New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1846-03-18
words. The following ex,rac, upon this subject
from the Report Of the Committee of Instruction de-

from the Report OF the CoulLliItee VI i"'
serves 20 be read and considered;
The only other system which has recel.eo lsvor Is
dIe,;ngui.hed Theoretically By its use oil articulation IN
Tho Mace of sgos Us An in. truuen OF INSTRUCTION Is
NOT our purpose to enlarge the characteristic oier-
Of the two systems anu me Fesa a fo,r
e The German and French schools respectively, each
rs,en has had its admirers. and 1t is therefore no
novelty al this Gay TO hear mat me eai ana ouIno can
no ,auoht 70 speak Indeed 1t would seem TO be most
n.,ursl for the FIRST attempts In educating deaf mute,
10 reach mis- tongue and IL would De only alter
the failure Of efforts in this way that other more
practicable Eoethod would be devised Hence we find
In history OF deatmute instruction that most inya-
riably Inc earlier Instructors tried teach their pupils
an oral language. Even in me Seventh Century accord
ing TO the venerable Reoe, tEcr. Hist Vol. v Chap -
John Bishop Of Haguata6 took charge of deaf mute
and succeeded in teaching him first the sounds Of the
letters and then the pronunciation OF words aud phFaseE
in connected sentences The first practical treatise on
the pr, Of deamue instruction published BY John
Paul Bonet Madrid in 1920 In this WORK the autnor
gives specific directions upon the manner OF teachine
deaf artcuate each nj fhe eers oil the aPheoet
and utter words in continuous discourse Peter Ponce
OF Spain who preceded Bone. also taught articulation
Efforts of the came kind were made by Wallis and
Holder in England, Van Helmont and Amman in dol
land kereer and Arnold in Germany Ernaud ana tue
Able Deschamps in France. and many others IN later
times especially in Great Britain and Germany In the
countries last mentioned many schools SUI make uee O!
articulation TO greater or less extent
But the attempt 10 restore speech the Deal and
Dumb clnss has never been successful individuals
received benefit from efforts mace 20 ch!
ercise their vocal oreenb but wheoeVef suosthnls,
gain has resulted to the pupil By such exercses VIII
be found either that he not entirely deaf and DUMB
or if he were that he had enjoyed better advantages
than could be afforded generally such pupils, or vas
possessed of superior natural abilities. In the wonder
ful achievements recorded Of some who nave been
taught arcuute it has not been stated es shonld
have been that such persons had never lost entirely the
use Of speech Their education consisted IN improving
Il faculty which they had never wholly lost. And even
when pupil has ceased 10 erticuiac, having IN early
Il,
known to those all familiar with the practice o! deal
mute instruction that in the acquisition OF written
language the progress Of persons OF this casa is much
more rapid than that Of one perfectly deaf and dumb
I'VE have alluded 10 distinction which is not always
taken into consideration and which has important
bearing upon the discussion OF quesons reatlTe 10
systems Of instruction II s established fact that
persons dumb in consequence OF their being deaf
If the deafness be entire and has been from Birth the
individual without special instruction, will be perfectly
dumb Not being able TO hear any sounds, he VIII lot
ms other children DO. naturally learn initiate them
But if the deafness be partial then in proportion as vo
cnl sounds are distinguished he will copy them, and
utter similar sounds with his voice. There are five
degrees Of inrmity of hearing. MS distinguished by the
celebrated Dr.. tard, formerly Physician to the Royal
Institution at Paris In his able work the Diseases OF
the Ear and Hearing, (des molddtes de rorene Ct dc
rdvduion):
lst That in which articulnte sounds are percepblo
when pronounced in an elevated tone of voice.
"2d. That in which analogous artcustions are liable
10 be ccn!ouuded
"Sa In which articulation is lost, and iniona;ion is
alone dis,inguishable.
4,h. In which heavy peas as OF artillery Of thun.
der ony are percepble and the human voice no longer
produces impression upon the
'5 Profound deafness.
