Emma Garrett

Who is Emma Garrett?

Emma Garrett was an American educator and advocate of teaching speech to the deaf. She taught the deaf at the Pennsylvania Institution for the Deaf and Dumb in Mt. Airy, Pennsylvania. In 1881, Garrett began teaching vocal instruction for other teachers. In 1884 she was named principal of a day school, shortly afterwards was named the Pennsylvania School for Deaf Mutes. Eventually, Garrett left Mt. Airy to open a private school in Philadelphia for teaching speech to deaf children. Garrett graduated from Alexander Graham Bell's Boston University School of Oratory.

In May, 1891 Senator Joseph Baltzell Showalter introduced a bill into the Pennsylvania legislature at the request of Emma Garrett. The bill asked for an appropriation of $15,000 for the building of a "Home for the training in speech of deaf children before they are of school age." The bill received hearty support from all over the State, and was passed.

Garrett died on July 18, 1893 in Chicago, Illinois.