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Deaf National Archive New Zealand
Deaf National Archive New Zealand
BIOGRAPHY
Mary Elizabeth Johnson has contributed to the Deaf community as a hardworking and willing volunteer for over 50 years. She was recognised in the 2010 New Years Honours list when she was made a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit (MNZM). Mary has been involved in the New Zealand Deaf community in both social and sporting activities with three different Deaf Societies: the Otago Deaf Society, the Manawatu Deaf Society, and the Auckland Deaf Society. She was a founding member of the Otago Deaf Society, where she served as president, and was also a founding member of the Manawatu Deaf Club. Mary has been involved with the Auckland Deaf Society since 1977, where she has been the president of the Senior Citizens Group of the Auckland Deaf Society and has been involved with many committees. Mary has served the Deaf Association of New Zealand and the Deaf Catholic Ministry, where she has been a member for over 20 years. Mary has also been an active member of the Mt Tabor Trust for over 20 years and has been involved with the New Zealand Sign Language Teachers Association since 1997.
1970
1984
1963
1969
1971
1973
1990
1992
1982
1981
1980
1980
1976
1986
1985
1964
1965
1969
1965-66
1966
1966
1967
1967
1968
1968
1984
The Sign Singers perform at the Dunedin Deaf Club in front of Deaf members and their friends.
1975
The Deaf community gather in Christchurch for the NZ Deaf Sports Convention in Labour Weekend, 1975.
1950
The Government’s National Film Unit follows the City District Health Nurse as she visits students at St Dominic’s School for the Deaf.
1998
The fine women of the Manawatu Women’s Group celebrate their 30th birthday, and tell stories about their time in the Women's group. Games, cake-cutting, photo montages up for viewing and lots of reminiscing, before the ladies head out for a well-attended dinner at a restaurant open to all, even the men!
2002
Manawatu Deaf Society celebrates its 40th anniversary with a packed weekend-long programme in September 2002.
1976
The Open Indoor Bowls Championship for the Deaf was held in Dunedin in 1976. Christchurch and Dunedin teams battle it out, with the hosts winning a hard fought contest 298 pts to Christchurch’s 272 points.
1984
Footage from the 40th Anniversary of St Dominic’s school for the Deaf in Feilding held in June of 1984. This video shows a tour of the school grounds, welcoming speeches to attendees and the celebrations that follow over the weekend.
55-65
Footage from 1955 – 1965 during the annual Christmas Picnics held by St Dominic’s School for the Deaf in Island Bay. In New Zealand fashion, Santa arrives on horseback, bringing presents to the pupils who all take turns riding the horse!
1965
Several clips of teaching and classroom scenes at St Dominic’s School for the Deaf, with one-on-one speech therapy, oral communication methods, a physical education class, the Rotarians Picnic Drive, playing with jet aeroplanes, folk dancing and their annual Christmas party.
1965
A look at St Dominic’s School for the Deaf twenty-one years after its opening at Dover Street, to its relocation to Feilding. ‘Twenty-One Years’ features speech therapy, classroom activities and ballet, swimming and sewing lessons, as well as its infamous Gala Day and a Mass in its Chapel.
1994
A group of past pupils visit the original Dover Street location in Island Bay, Wellington, as part of the Golden Jubilee of the founding of St Dominic’s School for the Deaf.
2008
A 43-minute documentary taking you through the history of Auckland Deaf Society, the second home of the Deaf community of Auckland.