CSDR’s Largest Enrollment Record at 615 in 1969

Background

The 1964–1969 rubella epidemic was the primary precursor for enlarging the Deaf community.  “German measles” is another name for rubella.  The disease is mild for children and adults, but it can severely harm unborn babies when the disease afflicts the pregnant mothers.

As a result of the rubella epidemic, the large number of these children were born deaf. The estimate is 20,000.  Many also had vision problems, heart defects, developmental disabilities or multiple disabilities.

The rubella vaccine became available in 1969 and sharply reduced new cases afterward.

Deaf schools across the United States and abroad saw a dramatic surge in enrollment during the late 1960s and early 1970s. In 1964 at CSDR, the admissions and administration officials became aware of the anticipated rapid surge in the number of children born deaf through the big media news (black-and-white TV and radio).

The school had just completed its eight-year construction of multiple buildings on the 74-acre sprawling campus in 1960.   The admission age for enrollment was 5.  They just waited for this long until the kids reached the age requirement for kindergarten. They also had Pre-K classes under Joan Fahey and Carol May for 3-5 years old for those who lived nearby.

Five years later in 1969, the admissions office saw a deluge in applications for enrollment for the Lower School under Principal Grace Paxson (1953-1975). With no funding for additional construction, Dean of Students Mary Scully (1953-1974) ordered a new bed to add to each bedroom in Pachappa dorms to boost their bed capacity.

Likewise, Miss Paxson added one or two more student desks and chairs to each kindergarten classroom to meet the demand.  

Dr Brill directed Food Chef Willard Allen (1953-1983) to set new meal times to serve all students three times a day with accelerated schedule.  In 1969, approximately 90% of the students resided in dorms at full capacity.  The remaining 10% students went home daily, mostly by car.

We have a number of alumni who were admitted in 1967-1972 stayed at the school for the entire PreK-12 education and then live in Riverside or work at CSDR.  Examples of such students include Wendy Calhoun Korn, ‘82, John Maucere, ‘82, Carolyn Gomez, ‘81, Shelly Freed, ‘82, Ken Andrews, ‘84 and Brad Miles, ‘88.

Wendy Calhoun Korn, ‘82, wrote the above in the 1982 yearbook to reflect how the school had shaped her life on campus. She is grateful to Dorm Counselor Ellen Torres Schwabb for her guidance through high school years. She points out many other girls feel likewise about Ellen.

Incredibly, one student admitted in 1969 stayed far longer than any other students in school’s history.  She stayed on campus for 17 years from 1969 to 1986.  The record holder is Kimberly Cheek, ‘86. She soon gained employment as a dorm/cottage counselor for another 35 years. In total, Kim spent 52 years as a student and an employee at CSDR. She retired in 2025.

Bruce Gould, ‘71, comes close with the school record with Kim. Bruce arrived at CSDR in 1959 and graduated in 1971. He returned to CSDR in 1979 and worked in the residence department until he retired in 2017. He spent 50 years altogether.

The Class of 1984 reserves its bragging rights that they set a school record as the largest class ever at 103 outgoing seniors. Ken Andrews points to himself in the back of the school bus. He returned to CSDR in 1996 for permanent employment as a residence hall counselor for 30 years culminating in Fall 2026.

Due to the rubella impact in the 1960s, CSDR saw its graduation class size swelled in the 1980s. The Class of 1984 bursted its seam with 103 outgoing seniors. The Class of 1983 is the second largest class with 96 seniors.

The Class of 1983 boasts the second largest class of 96 graduates compared to the smallest Class of 1956 with 12 seniors.

In closing, while the rubella disease devastated the human race on the global level with miscarriages and birth defects, the Deaf community saw the positive side of the rubella impact that its population rose significantly everywhere. Many of those rubella survivors are today’s employees and leaders in Deaf education and organizations making inroads in human service. That includes those like Brad Miles, ‘88, at CSDR today.

Kevin Struxness, ‘76, MA

Editor, CSDR Old Times

24 May 2026

My Class of 1976 follows the traditional graduation class size of 50. Like many alumni, I returned to the old roots at CSDR for employment. Upon my retirement in 2020, I moved back to Riverside and the familiar surroundings on campus for volunteer work on book writing and running the archives and museum.