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New Mexico School for the Deaf alums coming home for 125th birthday - The Santa Fe New Mexican
New Mexico's first public school — which, technically, is older than the state itself — kicks off its 125th anniversary with a weekend that combines homecoming with an alumni reunion.
The New Mexico School for the Deaf, founded in 1885, offers three days of campus tours, athletic games, a pep rally, storytelling in American Sign Language and social events starting today. Somewhere between 250 and 300 alumni are expected to attend.
"In the alumni association, we like to say it's about past, present and future," said Bobby Moore, chairman of the school's Reunion Committee and a graduate of the school. "People from our past will be here for the present to support our future. The bottom line for all alum is to come home. There are a lot of memories here."
Deaf pioneer and Wisconsin native Lars Larson and his wife, Belle, began teaching deaf students in a small house in downtown Santa Fe in November 1885. In 1887, the school was formally established by the territorial Legislature as the state's first public school. Though the first school building was erected on the Cerrillos Road site in 1891, the entire campus took several decades to complete.
For years, the school considered 1887 the official founding date. The school formed its alumni association in 1985 with the intent of celebrating the school's centennial birthday — which it did in 1987.
But according to Kenneth R. Litherland, president of the school's alumni association, retired New Mexico School for the Deaf teacher Espie Latimer discovered that Larson had actually started the school two years earlier.
Moore said alumni reunions have occurred every five years since 1987, always in the summer, when the school is on break. But after a recent discussion with Superintendent Ronald J. Stern, the alumni association decided this year to move its annual celebration to homecoming weekend.
"New Mexico School for the Deaf alumni from throughout New Mexico and other parts of the country will have the rare opportunity to congregate with one another and today's students and staff and see their alma mater in action," Stern said.
While some of the planned events are scheduled for alumni only, some activities and most of the sporting games are open to the public, including football and volleyball games against Arizona Schools for the Deaf and Blind.
Stacy Nowak, New Mexico School for the Deaf's athletic director, said athletic matches may provoke competitive fireworks on the field, but also often lead to friendships and even marriages down the road.
Students from both schools will also take part in an duel of intellect in the Academic Bowl Match thisafternoon. "It's a sport of the mind," Nowak said.
"Alumni play a huge role in this school's hierarchy," Nowak said. "They are teachers, coaches, role models, even parents of current students. They are just as much a part of this school now as they were when they were attending it.
"We wouldn't be the New Mexico School for the Deaf without our alumni."
The K-12 deaf school has 120 students enrolled on campus and has preschool satellites in locations around the state that reach another 50 students. It also has an outreach program that serves 270 students in 54 districts around the state, as well as an early intervention program called Step*Hi that serves 209 families.
The school officially marks 125 years with its Founders Day celebration Nov. 10.
Thus far, the school has not created an alumni database to find out how many former students are still living and where they reside. It intends to start compiling that information this weekend, Moore said.
New Mexico's first public school — which, technically, is older than the state itself — kicks off its 125th anniversary with a weekend that combines homecoming with an alumni reunion.
The New Mexico School for the Deaf, founded in 1885, offers three days of campus tours, athletic games, a pep rally, storytelling in American Sign Language and social events starting today. Somewhere between 250 and 300 alumni are expected to attend.
"In the alumni association, we like to say it's about past, present and future," said Bobby Moore, chairman of the school's Reunion Committee and a graduate of the school. "People from our past will be here for the present to support our future. The bottom line for all alum is to come home. There are a lot of memories here."
Deaf pioneer and Wisconsin native Lars Larson and his wife, Belle, began teaching deaf students in a small house in downtown Santa Fe in November 1885. In 1887, the school was formally established by the territorial Legislature as the state's first public school. Though the first school building was erected on the Cerrillos Road site in 1891, the entire campus took several decades to complete.
For years, the school considered 1887 the official founding date. The school formed its alumni association in 1985 with the intent of celebrating the school's centennial birthday — which it did in 1987.
But according to Kenneth R. Litherland, president of the school's alumni association, retired New Mexico School for the Deaf teacher Espie Latimer discovered that Larson had actually started the school two years earlier.
Moore said alumni reunions have occurred every five years since 1987, always in the summer, when the school is on break. But after a recent discussion with Superintendent Ronald J. Stern, the alumni association decided this year to move its annual celebration to homecoming weekend.
"New Mexico School for the Deaf alumni from throughout New Mexico and other parts of the country will have the rare opportunity to congregate with one another and today's students and staff and see their alma mater in action," Stern said.
While some of the planned events are scheduled for alumni only, some activities and most of the sporting games are open to the public, including football and volleyball games against Arizona Schools for the Deaf and Blind.
Stacy Nowak, New Mexico School for the Deaf's athletic director, said athletic matches may provoke competitive fireworks on the field, but also often lead to friendships and even marriages down the road.
Students from both schools will also take part in an duel of intellect in the Academic Bowl Match thisafternoon. "It's a sport of the mind," Nowak said.
"Alumni play a huge role in this school's hierarchy," Nowak said. "They are teachers, coaches, role models, even parents of current students. They are just as much a part of this school now as they were when they were attending it.
"We wouldn't be the New Mexico School for the Deaf without our alumni."
The K-12 deaf school has 120 students enrolled on campus and has preschool satellites in locations around the state that reach another 50 students. It also has an outreach program that serves 270 students in 54 districts around the state, as well as an early intervention program called Step*Hi that serves 209 families.
The school officially marks 125 years with its Founders Day celebration Nov. 10.
Thus far, the school has not created an alumni database to find out how many former students are still living and where they reside. It intends to start compiling that information this weekend, Moore said.