In the next issue of The Power of ASL, readers will learn about a change of heart for Mabel
towards the end of her life. What can be learned at this point is how educational options afforded by
wealth complicated her life journey. Had Mabel been born to a less wealthy family, she would most
likely have been placed at ASD and would have enjoyed learning and using ASL. While society was
not supportive of ASL, Mabel would have been protected from this outside adversity while a student
at ASD. Had she been a signer, she would have had access to many marriage suitors through
socialization at the school. Upon graduating, Mabel would have been part of the deaf community with
an expansive network across states as well. She would have been socially linked into what is known
as the Deaf World. Instead, Mabel experienced enormous pressures imposed by society. The fact
that she had access to English for a few years before becoming deaf puts her in an advantageous
position in comparison to other deaf peers. However, the reports on Mabel’s inferior
speech/lipreading skills point to the lack of attention to linguistic accessibility afforded by ASL.
Mabel at age 60 (circa 1917)
Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mabel_Gardiner_Hubbard
Note: Special thanks to Dr. Sam Supalla for feedback on my editorial.
References
Bell, M. G. (Ed.). (1898). The story of the rise of the oral method in America as told in the writings of the late hon.
Gardiner
G.
Hubbard.
Washington,
DC:
Press
of
W.
F.
Roberts.
Retrieved
from
https://archive.org/details/gu_storyriseoral00hubb
Bishundayal, A. J. (2002). Mabel Hubbard Bell: A biography. Norcross, GA: Protea Publishing.
Lane, H. (1984). When the mind hears: A history of the deaf. New York, NY: Vintage Books.
Pasachoff, N. (1996). Alexander Graham Bell: Making connections. New York, NY: Oxford University Press.
Toward, L. M. (1996). Mabel Bell: Alexander’s silent partner. Cape Breton, NS: Breton Books.
The Power of ASL
6
Summer 2017 – Issue 6