PEGGY JOHNSTON, CO-DIRECTOR
404 S. Oak Street
SHARON POPLER, CO-DIRECTOR
404 S. Oak Street
Durand, MI 48429
Tel: 989-288-4546
jklbmc@yahoo.com
SHARON POPLER, CO-DIRECTOR
3640 E. Bath Road
Morrice, MI 48857
Tel: 989-634-5748
gma4hugs@hotmail.com
DEAF AWARENESS
POSTERS ARE NOW AVAILABLE!
We now have reprints of four of the previous Deaf Awareness Posters. Contact me if you wish to have posters, etc.
American Manual Alphabet: This poster is one that we did not have to reprint. This poster could be used in schools, churches, libraries, Grange Halls or anywhere that people come in contact with deaf or hearing impaired people. For example, our Grange delivered Dictionaries to a third grade classroom, along with Deaf Awareness items (one being the Manual Alphabet poster) and in one of the thank you’s we received, one of the students had learned the alphabet. Another third grade teacher had her students do their spelling words in sign language. There are many possibilities with this.
Your Noisy World Could Get Silent: This poster is a chart that shows the potential hearing hazard of the loudness of sounds combined with the length of exposure to sound and how it can create a permanent hearing loss. Preventions are suggested on this poster. It shows the decibels of many electronic devices that we are in contact with everyday.
Pledge of Allegiance: This poster could be placed in schools, Grange Halls, libraries, etc. An idea that can be used is to do parts of it at each of your Grange meetings until everyone can sign it.
Do You See the Signs: (of hearing loss) This poster could be placed in church nurseries, day care centers, pre-schools or wherever adults can view them. It is a poster to make parents aware of what an infant to 12 months should be able to do, from 12 months to 2 years, from 2 years to 4 years and 5 years old.
Grange Deaf Awareness: Awareness – communication is key to qualify of life – hearing loss is permanent- early detection and treatment is essential, etc. Education – educate the public with printed material, video programs, classroom instruction, special equipment, information, programs. Prevention- hearing protections used, hearing testing, newborn hearing screening, personal education.
We now have reprints of four of the previous Deaf Awareness Posters. Contact me if you wish to have posters, etc.
American Manual Alphabet: This poster is one that we did not have to reprint. This poster could be used in schools, churches, libraries, Grange Halls or anywhere that people come in contact with deaf or hearing impaired people. For example, our Grange delivered Dictionaries to a third grade classroom, along with Deaf Awareness items (one being the Manual Alphabet poster) and in one of the thank you’s we received, one of the students had learned the alphabet. Another third grade teacher had her students do their spelling words in sign language. There are many possibilities with this.
Your Noisy World Could Get Silent: This poster is a chart that shows the potential hearing hazard of the loudness of sounds combined with the length of exposure to sound and how it can create a permanent hearing loss. Preventions are suggested on this poster. It shows the decibels of many electronic devices that we are in contact with everyday.
Pledge of Allegiance: This poster could be placed in schools, Grange Halls, libraries, etc. An idea that can be used is to do parts of it at each of your Grange meetings until everyone can sign it.
Do You See the Signs: (of hearing loss) This poster could be placed in church nurseries, day care centers, pre-schools or wherever adults can view them. It is a poster to make parents aware of what an infant to 12 months should be able to do, from 12 months to 2 years, from 2 years to 4 years and 5 years old.
Grange Deaf Awareness: Awareness – communication is key to qualify of life – hearing loss is permanent- early detection and treatment is essential, etc. Education – educate the public with printed material, video programs, classroom instruction, special equipment, information, programs. Prevention- hearing protections used, hearing testing, newborn hearing screening, personal education.
MAY/JUNE 2024 GRANGE NEWS
THE STORY OF BEETHOVEN’S DEAFNESS
Imagine directing an orchestra you can’t hear. Or playing a soundless piano for a staring audience.
Beethoven wrote in a letter in May of 1810, “ How delighted I shall be to ramble for a while through bushes, woods, under trees, through grass, and around rocks.” Beethoven was a master of the language of music, which is about the creation of sound.
DAY OF LEARNING CONFERENCE
THE STORY OF BEETHOVEN’S DEAFNESS
Imagine directing an orchestra you can’t hear. Or playing a soundless piano for a staring audience.
Most known classical composer Ludwig van Beethoven struggled with deafness— but many don’t realize how much of a struggle it was. Beyond composing without hearing a note, Beethoven grappled with living in the 1800’s when few understood deafness, hindering his ability to communicate, work as a musician and even find a place to live. How he dealt with this deafness is one of the great stories of humanity, not just of music.
Beethoven began losing his hearing in his mid-20’s, after already building a reputation as a musician and composer. The cause of his deafness remains a mystery, though modern analysis of his DNA revealed health issues including large amounts of lead in his system. At the time, people ate off of lead plates– they just didn’t know back then. Continuing to compose and conduct, he changed lodgings constantly in Vienna, which could be due to his landlords frustration with him pounding on his piano at all hours. He continued performing publicly as a musician, which was necessary for many composers of the age. That’s how they got their pieces out, not just composing but performing. For the longest time he didn’t want to reveal his deafness because he believed, justifiably, that it would ruin his career.
