Mabel Hubbard Bell Frequently Told AGB Not to Sign ....

Not many people realize that Alexander Graham Bell's own wife, Mabel Hubbard Bell, frequently reminded the hubby NOT to sign in public. She ever scolded AGB at one of the dining establishment for signing before the general public.

Many deaf people found Alexander Graham Bell to be more accessible than previously thought. Alexander Graham Bell eloquently signed much better than Edward Miner Gallaudet. Mabel Hubbard Bell was one of real enforcer for the superiority of oralism over natural language of the deaf - visual communication.

Mabel Hubbard Bell's own mother, Gertude McGurdy, usually forbade Mabel's own siblings from making any kind of signs for Mabel to comprehend them very well. Mabel's mother insisted that Mabel's brothers and sisters and relatives to speak clearly and directly to Mabel every time. That's how Mabel got the kind of attitude toward sign language use.

Alexander Graham Bell got real infuriated with his own mother, Elizabeth Bell for inquiring Mabel Hubbard whether she had any "hereditary deafness" in her own family to be passed to Elizabeth's grandchildren. AGB never forgave his mother so far about this disrespectful action.

We often demonize Alexander Graham Bell for his own eugenic beliefs. No questions about AGB being the "wolf in the sheep's clothing" to sway deaf people of his time to the causes of oralism and oral education methods. AGB signed anyway.

We ought to take more close examination of Mabel Hubbard Bell whether she really was behind the force for "oralism" along with Alexander Graham Bell as her own accomplice.

Why in the world, the Alexander Graham Bell Association of the Deaf (AGBAD) rather deprive the visually-oriented individuals, ex. deaf youngsters and babies from accomplished with the necessity of language acquistion and social/emotional development which the founder of this very same organization, ELOQUENTLY SIGNED every time AGB encounter any culturally deaf.

Alexander Graham Bell Association of the Deaf (AGBAD) got red-beet about one hard of hearing author discovered differently what Alexander Graham Bell had done with his research materials. AGB hid the explosive information about so-called hereditary deafness genes from the general public and academicians and scientists. Nothing new about the AGBAD's sinister ploys.

Some deaf people are much like Mabel Hubbard Bell for endlessly defending the AGBAD without any good reasons during the clash between Deaf Bilingual Coalition and AGBAD conference. Those deaf individuals ought to take a hard look at themselves what they have done so far.

Here are several links to Mabel Hubbard Bell's skimpy biography -

http://www.fitzgerald.ca/htm/bell/humanitarian.html

http://www.workerforjesus.com/df/961.htm

ASLize yours,
Robert L. Mason (RLM)
RLMDEAF blog