"Silent Promises" was the one where Laura teaches a deaf student how to sign. As I was watching it again, something dawned on me. I wonder if they wrote that episode because of Melissa's success in her portrayal of Helen Keller?

"The Miracle Worker" was released in 1979 and "Silent Promises" aired in January of 1980.

In this episode Melissa was more like the Annie character (teacher), but there were some other similarites that reminded me of "The Miracle Worker."

What do you think?

(As we mentioned in an earlier thread, Laura sure learned sign language pretty quickly! I know people that have studied it for several semesters and they aren't as proficient as Laura was in a couple of weeks!)

Laura learned it pretty quickly.I wish I could do that!:( It reminds me of the Bonanza episode Silent Thunder,where Little Joe teaches Ann Croft how to sign.:wave:

I'm still studying it,and I don't have everything memorized,yet.I want to teach deaf kids at MSD.

I recently watched the first season of The Waltons on DVD and they have an episode where a lady leaves her deaf daughter on the Waltons doorstep to keep her husband from sending the child to an institution. The Waltons end up taking the child to a doctor where they learn she is deaf. The doctor gives them a pamplet about sign language to take home. It seems no sooner do they get that pamplet home then all the Walton children seem to be profficient in sign language and are taking turns teaching the deaf girl. Amazing how fast you can learn something on TV!