TSD Heritage News March 2007

 

Franna Camenisch, Archives and Museum

Since my last report, the exhibits have been the same. We still have had visitors who highly have praised our excellent work there. Donations of the precious memorabilia still have arrived. We are still organizing our Archives.

Last January, the posters and items in the TSD’s "The Greatest Story Never Heard" exhibit have been removed from the Austin-Bergstrom International Airport and returned to the Archives and Museum. They will be used again in the near future at public places and at our Heritage Center.

At the Homecoming TSDAA general meeting, Alan Bubeck was asking what had happened to the Louis B. Orrill plaque that was missing from the school auditorium lobby. They mystery was immediately solved right after the meeting. It was discovered in one of the several parts of the Archives that have not been inventoried. Here is the picture of the plaque taken by Glenn Brunson for this issue:

The Texas Association of the Deaf honored Louis B. Orrill with this plaque for his "long and tireless efforts for better schools for the deaf of Texas." Mr. Orrill, a former student of TSD from 1916 to 1922, had long been active in the Association. He served as president of the organization for 17 years. The plaque was presented at a banquet in Mr. Orrill’s honor on July 18, 1959 at the TAD twentieth biennial convention in Beaumont.

Miss Emily Lewis was fondly called "Em." Her name sign is that with a "J" sign, move your hand from the top of your head down a side of your face like drawing long hair. She had a very long relationship with Texas School for the Deaf from the age of 12 as a student in 1857 until her retirement in 1913 as a teacher with the exception of four years. In all her years at TSD, it has been said that "she is a lady of positive, decided, moral convictions and lives so rigidly up to her moral precepts that she has ever been a powerful influence for good over all with whom she comes in contact. Among the girls especially has she been an ideal of goodness and perfection, and throughout the State today are grown up deaf people who owe her a debt of gratitude they can never repay." The Lone Star, January 15, 1913. When she retired, her friends and former pupils presented her a life-size oil painting of Miss Emily Lewis done by a prominent eastern artist. Now the painting is hung in the school professional library.

Her parents, Mr. and Mrs. John Lewis came from New York City to Texas as early as 1833. They settled in La Grange. They had 13 children, of whom Emily was the seventh. She lost her hearing when only three years of age, caused by an overdose of quinine. Her family knew that she could not hear and did not learn to talk. Her brothers and sister took her to their school in the country. The teacher tried to get her to speak, but failed, then tried to teach her how to write. She could only copy what was written on a late. She was delighted to learn to write. After a while, she knew her alphabet and would write a few words before coming to TSD. One afternoon about sundown, a well-educated deaf man stopped her father’s house for the night. He was traveling on horseback. He found that she was deaf and so urged her parents to send her to school in Austin. His name was Matthew Clark. Early in May 1857, at the age 12, she started to Austin in a stagecoach, with her oldest sister Mrs. Seiders. Her first recollections of TSD were not very pleasant ones. Being very timid and homesick, she refused to stay and begged to be allowed to return with her sister. Just at this time, however, Professor Van Nostrand arrived from New York, and through his influence, she was persuaded to stay. There were seven boys enrolled. She was the first girl pupil. She continued as a pupil of TSD from the year 1857 to 1864. In 1864, she was appointed assistant teacher for beginners. For two years, she taught without pay as the state was not in condition to pay her any money due to the breaking out of the Civil War. In 1875, New Superintendent Henry E. Cullouch chose not to learn sign language; he named Emily Lewis principal and promoted himself as superintendent. She resigned at the close of the session in 1876. The reason for this was her deep admiration for Van Nostrand and loyalty to him. But in 1880 after four years absence, she was called back to teach by Col. John Ford, the new superintendent, well known as "Rip Ford." Since then, she had taught until 1913 when she retired. In her declining years, the authorities of the school had recognized the worth of her services and shown that she had not been adequately rewarded by pensioning her. She was to receive 25 dollars per month for the rest of her life and the school had set up a comfortable, wellfurnished room within the Institution where she could come at her pleasure, and visit the students.

