Documents in Relation to the Dismissal of David G. Seixas, From The Pennsylvania Institution for the Deaf and Dumb; Published for the Information of the Contributors, in pursuance of a Resolution of the Board of Directors

The Philadelphia Institution for the Deaf and Dumb was founded due to the beneficence of Rebecca Gratz in April 1820, David G. Seixas was hired as Principal. Seixas and the Institution received such favourable and widespread publicity that the school quickly flourished. However, the following year, proceedings were brought against Seixas, he was accused of taking uncommon liberties with the girl students of the school. The proceedings of the board, containing the accusations and the hearing granted to Seixas were made public only after Seixas’ was dismissed. After he discovered that the affair was the result of connivance, Seixas refuted the false charges in full and insisted that the contents of his hearing and investigation be made public. See: Wolf & Whiteman, The History of the Jews of Philadelphia (1957) pp.334-7