Tanya Fain Mills (revised 1/30/2021)
Born in 1949 and contracting spinal meningitis, I became deaf and my parents were told not to let me sign or I would never talk. I went to a private deaf oral school in Dallas from age 2 for about 10 years then I went to a regional day school program for a year where I learned some sign language.
Then my parents decided to send me and Lisa Gilbert Bosson (only deaf girls) to a private hearing school named Hockaday School. That hearing school was a preparatory school for females only. At that time interpreters were never heard of and we had to sit in the front row trying to read teachers’ lips. Hearing students took turns taking class notes for us.
We stayed there 3 years (8-10th grades). It was difficult to make friends with the hearing girls and we always were left out in classroom discussions. It was a tedious 3- year experience for Lisa and me!!! We would go home frustrated, lost and unhappy.
Luckily, our parents heard about Gallaudet College and we passed the college entrance exams. In 1966, we were admitted into the preparatory classes to make up for the 11th and 12th grades we missed at Hockaday.
When I first saw deaf students on campus signing, I was so astonished and for the first time in my life, I had found a “home” where I finally felt accepted for who I was: deaf. I had made so many deaf and hard of hearing friends. My ASL flourished, and I finally understood what was going in classes and participated in class discussions!
I thank Gallaudet College for making a difference in my life and helping me become a truly proud Deaf person today. The 5 years at Gally were my favorite and fun times!