Once his hearing was fully gone by age 45, Beethoven lost his public life with it. Giving up performing and public appearances, he allowed only select friends to visit him, communicating through written conversations in notebooks. His deafness forced him to become a very private, insular person over the course of time. A common question is how he continued composing without his hearing, but this
likely wasn’t too difficult.
Music is a language, with rules. Knowing the rules of how music is made, he could sit at his desk and compose a piece of music without hearing it. Beethoven’s style changed, however, as he retreated from public life. His famous Sixth Symphony also reflects his different life in deafness. Also known as the Pastoral Symphony, the musical work conveys the peace of the countryside, where he escaped city
life after losing his hearing. In terms of his deafness, this was a very important symphony, reflecting the importance as an individual to keep his sanity by being in the country.
Beethoven wrote in a letter in May of 1810, “ How delighted I shall be to ramble for a while through bushes, woods, under trees, through grass, and around rocks.” Beethoven was a master of the language of music, which is about the creation of sound.
DAY OF LEARNING CONFERENCE
On April 20th the conference was held, and a lot of information was delivered by our State Master and many Directors. It was a super day of fellowship, a wonderful array of food for the potluck, which the Grange is noted for, and then continued workshops from the directors. Those of you that were able to attend, it was soooo good to see you and many idea’s were talked about. The Grange Jeopardy Game had us all working our brains for some of the answers !!!
A BIG THANK YOU TO ALL OF THOSE WHO ATTENDED !!!
JULY/AUGUST 2024 GRANGE NEWS
Well I do believe that summer has arrived. The next few days are supposed to be in the 90's. I personally am not looking forward to that. Today it’s in the mid 70’s and that is great!
In my contacts with the principal I also told him if they have other projects that we might be able to assist with to please let us know.
If you have any ideas on what we might do, please notify either myself or Sharon.
Deaf Awareness Fund
Donations help with the Scholarship, Alexander Grange Bell Camp Fund, Ad in the MSD year book,
Well I do believe that summer has arrived. The next few days are supposed to be in the 90's. I personally am not looking forward to that. Today it’s in the mid 70’s and that is great!
Last Friday, June 7th was the graduation at Michigan School for the Deaf. Sorry to say we did not attend this year. I was in contact with the principal, Rex Vernon to get the name of the student that was given the honor of Valedictorian this year. I was told that there was not a Valedictorian or Salutatorian this year, so I asked him about a student that was going on to school to further their education and sadly none of the graduates this year have that as a plan. So the scholarship was not given.
We have sent those donations and a check from the Michigan State Grange Deaf Fund for the camp fund.
I have asked the Principal at MSD to also give my contact information to the person who is in charge of the yearbooks so we might get an ad in there next year. I will keep following up on this to make sure this actually does happen soon. It was something that Luanna Swainston had done several years ago and then for some reason it didn’t happen and she had tried to make it happen again and there were to many communication gaps between us and the school . Since I live so close to the school, if necessary I will pay them a visit.
In my contacts with the principal I also told him if they have other projects that we might be able to assist with to please let us know.
If you have any ideas on what we might do, please notify either myself or Sharon.
Deaf Awareness Contests
Poster Contest: A poster depicting either Deaf Awareness Week (May 6-12, 2024) or Deaf Awareness Month ( September, 2024)
Who may enter:
- Division I — Juniors ages 8 & under
- Division II — Juniors ages 9-11
- Division II — Juniors ages 12-14
This is open to all Junior Grange members, children and grandchildren of members.
- Poster to me made on poster board. (max. size 18x24 inches) Crayons, markers, pencils, pens, cut out pictures and/or photos can be used. The dates of the Deaf Awareness week or month needs to be on the poster.
- The name of the entrant is to be placed on the back of the poster along with (age as of Jan. 1st for Juniors) Junior or Subordinate Grange name and number and county.
- Deadline is before 9:00 a.m. on Friday of the State Convention.
Deaf Awareness Christmas Ornament Craft Contest
Craft Topic: “I Love You” Sign
- Make a Christmas ornament, with hanger for Christmas Tree
- Can be made of any medium, wood, plastic, construction paper, (no glass)
- Any style as long as it has the “I Love You” sign on it somewhere.
- “I Love You” sign can be drawn, glued, engraved, painted, etc. on the ornament.
- Size: 1 inch to 4 inches.
Division I — Junior Grange members
Division II — Subordinate Members
Deadline is before 9:00 a.m. on Friday of the State Convention
Deaf Awareness Fund
If your Grange has already made your donation to the Deaf Awareness Fund this year, Sharon and I would like to thank you for that donation. If your Grange or even yourself would like to make a donation to the Fund, please send it to the Michigan State Grange Deaf Fund, 404 S. Oak Street, Durand, MI 48429.
Donations help with the Scholarship, Alexander Grange Bell Camp Fund, Ad in the MSD year book,
and the party and sometimes gifts for boys and girls at Christmas at MSD.
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