Edmund Booth: Deaf Pioneer
Edmund Booth: Deaf Pioneer
Edmund Booth was born on a farm near Springfield, Massachusetts in 1810. Some of the
"hats" he wore during his lifetime were farmer, teacher, activist for the deaf, pioneer settler, 49er,
journalist, and politician.
The consistent theme in Booth's life, one to which he always returned, was his commitment to the
deaf: working for the rights of all deaf people in this country, including education of deaf children.
Booth's interest in deaf issues was very personal since he himself had lost all of his hearing by the
time he was eight years old, he was struck down during an outbreak of "spotted fever"
(cerebrospinal meningitis). After he recovered, he discovered he was partially deaf and totally
blind in one eye. The same epidemic killed his father.
At age seven or eight, after he and a friend spent an entire day playing in a local pond, Booth
discovered he could not hear at all. Luckily, in between the two incidents, his mother had taught
him to read; and he had "a bit of schooling."
Booth lived on his uncle's farm for several years. While he was there, he had a meeting which
changed his life. Flavel Goldthwaite, a neighbor, came for a visit and told Booth about the
Hartford Asylum for deaf students.
Booth was admitted the following year and studied under Laurent Clerc, Thomas Hopkins
Gallaudet, and Lewis Weld. He was at the school for 11 years, becoming a teacher after
completing his course of study. At one point (1834) Booth and two other teachers went to South
Carolina and Georgia. At each place, they gave "exhibitions" of deaf education to state
legislatures. Impressed by what they had seen, the legislators in both states voted to send deaf
students to Hartford.
Booth resigned in 1839 and made a decision to move West to Iowa. At age 29, he wanted a more
active life and to earn more money. To reach Iowa, it was necessary to travel by
Edmund Booth was born on a farm near Springfield, Massachusetts in 1810. Some of the
"hats" he wore during his lifetime were farmer, teacher, activist for the deaf, pioneer settler, 49er,
journalist, and politician.
The consistent theme in Booth's life, one to which he always returned, was his commitment to the
deaf: working for the rights of all deaf people in this country, including education of deaf children.
Booth's interest in deaf issues was very personal since he himself had lost all of his hearing by the
time he was eight years old, he was struck down during an outbreak of "spotted fever"
(cerebrospinal meningitis). After he recovered, he discovered he was partially deaf and totally
blind in one eye. The same epidemic killed his father.
At age seven or eight, after he and a friend spent an entire day playing in a local pond, Booth
discovered he could not hear at all. Luckily, in between the two incidents, his mother had taught
him to read; and he had "a bit of schooling."
Booth lived on his uncle's farm for several years. While he was there, he had a meeting which
changed his life. Flavel Goldthwaite, a neighbor, came for a visit and told Booth about the
Hartford Asylum for deaf students.
Booth was admitted the following year and studied under Laurent Clerc, Thomas Hopkins
Gallaudet, and Lewis Weld. He was at the school for 11 years, becoming a teacher after
completing his course of study. At one point (1834) Booth and two other teachers went to South
Carolina and Georgia. At each place, they gave "exhibitions" of deaf education to state
legislatures. Impressed by what they had seen, the legislators in both states voted to send deaf
students to Hartford.
Booth resigned in 1839 and made a decision to move West to Iowa. At age 29, he wanted a more
active life and to earn more money. To reach Iowa, it was necessary to travel by