Alexander Graham Bell:The Path to the

Telephone

Lauren Peters, MenteePrepared for AAM Course 195

Furman University

Alexander Graham Bell

Best known for:The Invention of the Telephone

Background Information:Before the Telephone

Bell’s mother was deaf. Bell’s father was a speech professor.

Bell’s interest in sound and speech began early in life.

Background Information:Before the Telephone

Bell’s interest in science also began early in life.

Bell, age 11, wrote “The Cottage.”

“The Cottage” included basic scientific observations.

“The Cottage”: A Collection of Scientific Observations

The Cottage

The Lightning flashed,The Thunder crashed,

The Rain fell fast and quick;My Cottage roof

Was Water-proof,The Halls were strong and thick.

The Thunder roared,The Rain it poured,

My Cottage stood quite strong;The Wind it blew

Right through and through,Then stopped short like this song.

Written by Alex Bell (age 11 ½) Oct. 14, 1858

Beyond Observation: Early Experiments with

SoundAs a teenager,

Bell experimented with sound in a two-part investigation.

Part One

“How does a voice box work?”

Bell manipulated a sheep’s voice box.

Bell made the sheep cry, “Mama!”Location of human voice

box

Beyond Observation: Early Experiments with

SoundAs a teenager,

Bell experimented with sound in a two-part investigation.

Part Two

“Can sound be manipulated?”

Bell experimented on the family dog.

Bell helped turn growls into “words.”

The result: “Ow ah oo, ga-ma-ma?” (How are you grandmother?)

Into Adulthood:Continued Interest in

SoundBell researched and taught:

Adult speech and elocution

Children with hearing and speech difficulties

College courses in vocal pathology

Top Right: Alexander Graham Bell

The Next Step:Transmitting Sound

Bell met electrician Thomas Watson

Together Bell and Watson

– Sketched prototypes for transmitting sound

– Built based on their drawings

– Tested multiple prototypes

– Filed for a patent

“Mr. Watson…come here…I want to see you…”

March 10, 1876

Bell and Watson were working separately

Bell called to Watson

Watson heard Bell, through the telephone!

Credits

All photographs are courtesy of:

The Library of Congress

The American Memory Collection

The Alexander Graham Bell Family Papers

The Telephony Museum Collection