Ragnhild Kåta
Encyclopedia
Ragnhild Tollefsen Kåta (23 May 1873 – 12 February 1947) was the first deafblind person in Norway
who received proper schooling. Despite being deafblind, she learned to talk, inspiring Helen Keller
to do the same.
. At the age of three and a half, she lost her sight, hearing, sense of smell and taste, possibly due to scarlet fever
.
Teacher and author Hallvard Bergh, after meeting Ragnhild in 1887, wrote a passionate piece about her tragic plight in Verdens Gang
. The piece was read by Lars Havstad
, himself deaf, and a pioneer when it came to education of the deaf in Norway. Havstad's brother-in-law, Elias Hofgaard, was the administrator of the Hamar Institute for the Deaf, and Havstad wrote to Bergh suggesting he contact him.
Hofgaard agreed to accept Kåta as a student, and the state agreed to pay for her. On 15 January 1888 Kåta was followed by her father to school for the first time. She was fourteen and it was a difficult transition. She was suspicious of all strangers, and did not tolerate being touched. At times she bit, screamed, and clawed. Undeterred, Hofgaard finally managed to calm her down and she eventually trusted first him and then others to be around her.
Hofgaard had employed the "speaking method" on very talented deaf students with good results, still it surprised many when he declared that he would use the method with Kåta. He reasoned that a deaf and blind child would have most use of learning to speak (rather than using e.g. the finger alphabet).
Hofgaard first taught Kåta to pronounce the letters, then to combine two letters into a syllable, and finally multisyllabic words before trying to attach meaning to what had until then been presented as a complicated game. The first words used were: (watch), (foot), and (table). The words were associated with the objects over several days until Ragnhild understood that the words named the object. After that there was no stopping her. She learned to understand others by placing her hand on their lips as they spoke, she learned to write, and to read Braille
.
When Kåta met with Ms. Lamson (Helen Keller’s teacher) during the summer of 1889 she could already speak simple sentences.
in 1891, and later in life she made enough money through her crafts to support herself.
She went through confirmation
in June 1897 which meant that she had to leave school. Her development stagnated, and Hofgaard managed to get permission for her to come back and live at the school for another couple of years. She is listed at the school in census data from 3 December 1900. When Kåta left school, her development was similar to a talented deaf (but seeing) person, something previously believed to be impossible.
Kåta's father died while she was at school. After she left school she went home to live with her mother. Hofgaard visited her regularly until a biking accident made travel impossible in 1904. Elias Hofgaard died in 1906. After her mother died, Kåta moved in with one of her sisters, and the last ten years of her life she lived at “Døves Vel” at Hamar
. She died in February 1947 after a bout with bronchitis
. She was described as almost always smiling and good humored, talkative, and with an unshakable faith in God.
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
who received proper schooling. Despite being deafblind, she learned to talk, inspiring Helen Keller
Helen Keller
Helen Adams Keller was an American author, political activist, and lecturer. She was the first deafblind person to earn a Bachelor of Arts degree....
to do the same.
Early life
Ragnhild Kåta was born at Kåtaeiet in Vestre SlidreVestre Slidre
Vestre Slidre is a municipality in Oppland county, Norway. It is part of the traditional region of Valdres. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Slidre...
. At the age of three and a half, she lost her sight, hearing, sense of smell and taste, possibly due to scarlet fever
Scarlet fever
Scarlet fever is a disease caused by exotoxin released by Streptococcus pyogenes. Once a major cause of death, it is now effectively treated with antibiotics...
.
Teacher and author Hallvard Bergh, after meeting Ragnhild in 1887, wrote a passionate piece about her tragic plight in Verdens Gang
Verdens Gang (1868-1923 newspaper)
Verdens Gang is a former Norwegian newspaper, issued in Oslo from 1868 to 1923.It was established as a weekly magazine in 1868, later expanded to three issues a week, and was issued daily from 1885. It was the most widespread political newspaper in Norway for many years, and had considerable...
. The piece was read by Lars Havstad
Lars Havstad
Lars Aanonsen Havstad was a Norwegian statistician, writer, secretary in the Liberal Party, newspaper editor and activist...
, himself deaf, and a pioneer when it came to education of the deaf in Norway. Havstad's brother-in-law, Elias Hofgaard, was the administrator of the Hamar Institute for the Deaf, and Havstad wrote to Bergh suggesting he contact him.
Hofgaard agreed to accept Kåta as a student, and the state agreed to pay for her. On 15 January 1888 Kåta was followed by her father to school for the first time. She was fourteen and it was a difficult transition. She was suspicious of all strangers, and did not tolerate being touched. At times she bit, screamed, and clawed. Undeterred, Hofgaard finally managed to calm her down and she eventually trusted first him and then others to be around her.
Hofgaard had employed the "speaking method" on very talented deaf students with good results, still it surprised many when he declared that he would use the method with Kåta. He reasoned that a deaf and blind child would have most use of learning to speak (rather than using e.g. the finger alphabet).
Hofgaard first taught Kåta to pronounce the letters, then to combine two letters into a syllable, and finally multisyllabic words before trying to attach meaning to what had until then been presented as a complicated game. The first words used were: (watch), (foot), and (table). The words were associated with the objects over several days until Ragnhild understood that the words named the object. After that there was no stopping her. She learned to understand others by placing her hand on their lips as they spoke, she learned to write, and to read Braille
Braille
The Braille system is a method that is widely used by blind people to read and write, and was the first digital form of writing.Braille was devised in 1825 by Louis Braille, a blind Frenchman. Each Braille character, or cell, is made up of six dot positions, arranged in a rectangle containing two...
.
When Kåta met with Ms. Lamson (Helen Keller’s teacher) during the summer of 1889 she could already speak simple sentences.
Later life
Ragnhild became accomplished in embroidery, as well as knitting and weaving. She received honorable mention for a couple of pieces she sent to an exhibition in SkienSkien
' is a city and municipality in Telemark county, Norway. It is part of the traditional region of Grenland. The administrative centre of the municipality is the city of Skien. Skien is also the administrative centre of Telemark county....
in 1891, and later in life she made enough money through her crafts to support herself.
She went through confirmation
Confirmation (Lutheran Church)
Confirmation in the Lutheran Church is a public profession of faith prepared for by long and careful instruction. In English, it is called "affirmation of baptism", and is a mature and public profession of the faith which "marks the completion of the congregation's program of confirmation...
in June 1897 which meant that she had to leave school. Her development stagnated, and Hofgaard managed to get permission for her to come back and live at the school for another couple of years. She is listed at the school in census data from 3 December 1900. When Kåta left school, her development was similar to a talented deaf (but seeing) person, something previously believed to be impossible.
Kåta's father died while she was at school. After she left school she went home to live with her mother. Hofgaard visited her regularly until a biking accident made travel impossible in 1904. Elias Hofgaard died in 1906. After her mother died, Kåta moved in with one of her sisters, and the last ten years of her life she lived at “Døves Vel” at Hamar
Hamar
is a town and municipality in Hedmark county, Norway. It is part of the traditional region of Hedmarken. The administrative centre of the municipality is the town of Hamar. The municipality of Hamar was separated from Vang as a town and municipality of its own in 1849...
. She died in February 1947 after a bout with bronchitis
Bronchitis
Acute bronchitis is an inflammation of the large bronchi in the lungs that is usually caused by viruses or bacteria and may last several days or weeks. Characteristic symptoms include cough, sputum production, and shortness of breath and wheezing related to the obstruction of the inflamed airways...
. She was described as almost always smiling and good humored, talkative, and with an unshakable faith in God.