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John Dutton Wright was born in Fredonia, New York on July 20, 1866. Wright was a pioneer in education of the deaf and was a strong advocate for acoustic and auricular training. He founded the Wright Oral School for the Deaf in New York City in 1892. He developed a correspondence curriculum for parents of deaf children after moving to Santa Barbara, California in 1919. The Wright Correspondence Course was later turned over to Mrs. Spencer Tracy of Los Angeles, California and became the John Tracy Clinic Correspondence Course. Wright wrote several books including, What the Mother of a Deaf Child Should Know and Speech Teaching to the Deaf, a Practical Handbook. Wright also authored several journal articles, publishing most frequently in the Volta Review.

In 1920 Wright began a series of travels around the world with his wife and two children. During these travels Wright visited schools for the deaf and helped influence the creation of Japan’s first oral school for the deaf. Wright authored several articles describing his travels to these foreign schools.

Wright remained active in civic affairs throughout his life, serving in many positions for commissions and non-profit organizations. These positions included serving as president of the California County Planning Commissioners Association and director of the Santa Barbara Girls’ School. Wright died in New York City on January 19, 1952.