In order to disseminate knowledge related to the education of the deaf, the Volta Bureau, Washington, D.C., was established through the philanthropy of Dr. Alexander Graham Bell. It contains interesting items on educational work for the deaf. Under the leadership of John Hitz, its first superintendent, it gained international development. Thus, it became possible to collect and disseminate international statistical information on institutions and work for the deaf around the world. Its publications are distributed free of charge or through exchange. Among the Volta Bureau’s publications is a historical account of all schools for the deaf in the United States in three volumes, edited by Dr. E. A. Fay. As a stimulus to the educational work of the deaf and as a means of summarizing the opinions of those interested, there are about thirty-two periodicals in Europe and more than sixty in America devoted to deaf issues. The oldest of the latter, the American Annals of the Deaf, edited by Dr. Fay, is eclectic in nature and as such is an organ of a combined system of education. To promote the oral method, in 1899 a special periodical, The Association Review, was founded in Philadelphia and published by the American Association for the Advancement of the Teaching of the Deaf. Effective bodies for promoting the educational work of the deaf include meetings, congresses and conferences of leaders and teachers of the deaf and the deaf themselves.
There is also an annual meeting of the Association for the Promotion of Teaching the Deaf; meetings of principals and the Department of Special Education of the National Association of American Teachers. At the invitation of the Rev. D.J. O’Connell, rector of the Catholic University of America, all persons interested in the education of deaf and dumb Catholics met in July 1907 in Milwaukee at the same time as the Catholic Educational Association and organized the Catholic Deaf and Dumb Conference. The conference was a powerful factor in bringing together bishops, priests and lay people to improve the educational conditions for deaf Catholics. Deaf people themselves also hold state and national congresses at certain times. These meetings are conducted in sign language, which, because it is visible to a large audience, is best suited for public speaking, homilies, etc. Whenever educational topics come up at these meetings, deaf people take the opportunity to express their strong protest against pure oralism in schools and their unequivocal commitment to sign language and combined learning systems. In the United States, deaf and dumb people have the right to a share in the school fund, and special boarding and day schools are created for them. Most institutions are controlled by guardians appointed by the state. The term of study is from seven to twelve years. They are unequivocally adhering to the sign language and combined system of education. In the United States, deaf and dumb people have the right to a share in the school fund, and special boarding and day schools are created for them. Most institutions are controlled by guardians appointed by the state.