About

George W. Veditz  (1861-1937)

Advocate, Editor, Preserver of Sign Language

Video by Karen Christie about George.

Beginning:  George W. Veditz:  WHO THAT?

Some of you may know his most famous quoted lines…or may have seen him sign them:  “As long as we have Deaf people on earth, we will have signs,…the noblest gift God has given to Deaf people….” but WHO was George Veditz?

Veditz Sign by Nancy Rourke

Born:  13 August 1861

Baltimore, MD

[Picture from: Gallaher, 1989]

Died:  12 March 1937

Colorado Springs, CO

Family of origin:

Father:  Anton/Anthony Veditz who was born in Hanover Germany (1838)

Became a US citizen in 1866

Worked as a dry goods grocer

Mother:  Johanna/Hannah Veditz

Oldest of the family which included several sisters

1870: Became Deaf at age 8 ½

Contributions and Involvement with the Deaf Community:

Alumni of Maryland School for the Deaf and Gallaudet

1887:  Chairman of the Baltimore Society for the Deaf

1893-6: First Vice President of NAD

1897:  Founded the Maryland Association of the Deaf

1904:  Founded the Colorado Association of the Deaf (and presided over all of its

conventions until his death)

1904 and 1907:  President of the National Association of the Deaf

-Advocated for the NAD Film Project, worked to correct the civil service

classification of Deaf people,  and combat the pure oralism movement

1907:  Editor of The Deaf American (published in Omaha, Nebr.)

1913:  Filmed The Preservation of Sign Language

Published articles in many Deaf newspapers, did scholarly articles and translations from German to English, made presentations/led/organized Deaf conferences

Schooling:

1870-1872:  Education after becoming Deaf with private tutor (Rev. Dr. Adolph

Leopold Mende)

1875-1878:  Maryland School for the Deaf (entered at age 14)

studied shoemaking

worked as a bookkeeper and secretary at MSD

1880-1884:  Attended Gallaudet University (entered at age age 21)

Graduated as valedictorian (98.9 gpa)

Note:  Johns Hopkins University President Tilman invited him to pursue PhD – but Veditz declined so he could get a job and earn money (Stull, 2008)

1887:  Graduated from Gallaudet with MA

Professional Experiences:

1879-1881:  worked in Maryland School for the Deaf (MSD) printing shop to save

money for college

1884-1888 taught at MSD

Editor of Maryland Bulletin (MSD paper)

1888-1905 taught at Colorado School for the Deaf and Blind (CSDB)

1905-1910  expert accountant at CSDB

Personal information:

1894:  married Mary Elizabeth (Bessie) Bigler (Deaf)

two of his dogs:  Araminata and Pegeen Mike

Poultry:  He was secretary and treasurer of the Pikes Peak Poultry association for 5

years, editor of Poultry magazine, provided pigeons to Colorado hotel

restaurants

Floral growing:  Award winning Gladioli and dahlilas

Chess:  He served for many years as the secretary-treasurer of the Colorado Springs

chess club and won all its tournaments

1915:  He beat US chess champion Frank Marshall (out of 54 players)

1933: Hit by a car and sued the unlicensed and underage driver

1937: died on the 12th of March Colorado Springs, CO.

buried at Evergreen Cemetery, 1005 S. Hancock Avenue, Colorado Springs, Colorado Lot #236

bio compiled by KC and PD 2013

George W. & Mary Elizabeth “Bessie” Veditz Tombstone at Evergreen Cemetery, 1005 S. Hancock Avenue Colorado Springs, Colorado Lot #236

George and Bessie Veditz by Nancy Rourke