Bob Davila Story
 Since not many people know Dr. Davila, I thought it would be nice to offer an account from someone who knew him from way back. I am pleased to hear that Davila turned down a job offer from the current Bush administration, but yet has come out of his retirement to take the interim presidency job at Gallaudet. He wasn’t picked to be one of the three finalists during the presidency search in 1988, and yet never gave up on Gallaudet. He is back to put the university back on the right track. elizabeth
Mr Pnutt’s Bob Davila Story
I first met Bob Davila in 1974 or so, when I was 12 years old & a student @ CSD Berkely. I was coming out of the auditorium and bumped into him. He happened to be visiting the campus that day, and asked me very nicely what I was doing. I told him I was in a play. He stood there and talked to me for about 15 minutes about his experiences at CSDB.Â
I left thinking, “what a great guy!”
Fast forward to my NSO year @ Gally. The welcoming speaker was none other than Bob Davila. He told the following story:
When he was a senior @ Gally, all the male students were expected to dress nicely – ties, etc. Now, there was a tradition @ the time that underclassmen were not allowed to wear tie tacks – only seniors were permitted this piece of self-adornment. Bob, being a senior, wore his proudly.
On the first day of NSO that year, he bumped into a small, skinny little guy, very young looking, wearing a tie tack. Bob told him to take it off, and the guy complied.
Later in the day, he bumped into the guy again – wearing a tie tack! Bob chewed him out but good & made him take it off. “ONLY SENIORS!!!!” Again, the fellow meekly complied.
The next day, classes started. Bob walked into his chemistry class, and guess who the teacher was?
You got it - the young-looking little fella Bob had been chewing out the day before. whoops….
Upshot: Bob passed the class.
About 3 years after I left Gallaudet to work for a bank in DC, I moved into a house owned by Bob and his wife. They’d been renting it to deafies while he was working in New York. It was a very nice house in a good neighborhood – and those deafies DESTROYED the place. I felt so bad when he moved back in and saw how much needed to be done – but he never said a word about it.
 He is coming out of retirement to take care of us all one more time; I truly believe he could have had the permanent post if he wished.  Along with his charm (when he wishes it) he can be a VERY hard-nosed, tough-minded individual, and that’s what Gally needs right now.
He’s facing a mountain of problems, but that’s nothing new for him –  he came to the USA from Mexico with his family, and spoke no english at all (or Spanish, really, since he was the only deafie in his famkily). They were migrant workers, travelling from farm to farm picking fruits & vegtables as they came in season, and, as you can guess, were very, very poor.
But somehow they heard about the school for the deaf in Berkely, and sent him there – still speaking no english or sign language. It didn’t hold him down or keep him back for long – we all know what a success story he became after that.
What might not be as widely known is that the current US President, George W, offered him a position in the new administration (US gov’t, not Gally) and Bob turned him down. He really is coming off the bench one more time for Kendall Green.
I wish him all the success in the world!Â
 Since not many people know Dr. Davila, I thought it would be nice to offer an account from someone who knew him from way back. I am pleased to hear that Davila turned down a job offer from the current Bush administration, but yet has come out of his retirement to take the interim presidency job at Gallaudet. He wasn’t picked to be one of the three finalists during the presidency search in 1988, and yet never gave up on Gallaudet. He is back to put the university back on the right track. elizabeth
Mr Pnutt’s Bob Davila StoryI first met Bob Davila in 1974 or so, when I was 12 years old & a student @ CSD Berkely. I was coming out of the auditorium and bumped into him. He happened to be visiting the campus that day, and asked me very nicely what I was doing. I told him I was in a play. He stood there and talked to me for about 15 minutes about his experiences at CSDB. I left thinking, “what a great guy!” Fast forward to my NSO year @ Gally. The welcoming speaker was none other than Bob Davila. He told the following story: When he was a senior @ Gally, all the male students were expected to dress nicely – ties, etc. Now, there was a tradition @ the time that underclassmen were not allowed to wear tie tacks – only seniors were permitted this piece of self-adornment. Bob, being a senior, wore his proudly. On the first day of NSO that year, he bumped into a small, skinny little guy, very young looking, wearing a tie tack. Bob told him to take it off, and the guy complied. Later in the day, he bumped into the guy again – wearing a tie tack! Bob chewed him out but good & made him take it off. “ONLY SENIORS!!!!” Again, the fellow meekly complied. The next day, classes started. Bob walked into his chemistry class, and guess who the teacher was? You got it - the young-looking little fella Bob had been chewing out the day before. whoops…. Upshot: Bob passed the class. About 3 years after I left Gallaudet to work for a bank in DC, I moved into a house owned by Bob and his wife. They’d been renting it to deafies while he was working in New York. It was a very nice house in a good neighborhood – and those deafies DESTROYED the place. I felt so bad when he moved back in and saw how much needed to be done – but he never said a word about it.  He is coming out of retirement to take care of us all one more time; I truly believe he could have had the permanent post if he wished.  Along with his charm (when he wishes it) he can be a VERY hard-nosed, tough-minded individual, and that’s what Gally needs right now. He’s facing a mountain of problems, but that’s nothing new for him –  he came to the USA from Mexico with his family, and spoke no english at all (or Spanish, really, since he was the only deafie in his famkily). They were migrant workers, travelling from farm to farm picking fruits & vegtables as they came in season, and, as you can guess, were very, very poor. But somehow they heard about the school for the deaf in Berkely, and sent him there – still speaking no english or sign language. It didn’t hold him down or keep him back for long – we all know what a success story he became after that. What might not be as widely known is that the current US President, George W, offered him a position in the new administration (US gov’t, not Gally) and Bob turned him down. He really is coming off the bench one more time for Kendall Green. I wish him all the success in the world! |
December 11th, 2006 at 4:36 pm
It was not the Deafies that destroyed his house…it was a hearing single mother with 3 or 4 children (they busted one of the toilets by flushing down nails and bolts!) I know so because I lived right next door for 4 years and many a time Dr. Davila asked me if I could collect a rent check for him when she was late with it. As it was over 20 years ago, memories of my encounters with Dr. Davila are a little vague but I do remember him being a very warm and friendly guy.
