Archibald Woodside
1840-1908
Archibald Woodside, one of the
most prominent deaf men of Western Pennsylvania, died at nine o' clock, Friday
morning, February 28, at his residence, 420 Campbell Street, Wilkinsburg. On Saturday, February 22, he was
stricken with a fainting spell, the third within the past two or three weeks,
all of which came on suddenly. He
became unconscious, and it was soon discovered he was paralyzed on the left
side. He never recovered full
consciousness, and remained the last six days sleeping his life away,
surrounded by his family, who could do nothing but wait for the end.
Funeral services were held at the house, Monday, March 2, and
were attended by a large concourse of the deaf. Many floral tributes were received from friends, from the
8th Street R. P. Church members and the Pittsburgh Branch
of the PSAD. Interment was made Woodlawn Cemetery,
overlooking Wilkinsburg. The pallbearers were Jos. Atcheson, Wm. Drum, H.H.B.
McMaster, B. R. Allabough, G.M. Teegarden and Collins Sawhill.
Woodside was born in what is now a part of Wilkinsburg,
February 20, 1840, and was therefore just over 68 years of age. He lived all his life in Wilkinsburg,
and died at his residence, only two or three squares from his birthplace. He was one of the oldest and best-known
deaf persons in Western Pennsylvania, and during his lifetime had made a name
for uprightness and honesty of purpose.
He exerted an influence over the lives of more deaf persons in this
section of the State, perhaps, than any other individual outside of the
schools. He was a natural leader,
and had he received the education obtainable in these later days, he would have
made his influence felt beyond the city and State in which he lived.
Woodside lived a consistent
Christian life according to the lights that were his, and died greatly
respected by a large community.
Woodside attended the
Pennsylvania Institution for the Education of the Deaf at Philadelphia, which
was then under the superintendency of Mr. A. B. Hutton, for only 5 years,
graduating in 1859.
In some ways Woodside's career
was remarkable. He was one of a
family of ten children - five girls (all hearing) and five boys (all
deaf). Of this family Archy, the
subject of this sketch, and Sarah were the youngest, and the two were
inseparable companions and
co-workers all their lives.
The history of one is almost
that of the other. Miss Sarah early learned the sign language, and earned the
reputation of being one of the best interpreters for the deaf in the
country. Naturally she associated
with her deaf brothers and entered into all their work and plans.
Robert, the eldest of the five
brothers, died at the Home, at Doylestown, in January 1907. Two weeks later, a sister who lived in
Illinois, passed away, leaving but him and sister Sarah as the sole survivors
of the family of ten. Two of the
brothers, Samuel and William, were killed on the railroad, and James died of
apoplexy not many years ago.
Robert, the eldest Brother,
was 86 years old when he died. He
lived in Wilkinsburg in his early life and owned property there. He spent most of his life near Turtle
Creek, where he kept a shoe shop for many years. When WPSD was located in Turtle Creek, he did
most of the cobbling for the pupils. He lived there with his wife until they
moved into the Home at Doylestown.
They had no children.
He was the one of the oldest residents at the Home.
In 1869, when the first day
school for the deaf in this country was established by the late Dr. John G.
Brown and his associates, Mr. Woodside and his sister, Sarah, were called to
take up the work of teaching the deaf children of Pittsburgh and the vicinity
at the day school. The school, to
be sure, was largely an experiment, but it grew until 35 or 40 pupils were
under their care. They served in this capacity for about seven years until the
day school was merged into the Western Pennsylvania Institution and
discontinued.
After the day school was abandoned Woodside and his sister
interested themselves in the spiritual improvement of the deaf of
Pittsburgh. They, having united
with the R. P. Church in 1873, conducted a Sunday school that has continued
until the present day. Woodside
was a teacher and leader in this school from its inception until about a year
ago when failing health demanded a relinquishment of all active duties. He was also a fixture in the regular
weekly prayer meetings. While he
was thus engaged his sister was the interpreter for the deaf in all their
church services, and in this capacity she has labored continuously for 35
years.
He worked at
Pittsburgh’s Armstrong Cork factory rising to the position of department
foreman and was pensioned in 1907 with 29 years of continuous service.
Woodside took a great interest
in matters pertaining to the deaf at large -- to those of Pennsylvania in
particular. He was a faithful
member of the Pennsylvania Society for the Advancement of the Deaf, and was the
Vice President for several terms. When the Pittsburgh Local Branch was
organized he became its first Chairman, and was elected to a second term of
office. His interest in the Home
at Doylestown never lagged; he was always a vigilant worker for its support and
improvement.
Woodside was united in marriage on the February 22,
1870 with Miss Sarah Elizabeth Showalter, also a graduate of the Philadelphia
Institution. His wife, one
daughter and three sons survive him, along with his sister Sarah. They were all with him through his last
few days of illness.
Contributing:
Reginald L. Boyd