Sarah Fuller (educator)
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Sarah Fuller (February 15, 1836 – August 1, 1927) was an American
educator A teacher, also called a schoolteacher or formally an educator, is a person who helps students to acquire knowledge, competence, or virtue, via the practice of teaching. ''Informally'' the role of teacher may be taken on by anyone (e.g. w ...
.


Biography

Fuller was born in
Weston, Massachusetts Weston is an affluent town in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States, located approximately west of Boston. At the time of the 2020 United States census, the population of Weston was 11,851. Weston was incorporated in 1713, and protect ...
to Harvey and Celynda (Fiske) Fuller, and was educated at
West Newton English and Classical School West Newton English and Classical School, also known as the Allen School, was a model school in West Newton, Massachusetts, United States. It was established in 1854 by Nathaniel Topliff Allen (1823–1903), an educator and protege of Horace Mann ...
in
Massachusetts Massachusetts ( ; ), officially the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, is a U.S. state, state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It borders the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Maine to its east, Connecticut and Rhode ...
. After graduating in 1855, she taught in Newton and
Boston Boston is the capital and most populous city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Massachusetts in the United States. The city serves as the cultural and Financial centre, financial center of New England, a region of the Northeas ...
. In 1869, she trained at the Clarke School for the Deaf under Harriet B. Rogers, then became principal at the newly formed Boston School for Deaf-Mutes; a school founded on the behest of Rev. Dexter S. King. In 1871, the school staff was trained in the skill of teaching deaf children how to speak by
Alexander Graham Bell Alexander Graham Bell (; born Alexander Bell; March 3, 1847 – August 2, 1922) was a Scottish-born Canadian Americans, Canadian-American inventor, scientist, and engineer who is credited with patenting the first practical telephone. He als ...
. Sarah became an advocate of this practice, as well as the promotion of education for deaf children starting at the earliest age possible. She was also present when the first message was sent over the telephone. In 1890, Fuller applied the methods she learned and developed from Bell in giving the first speech lessons to
Helen Keller Helen Adams Keller (June 27, 1880 – June 1, 1968) was an American author, disability rights advocate, political activist and lecturer. Born in West Tuscumbia, Alabama, she lost her sight and her hearing after a bout of illness when ...
. ''Dumb no longer: romance of the telephone''"> ''Dumb no longer: romance of the telephone''
By Fred De Land In 1888, she published ''An Illustrated Primer'' for teachers of the deaf. She helped found the American Association to Promote the Teaching of Speech to the Deaf in 1890, and became director of that association in 1896. She founded the Home for Little Deaf Children in 1902, and retired as a principal in 1910. Sarah died in
Newton Lower Falls, Massachusetts Newton Lower Falls is one of the thirteen List of villages in Newton, Massachusetts, villages within the city of Newton, Massachusetts, Newton in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States. The commercial area ...
, and is buried in Saint Mary's Cemetery.


Legacy

The Sarah Fuller Foundation for Little Deaf Children (1888–1972) was named after her.


References


Further reading

* * * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Fuller, Sarah 1836 births 1927 deaths People from Weston, Massachusetts Educators of the deaf 19th-century American educators 20th-century American educators 19th-century American women educators 20th-century American women educators