Minnesota State Academy for the Deaf

Minnesota became a state on May 11, 1858. In that year, during the session of the first state legislature, definite action was taken looking forward the establishment of a school for the deaf children of Minnesota.

The Honorable George E. Skinner, one of Faribault's representatives in the state legislature, asked that a "deaf and dumb asylum" be located in Faribault. The legislature decided that this institution should be located in Faribault if the citizens of the town would provide 40 acres of land within two miles of town for a site.

Citizens promptly donated 40 acres a mile or so west of town for the institution. Here the matter rested for five years. No action was taken during these five years is not surprising when we recall that this was the time of the Civil War and local rebellion.

When the legislature met in January 1863, Senator Berry of Faribault introduced a bill providing for the inauguration of the proposed school for deaf and blind children.

One of the first steps was to appoint a superintendent for the school. A number of applications were received and one of the commissioners, Mr. Rodney A. Mott, went to Ohio to meet Roswell H. Kinney, one of the teachers at the Ohio School for the Deaf. Mr. Kinney was highly recommended and was named the first superintendent.

On returning to Faribault, Mr. Mott began looking for a place in which to open the school. There was no money available to put up a building on the 40 acre site. Mr. Mott did the only thing he could. He rented a building in town. The rental was $150 a year. The building was located on Front and Main and had been a store and home. This is now the corner of Central Ave and Division St.. The building was furnished and made ready for the opening of school on the second Wednesday of September, 1863.[1]

The Minnesota School for the Deaf and Dumb was established in 1863 with eight students enrolled.[2] A department for the education of the blind was added in 1866.[2] The name was changed to the Minnesota School for the Deaf in 1902.[3] In 1986, the institution's name became the Minnesota State Academy for the Deaf (MSAD).

Two buildings are listed on the National Register of Historic Places, both designed by state architect Clarence H. Johnston, Sr.: the Administration Building/Girls' Dormitory, in a Georgian Revival style, and Noyes Hall, in a Classical Revival style.[4] Frechette Hall, the boys dormitory built in 1957, was demolished in 2015 and replaced in 2018 with Wilkins Hall, named after the first African American to graduate from the school, Blanche Wilkins Williams.[5]

MSAD serves students with varying degrees of hearing loss from all regions of the state from birth to 21 years of age. Students have direct access to a challenging and rewarding education, provided in an environment rich in American Sign Language (ASL) and English. Teachers are professionally trained and licensed in Deaf and Hard of Hearing education. Families have a choice whether to have their child enrolled as a day-student and commute home daily or as a residential student and stay in one of dormitories and commute home weekly or a mix of both.[6]

MSAD offers a variety of programs and services for deaf, deafblind, and hard of hearing services. These programs include:

• Academic programs from preschool through high school
• Residential housing
• Transportation
• Speech-language therapy
• Occupational therapy
• Physical therapy
• Counseling
• Recreation
• Athletics

MSAD's academic programs are designed to meet the needs of deaf, deafblind, and hard of hearing students. The school uses a variety of teaching methods including American Sign Language (ASL), English, and Protactile. MSAD also offers a variety of extracurricular activities, such as sports, clubs, and student government.

• Location

The Minnesota State Academy for the Deaf is Deaf is located in Faribault, Minnesota. The city is about 40 miles south of Minneapolis off interstate highway 35.

• Size

The MSAD campus is nearly 100 acres in size. The campus includes a variety of buildings, including academic buildings, dormitories, a dining hall, a gym, and sports fields.

MSAD is a residential school.[7] It has two dormitories where students reside throughout the week. Students typically arrive on Sunday evenings and depart on Friday afternoons. Transportation is provided by the students' respective school districts. Parents can choose to pick up and drop off their child(ren) at the campus. Dormitories are for students who live more than 20 miles from the campus. Students who live within 20 miles of the campus are called "day students."

MSAD offers several athletics activities in all grade levels.

• Official website
• Minnesota State Academy for the Deaf Alumni Association Website
• July 1, 1996, through June 30, 2000 MSAD Audit Report
• July 1, 2000, through June 30, 2004 MSAD Audit Report
• July 1, 2004, through June 30, 2007 MSAD Audit Report