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Oregon School for the Deaf marks 140th year | statesmanjournal.com | Statesman Journal
Oregon School for the Deaf students and alumni waved their hands, cheered and used sign-language to talk smack Friday against rivals Washington School for the Deaf during a homecoming pep rally to celebrate the school's 140th birthday.
Students sat on one side of the gym and alumni on the other as former students and staff pumped up the crowd with bits of OSD history, the school's sense of community and its shared goal to win the football and volleyball games against WSD Friday night.
"They are giving us self-esteem by remembering our school and loving our school," said Principal Matt Boyd motioning to the alumni.
"You both share a pride in OSD."
Alumni Association President Dot Johnson shared her first memories of the school with the crowd, which included about 100 students and 150 alumni.
"I was so scared, I cried my first day," she said.
Her parents dropped her off on the doorstep in 1940 when she was 5. She couldn't communicate with them so she didn't know what was going on. But OSD became her family and the place where she felt most at home.
The school started as an experiment in 1870, she explained to the crowd. William Smith, a deaf man, asked the Legislature for $2,000 to educate deaf children. That experiment became Oregon School for the Deaf.
"Now look at us," she said to cheers and waving hands.
Staffers also recognized past director Jane Mulholland at the pep rally with a framed picture that will take its place with the other past directors. Mulholland, who now works at WSD, said she would wear her school colors at the game but in her heart she'll be wearing purple for OSD.
Athletic Director John Castrese called for all the alumni football players to stand up. They came from California, Washington, Arizona and elsewhere to support the students, he said.
"They carried the flame full of pride and history," he said, "now they pass that torch to you."
Coaches then called out the current football and volleyball players, who introduced themselves one by one to cheers from alumni. Next year the seniors, Boyd said, will be sitting on the other side of the room as alumni.
"You will graduate," said school Director Patti Togioka, "but you will still be a part of OSD forever."
Oregon School for the Deaf students and alumni waved their hands, cheered and used sign-language to talk smack Friday against rivals Washington School for the Deaf during a homecoming pep rally to celebrate the school's 140th birthday.
Students sat on one side of the gym and alumni on the other as former students and staff pumped up the crowd with bits of OSD history, the school's sense of community and its shared goal to win the football and volleyball games against WSD Friday night.
"They are giving us self-esteem by remembering our school and loving our school," said Principal Matt Boyd motioning to the alumni.
"You both share a pride in OSD."
Alumni Association President Dot Johnson shared her first memories of the school with the crowd, which included about 100 students and 150 alumni.
"I was so scared, I cried my first day," she said.
Her parents dropped her off on the doorstep in 1940 when she was 5. She couldn't communicate with them so she didn't know what was going on. But OSD became her family and the place where she felt most at home.
The school started as an experiment in 1870, she explained to the crowd. William Smith, a deaf man, asked the Legislature for $2,000 to educate deaf children. That experiment became Oregon School for the Deaf.
"Now look at us," she said to cheers and waving hands.
Staffers also recognized past director Jane Mulholland at the pep rally with a framed picture that will take its place with the other past directors. Mulholland, who now works at WSD, said she would wear her school colors at the game but in her heart she'll be wearing purple for OSD.
Athletic Director John Castrese called for all the alumni football players to stand up. They came from California, Washington, Arizona and elsewhere to support the students, he said.
"They carried the flame full of pride and history," he said, "now they pass that torch to you."
Coaches then called out the current football and volleyball players, who introduced themselves one by one to cheers from alumni. Next year the seniors, Boyd said, will be sitting on the other side of the room as alumni.
"You will graduate," said school Director Patti Togioka, "but you will still be a part of OSD forever."