IAN Institution for the Deaf AMI Dumb properly in
cude persons in each Of these various classes for they
are not able be taught by the ordinary methods OF in
suction in schools designed only for children who can
hcnr and speak ThCY require special instruction. But
such difference Of condition as appears in these FIVE
classes would srecest difference in the mode Of
instruction. Usually from onc.fh to oneeghth of the
pus of Deaf and Dumb Institution have some ability
TO ercuatc at the sine of their first admission The
mos, Of these retain degree of hearing the Others
though entirely deaf still able TO speak having learned
In use their vocal organs before they lost their hearing
Some attention has been given TO this class of pupils
from time time since the establishment oil our lnstitu
ton But the eoris their behalf have been limited TO
individuals and general classification has been Effected
So ia, regular could be given thon, in dir
tircon from others The desirabcness OF such an Or
ranzation has been often subject Of remark, and has
been alluded with favor in the Annual Reports of the
Institution In the last Report after referring TO tie
reasons which Ind appeared TO the Board decisive
against any attempt IN teach articulation 10 the bulk oil
orr pupils il j. added p. ID The formation OF class
TO include hose whose attainments, IN this accomplish
ment were likely 10 be OF some value, still seemed de-
srable but in Tic way Of this there and still are,
many grave Obstacles the principal Of which the
expense TIE favored class the hind-ance 10
their mechanical instruction and The invdieusncss o
r,akng selection Rev Nj Day, in his very able and
conclusive Report on the Schools for the Deaf anc Dumb
in Central and Western Europe, expresses the following
onjnon - Tha, in spite * the peculiar dhculhes, even
deaf mue frem BIRTH by unweared pains, and the eX-
ueuGure al much time. might, Ia certain extent DC
Taught TO articulae in Engish. have no doubt, and,
where parents have the necessary leisure would oy no
| means be understood iissuading them from the at
tempt but regular part Of sssm o. pGbtc fdA-
cation It's iatroducton into or IastaattoHs am per:
saadsi aroEld be serious misfortune 10 ne cause o. isJ
| and Dumb instrUctiO7
"He then adds - That there few. usually recS-
oned among deaf mutes, consisting OF those to whom
hearing the power Of speaking partially remains 70
whom instruction in articulation ia desirable IS sell
evident These of n peculiar character ana
are TO be decided on By themselves.
Similar sentiments are expressed by Mr. Weld. the
PRINCIPAL of the American Asylum in the extended and
valuable Report OF his visi, tho Institutions tor the
Deaf and Dumb in Europe during the last year. He
says
can then recommend no fundamental change III the
system pursued In the Institution with which am con-
tll use q oil the facilities afforded By our present system
s 6utr make and to devise ard adopt every
original adoption OF our system by Mr. GnllGudet truly
thankful that he led TO its adoption But would by no
their theories in their practice We have improved on
original system snd We may set improve, aud ought so
10 do certainly in pracice-i( possible, in theory.
Though then cannot recommend the adoption Of The
Gsmsr, other system instead OF our own still dc
respectfully recommend Ss an additional means oil useful
ness the giving OF instruction in articulation and in aba
reading to certain classes OF The pupils OF the American
Asylum in this number would include especially those
ptions Of deaf and dumb PERSONS SO called often
mentioned in my OF the Europsan schools who
ain in degree the articulation they acquired
before becoming deaf aud those W no sill have scme dis
crniusl- hearing These on tie whole, the classes oil
principally henentei ATTENTION AtCclatCn IT
Inc articulating schools have visited abroad There still
another class whom would exclude from The benefits
OF fair pertinent mean those few indeed In number
blt found wo possessed OF superior raura
mowers and IN nil under favorable ciTcum
are Undertake The labor and found 30 perse
ver.ng aad successful warrant its continuance
In view Of the manifest advantages 10 be derived y
a portion OF the pupils OF our Institution by afordinG
them facilities for instruction in articulation, and read
ing upon tho lips, the Committee would respectfully
recommend that such OF the pupils shall be deemed
capable Of receiving benefit from the exercise o; ihe
organs OF oh and practice in aba reading be pro
vided with the meas OF regular instruction in these
branches The details of the plan OF instruction they
would leave Tor future adjustment.
The following letter from young deaf and dumt
child may be deemed by some TOO childish for Sc
grave place as this, bat we must give it as an IN
stance of how much pure happiness may be afforded
by little nc; of thoughtful kindness. We should
for oar own part prefer being the sver OF The
swee. kitten to almost any Office in the git OF tht
State OF New-York Blesi be the charities OF dali!
,i,nN,- ~