Laurent Clerc: Pioneer of Deaf Education and Culture

Laurent Clerc is a name known by many around the world. Clerc was born in June 27, 1880 in La Balme-les-Grottes, France. Clerc was pronounced deaf as baby. When he was about a year old, he had been left alone for a few moments, in a chair by the fire; he fell and badly burned his face. His family believed it was the accident that deprived him of his hearing and sense of smell; but he may have been born that way. When Laurent was 12 years old, he was enrolled in the Instit National de Jeune Sourds-Mirets in Paris which was the first public school for the deaf in the world. Laurent Clerc captivated the world by excelling in deaf education, was honored and respected by all who knew him, and helped shape America with deaf culture and education.
Laurent Clerc excelled in his studies and learned many important lessons through his education. Laurent’s first teacher, Jean Massieu, was 25 years old and deaf just like him. Massieu became a mentor and lifelong friend of Clerc’s. Abbe Margaron, an assistant teacher, tried teaching him to pronounce words. Clerc had difficulty in pronouncing certain syllables which often frustrated Margaron. “One day he became so impatient he gave me a violent blow on the chin; I bit my tongue and dissolved in tears” (Lane 1984) and therefore swore

In 1815, Clerc and Massieu, Clerc’s mentor, went with Sicard to England where they lectured and demonstrated their teaching methods. One of their lectures was attended by a minster from Hartford, Connecticut, Thomas Hopkins Gallaudet. By 1816, Clerc had become Sicard’s chief assistant. He taught the highest class in the Institution. Gallaudet was given private lessons by Clerc. Gallaudet was so impressed by Clerc that he invited him to go to America and help him establish a school for the deaf there. Clerc was only 28 years old and knew the work would be an enormous benefit for the