By JOANN HAMM and CAROLYN GULLEY

Jacobs Hall Museum

Carrie Jasper McClure (1868-1945) lost her hearing from meningitis at 5 years old. She attended the Kentucky Institution (now Kentucky School for the Deaf) from 1879 to 1886, marrying George M. McClure, a promising young teacher at the

school, in the fall of 1886.  She and George had three children. Carrie’s life became even busier when she began teaching at the school in 1898.  As with the other teachers and staff, she and her husband spent a great deal of time with the deaf students during and after school hours and through holiday breaks, because the students remained at school for 10 months of each year.

Carrie taught for 29 years, retiring in 1937 with her husband.

Although George McClure returned to KSD to run the school newspaper, Carrie spent her retirement time with her children and grandchildren, her friends and helping KSD staff enliven the weekends and evenings of the older girls with visits, games and social events. Her obituary in The Advocate-Messenger noted that “her home on South Fourth Street always extended a happy greeting to all the old graduates of the School for the Deaf when they returned for reunions or other visits.” (Feb. 25, 1945, p. 1)

The Carrie J. McClure Bridge Club

This year marks the 85th anniversary of the Carrie J. McClure Bridge Club.

It is thought to be the earliest bridge club for the deaf in the United States still in existence. In 1933, Carrie invited Mary Kennedy, Mary Kannapell, Margaret Royster and Lucile DuBose Dobson to join her as charter members of a new auction bridge club for deaf women who worked at KSD.

Initially there was one table for four players and the fifth woman acted as hostess. Later, Mary Woolslayer, Catherine Higgins, Margaret Marshall and Myree Thomas became members, making eight in all. Meeting every other week, the club members played two or three rounds of bridge and then enjoyed refreshments. They often went home around midnight.

Carolyn Marshall Gulley, whose mother joined in 1937, says that in the early years, the women dressed in their Sunday finery ans were served elegantly-presented refreshments with the hostess using her best china, crystal glasses, silverware and linens. After Carrie died in 1945, the club was named the Carrie J. McClure Bridge Club in her memory.

The Carrie J. McClure Bridge Club is still going strong today. Carolyn Gulley reports: “Nowadays, we play with two tables of four players each making eight in all. Pat Bruce, Carleen Buschmann, Gloria Cannon, Gayle Deville, Rita Finke, Barbie Harris, CJ Prater and I are the current bridge club members. One of the members will both play and serve as the hostess. Many other women, and occasionally men, can be called on to substitute. We currently meet once a month from September to May instead of every other week.

We play two rounds of auction bridge. Each member pays $1 to play bridge each month. We no longer reward individual monetary prizes. Instead, the money is donated to support KY ADAPT (Kentucky Assisting Deaf Adults to Participate Totally).”

To learn more about the Bridge Club and meet some of its current members who will play a few hands of bridge for you, come to Jacobs Hall Museum on Saturday, Dec. 8 between noon and 2 p.m. This event is part of the Saturday Christmas Tour at Jacobs Hall.