Oliver Caswell

Auguste Edouart describes Oliver Caswell as “blind, deaf, and dumb,” but despite being unable to see or hear, Caswell did learn to speak. Dr. Samuel Howe, who directed the Perkins Institution and Massachusetts School for the Blind, described Caswell as having “a manly, courageous temper, an amiable and affectionate heart, and a good intellect.” Caswell was often compared to student and occasional teacher Laura Bridgman, whose silhouette is also featured in this exhibition. At the Perkins Institution, Caswell learned to write, read braille, and hone his talents as a wood-worker. His diary entries from this time also reveal his engagement with everyday activities, such as playing with a friend in the rain, eating pudding, and musing over long words. Edouart captured Caswell seated at a table, fingering the tines on a fork. A teacup and toy house rest on the table in an elaborate parlor.