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ernment Printing Office or teach printing in vocational schools for the deaf. The girls would often return to their residential schools as well, to teach sewing and cooking.
Detmold recalls that 'there was no idea that Gallaudet graduates could ever compete in the big world outside with the graduates of other colleges" The professor who had taught Detmold signing told him that deaf students had "frozen minds" Another professor, who referred to deaf students as "the deaf" explained to Detmold that they "cant think in the abstract" Detmold quickly determined that he would have to change such attitudes among the faculty, the administration, and the students.
Detmold remembers the conditions that were accepted as "normal" at the time of his arrival there was no registrar (the president's secretary kept the student records the dean of the college was also the admissions officer, preparing the entrance examinations, sending them to high schools, and grading them when they were returned. Meetings were not held on a regular basis the most important meeting took place at the beginning of each year to plan course offerings and schedules. There was no bookstore the business office placed teachers' orders and distributed the books when they arrived, often when the semester was half over. No college catalog was printed the year Detmold arrived instead, the catalog from the year before was reprinted. The school had no dean of students, no counseling service. The president's personal doctor also served as the college physician.
There were no faculty offices teachers who lived off campus often used their cars as offices.
What upset Detmold most, however, was the inbreeding on the Board of Directors "They were all local men. Executive committee meetings were frequently held before or after the regular Rotary lunch. Practically all members of the board eventually received an honorary doctorate. So did many of the superintendents. One of my least favorable duties was the writing of citations for these honorary degrees" In 1955 Detmold asked one of his oldest and best friends, Bill Stokoe, to accept a teaching position in Gallaudet's English
Department. Detmold still remembers the pleasure he felt when Stokoe accepted his offer President Elstad had told him

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