Henk Betten

A Deaf Journey Through Time Henk Betten

In 1938, Henk Betten was born as one of seven children in Langedijke, the Netherlands. Henk and one of his sisters were Deaf from birth. Educated vocationally at the Institute for the Deaf in Groningen (now the Royal Kentalis), Henk eventually managed to find employment with a bank. After retirement in 1996, Henk volunteered as a librarian at the Royal Kentalis, researching and publishing several books, including a biography of the founder of the first Institute for Deaf education in the Netherlands, Rev. Henri Daniël Guyot (1753-1828). Having read extensively about Deaf experiences throughout the centuries, Henk thought it would be nice to bundle some of these stories. Their common theme is Deafness but the experience of being Deaf has many facets, from frustrating or even painful to positive and uplifting. Some stories date all the way back to antiquity and biblical times. Others were lifted from classic, canonical authors. Henk also included a few of his own reminiscences. The book ends up looking forward to a more promising future. As we have stepped into the 21st century, where technology keeps opening up new opportunities, it is even possible to imagine a world where Deafness is not an obstacle at all. For now, such a future might still be a dream but it is crucial to cherish such dreams.