Swaim, Dean

Born and raised near Winton CA; deaf at age 1 from spinal meningitis. Entered the California School for the Deaf, Berkeley, in 1936 and then Gallaudet College in 1948, graduating the latter in 1953. A star wrestler while at Gallaudet, he implemented a wrestling program at the Iowa School for the Deaf while teaching there. Moved to the West Virginia School for the Deaf in 1956, then to the Maryland School for the Deaf in 1959 and to the Wisconsin School for the Deaf in 1962 before returning to the California School for the Deaf, Berkeley, 1963 until retirement in 1988. In all schools, he was active as an athletics coach as well as a teacher. After earning a master's in 1972, became principal of CSDB's high school department, then principal of the vocational department. Active in local and state deaf associations.