This is an archival paper on Margaret S. Sterck's Background and when, how, why she established first the deaf school in the state of Delaware. I will explain how she treated her students; what and why she thought the best for her students to learn oralism instead of using sign language. I will show you some nice pictures of her house which was used as the school. Has it changed or not? I will also show pictures of her students who enrolled at her school, and of Margaret S. Sterck.

Margaret S. Sterck was born in Virginia. Her family moved to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania where she was raised. She had a sister who was deaf and used sign language. She didn't like the idea of her sister's sign language and believed that deaf children should learn oralism for a better future, meaning that children who used sign language would have an awful future. "She was a strict teacher, but if the students treat her good, then she would give them presents to make up for what she did," said Nancy Johnston. Margaret decided to establish a school for deaf children in Delaware in the year of 1929. She adopted a deaf girl, raised her for only five to six years then gave her away because she was using sign language. She was never married, had no children of her own except for the adopted daughter. She died in the year of 1992.

Margaret S. Sterck established the deaf school in Delware, which was called "Margaret S. Sterck" private school for the deaf." She was the first teacher of the deaf in the state of Delaware. The first Deaf school was at her house, which took place on 1414 Buren Street, Wilmington, DE in the year of 1930. Her school started out with seven students then it increased up to twenty students at a later time. She taught her students oralism. She wanted her students to be able to be involved in a hearing world after being trained, and also to be able to send those students to public school. She was not a very friendly person because if she caught you using sign language, she would hit you with her ruler. Allegedly about five of her past students ended up in the Furnhurst State Hospital in Wilmington, from the abuse of her ruler. "I had an awful childhood," said Nancy Johnston. If the students listened and had acted good or being nice to Ms. Sterck, she would give them a nice present. She taught English, Math, Speech, and music. "Music wasted my time!" said Nancy Johnston. In the year of 1945, Ms. Sterck went into a semi-retirement.

In the year of 1967, Margaret told the Newark School District that she wanted to establish a deaf school for the hearing-impaired in her honor, which Delaware School for the Deaf was set up in 1968. It was built on 620 East Chestnut Hill Road, Newark, Delaware. Margaret wanted to establish a deaf school in Newark because she thought that Wilmington, from where she lived did not have enough room to build another school. Before DSD was built in Newark, the land was more like of a country type. Of course, they still taught oralism until later in the late 1980's to the early 1990's. The teachers, staff, principal finally decided to use American Sign Language and English.

Written by Dawn P.