Dorothy Miles
Encyclopedia
Dorothy Miles 1931 - 1993. Poet and activist in the Deaf community
. Throughout her life, she composed her poems in English, British Sign Language
, and American Sign Language
. Her work laid the foundations for modern sign language poetry in the US and UK. She is regarded as the pioneer of BSL poetry and her work influenced many contemporary Deaf poets.
,Flintshire, North Wales, daughter of James and Amy Squire (nee Brick). She was the youngest of five surviving children. In 1939 she contracted cerebrospinal meningitis which left her deaf. She was educated at the Royal School for the Deaf
and the Mary Hare School. In 1957, at the age of 25, she went to America to take up a place at Gallaudet College
, sponsored in part by the British Deaf and Dumb Association
. During her time at the college she became the first member of a junior class to be a member of the Gallaudet Phi Alpha Pi honour society, was in the 1961 edition of "Who's Who in American Colleges and Universities", edited the student magazines and won prizes for both her prose writing and poetry and for acting. Some of her work was published in "The Silent Muse", an anthology of selected writings by deaf authors of the last 100 years. She also wrote the Bison's song. She married a fellow student, Robert Thomas Miles in Sept 1958. They separated in 1959. She graduated in 1961 receiving a BA with distinction.She worked in the USA as a teacher and counsellor for deaf adults. In 1967, she joined the newly founded National Theatre of the Deaf
and began to create sign language poetry that deaf people - as well as hearing people – could appreciate.
In 1975, Dot left the NTD to work with the campus service for the deaf at California State University, Northridge. She returned to live in England in the autumn of 1977, after twenty years in America. Dot was soon involved in the National Union of the Deaf's Open Door (BBC TV)
pioneering television programme (in which she performed her poem Language for the Eye) and was involved in discussions that led to the See Hear
television series. She took work with the British Deaf Association, working on various projects. She compiled the first teaching manual for BSL tutors and became involved in setting up the Council for the Advancement of Communication with Deaf People
(CACDP). She also worked on the BDA dictionary. For a while she worked as a self-employed writer, lecturer and performer, becoming involved in promotion of sign language teaching and training of tutors and deaf theatre. She was involved in setting up and then teaching on the British Sign Language Tutor Training Course - the first university course for training deaf people to become BSL tutors. She also wrote the best-selling BBC book BSL - A beginner's guide, which was published to complement the television series.
By the early 1990s, Dot was a key figure in the British Deaf Community. She died on January 30, 1993 when she fell from the window of her second floor flat. The inquest at St Pancras Coroners Court concluded that she took her own life while depressed.
was established by a group of both Deaf and hearing friends in her memory. She features as one of a series of portraits of notable Deaf artists painted by Nancy Rourke.
Deaf culture
Deaf culture describes the social beliefs, behaviors, art, literary traditions, history, values and shared institutions of communities that are affected by deafness and which use sign languages as the main means of communication. When used as a cultural label, the word deaf is often written with a...
. Throughout her life, she composed her poems in English, British Sign Language
British Sign Language
British Sign Language is the sign language used in the United Kingdom , and is the first or preferred language of some deaf people in the UK; there are 125,000 deaf adults in the UK who use BSL plus an estimated 20,000 children. The language makes use of space and involves movement of the hands,...
, and American Sign Language
American Sign Language
American Sign Language, or ASL, for a time also called Ameslan, is the dominant sign language of Deaf Americans, including deaf communities in the United States, in the English-speaking parts of Canada, and in some regions of Mexico...
. Her work laid the foundations for modern sign language poetry in the US and UK. She is regarded as the pioneer of BSL poetry and her work influenced many contemporary Deaf poets.
Biography
Dorothy May Miles ne Squire was born 19 August 1931 in HolywellHolywell
Holywell is the fifth largest town in Flintshire, North Wales, lying to the west of the estuary of the River Dee.-History:The market town of Holywell takes its name from the St Winefride's Well, a holy well surrounded by a chapel...
,Flintshire, North Wales, daughter of James and Amy Squire (nee Brick). She was the youngest of five surviving children. In 1939 she contracted cerebrospinal meningitis which left her deaf. She was educated at the Royal School for the Deaf
Seashell Trust
Seashell Trust is a charity based in Cheadle Hulme, near Stockport in Greater Manchester, for children, young people and adults with sensory impairment, Profound & Multiple Learning Difficulties and Profound Communication Difficulties Special Educational Needs/ Communication & Interactional...
and the Mary Hare School. In 1957, at the age of 25, she went to America to take up a place at Gallaudet College
Gallaudet University
Gallaudet University is a federally-chartered university for the education of the deaf and hard of hearing, located in the District of Columbia, U.S...
