Transcript
Chapter 1: Introducing the Life of Rev. Robert C. Fletcher
Hello, I’d like to introduce you to a historic collection that was donated to Gallaudet University in 2005. The collection includes material that demonstrates how Deaf communities relate to their regions, each other, and how church relates to community. Other issues that are evident are the role of women, race, and specifically the history of one man and his family, Reverend Robert Fletcher, an Episcopal priest. The collection included photographs, documents, sermons, and 6 films. I will elaborate on the films.
Reverend Robert C. Fletcher grew up in a small town in Alabama called Arab, a farming community. He became Deaf at age 4, story goes by lightning. Here is a photo of young Robert with his mother and sister. When the photographer came he asked if they could wait until he got his calf. [Here is the photograph]
Robert Fletcher became blind in one eye at age 12 because of an accident with scissors. He attended the Alabama School for the Deaf, graduating in 1921. From there he went onto Gallaudet and was in the Class of ’26. Following Gallaudet, Fletcher attended Seminary School in Philadelphia, PA, graduating in 1929. He became an ordained Episcopal priest in 1930 and started serving the south-eastern “Sewanee” district for 22 years – 1930s -1950s. The district included Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, Georgia, Florida, South Carolina, North Carolina,
Tennessee and Kentucky.
Reverend Fletcher traveled by train, free, to the deaf congregations – each had to wait for services. Many Deaf families waited for his arrival for baptisms and weddings. His work involved more than preaching, as he carried news from other congregations and word of possible job opportunities. Reverend Fletcher helped people find jobs, homes, and even spouses. Can you imagine how difficult it might have been –for his wife and
children who were often alone while he traveled, for the congregations that only had his services on occasion, and for him? Hearing preachers might serve more than one congregation, but not 9 states. Reverend Fletcher was the only deaf priest in that region at that time and he therefore had to serve multiple states and travel extensively.
From the 1950s – 1970s, for 21 years, Rev. Fletcher served 2 Deaf churches in Birmingham, Alabama, one Black and one white, and another church in Mobile, Alabama. He no longer had to serve 9 states and he also had a car for travel.
Reverend Fletcher was known for being the first minister to open the Senate using Sign (1952).
[Here is his recitation of the prayer given on the Senate floor.]
He died in 1988, during the Deaf President Now revolution.
Chapter 2: Estelle Caldwell Fletcher and the Role of Women
Reverend Fletcher’s wife was Estelle Caldwell Fletcher. She was from Texas and attended the Texas School for the Deaf. Estelle Fletcher was also a Gallaudet student, class of 1928. She was a mother, performer, and organizer. She kept all of the directories of each of Rev. Fletcher’s congregations, details that were important to help to her husband in his role as a priest. With 4 children: John, Louise, Roberta (Bobby), and Georgianna she maintained a very active household, often while her husband traveled. Estelle Fletcher was responsible for keeping everything running at home.
Estelle Fletcher kept directories of all the congregational members, phone – or really address books - so that her husband could contact all members from all over his region.
In the films, Mrs. Fletcher is often seen laying out food and chatting with others, but she was also a skilled performer. There is one scene from a 1940s “Saturday Night Revue” show where she is performing the song “Dixie” in blackface and in a farcical costume. She’s wearing a long tux and funny shoes. While the footage would not be appropriate in current times, in the 1940s a blackface performance was considered acceptable. [Note from the editor: The video footage is removed from the original article].
Chapter 3: The Fletcher Film Collection
The Fletcher family donated 6 films which date from the 1930s to the 1970s. Reverend Fletcher’s film collection includes footage of Deaf church camp meetings, community celebrations, images of the congregations he served, and brief segments on the places of work for deaf people in Birmingham. In the church camp footage, it’s clear that Reverend Fletcher is holding the camera as several people walk by and thank him.
While film from the 1930’s, 40’s and early 50’s is rare for all communities, it is especially rare within the African American Deaf community. The Fletcher films include images of the Deaf workers of “Perfection Laundry,” where the Reverend had worked to get jobs for African American Deaf people from the Birmingham area. Brief footage of the outside of a Black Deaf congregation served by Rev. Fletcher is also included. The quality of the footage is not that good but it was saved and I think it’s valuable to see.
Included is personal footage of the Fletcher’s four children. Weddings and special dinners are interspersed with graduation ceremonies, images of children riding tricycles, and posing in prom dresses.
Chapter 3: Footnote
Where do we store old films? In the attic it’s hot and the basement is wet. Most footage will start to decay quickly. The 1930s “Dixie Home for the Aged Deaf” film was in bad shape and just opening the can one could tell from the vinegar smell that there was deterioration. It could not even be pulled off the canister spool.
