Valentin Haüy (pronounced [aɥi]; 13 November 1745 – 19 March 1822) was the founder, in 1785, of the first school for the blind, the Institute for Blind Youth in Paris (now Institut National des Jeunes Aveugles, or the National Institute for the Young Blind, INJA). In 1819, Louis Braille entered this school.
Valentin Haüy | |
|---|---|
 Valentin Haüy | |
| Born | 13 November 1745 Saint-Just-en-Chaussée, Oise, France |
| Died | 19 March 1822 (aged 76) Paris, France |
| Nationality | French |
| Known for | founder of Institut National des Jeunes Aveugles, the first school for the blind |
| Relatives | René Just Haüy |
Life
Haüy was born into a family of weavers. His father, a full-time loomer, also held the job of ringing the Angelus bells in a local Premonstrant Abbey. The abbey monks educated Valentin and he became a skilled linguist speaking ten different languages of the day. He also studied Ancient Greek and Hebrew. In 1783, he gained the title "interpreter to the king", Louis XVI. In 1786, he was the interpreter of the King, to the Admiralty and the City Hall. He was a member of the Office of Writing.
Haüy's impulse to help the blind started in 1771, after he stopped for lunch in a cafe on the Place de la Concorde, Paris. There, he witnessed an ensemble of people from the Quinze-Vingts hospice for the blind being mocked during the religious street festival, "Saint Ovid's Fair". They were given dunce caps, oversized cardboard glasses and told to play their instruments which resulted in a cacophony of noises. He decided to found a school with Charles-Michel de l'Épée.
In May 1784, at Saint-Germain-des-Prés, he met a young beggar, François Lesueur, who became his first student. He developed a method of raised letters, to teach Lesueur to read, and compose sentences. He made rapid progress, and Haüy announced the success, in September 1784 in the Journal de Paris, then receiving encouragement from the French Academy of Sciences.
With the help of the Philanthropic Society Haüy founded the Institute for Blind Youth (Institution des jeunes aveugles), in February 1785. Building on the philanthropic spinning workshop for the blind, it received the support of Louis XVI and became the Royal institution of Blind Children on 26 December 1786. Its purpose was to educate students and teach them manual work: spinning, and letterpress. During the French Revolution, it was taken over by the state on 28 September 1791. It became the National Institute of blind workers in a Celestine monastery.
Valentin Haüy was active in the political life of his time, and was secretary of the National Constituent Assembly elections of 1792, then civil commissioner. He was arrested on 5 Prairial III (24 May 1795), and he was released on 11 by the Committee of Public Safety, arrested again on 20 by the National Convention. He was released on 19 Fructidor, he joined the Panthéon Club, under the French Directory. Under the French Consulate, he was listed as a "terrorist". In 1802, he was retired from management of Blind Asylum, and granted a pension. In February, 1802, he started a private school in the rue Sainte-Avoye. In September 1806, he moved to St. Petersburg, to found a school at the request of Alexander I of Russia.
He returned to Paris, in 1817, to live with his brother, René Just Haüy, who is considered a founder of modern mineralogy.
He is buried, with his brother René, in Père Lachaise Cemetery in Paris.
Legacy
In 1889, Maurice de La Sizeranne created an association dedicated to helping the blind and visually impaired, named for him.
See also
- Louis Braille
- Musée Valentin Haüy
- Slate and stylus, History
- fr :Association Valentin Haüy
- Maria Theresia von Paradis
References
- "Site par défaut - Historique - Valentin Haüy". www.inja.fr (in French). Retrieved 18 October 2017.
- Weygand, Zina (2009). "Les aveugles dans la société française, Abstract". Revue d'éthique et de théologie morale (in French) (256): 65–85. doi:10.3917/retm.256.0065. ISSN 1266-0078.
- Herbermann 1913.
- Attribution
This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Herbermann, Charles, ed. (1913). "Valentin Haüy". Catholic Encyclopedia. New York: Robert Appleton Company.
Further reading
- Mellor, C. Michael (2006). Louis Braille: A Touch of Genius. National Braille Press. ISBN 9780939173709.
Louis Braille: A Touch of Genius.
- Weygand, Zina (2009). The Blind in French Society From the Middle Ages to the Century of Louis Braille. Translated by Emily-Jane Cohen. Stanford, California: Stanford University Press. ISBN 9780804757683.
