Gallery of Diplomas - James Garfield

Currently Gallaudet Archives has no examples of diplomas signed by United States President James Garfield who was president from March until September of 1881.

In his many years in Congress before becoming president, Garfield had been a strong advocate for the institution and was much beloved by the deaf community. He visited the campus in May of 1881, giving what is known to be his last public address, before being assassinated in July at a Washington, D.C. train station (Garfield did not die until September). It is also said that this visit was the only social function outside of the White House that he attended in his short tenure as president. Gallaudet students raised money to commission a bust of Garfield which sits in Chapel Hall. The bust was created by sculptor Daniel Chester French who also made the university’s iconic statue of Thomas Hopkins Gallaudet and Alice Cogswell and is famous for his sculpture of Abraham Lincoln which resides in the Lincoln Memorial.

Diplomas were also signed by Gallaudet President Edward Miner Gallaudet, president of the institution since its founding in 1864 until 1910.

During this period, the school was known as the Columbia Institution for the Deaf and Dumb which included the Kendall School primary programs and the National Deaf-Mute College.

U.S. President

Gallaudet President

James A. Garfield

1881

Edward Miner Gallaudet

1864-1910