Prior to copying onto newer formats, the film had to be taken to a professional film shop to be re- plasticized so that it could run through a projector without breaking. For six weeks it was kept in a cabinet with chemical vapors to get the footage into a bendable state. When the “Dixie Home” film appeared and felt ready, it was run on a projector. There was no guarantee it would work, but it went through and was captured onto another format. We got a copy, and the original was gone. It’s expensive and risky.
Film can have several different problems. Stretching and shrinking can occur, and portions of it can flake off, crack, or warp and distort the image. It’s very difficult to get a smooth presentation again.
Further, the “Dixie Home” film was from the 1930s and it was salvageable, but sometimes you can’t save a film. Newer formats such as VHS may be in worse shape. While older film stock will shrink, VHS tape may stretch, leaving restoration impossible. Many films from the 1970s are gone while the 1930s footage could be saved. It’s important to pay attention to what you have and transfer your footage to a newer format. The medium of film is uniquely precious to the Deaf community. It is the only way that American Sign Language has been adequately documented. Within the Deaf community family films may have meaning and value beyond personal connections. I encourage you to investigate what you have, copy decaying film onto new, more stable filmstock, and make additional copies to be held in public collections so that researchers and film historians can access it. What you think are just family films may be valuable for the whole community.
Chapter 4: Introducing Dixie Home for the Aged Deaf
One of the films, “Dixie Home for the Aged Deaf” was made by Reverend Fletcher in the early 1930s, we don’t know exactly when. The film was intended to be used for fund raising. Reverend Fletcher calls on Deaf people everywhere to dig deep and give to the recently purchased home for older Deaf people near St. Augustine. He explains the system of collecting coupons and turning them in for cash to support the Home. The Dixie Association of the Deaf had chapters throughout the south and each was charged with collecting the coupons from Octagon products which included tea, soap, and condensed milk. If everyone tore off and collected the coupon from the products, 1000 of them could be cashed in for $4.00 and that money would go to the Dixie home for the Aged Deaf.
In the film Reverend Fletcher explains that each member has a responsibility to support the home, saying that “maybe you will become old and infirm and you will need a place to go.” He encourages everyone to support the Dixie home.
Reverend Fletcher not only made this film asking the chapters of the Deaf associations to save coupons, but he also sent a letter to parents of deaf children enrolled in schools, asking them to tear off coupons and send them in.
Chapter 4: Transcript of the footage of Reverent Robert C. Fletcher
“Hello. We want to show you some photographs of our home for Aged Deaf people in the south, in St. Augustine, Florida. All Deaf people of the south are proud of that home and we hope that you will be proud of it too.
Long ago, Jesus made a Deaf man hear. We have seen Deaf people moving up in character, heart and mind – going to school and college, and we have our churches. Now we want to change Jesus’ parable into action. We’ve seen many Deaf elderly people who can’t find a home where they can get care. They want to move to one place where they will be supported and happy and contented.
How can we support this home? We will establish chapters in every town in the south. Coupons will be sent to each town weekly and the funds collected.
Mr. and Mrs. H.K. Bush and Mr. T.S. Marr decided to give us $6,000 * to purchase the home. The home has 15 rooms for older people and perhaps in the future we may do more to enhance the property.
Why should you support this home?
First, [you should support it] because you want to have a place where you can go when you grow older. Maybe something will happen to you. Maybe you will become ill.
Maybe your children will be far away and leave you alone. Now you will have a place you can go.
And, you can work hard now to make a nice name for yourself. As an older person you may need to move there and will be able to look back on yourself as someone who did good things. Furthermore, we can show the hearing World that Deaf people can succeed on an equal level. For all those reasons – with this noble action we can be proud of our Deaf [community] and proud of something we accomplished in our lives.
I hope all of you will do what you can. As older Deaf people move on we hope younger people will come and do more.
Anytime you can go through Florida, stop and see our fine home near St. Augustine.
Thank you.”
*This number is very hard to see – we enlarged the film and then it clearly looks like $6,000, not $2,000.
Translation by Jean Lindquist Bergey with assistance from Dorothy Alexis and Harvey
Grossinger.
Chapter 4: [Resumed description]
So, why was there a need to establish a home specifically for deaf people? Remember that prior to 1935 there was no Social Security – the law for Social Security was passed in 1935 but no money was flowing. In 1936 and 1937 you could apply for a Social Security number but no checks were distributed until 1940.
A few states had support prior to 1935, but none from the South. Only 5% of people retiring in the U.S. got any pension from their employer. Plus, the U.S. as a country was changing from an agrarian to an urban industrial life for most workers. You used to depend on an extended family in a small town and that support did not exist in the same way once people started moving to cities for work. Family could not always be there for you. So, it meant you had to change the way you depend on people. Government social support was not there before 1940 so hearing or deaf, no one had support. There was family or charity, and that was difficult to get right after the depression when money was short.
For deaf people communication was often a barrier and for most it would be more comfortable to live in an environment where communication was clear. That was the reason for a home specifically for Deaf people.