Texas Association of the Deaf

1. Texas Association of the Deaf Founded 1886

2. Who Are We? We are Texas Association of the Deaf members and representatives!

3. What is TAD Purpose? Texas Association of the Deaf (TAD) is an organization for persons who are D/deaf or hard of hearing. It is a membership organization to provide information and educationincluding surveys and studies to bring the viewpoint on various issues affecting the lives who are D/deaf or hard of hearing at all levels of the community. TAD also helps to ensure communications accessibility in our state, counties, and cities to our D/deaf and hard of hearing citizens. It has proven its commitment to address the needs of D/deaf and hard of hearing members for more than a century.

4. What We Do For TAD? • Community Development • Consumer Affairs • Health and Social Services • Communication Access • Work • Visual and Performing Arts • More info on www.deaftexas.org

5. TAD History • The earliest known association was the Blue Bonnet Association of the Deaf, which came into existence in the year 1886 • First meeting in Blooming Grove, located between Hillsboro and Corsicana

6. TAD History • In 1932, the Texas Association of the Deaf was chartered under the laws of Texas as a corporate body • Between 1935 and 1965 was the most important part of TAD history.

7. TAD History • Fought in the early 1950's for and secured a 2.5 million-dollar building program for TSD to replace the antiquated fire-trap buildings and make the school one of the most modern in America.

8. TAD History • During that period the Association successfully fought the efforts of a politically-appointed superintendent to convert the Texas School for the Deaf (TSD) into a pure oral school, which would have been contrary to the then-accepted practices in the education of the deaf in the United States.

9. TAD History • Another victory for TAD was its long and successful campaign to have the school removed from under jurisdiction of a board whose responsibilities were primarily in the field of elementary services and placed it under the state department of education (Texas Education Agency) where it is now recognized as an educational institution in every sense of the word, and under a qualified educator of the deaf.

10. TAD History It did not stop in 1965! It continues on…

11. TAD History • Prevented a plan to sell TSD’s present historical site in Austin and have the school relocated outside Austin. • Took part in creating the County-Wide Day School system, which later became the Regional Schools for the Deaf under Senate Bill 803.

12. TAD History • Helped organize the Texas Society of Interpreters for the Deaf and secure its legal recognition. This has become an important factor in the lives of the D/deaf in Texas. • Responsible for the famous "Deaf Package of Bills," which in part resulted in the creation of the Texas Commission for the Deaf and other benefits during the legislative session of 1967. • Instrumental in organizing the Parent-Professional Section, which has become an affiliate of our state association.

13. TAD History • Created and sponsored the TSD Chapter of the Junior National Association of the Deaf in 1964 to give the deaf young training in leadership and responsibility. Then the Chapter hosted the national JR-NAD convention in Austin in 1969.

14. TAD History • Sponsored a bill during the 66th Legislature in 1979 to reorganize the Texas Commission of the Deaf and also fully supported the activities of the "1880 Committee" which made 10 recommendations that eventually become law to benefits all of the deaf citizens of Texas. • Helped with the establishment of Southwest College for the Deaf in Big Spring in 1980 and also endorsed the college's first director who was deaf.

15. TAD History • Helped created TSD as an independent school district in 1981. • Spearheaded a successful statewide campaign to restore the Texas Commission of the Deaf after it was voted to be abolished by a legislative committee in 1985. • Celebrated its four-day centennial convention in 1985 in Austin.

16. TAD History • Sponsored in collaboration with National Academic of Gallaudet University the fourth Symposium on Deafness 'Sympo 86' in Austin in March 1986. • Waged a successful statewide campaign to reverse the recommendations by Sunset Commission staff to combine the Texas Commission of the Deaf with another state agency. • Ten issues prioritized at the Fifth Symposium on Deafness in 1988 were enacted by the Texas Legislature in 1989. That includes the creation of the Texas Relay Service.

17. The TAD is proud of its historic accomplishments in the past, and recognizes those pioneers who improved the quality of life for D/deaf and hard of hearing Texans. …However, it is not the end We may have a lot of turnovers and reconstructions of the organization, but we are doing so to make improvements to better serve for the D/deaf and hard of hearing communities. We are still here, and we are working hard for taskforce committees and you!

18. Taskforces • Fundraising • Membership • Health Care Access • Mental Health Issues • TEA Deaf Education

19. More Issues? Contact board members • Emails • Letters • Invitations to meet within your cities • www.deaftexas.org …many more ways to contact us, just invite us and many more for discussions to express your comments and concerns

20. Board Members Henry Whalen TAD President Contact: henry@deaftexas.org

21. Board Members Kathy Walters TAD Secretary Contact: kathy@deaftexas.org LeRoy Terrio TAD Treasurer Contact: leroy@deaftexas.org

22. Board Members Krystal Minter TAD Four-Year Board Director Contact: krystal@deaftexas.org

23. Vacant Board Seats • Vice President • Two-Year Board Director • Six-Year Board Director • Membership Coordinator

24. Requirements • Commitment • Dedication • Volunteerism • Teamwork • Communication • Honest • Respectful

25. Interested? • Contact us • Provide letter of intent • Resume

26. Thank you for your time!

27. In Memory of Ralph WhitePast TAD President1923-2006