The Preservation of Sign Language by George W. Veditz

[@BigFriendlyGiant-w1u]

Friends and fellow deaf-mutes: The French deaf people loved de l'Epee. Every year on the occasion of his birthday, they gather together at banquets and festivities to show their appreciation that this man was born on this earth. They journey to his gravesite in Versailles and place flowers and green wreaths on his grave to show their respect for his memory. They loved him because he was their first teacher. But they loved him more for being the father and inventor of their beautiful sign language. For the last 33 years, with eyes filled with tears and hearts broken, the French deaf people have watched this beautiful language of signs snatched away from their schools. For the last 33 years, they have strived and fought for the restitution of signs in the schools but for 33 years their teachers have cast them aside and refused to listen to their pleas. But their teachers would much rather listen to the worthless, cruel-hearted demands of people that think they know all about educating the deaf but know nothing about their thoughts and souls, their feelings, desires and needs. It is like this in Germany also. The German deaf people and the French deaf people look up at us American deaf people with eyes of jealousy. They look upon us Americans as a jailed man chained at the legs might look upon a man free to wander at will. They freely admit that the American deaf people are superior to them in matters of intelligence and spirituality, in their success in the world, in happiness. And they admit that this superiority can be credited to - what? To one thing, that we permit the use of signs in our schools. The French deaf people base their inferiority on one thing, the fact that oralism must be taught in their schools. They have eliminated fingerspelling; they have eliminated signs. But we American deaf are rapidly approaching some bad times for our schools. False prophets are now appearing with news to the people that our American means of teaching the deaf are all wrong. These men have tried to educate people and make people believe that the oral method is really the one best means of educating the deaf. But we American deaf know, the French deaf know, the German deaf know that in truth, the oral method is the worst. Our beautiful sign language is now beginning to show the results of their attempts. They have tried to banish signs from the schoolroom, from the churches and from the earth. Yes, they have tried, so our sign language is deteriorating. From olden years, the masters of this sign language, the Peets, the Dudleys, the Elys, the Ballards, are rapidly disappearing. And we, in past years, loved these men. They had a precise command of sign language. They could communicate to us using only signs and we could understand them. But fortunately, we have several masters of our sign language still with us. Edward Miner Gallaudet learned this sign language from his father, Thomas Hopkins Gallaudet. There are several others, like Dr. John B. Hotchkiss, Dr. Edward Allen Fay, Robert P. MacGregor who are still with us. And we want to preserve the signs as these men now use them, to keep and pass on to coming generations. There are many men now alive who have learned their signs from men like these. Many have tried to preserve and pass on their signs. But there is one known means of passing this on, through the use of moving picture films. Indeed, our National Association of the Deaf has raised a fund of $5000 for this purpose. We have made a number of films. We have films of Edward Miner Gallaudet, of Edward Allen Fay, of John B. Hotchkiss and Robert MacGregor and many others. I regret that we do not have $20,000, for we could have used it all. If we had this amount of money, we could have performances in sign language, sermons in sign language, lectures in sign language. And not only would we American deaf enjoy the benefits of this, but no -- deaf people in Germany, in England, in France, in Italy would also see these moving picture films. Fifty years from now, these moving picture films will be priceless. "A new race of pharaohs that knew not Joseph" are taking over the land and many of our American schools. They do not understand signs for they cannot sign. They proclaim that signs are worthless and of no help to the deaf. Enemies of the sign language, they are enemies of the true welfare of the deaf. As long as we have deaf people on earth, we will have signs. It is my hope that we all will love and guard our beautiful sign language as the noblest gift God has given to deaf people.

[@marybaudoin5011]

Thank you for posting this!

[@theferretqueen1]

Thank you so much for posting this video! I've read about it and am so happy to have finally seen Veditz's very moving speech. His words were true then and are still so true now. Thank you again!!

[@XXCoder]

Dang that is very old. Glad tape survived. I do see many old style signs as well as few unknown signs. I understood him pretty well though!

