Laurent Clerc American public figure Date of Birth: 26.12.1785 Country: USA

Biography of Laurent Clerc

Laurent Clerc, also known as Louis Laurent Marie Clerc, was an American social activist and the "apostle of the deaf in America." He was born on December 26, 1785, in La Balme-les-Grottes, Isère, France. His parents were Joseph-François Clerc and Marie-Élisabeth Candy. Clerc's father served as the mayor of their village, and he grew up in a typical bourgeois estate.

At the age of one, Clerc suffered a fall from a chair into a fireplace, resulting in a scar under his right ear. This incident was believed to be the cause of his hearing and olfactory impairments. However, some sources suggest that these defects may have been congenital. Clerc later used the shape of his scar as his signature, which became well-known among the deaf community in America.

Clerc's parents tried to find a doctor who could cure his impairments, but their efforts were unsuccessful. As a result, Clerc did not receive any formal education and spent most of his free time playing with other children. Eventually, his father decided that Clerc should no longer remain uneducated, and together with his uncle, they traveled to Paris.

In Paris, Clerc studied at the renowned school for the deaf run by Abbe Roch-Ambroise Cucurron Sicard. In the future, Clerc himself would become one of the teachers at this school. In 1815, he traveled to England to deliver a series of lectures, where he met Thomas Hopkins Gallaudet. Clerc invited his new friend to Paris, and in return, Gallaudet proposed that they go to the United States. It was in Hartford, Connecticut, that Gallaudet and Clerc established the Hartford Asylum for the Education and Instruction of the Deaf and Dumb, the first school for the deaf in North America.

The school opened on April 15, 1817, with only seven students initially. Although the institution seemed unimpressive at first glance, it quickly became apparent that such a school was truly needed in the country. Drawing from Abbe Sicard's methods, Clerc and Gallaudet were able to create an institution that would outlive them both for over a century and serve as the foundation for a network of similar schools.

To this day, Clerc is regarded as one of the main heroes of the deaf movement in the United States. His story continues to inspire and serve as an example for anyone who struggles with hearing difficulties.