Remarks Upon Accepting a Ceremonial Pass to the 10th International Games for the Deaf.

THANK YOU very much. This is very attractive and I am happy and proud to accept this pass. When I accepted earlier the honorary chairmanship of the 10th International Games for the Deaf, I was hopeful that it might at least assure me a seat for these events which we were all anticipating with such great pleasure.

All Americans are very proud and pleased that after 40 years the Deaf Olympics will be held in the United States next summer, will be held here in Washington. One hundred years ago, President Lincoln signed the charter establishing here in Washington the beginnings of Gallaudet College which still stands as the only institution of higher learning of its kind anywhere in the world.

I have been personally much interested in and I have been rather closely associated with the inspiring work being done there to afford young people afflicted with deafness a broadening horizon of opportunity. As a Member of Congress, I followed very closely all the legislation affecting Gallaudet and did all I could to advance it.

As we can all be proud of the humane and intelligent progress our society has made in the attitudes toward those suffering this affliction, I am ever mindful of the inspiration the deaf themselves provide us. Despite the great handicap that they all must endure, the deaf are occupying ever-widening roles of leadership and usefulness in all the segments of our society and our American life.

Since the beginning in 1924, the Deaf Olympics have served effectively to awaken the world to the potential of the deaf for full participation in our affairs. I would express the personal hope that the presence of the games in this country next year will focus more attention upon the still unfulfilled potential of what we could and what we should be doing in this field.

We are coming into an age in the life of man when we do not need to accept with resignation the consequences of afflictions and illnesses which have plagued the human race since time began. There is undoubtedly much that we can still learn and much that we can do that is not now being done to advance medical research in preventing or relieving deafness.

Even more immediately, however, there is much we can do to improve the educational opportunities and the employment opportunities for those who presently suffer deafness. And it is my earnest hope that the games, which will bring together 700 star athletes from 27 participating nations, will be remembered as the start of a new race to overtake this affliction and all of its

consequences.

Thank you very much for coming here. It is an honor to receive you in the White House and you know that these events will have my genuine interest and I assure you, again, of the concern of all of us in this country for helping one of the most worthy projects.