Laurent, South Dakota facts for kids
Laurent was a special idea for a new town in South Dakota. It was planned to be a place where Deaf people, those who are Hard of Hearing, and anyone who uses American Sign Language (ASL) could live and work together. The town was going to be named after Laurent Clerc, a very important Deaf teacher in American history. The first people were hoped to move in around 2008.
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What Was Laurent?
Laurent was meant to be a unique planned community located south of Salem, South Dakota. A planned community is a town or neighborhood that is carefully designed from the start, rather than growing naturally over time. This town was special because it was created with the needs of the Deaf community in mind.
The Big Idea Behind Laurent
The main person behind the Laurent project was Marvin T. Miller. He was a Deaf journalist. He worked with M. E. Barwacz, who was his hearing mother-in-law. They wanted to build a town where ASL would be the main language. This would make it easier for Deaf people to communicate everywhere, from stores to schools.
They believed this town would help Deaf people feel more connected. It would be a place where they could easily find jobs and services. The town was planned to be about 0.5 square miles in size. Miller said that money for building the town came from his own savings and from a group of private investors. At one point, 158 families were interested in moving there!
Where Was Laurent Going to Be?
In the beginning, Miller and Barwacz were asked to consider building the town in Spencer, South Dakota. There were many empty plots of land there. However, they decided against it. They chose a spot near a major highway interchange instead. This was the I-90 / US 81 interchange. They thought this location would be better for the new town.
Discussions About Laurent
The idea of Laurent caused a lot of talk. Some people thought it was a great idea, while others had concerns.
Supporters of the Idea
Many groups supported the idea of Laurent. The National Association of the Deaf was one of them. They saw it as a positive step for Deaf culture. They believed it would create a strong community where Deaf people could thrive.
Concerns About the Town
Not everyone agreed with the plan. The Alexander Graham Bell Association for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing was one group that had concerns. They felt that people with hearing loss should live and work within the larger society. They worried that a separate town might create an enclave. An enclave is a small group that is different from the larger area around it. They thought it might make it harder for Deaf people to connect with the hearing world.
Also, some people living nearby had questions. They wondered if the town would be successful. They also worried about how it would affect the local economy and the area around it.
Why Laurent Didn't Happen
By 2007, several things happened that caused the Laurent project to stop. Marvin Miller and M. E. Barwacz had used up their own money. The main "angel investor" they were counting on could not provide the $10 million they needed. An "angel investor" is someone who provides money to help start a new business or project.
Most importantly to Miller, he became very worried about his children's education. They were attending the South Dakota School for the Deaf in Sioux Falls. He felt they were not getting the best education there. Because of these problems, Miller and Barwacz decided to close the Laurent Company. This company had been organizing all the plans for the town. They then moved to Indiana.
After the Project Ended
Once in Indiana, Miller tried to share his "signing town" idea with people there. However, it seems the idea was not popular in Indiana. No more news has come out about this project since then. The website Miller had created to promote Laurent online also stopped working a long time ago.
Images for kids
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Location map of Laurent