December 11th, 2006 at 5:58 pm
Patty,
Really? I feel much better. I only lived there for a month or three before he returned from Fanwood & we had to move out. The place was already a MESS when I moved in – doorknobs missing, etc.
glad it wasn’t us deafies.
December 11th, 2006 at 6:16 pm
Glad to hear the truth.. that the deafies didn’t do the damage. whew
December 11th, 2006 at 6:28 pm
Mr.Pnutt:
What a warmhearted story about
Dr. Davila. Did I understand you correctly that he was born in Mexico where he learned to speak Spanish prior to migrating to California (where he later became deafened)?
December 11th, 2006 at 8:11 pm
Jean,
I couldn’t swear to his exact birthplace, but I’m sure its’ on the Web somewhere.
I’ve always assumed Mexico, because a) he arrived @ CSDB speaking no english (sugned or otherwise) b) his family were migrant workers, and c) his family were spanish-speakers with not too much english.
This I had from the man himself.I’m not claiming any special personalk relationship; last time I saw him was in the early 90′s. It wasn’t in a one-on-one situation,; I was part of an audience. It was probably at my NSO in 1980.
But everything I’ve said is true, and, whats’ more, easily verified from other sources. Just Google him.
Regardless, the man is a real rags-to-riches, Horatio Alger-type success story.
He is also very warm, personally, as Patty mentioned, and has a large stock of good stories like the one I’m relating. Everything I’ve written is prety common knowledge among people who have met him or know him.
December 11th, 2006 at 8:15 pm
Jean,
re-reading my response, I realized I’d failed to address all of your question.
No, the man was prelingually deaf. He acquired his linguistic skills (english, spanish, sign language)the HARD way.
December 11th, 2006 at 8:38 pm
My understanding is that Dr. Davila’s family came from Mexico. He lost his hearing after his bouts with menginitis (sp?) at age 8 or so. It is when he was sent to CSDB. Prior to that, he acquired Spanish language natively and picked up two more languages — ASL and English.
December 12th, 2006 at 1:58 am
Mr. Pnutt,
Thank you for your response.
I have read somewhere that Dr. Davila is postlingual. He
was struck with spinal meningitis which resulted in his hearing loss at the age of eight (8). He picked up Spanish from hearing his Spanish-speaking parents. He learned ASL as his second language when he entered California school at Berkeley where he subsequently learned
a third language, English. I think it is very remarkable not only because he is fluently trilingual but also because he can use BiModal
Communication effortlessly:
both English and ASL. Jordan cannot equal with Dr. Davila
in this aspect.
December 12th, 2006 at 8:00 am
Actually- he became deaf at age 8. And yes- he was born in Mexico-his family moved to Ca. soon after he was born.
Raphael J. St. Johns
December 12th, 2006 at 8:23 am
Correct me if I’m wrong, please.
I thought I read somewhere that he lost his hearing at age 8?
That would “label” him as postlingually deaf?
Not that it matters to me because I don’t like labels myself – it feels weird when it is documented on a paper labeling me as prelingually or profoundly deaf – in my opinion it means I was not developed “normal†like those of hearing children because of their language, not mine (sign language).
But that’s another topic.
Was I misinformed that he lost hearing at age 8? Or he was born deaf?
Just curious!
Thanks,
Iam
December 12th, 2006 at 8:55 pm
My understanding of Dr. Davila is that he was born in Mexico before his family moved to California.
Also, he didn’t learn ASL/English besides Spanish until he had bouts with mengingitis at age 8 or so that resulted in him becoming deaf. Because of that, he enrolled at CSDB and it is where he acquired ASL and English.
December 12th, 2006 at 9:01 pm
Bob was not prelingually deaf. He was Spanish (mexican version) speaking. He did not become deaf until he got spinal menginitis at age 8. It is true that he did not know wigns or English until after he enrolled in CSDB.
December 14th, 2006 at 8:42 am
He is the son of immigrants working on the farms. What an amazing story. He really did extremely well for himself and is an inspiring role model for other deaf people.
January 19th, 2007 at 9:00 am
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