Help for the Deaf This year, there was an awakening of the tremendous need there is for aiding the communication between the deaf and those who hear. Churches became more and more aware of the need and responsibility to reach out to the deaf with the good news. In the Harding community, many efforts were made to reach those who are deaf. A Dactylology club was formed on campus to help students learn the art of sign language . Also, at the College church, a class was held for . several weeks to train those interested in translating worship services for those members of the College congregation who are deaf. " We forget sometimes that the deaf have as much right to hear the gospel as anyone else," said a student member of the congregation. Mrs. Dale Foster, wife of the College church pulpit minister, translated for her husband and has for several years. They made a good team. Mrs. Foster began learning sign language when she lived in Witchita Falls, Texas. She taught a Bible class in which there was a, little deaf boy. "I was going bananas trying to communicate with him - neither of us knew sign language. So I began learning just so I could talk with him, " explained Mrs. Foster. "I never intended to be a translator," she added. But one day, the signer who had been translating the sermons for Brother Foster said she was leaving. It was agreed that the deaf ministry needed to be continued, so Mrs. Foster was the logical replacement. "1 spent hours, sometimes eight or ten, to prepare myself to translate one of Dale's sermons. I learned because I had to learn, but now I'm glad I did," she said. Several Harding students were also talented in this area and helped deaf people in the community with other services. Debbie Woodroof, a senior psychology major, was one of only seven certified interpreters for 128 Speech and Drama the deaf in the state of Arkansas. She has translated for the deaf in legal, medical, and educational areas. Debbie has also taught sign language at Ohlone College in Fremont, California . Debbie has been signing for a long time - both of her parents are completiy deaf, and she learned to sign before she learned to talk! "More people need to get involved in signing because there is such a need - especially in Arkansas - for interpreters who really care about the deaf," she stated. She also added . that "working for the state as an interpreter is a wide open field, and a really good living can be earned working as a free-lance in this area. " With the good things that happened with the deaf in our community, perhaps the barriers that exist between those who hear and those who don't can be overcome. -Jon Woodroof ABOVE, DEBA TE TEAM. FRONT ROW: Hobbs, Eagan, Chandler. SECOND ROW: Garner-sponsor, Naramore, Gould, Satterfield. BACK ROW: Hodges, Parham. RIGHT: SPEAKING to the deaf, Gary Wilson interprets for Philip Morrison during the 1980 Harding Lectureships. - Jim Murphy - Don Hofland
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