20th Celebration  Laurent Clerc Association

Association Laurent Clerc - 20th Anniversary Celebration
November 6 - 7, 2004



Introduction

Remark of Mar PREGNIARD, president of Laurent Clerc Association:

Laurent Clerc Association will be 20 years old in November 2004.
This will be a big event celebration for our association and all our French and Amercian friends.

For the first time in French Deaf History, a president of Galladuet University will visit the village of La Balme-les-Grottes. We will be very delightful and proud to greet Dr. King Jordan, hard-of-hearing presdient of Gallaudet University in Washington, DC, USA.
He will visit La Balme to discover the birthplace of Laurent Clerc who is the pioneer of Deaf Education in the USA.
From some international conferences and Galladuet University's trainings, deaf French people have discovered the high level rank of Amercian deaf people.
Thanks to Fanny Cordeory du Tiers, taking care of the relation between our association and deaf people in the USA, we are happy to greet more and more Amercian visitors in La Balme-les-Grottes.
On July 6, 2003, we inaugurated Laurent Clerc Museum, in the presence of a strong delegation of Amercian deaf leaders and the whole world who came to 5th Deaf History International Conference. With a great pride and emotion, we greeted Laurent Clerc Holt, 7th descendant of Laurent Clerc who visited La Balme.
Let me express my thankness to those who give us their support, in particular, Mr. Didier Chapit, Mayor of La Balme-les-Grottes and his local council as well the Community of Balcoms du Rhône,in connection with the Synidcat of La Balme.
We will wait for you on November 6-7, 2004 for sharing together the great bound of French-Amercian fraternity.

Remark of Fanny CORDEROY DU TIERS, internationalCoordinator

Thanks to Laurent Clerc, Laurent Clerc Association is one of a few associations to keep and develop the good relationship between Amercian and French deaf people because Laruent Clerc is the Father of Amercian Deaf Education. The Amercian deaf community wants to express all their gratitude and pay their hommage to Laurent Clerc by thanking him for providing higher education which brought them the pride in their deaf culture.
On the international level, Laurent Clerc has breeded the multitude of deaf people who have been successful in their life thanks to this education. This has been carried on from generation to generation for 200 years. That is why Amercian deaf people looked for Laurent Clerc's birthplace. This discovery has initialed the establishment of Laruent Clerc Association in France in order to recognize Laurent Clerc's role as the bridg between the Amercian and French deaf people. Many Amercian deaf people as well Dr. King Jordan want to visit the birthplace of Laurent Clerc. King Jordan and myself were students of this university, established by Laurent Clerc's aide. We share the same desire of pay our hommage to Laurent Clerc.
Thank you in advance for sharing this perspective with us.

History

Three important dates in Laurent Clerc Association's history:
- October 10, 1980, a group of 5 deaf persons representing Amercian national deaf associations, accompanying with Miss Rose-Marie Raynaud, president of FNSF (Fédération Nationale des Sourds de France) and Mr. André Saint-antonin, visited La Balme-les-Grottes and presented a commemorative tablet in accknowlege of their recognition of Laurent Clerc and his birthplace in France.
- November 14, 1984, encouaged by Mr. Jean de Ferrière, FNSF president, certain deaf leaders of Rhône-Alpes region established the Laurent Clerc Association, which one of its first objectives was to localize the birth house of Laurent clerc and to make it being recognized.
- May 12, 1985, the FNSF's national conference was held in Bourg-enBresse. The Laurent Clerc Association celebrated the 200 years of Laurent Clerc with the presence of Mr Gil Eastman, Galladuet Drama teacher with his wife and Mr Gerald Bustein, GUAA (Galladuet University Alunmi Association) president.

The L. Clerc Association has accomplished:
- To post a plaque on the brith-house of Laurent Clerc
- Booklet edition on Laurent Clerc
- Reception of the increase number of Amercian and French deaf and hearing visitors
- Certain lectures
- Laurent Clerc's small museum with the aide of La Balme's Community
- Reception of 5th Deaf History International Conference delegates: Mr & Mrs. John Yeh, Mr. & Mrs. Harvey Corson, Mr. Mike Friess, and Mr. & Mrs Henri Cordeory du Tiers.

On December 26, 1785, Laruent Clerc was born in the small village of North Dauphiné and was the son of royal notray and mayor of La Balme. Laurent became deaf after an accident. In Paris, he studied under L'Abbé Sicard and of Jean Massieu. With a great culture and a solid pedagogy, he was nominated as professor of the Royal Institution for the Deaf and Mute of Paris. By chance, the History brought him to meet Thomas Galladuet whom brought him to the USA in order to help to establish the foundation of first deaf school in Hartford; Connecticut.
Deaf Amercians will never forget their deaf education pionneer.
It is full of pride and of emtion that we celebrate the 20th anniversary of our association with the vistation of Mr. King Jordan, Gallaudet University president; who himself is hard-of-hearing and and thanks to Laurent Clerc, many deaf French people who have discovered their identity.


Program

At theMayor's City Hall Party Room in La Balme-les-Grottes

Saturday, November 6:

9h to 12h :
- Welcome Dr. King JORDAN
- Welcome the participants
- Video show on Laurent Clerc Association
- 11 h : Wine reception

12h to 13h30 :
- Buffet lunch in the same room

14h30 to 17h :

- Michelle Bonnot's lecture : "Laurent Clerc's birth village and Laurent Clerc Association"
- Dr. King JORDAN's lecture : "Foundation of Gallaudet University and the Evoulation of Deaf Life in the USA from 1984 to 2004"

17h30 to 19h30 :
- Visitation of Laurent Clerc Museum (in groups)

20h30:
Evening Gala
Performance dinner(formal attaire)
- "ChanDanse des Sourds of Paris
- "Laurent Clerc's Life" by Laurent Clerc Association

Sunday, November 7:

10h:
Visitations
- the village
- Laurent Clerc Museum
- La Balme's Cavern

13h:
Banquet lunch at "Val d'Amby" restaurant in Hières-sur-Amby.

Registration form

Wer Interesse und Fragen hat, kann sich mit Helmut Vogel in Verbindung setzen:
Email: helmut.vogel@kugg.de
Fax: 040 - 65 59 26 10