These are the kind of signs you expect to see on MV. But another kind of “sign” is also associated with the Vineyard… signing for the deaf.
There was an unusally high number of deaf people on Martha’s Vineyard starting as far back as the 17th century. Some early settlers carried the gene for deafness and over the years generation after generation of children were born deaf.
Hearing Had to Learn Sign
If you could create a deaf utopia, what would it be like?Everyone would communicate in sign language, both deaf and hearing. Many, if not most, children would be born deaf.Deaf Utopia Did ExistThere actually was such a place once. It was an isolated island off the Massachusetts coast - Martha’s Vineyard…
Martha’s Vineyard created MVSL (Martha’s Vineyard Sign Language) which later merged with the American Sign Language.
Sign language was used freely on the Vineyard by hearing and deaf residents alike. Deafness on MV peaked in 1854 and around 1952 the last person born deaf died.
The book “Everyone Here Spoke Sing Language” by Nora Ellen Groce is an interesting and informative telling of the deaf community on Martha’s Vineyard.
6 comments
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April 4, 2008 at 12:08 pm
Seamond
Joanie: Where did you find the sign Entering Martha’s Vineyard? At the ferry?
April 4, 2008 at 12:46 pm
mvobsession
Actually Seamond it’s a magnet on my door
April 6, 2008 at 2:48 pm
Patty
I didn’t know this! (The deaf people stuff, not the sign on the door.)
April 8, 2008 at 2:40 pm
Seamond
When I was a kid, there was a man known as “Dummy” Mayhew. He was very, very old and kind of (I thought) homeless. Ialso thought the Dummy part of his name meant he was retarded. Naw, he spoke with his hands. I will never forget seeing him do this at the First National (grocery) Store. At first, I thought he was going to hit the man checking us out. The man took it calmly and called an old guy out from the back who “understood” what Dummy wanted. I was told he was THE last one. At the time, I didn’t understand any significance to it. This was probably around 1946 or so. Later on, I was told there had been lots of them, whole families, up in West Tisbury and Menemsha and as well as a family that lived in the 1930’s on Noman’s Land. They were all related. There have been books written on this and obviously the DNA has petered out by now.
April 8, 2008 at 7:02 pm
Patty
I think you and Seamond should collaborate on an island memoir/history project.
April 10, 2008 at 4:06 pm
sara
hi - found your blog via mv fiber’s blog……I’ve spent much time on the vineyard and seeing these signs, etc, is making me wish I was there. How I would love the fiber festival, etc. I don’t think I’m meant to live in the desert.
sigh