 

Miss Lewis gave this picture to her mother Mary Besidele Morton when she was a student from 1889 to 1892. "Miss Lewis is dead." This was the message sent out from the home of Mrs. Lettie Seiders, Miss Lewis’ sister, early Thursday morning, January 25, 1917. The body was brought to the school that evening and rested in the chapel during the night, watched over by the deaf teachers and officers all but one of whom had been her pupils. The funeral occurred at 10 o’clock on Friday, conducted by Rev. J.W. Michaels and Mr. J.H.W. Williams, former Superintendent of the school. Six of the pupils signed Miss Lewis’ favorite hymn, "Nearer, My God to Thee." The body was laid to rest in the Seiders family lot in Oakwood Cemetery, the following acting as honorary pall bearers: Jefferson Johnson, Joe Keon, George Begg, J.H.W. Williams, Prof. Urbantke, W.M. Thornberry and W.M. Davis. The active pallbearers were G.A. Brooks, W.H. Davis, W.A. Barnes, R.M. Rives, A.O. Wilson, R.L. Davis, W.J. Wood and Eugene Bremond. "An Appeal to the Old Pupils of Miss Emily Lewis Will there be 200 pupils of Miss Emily Lewis that are willing to contribute 50 cents a piece for the erection of a monument on her grave? Miss Lewis designated $100 in her will for this purpose, her relatives will give over $100, and if her old pupils will raise $100, a very beautiful monument can be erected to the memory of this noble character- a life spent unselfishly for the state of the state. I will act as treasurer for this fund, until a committee, with Mr. Geo. Begg as chairman can be secured to act in this matter. Mr. Begg is the executor of the will of Miss Lewis. I will give credit in the Lone Star for all money received. Let me hear at once from you in regard to this noble work. Do it now! Yours sincerely, Gus Urbantke, Supt." This granite monument in memory of Emily Lewis, the first girl to enter the School and after graduation a beloved teacher for 50 years was unveiled November 11, 1917. On one side of the monument is the inscription:

Emily Lewis Born April 7th , 1844 Died January 25th, 1917 Acts 9, 36-42 On the other side is the following: Erected by the deaf of Texas, relatives, and friends, First girl pupil of the Texas School for the Deaf, 1856. Fifty years teacher of the deaf of Texas. Her Christian character inspired thousands of the deaf in Texas to higher ideals and life.

 

At the Emily Lewis graveyard May 1953 Standing from the left: Gail Bellnoski, Mrs. Maybelle Purcell, Bill Buza, Evely Schultzer, Joe Mills, Eva Nell Montgomery, Patricia Beadles, Virginia Sessions, Sandra Barnes Kneeling: Patricia Barwise, Marion Wright, Charm McWhorten, Richard Urban and Annabelle Robertson Courtesy of Tennie Sessions

Contributions of Memorabilia to the Museum and Archives: Kathryn Caldcleugh of 1950: Two pencilcolored drawings by Claire Crockett of 1927. Robert Whitworth of 1959: picture of class with Mrs. Fauth, 1949-50. Jerry Hassell of 1946: drawing by Maurice Ford; two paintings of his in art class, 1940’s; pictures of TAD Conventions from 1920’s. Anita Ugarte Dalla of 1939: painting of roses by her uncle James H. Smith 1904; picture of her brother Everado; picture of her mother Alma and her aunts. Frances White, retired teacher: picture of Old Jim at Gallaudet. Margena Chapman Hubbard of 1970: two trophies: GAA All Round Athlete and GAA High Point 3rd place, both 1970. Annita Newcomb: pictures of students, 1939; pictures of F.J. Terry, Jr.; "Familiar Selections" booklet for Sunday school classes. Family of the Lee and Carrie Lou Abbots: Collection of Carrie Lee Abbott and her parents George and Della Williams Brooks: books, school publications, correspondence, newspaper clippings, pictures, certificates, diplomas, math flashcards, abacuses, blankets, quilts, dresses, gown, caps, pairs of glasses, doll and hand puppets, 1900’s to 1970’s.

Monetary Contributions to the Museum and Archives:

Mildred Thrasher, 1940’s Willie and Evelyn Fitch Floerke of 1944 and of 1946. We have always appreciated all the donations to the Museum and Archives. Of course, they are critical to our TSD history.

If you plan to donate some to the museum and archives, please send them to

 

If you wish to donate some money to the archives, send a check to the same address above. Be sure to write TSDAA Archives on the check. Do not forget to write my name Franna Camenisch on any mailing envelope or package. So the school will know where to send on campus. Many thanks! Franna Camenisch TSDAA Archives 1102 South Congress Avenue Austin, Texas 78704

 

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