Girl in the looking glass: A historical study of the life of a deaf teacher in 19th-century Ireland

THE AUTHOR explicates the life story of Anne Smyth, a deaf teacher in 19th-century Ireland. The story was written and published in 1858 by another deaf teacher, Charlotte Mary Kelly, who traced Anne Smyth’s life trajectory from her birth to the day she began life in a deaf school until her untimely death at the age of 18 years. The study examines layers of meaning derived from Kelly’s narrative, with particular attention to young Anne’s practice of going to her bedroom and making up signs in front of a looking glass. The study provides some insight into the meaning of her actions that can inform current understandings of deaf education. The aim is to preserve Anne Smyth’s story in order to generate new histories, as well as new discussions in the field of deaf education research.