Instituut voor Doven

The Instituut voor Doven (IvD) in Sint-Michielsgestel, Netherlands, was a prominent school for deaf, hard-of-hearing, and deaf-blind children, founded in 1840 by Father Martinus van Beek. It aimed to provide religious education to deaf children from Catholic families, establishing a unique boarding school environment. The school evolved over the years, moving to a neo-Gothic building in 1910 and introducing oralism while discouraging sign language until 1990. IvD also operated Hostiebakkerij St. Michael, a bakery for communion wafers, providing employment for deaf individuals. Despite its historical significance, the school faced controversies, including resistance to sign bilingualism and reports of abuse, leading to its eventual merger into the Kentalis organization. Today, it stands as a testament to the evolving educational approaches for the deaf community in the Netherlands.