf people could excel. He published many articles on the education of the deaf.
Percival Hall also helped establish the Kappa Gamma
Fraternity at Gallaudet University along with three undergraduate students on January 4, 1901.
Hall married Carolyn Clarke in 1895, but she died in childbirth and the child did not survive. In June, 1900, he married Ethel Zoe Taylor, who had been a deaf student at Gallaudet, shortly after she earned her BA. They had three children, Percival Hall, Jr. (1901 – 1968), professor of mathematics and astronomy at Gallaudet; Marion Hall Fisher, a writer (1905 – deceased, April 4, 1983); and Jonathan Hall (1912 – 2008), professor of natural science at Gallaudet. Son Jonathan was born in "House One," on campus, on February 6, 1912.
Gallaudet University
Gallaudet University is a federally-chartered university for the education of the deaf and hard of hearing, located in the District of Columbia, U.S...
(1910 – 1945). He was a strong advocate of the use of sign language in the education of the deaf, and also an advocate for deaf rights to vote, work, participate in sports, marry, and drive automobiles.
The son of astronomer Asaph Hall
Asaph Hall
Asaph Hall III was an American astronomer who is most famous for having discovered the moons of Mars in 1877...
, III (1829 – 1907) and Angeline Stickney Hall (1830 – 1892), he was born in Georgetown, Washington, DC, the youngest of four brothers.
Percival Hall took a degree in mathematics at Harvard University
Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
in 1892. While still a student, he worked as an architectural surveyor for the Chesapeake & Ohio railroad, making drawings of existing structures with plans for improving bridges, as well as plans for proposed structures in the expansion of the railroad. The work was hard, as much of the time was spent in wild areas that required him to camp; hunting and cooking his own food. He observed that he saw few older people in this employment and that the work took a heavy toll on his colleagues.
A friend and roommate from Harvard, Allen Bradshaw Fay, whose father, Edward Allen Fay was the Vice-President of the college, suggested that he teach the deaf. Initially his family tried to dissuade him, as they felt that, with his adventurous spirit, he would soon be bored with life as a teacher. But Hall felt that he could make a contribution to the developing field of deaf education.
Hall entered Gallaudet's Normal School, graduating with an MA in Deaf Education in 1893. Following his graduation, he taught at the New York School for the Deaf for two years before teaching mathematics and Latin at Gallaudet. He became president after the retirement of President Edward Miner Gallaudet in 1910. In 1935 President Hall was given an Honorary Doctorate (L.H.D.) by the college.
He felt that, given the opportunity of higher education, there were many fields in which deaf people could excel. He published many articles on the education of the deaf.
Percival Hall also helped establish the Kappa Gamma
Kappa Gamma
Headquartered in Washington DC, "The Chosen Few", otherwise known as Kappa Gamma, is the world's first deaf fraternity. Its formation came from an 1863 secret society before becoming a fraternity in 1901; just like its parent, Kappa Gamma is also a secret society, thus, many aspects of the...
Fraternity at Gallaudet University along with three undergraduate students on January 4, 1901.
Hall married Carolyn Clarke in 1895, but she died in childbirth and the child did not survive. In June, 1900, he married Ethel Zoe Taylor, who had been a deaf student at Gallaudet, shortly after she earned her BA. They had three children, Percival Hall, Jr. (1901 – 1968), professor of mathematics and astronomy at Gallaudet; Marion Hall Fisher, a writer (1905 – deceased, April 4, 1983); and Jonathan Hall (1912 – 2008), professor of natural science at Gallaudet. Son Jonathan was born in "House One," on campus, on February 6, 1912.