Draft:Alto May Lowman Kavanaugh

Alto May Lowman Kavanaugh was born on October 31, 1869, in Leithersburg, Maryland to Samuel F. Lowman and Catherine E. Nigh Lowman. Alto became deaf and semi-mute around the age of eleven from scarlet fever. In 1885, she started school at the Maryland School for the Deaf Fredrick, she graduated two years later in 1867. She was encouraged to continue her education by several of the teachers at the National Deaf-Mute College, also known as Gallaudet University. She entered the National Deaf – Mute College that same year, she graduated in 1892. She was the first deaf women to gradate with three -years bachelor's degree program in philosophy from Gallaudet University.

In 1992, Alto started teaching at the North Dakota School for the Deaf, she taught there for two years. A few years later she started teaching at Maryland School for the Deaf from 1897-1900.

In the 1900, She married John Kavanaugh Jr, John was also deaf, and he came from a deaf family, this was his second marriage. They had two children together, Katherine Mary and Samuel Dennis.

Alto May Lowman Kavanaugh died at the age of 42 on June 17th, 1912. Her daughter was eleven and Samuel was nine, when their mother passed away, her son Samuel Dennis died a few later after his mother death in 1916.

Alto May Lowman Kavanaugh continues to live out her legacy in the Hall of Fall in the Gallaudet University, she is honored through the Lowman Street that was named after her. She was one of the many pioneers for deaf women around the world to continue their education.