| Olof Hanson was born in Fielkinge, Sweden and immigrated to America with his family. They settled in Willmar, Minnesota. He attended school at the Minnesota School for the Deaf [now Minnesota State Academy for the Deaf] and graduated in 1881. Hanson received a Bachelor of Arts from Gallaudet University in 1886 and his Master of Arts shortly thereafter in 1889. While at Gallaudet, Hanson participated actively in sports, studied Latin, French, and German, and spent one summer working for a draftsman in Milwaukee. After graduation, he worked in an architecture firm in Minneapolis for several years before travelling to Europe for additional training in architecture. Upon his return to the United States, he worked as a draftsman for firm in Philadelphia that designed the Pennsylvania School for the Deaf. Hanson spent several years teaching at the Minnesota School for the Deaf before establishing his own architectural firm in Mankoto, Minnesota, which later was relocated to Seattle. Hanson?s firm designed the North Dakota School for the Deaf, the Mississippi School for the Deaf, the Illinois School for the Deaf, and several buildings on Gallaudet?s campus, as well as various homes and businesses. From 1910 to 1913, Hanson served as president of the NAD. He advocated to stop using the word Asylum in the names of deaf school and strongly supported residential schools for deaf children. During his presidency, Hanson introduced Mr. Willis Hubbard during an event to honor the late President Garfield, which was recorded as part of the NAD film series. Hanson received an honorary Doctor of Science degree from Gallaudet in 1914. Hanson was religious and provided Sunday school services in Washington, Oregon, and Canada. He was ordained as a deacon in 1924 and as a priest in 1929. |