, sponsored in part by the British Deaf and Dumb Association
Francis Maginn
Francis Maginn , was a Church of Ireland missionary who worked to improve living standards for the deaf community by promoting sign language and was one of the co-founders of British Deaf Association.-Early life and education:...
. During her time at the college she became the first member of a junior class to be a member of the Gallaudet Phi Alpha Pi honour society, was in the 1961 edition of "Who's Who in American Colleges and Universities", edited the student magazines and won prizes for both her prose writing and poetry and for acting. Some of her work was published in "The Silent Muse", an anthology of selected writings by deaf authors of the last 100 years. She also wrote the Bison's song. She married a fellow student, Robert Thomas Miles in Sept 1958. They separated in 1959. She graduated in 1961 receiving a BA with distinction.She worked in the USA as a teacher and counsellor for deaf adults. In 1967, she joined the newly founded National Theatre of the Deaf
National Theatre of the Deaf
The National Theatre of the Deaf is a touring theatre company in the United States. It was founded in 1967. Productions combine the use of American Sign Language with the spoken word. The theatre has won several awards, including the Tony Award for Theatrical Excellence...
and began to create sign language poetry that deaf people - as well as hearing people – could appreciate.
In 1975, Dot left the NTD to work with the campus service for the deaf at California State University, Northridge. She returned to live in England in the autumn of 1977, after twenty years in America. Dot was soon involved in the National Union of the Deaf's Open Door (BBC TV)
Open Door (BBC TV)
Open Door was a programme produced by the BBC's Community Programme Unit. It was first broadcast on April 2nd 1973.The programme gave people control of the airwaves and was a platform for the public to talk about its own issues and give their own views without editorial input.The programme was...
pioneering television programme (in which she performed her poem Language for the Eye) and was involved in discussions that led to the See Hear
See Hear
See Hear is a weekly magazine programme for deaf and hard of hearing people in the UK, broadcast on Wednesday afternoons at 1pm. The programme focuses on the British and the worldwide deaf community and covers a broad range of topics from areas such as education, deaf people's rights, technology...
television series. She took work with the British Deaf Association, working on various projects. She compiled the first teaching manual for BSL tutors and became involved in setting up the Council for the Advancement of Communication with Deaf People
Council for the Advancement of Communication with Deaf People
Signature is a charity in the whose aim is to improve communication between deaf and hearing people in the United Kingdom...
(CACDP). She also worked on the BDA dictionary. For a while she worked as a self-employed writer, lecturer and performer, becoming involved in promotion of sign language teaching and training of tutors and deaf theatre. She was involved in setting up and then teaching on the British Sign Language Tutor Training Course - the first university course for training deaf people to become BSL tutors. She also wrote the best-selling BBC book BSL - A beginner's guide, which was published to complement the television series.
By the early 1990s, Dot was a key figure in the British Deaf Community. She died on January 30, 1993 when she fell from the window of her second floor flat. The inquest at St Pancras Coroners Court concluded that she took her own life while depressed.
Legacy
Dorothy Miles is regarded as a key figure in the literary heritage of sign language and the Deaf community. It has been suggested that she is the source of most of the sign language poetry performed today. She was passionate about Deaf issues, culture and sign language and longed to bridge the gap between Deaf and hearing people. The Dorothy Miles Cultural CentreDorothy Miles Cultural Centre
The Dorothy Miles Cultural Centre is a non-profit making charitable institution, named after Dorothy Miles, poet and pioneer, working with people of all ages...
was established by a group of both Deaf and hearing friends in her memory. She features as one of a series of portraits of notable Deaf artists painted by Nancy Rourke.
See also
- Dorothy Miles Cultural CentreDorothy Miles Cultural CentreThe Dorothy Miles Cultural Centre is a non-profit making charitable institution, named after Dorothy Miles, poet and pioneer, working with people of all ages...
- Deaf cultureDeaf cultureDeaf culture describes the social beliefs, behaviors, art, literary traditions, history, values and shared institutions of communities that are affected by deafness and which use sign languages as the main means of communication. When used as a cultural label, the word deaf is often written with a...
- Sign LanguageSign languageA sign language is a language which, instead of acoustically conveyed sound patterns, uses visually transmitted sign patterns to convey meaning—simultaneously combining hand shapes, orientation and movement of the hands, arms or body, and facial expressions to fluidly express a speaker's...
External links
- http://www.sign-lang.uni-hamburg.de/intersign/Workshop2/Spence.html