Indiana School for the Deaf
Indiana School for the Deaf (ISD) is a fully accredited school for the deaf and hard of hearing, located in Indianapolis, Indiana. It won the best deaf school in America in 2011 and 2014
History
When the first school for the Deaf was established in Indiana, it was not called Indiana School for the Deaf. It was named Willard School, after the founder, William Willard.[1]
William Willard was a deaf teacher who taught at Ohio School for the Deaf in Columbus, Ohio. He traveled to Indianapolis in May 1843 to propose the establishment of a Deaf School. Once he had the support of the General Assembly, he recruited approximately twelve students. He and his wife, Eliza, were teachers. Eventually, the school had grown and a law which was passed in January 1846, officially established the Willard School as the sixth state school for the Deaf and the first Deaf school to provide free education to Deaf and hard of hearing students. The school had actually moved a few times in different locations, when finally, the school was built on an 80 acre (32 hectare) property on East 42nd Street. The name was changed to Indiana School for the Deaf. The school's main buildings on the current campus are registered as historic landmarks.
See also
- William Willard, founder and first Deaf superintendent of ISD
- Sean Berdy, actor, class of 2011
