Irving King Jordan

Irving King Jordan

Sources

Quotes

http://ifmyhandscouldspeak.wordpress.com

"I was a hearing man that couldn't hear"

Irving quoted Fredrick Schreibert, saying...

https://www.gallaudet.edu

• Students of Gallaudet got the gates closed to the university and marched to the capitol building.

http://www.deafis.org

"Deaf people can do anything hearing people can, except hear."

Early Life/Childhood

• With thousands of groups chanting "deaf president now."

• Born June 16th 1943 in a small rural town in Glen Ridge Pennsylvania.

Becoming Deaf

Which became the motto of the deaf community.

• Had three brothers and sisters.

• It caught the worlds attention and after a few days of unrest, Dr. Zinser resigned.

• In 1965 at the age of 21 Irving got into an accident in Washington D.C. riding a motorcycle.

• His childhood was idyllic, playing in the beautiful outdoors.

• March 13th 1988 I king Jordan was elected 7th president of Gallaudet university, the first official deaf president.

• Irving did not grow up deaf

• Irving was hospitalized for 14 months and suffered very serious injuries. Which made him deaf.

Through Deaf Eyes

Vocabulary

• Irving was in a movie "Through Deaf Eyes" Through Deaf Eyes is a 2 hour documentary that explores 200 years of the deaf life in America.

• Irving was told that the hearing loss was temporary, but soon he just learned to accept that he was now deaf.

Movie- palm horizontal with vertical palm waving at the top.

Chaos- two index fingers bent going in a circular motion around.

• Through Deaf Eyes includes interviews with many members of the deaf community including actress Marlee Matlin and Irving King Jordan.

Celebrate- Loose fists waving circular in the air.

Through Deaf Eyes Part 1

Accident (as in a mistake)- "Y" to chin.

Becoming President

Problem- two bent "v's" moving vertically (up and down.)

Education

Through Deaf Eyes Part 2

• Irving King Jordan became the first deaf president of Gallaudet University in 1988.

• In high school Irving described himself as a very average student.

• After being a student at Gallaudet he returned and joined it's department of psychology, where he became an excellent professor. It didn't take him long until he was promoted varius positions.

Irving makes appearances in both part 1 & Part 2

• After high school Irving joined the Navy.

• In 1987 after resignation of the 6th president Jerry Lee, people wanted a "qualified deaf president."

What Irving did for Gallaudet University

• After Irving became deaf he enrolled then attended Gallaudet University, not knowing how to sign or anything about the deaf culture.

• In 1967 Irving met and married Linda Marie Kephart.

• A hearing woman Dr. Elizabeth Zinser was selected.

• He worked at his education and studied very hard. He was an honor student.

• Under Kings leadership, Gallaudet saw a huge increase in funding.

• They had two children.

• Which soon caused many problems between college students and the public...

• (Gallaudet University was the only university in the world with all programs and services designed specifically for students who are deaf and hard of hearing.)

• In 2006 King retired as president from Gallaudet.

• He added raised platforms to classrooms so students can see their professor lecture.

Personal life/currently.

• King and his wife Linda live in West River, Maryland.

• Using technology to help their students communicate better.

• King considers the day of his motorcycle accident as his "deaf birthday."

• King is 70 years old.

• Irving says, "Learning calculus should be hard." "Understanding what your professor is saying shouldn't be hard."