Fredrik Glad Balchen

Owing to his economic difficulties, Balchen started teaching at Ole Jacob Broch and Hartvig Nissen's Latin school.

The King had erstwhile announced a state stipend to a person taking an education suited for creating a deaf school in South Norway.

[note 1] The executive board at the deaf school in Trondheim was sceptical towards Balchen, apparently because of his lack of religious education.

He nevertheless gained a half-year stay at the school, impressing the authorities with his command of French orthography.

He was also appointed member of a committee to prepare a law granting deaf, blind and those with developmental disabilities the right to compulsory education.