[@ny152cj]

I have always tell my students, my Deaf friends about importance of preservation of ASL sign language and we have seen rise of English signing is back in school and forget about ASL! We need to keep ASL alive! ASL have been in for centuries that many Deaf people fought to keep sign in school from late 1800's into 1900's. Many of us forget about George's famous quote on preservation of ASL sign. We need to remind the young generation of Deaf people that we need cherish our first Language ASL, En

[@SordosUruguayInterpr]

un símbolo de la lucha por el derecho de las personas Sordas a utilizar la lengua de señas y el respeto de su propia cultura. Saludos desde Uruguay. a symbol of the struggle for the rights of Deaf people use sign language and respect for their own culture. Greetings from Uruguay.-

[@MultiMarvelGeek]

You can feel his heart through his words. 0_o. I almost forgot how intimate and emotional ASL is.

[@aussieartist]

I'm Australian and I'm impressed to see this very old video has kept well in preserved! Can somebody translate this ASL to english for me please?

[@theneuromancer]

NO CAPTIONS? I am DEAF and would like to know what he is saying!

[@markbushell8696]

someone needs to do a subtitled edit of this

[@tonibonitto-qqe7258]

The link in the description no longer works; the "Preservation" video is now here: videocatalog.gallaudet.edu/?embed=18921 :-)

[@proctris]

How come this "two-minute film" is 14 minutes long?

[@rachelcuesta7593]

LOL

[@davidthedeaf]

DST

[@hayleyshay2301]

Need to show a video of him doing sign language WITH captions/translations for school in ASL class and can't find any!!! Anybody have a link to send me with translations AND ASL ? ? ? PLEASE HELP! Thanks (:

[@acorneroftheinternet4179]

I know this is an especially late reply, but if you still haven't found one you could try to translate it yourself and give the students a transcript and pause whenever necessary. If you have found one then yay! Could you maybe link it? I have also been searching around.

[@Sunshinetards]

This video was very hard for me to understand. I just am not used to his style of sign, but! from what I did get, it was very interesting.

[@1972la]

Enestående opptak av ASL (American Sign Language) fra 1913. Fullt forståelig i dag -nesten 100 år senere. -for de som kan ASL

[@faithie]

Of course, it is on film...transfered to video when it was invented.

[@toptopdude]

I am still learning asl, but I have to say, I know a little about what he is saying and it is cool that I can. I have been learning sign for about a week or so.

[@restlesstraveler2]

Does anyone have the translation?

[@DeafLifeMagazine]

See my comment for a link to the transcript.

[@davidthedeaf]

culturasurda.files.wordpress.com/2013/09/preservation-of-sign-language.pdf

[@DANIPODEROSO]

VALE A PENA A HISTORIA DOS SURDOS DO MUNDO, NE!

[@CarnThen]

@aussieartist, I'm aussie too. Currently studying about Deaf history, and was most proud of this man who did wonders for his people. Here is the translation I found: w w w.rid.org/UserFiles/File/pdfs/veditz.pdf

[@jmb28144]

I wish this was captioned.

[@johnesco]

This video is 100 years old???

[@acorneroftheinternet4179]

... I did not think of that until just now holy crap.

[@Ivanatis]

@proctris was wondering the same thing

[@sweetanita0687]

I realize that he keeps repeating what he's saying, am I right?

[@johnesco]

Correct, he starts many sentences with the same phrase when he's trying to emphasis his point. Check out this translation here: www.rid.org/UserFiles/File/pdfs/veditz.pdf

[@restlesstraveler2]

+John Escobedo that link is apparently no longer valid. Do you have something else? Thanks.

[@davidthedeaf]

@@restlesstraveler2 culturasurda.files.wordpress.com/2013/09/preservation-of-sign-language.pdf

[@billyclark2466]

Wow I understand get it but today change alot tech ASL no wonder.

[@JaidBrooks_Arts]

Im in school this is weird that im able to get on youtube...

[@rosehawley2300]

i want to know my friend want see spanish if you can use translate let me now quickly me now not wait tmr i needit now my friend asked me

[@mimurph1]

thumbs up for icheckmovies

[@movingimagery4987]

www.rid.org/UserFiles/File/pdfs/veditz.pdf

[@restlesstraveler2]

+movingimagery The link is no longer valid.

[@jonathancook8343]

Gordon, there are no allegations against Assange. One requested that he take a STD test. That's it.

[@wkunzelman1]

@TheNeuromancer I C what you did thar.

[@rosehawley2300]

pls send me about spanish or lsu so they want to learn history of this video so they want lsu so they cant understand asl why i know some lsu i cant catchup what video say s yu can find this one video with lsu or spanish.. please send me [e-mail] as [e-mail] ok thanks pls send me quickly as possible i need it now of history reqest about this video what i do