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Schools mark anniversary - Statehouse News - Charleston Daily Mail - West Virginia News and Sports -
Lawmakers wiggled their fingers and twisted their wrists to applaud students from the West Virginia Schools for the Deaf and the Blind.
About 25 students visited the House of Delegates chamber Wednesday to commemorate the deaf and blind school's founding by the Legislature 140 years ago.
Deaf students from the school's high school choir Tapestry opened with a sign language medley of patriotic songs. While lawmakers heard music, they watched the students sign "America the Beautiful" and the National Anthem.
The music ensemble's director Barry Nealis said putting songs into American Sign Language becomes complicated and there is a point where what the students sign is not exactly the lyrics to the song.
So, to keep up with "O beautiful for spacious skies, For amber waves of grain," the students couldn't sign the words exactly.
"Instead we presented the sky as big," Nealis said.
Senior Roddy Stickley, 18, had his own troubles getting the song down. As a left-handed signer, he had to adapt all the gestures, which were designed for right-handers.
Following Nealis, then, became a bit like looking in the mirror for the southpaw.
"When I first started, it was confusing, but now it's become normal," Stickley said.
Blind and deaf students from the school's Mountaineer Melodies elementary choir also sang and signed "You're a Grand Old Flag."
Sixth-grader Tyler Greene, 11, who can see but has to read large print material, said he's always liked to hum, but he doesn't plan to become a musician.
He's more interested in studying math and science to become an architect.
"That's where I think I could use my imagination the most," Greene said.
The schools for the deaf and blind were formed on March 3, 1870. Before the school had its first class in the fall of that year, blind and deaf students in the state were "practically deprived of adequate educational opportunities" and had to cross state lines for school or suffer here, according to a citation the House passed Wednesday.
The schools, which work together, have grown from an initial class of 30 students to now serve 170 students at its campus in Romney and several hundred more across the state through extension programs.
Gov. Joe Manchin came to the House to watch and congratulate the students.
As "O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave," blared over the audio, the students pumped their biceps to sign "brave."
Then legislators put their hands at their sides and waved their hands by rotating them at the wrist. In American Sign Language, that means applause.
Lawmakers wiggled their fingers and twisted their wrists to applaud students from the West Virginia Schools for the Deaf and the Blind.
About 25 students visited the House of Delegates chamber Wednesday to commemorate the deaf and blind school's founding by the Legislature 140 years ago.
Deaf students from the school's high school choir Tapestry opened with a sign language medley of patriotic songs. While lawmakers heard music, they watched the students sign "America the Beautiful" and the National Anthem.
The music ensemble's director Barry Nealis said putting songs into American Sign Language becomes complicated and there is a point where what the students sign is not exactly the lyrics to the song.
So, to keep up with "O beautiful for spacious skies, For amber waves of grain," the students couldn't sign the words exactly.
"Instead we presented the sky as big," Nealis said.
Senior Roddy Stickley, 18, had his own troubles getting the song down. As a left-handed signer, he had to adapt all the gestures, which were designed for right-handers.
Following Nealis, then, became a bit like looking in the mirror for the southpaw.
"When I first started, it was confusing, but now it's become normal," Stickley said.
Blind and deaf students from the school's Mountaineer Melodies elementary choir also sang and signed "You're a Grand Old Flag."
Sixth-grader Tyler Greene, 11, who can see but has to read large print material, said he's always liked to hum, but he doesn't plan to become a musician.
He's more interested in studying math and science to become an architect.
"That's where I think I could use my imagination the most," Greene said.
The schools for the deaf and blind were formed on March 3, 1870. Before the school had its first class in the fall of that year, blind and deaf students in the state were "practically deprived of adequate educational opportunities" and had to cross state lines for school or suffer here, according to a citation the House passed Wednesday.
The schools, which work together, have grown from an initial class of 30 students to now serve 170 students at its campus in Romney and several hundred more across the state through extension programs.
Gov. Joe Manchin came to the House to watch and congratulate the students.
As "O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave," blared over the audio, the students pumped their biceps to sign "brave."
Then legislators put their hands at their sides and waved their hands by rotating them at the wrist. In American Sign Language, that means applause.