Cleary, Edward Purcell

Born at Cincinnati, OH and deafened at 5. Primary education in a Cincinnati day school for the deaf, then one year of college preparatory work at the Kendall School, entering Gallaudet College in 1882 and graduating 1887. Established and ran for 3 years the Cathe-Oral School (later St. Rita's School for the Deaf) for the education of Catholic deaf children in the archdiocese of Cincinnati. Tried to enter government service in 1890, but was refused because of his deafness; on appeal to a national commission that included Theodore Roosevelt, got a second chance and passed the civil service exam for the postal service. Waited vainly for a vacant position, then gave up and became a private tutor, then a teacher in the Illinois Institution for the deaf 1893-1932.