External links
- Valentin Haüy Association
- Musée Valentin Haüy
- Works by Valentin Haüy at Project Gutenberg
- Works by or about Valentin Haüy at the Internet Archive
Valentin Hauy pronounced aɥi 13 November 1745 19 March 1822 was the founder in 1785 of the first school for the blind the Institute for Blind Youth in Paris now Institut National des Jeunes Aveugles or the National Institute for the Young Blind INJA In 1819 Louis Braille entered this school Valentin HauyValentin HauyBorn13 November 1745 Saint Just en Chaussee Oise FranceDied19 March 1822 1822 03 19 aged 76 Paris FranceNationalityFrenchKnown forfounder of Institut National des Jeunes Aveugles the first school for the blindRelativesRene Just HauyLifeStatue at the Institut national des jeunes aveugles Hauy was born into a family of weavers His father a full time loomer also held the job of ringing the Angelus bells in a local Premonstrant Abbey The abbey monks educated Valentin and he became a skilled linguist speaking ten different languages of the day He also studied Ancient Greek and Hebrew In 1783 he gained the title interpreter to the king Louis XVI In 1786 he was the interpreter of the King to the Admiralty and the City Hall He was a member of the Office of Writing Hauy s impulse to help the blind started in 1771 after he stopped for lunch in a cafe on the Place de la Concorde Paris There he witnessed an ensemble of people from the Quinze Vingts hospice for the blind being mocked during the religious street festival Saint Ovid s Fair They were given dunce caps oversized cardboard glasses and told to play their instruments which resulted in a cacophony of noises He decided to found a school with Charles Michel de l Epee In May 1784 at Saint Germain des Pres he met a young beggar Francois Lesueur who became his first student He developed a method of raised letters to teach Lesueur to read and compose sentences He made rapid progress and Hauy announced the success in September 1784 in the Journal de Paris then receiving encouragement from the French Academy of Sciences With the help of the Philanthropic Society Hauy founded the Institute for Blind Youth Institution des jeunes aveugles in February 1785 Building on the philanthropic spinning workshop for the blind it received the support of Louis XVI and became the Royal institution of Blind Children on 26 December 1786 Its purpose was to educate students and teach them manual work spinning and letterpress During the French Revolution it was taken over by the state on 28 September 1791 It became the National Institute of blind workers in a Celestine monastery Valentin Hauy was active in the political life of his time and was secretary of the National Constituent Assembly elections of 1792 then civil commissioner He was arrested on 5 Prairial III 24 May 1795 and he was released on 11 by the Committee of Public Safety arrested again on 20 by the National Convention He was released on 19 Fructidor he joined the Pantheon Club under the French Directory Under the French Consulate he was listed as a terrorist In 1802 he was retired from management of Blind Asylum and granted a pension In February 1802 he started a private school in the rue Sainte Avoye In September 1806 he moved to St Petersburg to found a school at the request of Alexander I of Russia He returned to Paris in 1817 to live with his brother Rene Just Hauy who is considered a founder of modern mineralogy Grave of Valentin Hauy and Rene Just Hauy He is buried with his brother Rene in Pere Lachaise Cemetery in Paris LegacyIn 1889 Maurice de La Sizeranne created an association dedicated to helping the blind and visually impaired named for him See alsoLouis Braille Musee Valentin Hauy Slate and stylus History fr Association Valentin Hauy Maria Theresia von ParadisReferences Site par defaut Historique Valentin Hauy www inja fr in French Retrieved 18 October 2017 Weygand Zina 2009 Les aveugles dans la societe francaise Abstract Revue d ethique et de theologie morale in French 256 65 85 doi 10 3917 retm 256 0065 ISSN 1266 0078 Herbermann 1913 Attribution This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain Herbermann Charles ed 1913 Valentin Hauy Catholic Encyclopedia New York Robert Appleton Company Further readingMellor C Michael 2006 Louis Braille A Touch of Genius National Braille Press ISBN 9780939173709 Louis Braille A Touch of Genius Weygand Zina 2009 The Blind in French Society From the Middle Ages to the Century of Louis Braille Translated by Emily Jane Cohen Stanford California Stanford University Press ISBN 9780804757683 External linksWikimedia Commons has media related to Valentin Hauy Valentin Hauy Association Musee Valentin Hauy Works by Valentin Hauy at Project Gutenberg Works by or about Valentin Hauy at the Internet Archive
