Charles Edward Boyd
(1916-1998)
Charles Boyd was born to Hugh and Edna (Wolf) Boyd of York on
November 22, 1916. He had 2 younger sisters, Betty Gabriel and Marie Boyd. He
attended the Pennsylvania School for the Deaf (PSD) until 1936. A few
years after leaving PSD, he went to Washington, D.C. to obtain employment with
U.S. Mapping Agency during the World War II for four years. He returned to
Pennsylvania and married Dorothy Louise Straley of York. He secured a
position with a printing company in Philadelphia as a lithographer.
They have 2 children, Cheryl and Reggie and 2 grandchildren, Kyle and Bret.
Charles Boyd became a life time member of PSAD on April 9, 1949. He was first elected to the PSAD Board Managers and began his first term in 1946 to 1951. He was also elected in 1955 to 1957; 1959 to 1960 and last served PSAD from 1971 to 1985. He was a six (6) term PSAD President. He was first elected as President in 1971 and was re-elected in 1972, 1981, 1982, 1983, and 1984.Chas also served in the following positions : 1st Vice President in 1949, 1950, 1951, 1956, and 1957; 2nd Vice President in 1955; and as Treasurer in 1959-1960 and 1977-1978. He was a delegate to the National Association of the Deaf convention in 1970, 1978, 1980 and 1984.
Chas retired as a Lithographer instructor when he taught for several years at the Elwyn Institute. He was former Director of the Nevil Home at Elwyn. He was administrator for the Home at Torresdale for 10 years starting in 1961. At that time, PSAD was struggling to continue in an old, outdated building. Was instrumental in negotiating with the Nevil Trust and Elywn Institute for the transfer of the old home and residents to a new building in Elwyn. PSAD still plays an oversight role by the PSAD representatives who are on the Elwyn Board of Directors, thanks to an agreement between PSAD and Elwyn that he helped to write.
Chas was granted a life membership award by the Gallaudet University, Kappa Gamma Fraternity, He was also chosen as a 1986 Man of the Year Award by the Deafness and Hearing Impairment Council of Southeastern Pennsylvania and garnered numerous awards from PSAD, York Association of the Deaf (YAD) and Delaware Valley Telecommunications of the Deaf.
Some more of Chas’ accomplishments during his administration include:
►Started the idea of a Legislative Bill for the Office for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing (ODHH). It took 11 years for the Bill to become a reality and a law;
►Lobbied the Department. of Education to have American Sign Language (ASL) in the class room. He was one of the forces that supported the shift at PSD from the oral program to total communication He did his full effort to carry out one of PSAD’s oldest and most important objectives: to make sure that each deaf child in the state has a chance to receive a good education. Speaking out to authories in the Department of Education in Harrisburg and to the boards and administrators of schools was only a part of reaching that objective. Also, he helped PSAD in 1968, protested against the long-standing “oral methods only’ rule of the Pennsylvania Department of Education convincing the department to replace it with a rule that all effective methods of communication be permitted.
►Established a temporary home office at the former PSD before its move to its current location. There was an unofficial "Home Office" at PSD for 10 years or so ending in late 1980's. His long yearned objective was to have a Home Office for PSAD. Chas, Don Ropplet, John Maurer, and Frank Nemshick also wanted to establish senior citizen housing for the deaf. Because PSAD had no Home Office, the challenge was even greater. The Home Office became a priority to Charles Boyd and the PSAD Board. Its establishment led to the ODHH Act.
►Charter member of Office of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing commission in Harrisburg. He served on the State Advisory Council for the Deaf and Hearing Impaired in a successful effort to pass Bills 259 and 184.
►Reorganized Philadelphia Chapter in late 1950s after it was idle for some years.
►Obtained a grant to establish RTTY, a text radio for the Deaf. A penntext program in conjuction with the Pa. Public Television Network in Philadelphia, Pittsburgh and Harrisburg.
►Orginated and coordinated an Eastern Regional Swimming Meet at Philadelphia in 1967
►Obtained large numbers of old tty, such as model 15 and model 28 and stored them before distributing them to the Deaf.
►Jr. NAD’s first youth camp at Strousburg, Pa. in 1969.
►Founded the PSAD Credit Union, which has since grown and merged with the Philadelphia Federal Credit Union.
►A director/founder of the Youth Involvement Program for deaf children, 1984-1990.
Other accomplishments in Chas’s early years were:
►Co-founder of YAD (York Association of the Deaf) in 1938.
►Founded basketball league for Deaf Pennsylvanians in 1946. Later it expanded into four States and the District of Columbia. Published The Basketball Weekly for the updates of Deaf Clubs basketball games results. The league dissolved a few years later.
►Published National Basketball Star biweekly in 1953. The newspaper included the basketball games results of both Deaf clubs and Deaf schools. It ceased one year later. It was operated under H. W. Syle Club of Philadelphia. He was the president of the club at that time.
►Published Penn News monthly by the Pad and Pencil Club of Philadelphia. The newspaper included all the news of deaf community events in Pennsylvania.
►Charter Member of Philadelphia Deaf Lions Club
►Member of National Association of the Deaf (NAD) Deaf Knights of George
As Nemshick mentioned in his eulogy that Chas knew very well how to work with people. He encouraged everyone he met, young and old, to use their talents and energies for the good of ddeaf people. He added that the most fitting way to honor the memory of Charles Boyd would be for us to follow his example.
One of the main reasons Chas was able to succeed in reaching goals was that he practiced his favorite belief: DO IT NOW.
PSAD is sad to announce that former PSAD President, Charles "Chas" Boyd, passed away on Friday November 13, 1998. He was the oldest member of PSAD.
Contributing: Reginald L. Boyd