The history of CDHH
dates back to 1927, when two neighbors, Herman H. Beyer and
Father Stephen Klopfer, began discussing the needs of d/Deaf
and hard of hearing individuals in the Milwaukee area and
considering what could be done to help those faced with the
unique challenges of hearing loss. Mr. Beyer knew first hand
about the difficulties of life with hearing loss, since he
was hard of hearing himself and wore a hearing aid. Father
Klopfer, a dedicated teacher at St. John’s School for
the Deaf, also held a strong interest in helping the deaf
and hard of hearing. Eventually, the discussions between these
two neighbors resulted in the formation of the Milwaukee League
for the Hard of Hearing on October 28, 1927.
The first meeting of the new League was held at the Milwaukee
Journal Building. Twenty people joined the new organization
and elected Mr. Beyer as its first president. The purpose
agreed upon at that time was to provide a “center for
the deafened where social intercourse and opportunity for
mutual inspiration and helpfulness may be encouraged and provided,
and to be an active instrument of helpfulness to the deafened
in every way.”
During the 1940's, great strides were made toward developing
the organization as it exists today. In 1944, the agency was
incorporated and the name was changed to the Milwaukee Society
for the Hard of Hearing, and then shortly thereafter changed
again to the Milwaukee Hearing Society. Programs were established
for the d/Deaf and hard of hearing such as lipreading and
auditory training classes, a hearing aid loan program, classes
for preschoolers as well as grade school and high school students,
and parent education classes.
From the 1950's until 1993, the organization continued to
thrive and strengthen its programs for those with hearing
loss by adding staff members and increasing its financial
base. In 1994, the name was again changed to the current
Center for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing in an effort to
more adequately describe the services provided and populations
served at the agency. A new Mission Statement, to provide
and promote state-of-the-art services and technologies that
enhance the quality of life of individuals with hearing
loss, was also adopted to reflect the changing times and
broader focus of the agency. The next several years also
saw the development of three new programs to further expand
the reach of the agency. UniversaLink, the assistive technology
program, was established to meet the needs of individuals
seeking assistive devices for their home and workplace. CommunicationLink,
the interpreter coordination service, was added to meet
the extensive need in our community for qualified sign language
interpreters. Finally, a unique collaboration was established
with the University of Wisconsin Milwaukee to enable the
CDHH to provide a full range of audiological services to
its clients from certified Audiologists, who worked from
both the UW-Milwaukee campus and at CDHH.
On October 1, 2005, one of the organization’s long-time
dreams was finally realized – the Center for the Deaf
and Hard of Hearing moved into a home of its own on National
Avenue in West Allis. The new location provided many benefits,
ranging from ample parking to improved bus service, from prominent
signage to an outdoor play area for the Center’s youngest
clients. Additionally, the Center’s collaboration with
the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee to provide audiological
services was officially renamed Community Audiology Services,
and the increased space at the new building allowed for additional
staff and audiological testing equipment. Complete hearing
testing and evaluations as well as hearing aids and custom
hearing protection devices were finally available in one location
– at the Center. CDHH had truly become one-stop-shop
for services and products related to hearing loss.
From its modest beginnings as a support group for hard of
hearing individuals, the Center for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing
has grown to become the primary resource for those with hearing
loss throughout Southeastern Wisconsin and beyond. The Center
is grateful to all who have supported the agency throughout
its long history and looks forward to the new challenges and
opportunities ahead.
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