My KSD Story

Hello Friends and Family, 

I decide to write my blog about my old school life.
I can share my few photos to you.  I never forget Kansas State School for the Deaf (KSD).

Welcome to Kansas State School for the Deaf

Deaf Cultural Center

William J. Marra Museum



You see this image with the screen display machine where I looked for my name before I was very surprised to see my old photo from there. :)



Stanley Roth Building

Administration

This sign is larger with the two flags of the United States and

State of Kansas.

Junior High and High School Boys Dormitory Building.

Junior High School and High School Girls Dormitory Building

A Sign of Emery Hall removed from the Old Elementary School Building before destroyed it about few years ago. 

A Sign installed on the wall in the Deaf Cultural Center.

Old Emery Hall Elementary School

(A Sign of "Emery Hall" was on the bricks by the front porch.)

In Spring 1974,  I was 6 years old and arrived with my young parents and Grandma Peterson (my mom's mom) to KSD where we visited and saw the Emery Hall Elementary School with Assistant Superintendent Dr. Parks.  I spoke my mouth and gestured while I was unable to learn with American Sign Language.   We walked and saw around the school and boys dormitory.  Then, we walked out of the boys' dormitory and saw the boys playing over the playground when I started to run to the big tree with rope and old tire. 

I saw boys signing their hands while I did not understand with them shortly.  I decided to walk back to my parents and Grandma.  They think I wanted to take this school.   Quietly,  I did not know how to say "No, I don't want to take this school."

Later until September 1974,  My parents carried me and my suitcase to school where we met my new cottage parents, Mr. and Mrs. Adams inside the Boys' Dormitory.  I was very surprised to see my deaf black friend, Terry and his hearing mother where we left our old hearing school from Wichita, KS.  Then, We completed our meeting from my locker and bed in big room where the boys' lockers and beds located inside the dormitory.  

My parents and I walked with Mrs. Adams in the hall from the Boys' Dormitory to my new teacher, Mrs. Nancy Crews' classroom when I saw my parents to gesture and say, "We love you and see you later."  They waved their hands "bye" and walked away from me,  Mrs. Adams handed me to see my new teacher, Mrs. Nancy Crews when she begun to introduce me to my new deaf classmates while I saw she was signing to them.  I finally was happy to see Kristen Sandall on her pupil desk from our old hearing school in my class.

Mrs. Crews asked me to join with my classmates when we walked together out of the Emery Hall and arrived the Art Class inside the Roberts Building.   Again, I saw the Art Teacher signing her spelling fingers. 

We completed our Art Class before we walked together back to our Boys and Girls' Dormitories at Emery Hall.  Mrs. Adams help me to change my clothes from my locker,  I wore my play clothes for a while.  

Until 5 p.m., We went to our cafeteria where boys and I usually separated our tables and girls' tables.  We were eating our meals.  Later tonight, we went to playroom from the cafeteria for a while.  Until 7:30 p.m., Boys and Girls went up to our Dormitories where we prayed with Mrs. Adams and took beds after changed our sleep clothes from our lockers.  Bedtime at 8:00 p.m! Light out! 

Overnight time...until 7 a.m., Light on!! I saw and followed boys getting up from our beds.  We changed our sleep clothes to day school clothes.  We went down to our cafeteria where we were eating our breakfast meals before went to our classes.  

I was in Mrs. Crews' classroom when Mrs. Adams came to get me with her in small space while she started to teach basic American Sign Language to me.  I finally learned to sign my first spelling fingers and many new words.  I was pretty excited to sign well when I started to decline and lose my speech skills sadly.

I did not know about my parents' marriage situation while I was in school.  I saw some kids going homes every weekends.  I wanted to go home and see my parents on every weekends but I was unable to go home far between Olathe and Wichita, KS least 177 miles.

Homegoing Weekend was on every 4th of Month.  End of October 1974,  Kids and I completed our classes at 11 a.m. before we ate our lunches in the cafeteria.  Mr. Adams took me and boys upstairs to our dormitory when our suitcases were here for us.  Mrs. Adams gave some bus tickets and tags to us when she pinned them in our pocket jeans.  My name and boys' names were on tags.  

Boys carried their small suitcases (I carried my small homemade box with strings with me) and started to walk and follow with Mr. Adams outside of the front door from Emery Hall on Park Street.  I was amazed to see the big bus, Trailways in front of the Roth Administration Building.  Mr. Adams put my box and boys' suitcases in the bus trunk when we walked inside the bus and got our nice red seats.  Mr. Adams walked away from us.

 

I saw many young teen boys and girls from Junior High and High School Dormitory Buildings when they came and got their seats.  Our Trailways Bus begun to depart the KSD and travel on the  Interstate 35 - South to Emporia, KS least 1 hour, 30 minutes and 89.1 miles when few students took off the bus and went to see their parents.

Again, our bus continued to travel on the US-50 West to Newton, KS from Emporia, KS least 1 hour, 22 minutes and 73.8 miles.  Our bus secondly arrived small station in Newton Downtown.  More few students took off the bus and were happy to see their families. 

I was wondering about my hometown, Wichita, KS while I stayed inside the bus.  Finally, our bus departed Newton and continued to travel on the I-135 South to Wichita Downtown least 26.8 miles and 32 minutes. I finally remembered and saw the places in Downtown when our bus arrived at big bus station.   Most students and I finally got off the bus and they were very happy to see their families.  I was sad so my young parents were not here for me. 

