When sign language had been in use in Finland for about 20 years deaf people in Turku started to gather in the home of teacher Fritz Hirn and his wife Maria. Influenced by Swedish example, Hirn founded the first deaf club in Turku in 1886. The goal of the club was to raise the educational level of deaf people and to secure their social and legal status.

By the early 1900’s there were approximately ten deaf clubs functioning in different parts of Finland. The clubs became centres for the social and spiritual life of deaf people – hence the expression “a second home”. When the use of sign language was forbidden in schools, the deaf clubs became the promoters and preservers of sign language.

The clubs wanted to increase joint activities and to centralise the advocacy work, and therefore The Finnish Deaf-Mute Association was founded in 1905.