Gallaudet University
The University itself is named for a hearing person, Thomas Hopkins Gallaudet, founder of the first permanent school for the deaf in America (1817, in Hartford, CT). However, several buildings, facilities, and roads on the University campus are named for deaf persons. They include:
- Ballard House
(House # 2 on Faculty Row). Named in memory of Melville Ballard (1839-1910), Gallaudet's first graduate and later a teacher here.
- Ballard Residential Complex
Also honors Melville Ballard. Named in 2001, it consists of two adjacent dormitory buildings that were formerly named Cogswell Hall and Krug Hall.
- Carlin Hall
(dormitory). Named for John Carlin (1813-1891), a deaf artist, writer, poet, and leader.
- Clerc Hall
(dormitory) is named for Laurent Clerc (1785-1869), deaf Frenchman who became the first deaf teacher of the deaf in America.
- Cogswell Hall
(dormitory) honored Alice Cogswell (1805-1831), the first deaf pupil of Thomas Hopkins Gallaudet. In 2001, it was renamed as part of the Ballard Residential Complex.
- Craig Street
Memorializes Douglas Craig (?-1932), a homeless deaf Black orphan child who was found alone on the streets of Washington, was taken in by Gallaudet, and grew up to become the College's "master mechanic" for many years.
- Denison House
(House # 4 on Faculty Row), named in honor of James Denison (1837-1910), who taught at the Kendall School 1856-1909 and also served as its principal from 1869 to 1909.
- Drake House
(House #7 and #8) was named for Hartley D. Drake (1882-1962), Gallaudet graduate who managed the farm on the Gallaudet campus and taught agriculture courses here from 1911 until retirement in 1949. Drake and his family lived in this house for 24 years. Constructed in 1870 and razed in 1984, it stood just to the south of Washburn Arts Building. At some point a renovation divided the original single house into a "duplex", two houses sharing a single building, hence its later dual designation as House #7 and #8.
- Draper Drive
Named for Amos G. Draper (1845-1917), Gallaudet class of 1872, who then served on the faculty 1872-1917.
- Fowler Hall
(formerly a women's dormitory, now an office and class building; the second building of that name on the same site) commemorates Sophia Fowler (1798-1877), a deaf pupil and then wife of Thomas Hopkins Gallaudet and mother of Edward Miner Gallaudet, Gallaudet University's founder and first president.
- Hanson Plaza
recalls Agatha Tiegel Hanson (1878-1959), Gallaudet class of 1893. She was a published poet and taught
at the Minnesota School for the Deaf for 6 years before marrying deaf architect Olof Hanson, another
Gallaudet graduate.
- Hotchkiss Field
(the football field) honors John B. Hotchkiss (1845-1922), Gallaudet class of 1869 and faculty member 1869-1922; he introduced football to Gallaudet College.
- Hoy Field,
officially the William "Dummy" Hoy Field, is Gallaudet's baseball field, was named in 2001 in honor of the deaf professional baseball player (1862-1961) who is credited with the invention of the baseball hand signals for "strike" and "out".
- Hughes Memorial Gymnasium
(completed 1958, razed 1999) was named for Frederick H. Hughes (1892-1956), Class of 1913, professor, dramatics director, and coach 1915-1956. It stood just east of the Merrill Learning Center, where the new Student Academics Building presently stands.
- Krug Hall
(dormitory) memorialized Walter J. Krug (1905-1962), Class of 1927, faculty member, coach, and dean of men for many years. In 2001, it was renamed as part of the Ballard Residential Complex.
- Lowman Street
recognizes Alto M. Lowman (1869-1912), Gallaudet's first deaf female graduate (in 1892).
- Peikoff Alumni House
(also known to generations of Gallaudet students as "Ole Jim") served for over a century, never formally named, as Gallaudet's first gymnasium and then in various miscellaneous roles before being remodeled as an alumni house during the 1980s. It was named in 1995 in honor of David Peikoff (1900-1995), Class of 1929, a long-time deaf activist, especially in Gallaudet alumni affairs.
- Peter J. Fine Infirmary
honors an M.D. who became deaf later in life, and dedicated the rest of his life to bringing medical services to deaf people. He served as the University's staff physician for several years before his early death.
- Theatre Malz,
the auditorium in the Model Secondary School for the Deaf on the Gallaudet campus, was named in 1993 to honor 1943 Gallaudet graduate and long-time MSSD teacher Eric "Malz" Malzkuhn (1922?-), who was a noted amateur actor in his student days and who actively promoted drama while teaching at MSSD.
- Thornberry Hearing and Speech Center
(Hearing) Texas Congressman and Judge Homer L. Thornberry was an influential member of the Gallaudet College Board of Trustees, 1949-1969. This building is named in memory of his deaf mother, Mary L. Thornberry, a teacher at the Texas School for the Deaf.
- Washburn Arts Building
honors Cadwallader L. Washburn (1866-1965), a deaf artist especially noted for his drypoint etchings. He was also an accomplished entomologist.
All other Gallaudet University campus buildings and other facilities bearing people's names are in honor of hearing people.
Gallaudet University's now-closed Northwest Campus (1985-1995), on Kalmia Rd. NW in D.C., had buildings named in honor of deaf people Byron B. Burnes, Frederick C. Schreiber, and Laura Redden Searing. It is not known whether any of those names survive under the campus' new owner, a private elementary school for the hearing.
Although the Laurent Clerc Center at Gallaudet University is named in honor of Laurent Clerc, the Center does not have a specific physical location. Rather, it is an "umbrella" name covering the University's preschool programs, the Kendall Demonstration Elementary School, the Model Secondary School for the Deaf, other pre-college research and teaching units, and all their associated buildings and other facilities.