I remembered my Dad's old employer, Parking Building was next to the big bus station.  I decided to carry my box with me and walked alone across the traffic signal where I was looking for my parents in his old employer.

Wichita Downtown Parking Building

(I remembered Dad took me, Cousin Randy Hisel,

Uncle Jack Royce Hisel and Grandpa Hisel to his old Employer where we were on the top of parking and enjoyed viewing the Downtown.)



I asked the Parking Clerk about my parents.  They tried to understand me, they know my dad.  They asked me to go back to bus station and wait for my parents.   I walked out of the Parking Station and stood on the corner of traffic signal when my head started to move and see my Dad running across the traffic road.   

I was very surprised to see Dad when he lift and hug me around, Mom walked to us.  She kissed and hug me.  What a nice young thoughtful family.  I walked with them while Dad carried my box for me.   We rode in our 1960 Rambler American white car and visited to see my Grandparents Peterson at their Apartment Home.  I was very joyful and excited to sign with Grandma when I saw she smiled to me. My Aunt Lorry used to live with my Grandparents while she attended to her North High School.

My Dad used to drive his 1960 Rambler American white car while my Parents were young and I was 7 years old.

Later tonight, My parents took me to my Grandparents Hisel's house.  They were pleased and hug me.  Parents talked with them while I was watching TV in the Living Room.  They dropped my box when Grandparents were quietly surprised to see my poor box. Grandparents want me to stay and sleep on my bed in room this weekend.  Parents told me,"We will see you tomorrow Saturday. We love you." They walked out and drove away.  I did not know about their separated homes while Grandma made me to dress my sleep clothes and prayed with me in my bed.  Light out!

Next day, Saturday Morning,  I woke up early and got out of my bed.  I walked to see Grandma in the kitchen while she was making wonderful breakfast meals for me, her and Grandpa.  We sit together in our kitchen table and started to pray and eat our meals. 

Grandma took me to bath and dress my cute suit with mixed red, blue and white crossroads and tie.  I was pretty excited to go with Grandparents at their Church but I waited for my Grandparents getting ready to go out. 

We arrived at different building, I don't know about it.   We were inside the building while my Grandparents asked me to sign my name on the Guestbook.   They were greeting and seeing some relatives and people while I was happy and walking to chapel before I was very shocked to see a casket on first time.  I don't know about dead body in the casket.   I was very quiet and waited for my Grandparents.   

We walked and sat down on our seat, I was with Grandma.  I saw and read her lips shortly while I don't understand with her yet.   We waited for my parents to come and meet us in our seat.   Service started here when audience listen to preacher when my parents were walking to us quietly when my dad and mom sit with me, Grandma and Grandpa on our seat together. 

Preacher completed his lecture and sat down before two Funeral Ushers walked and opened the casket. People got up, walked, bowed their heads and paid their respects to dead body and walk out of the chapel.   We walked, bowed our heads and paid our respects to dead body.  I learned to see dead old woman on first time, I tried to stare her but Mom pulled me away from her.  We walked out of the chapel and funeral home. (My Aunt Lois Johnson Hisel's Mom's dead body was in her casket, I did not know her on first time. Lois's husband was my Uncle Jack Royce Hisel.) 

I followed and walked with my parents to my Dad's Apartment.  I was very surprised to see his temporary home and her temporary home.  I was realized about my parents apart their living for a while.

My Homegoing Weekend was over.  My parents and I talked together so they explained and showed a calendar book to me about coming home again for Thanksgiving and Christmas Holidays.  They took me back to Bus Station, we kissed and hug together.  Dad gave my bus ticket to Driver for me before I aboard inside the bus after some students aboard after their families saw and waved each other.  

Trailways Bus started to depart while I saw my parents waving their hands to me inside the bus window.  Bus went up to Newton, Emporia and Olathe least 3 hours, 24 minutes and 190 miles.

On My Birthday Day, I turned to be 7 years old when Mrs. Crews gave a package from my Grandparents Hisel to me while my classmates watched me to open it. Guess what? I was very surprised to see my new small suitcase!  It was soft brown with belt.  Mrs. Crews and classmates signed to sing to me: "Happy Birthday, Happy Birthday, Happy Birthday, Dear Brent". 

Few weeks until Thanksgiving Holiday,  I rode on same bus to Wichita Downtown Bus Station where I saw Grandparents Hisel standing out of the window doors before I walked out of my bus and carried my new suitcase with me to them.  They were pleased to see me before we rode in our 1974 AMC Hornet green car and drove home on West Douglas Street to Athenian Street.   Inside the home, I was very surprised to see a temporary nice room while they were smiling to see me and room.  My parents were working while I am staying in my Grandparents' home.  Parents came here and were happy to see me when we hugged and kissed together.  We enjoyed eating our Thanksgiving Dinner during daytime.

Grandparents Hisel's 1974 AMC Hornet



   Later until Thanksgiving Night, my parents and I went to my Grandparents Peterson's Apartment Home.  Grandparents were very happy to see me when we kissed and hug together.  Aunt Lorry, Uncle Jim, Grandparents, Parents and I enjoyed eating our good dinner together before we rest and sit in our living room where I watched the traditional color television with channel rotate. (The closed-captioned adapter didn't start to produce until late 1979.)

TO BE CONTINUED FOR NEXT PART 2 OF STORY....