Kudos to the Gazette for publishing the Jan. 12th “Special Report” on the Clarke School and to Dusty Christensen for his outstanding reporting. That Clarke alums felt comfortable talking with him about early and painful experiences says much about his empathic concern. His reaching out to current and recent Clarke administrators and to deaf historian Brian Greenwald, who attended Clarke as a child, confirms Dusty’s careful work and commitment to truth.
The Clarke School has long been a formidable and revered presence in Northampton, yet there is much evidence for questioning the premises on which the school was founded and how it evolved. Sincere thanks to Dusty and the Gazette for opening an important and too-long overlooked chapter in Northampton’s history.
Janet Gross
Northampton