The voice of freedom. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1839-1848, 1847-05-06

II careful not TO treat her naTShly, or even |
l. use threatening gesture, she had the wit t
c perceive that l had the power and needle
r only to exercise the will, in order to have he
/ punished severely.
This case seems to confirm the opinio
: formed by observing other blind mutes, tina
Y the occlusion Of two great avenues OF sense
' apt to prevent the harmonious development
of the mental and moral powers, by pervert
= ing the energies of the system to the undu
development of the animal nature.
/ 1t is very probable that this child had no
been wisely treated at home but as her pa
rents are intelligent and respectable people,l
is impossible to suppose that she learned b.
example the tricks and pranks which she dis
plays when excited by passion. Her conduc
that it appeared to call at once for a resort tc
the easy, summary, and certain mode of sub
DUNG her by some kind of corporal punish,
ment; but as there was danger Of driving hel
into cunning and deceit, and as we could not
tell whether her violence did not proceed from
physical causes over which she had no con-
troll, | was unwilling to have it used 1t be.
gins to be evident already that she is some
what improved, and her teachers will perse-
we're in the use of kind and gentle persuasion
unless it should become obvious that punish
niont must be used, when it will be resorted
to in such way as to prevent the necessity
| of its repetition.
| 1t would be wrong to refrain from using
corporal punishment in such cases merely
through the desire to carry out theory, nor
do we do so; the principle in our school is to
use it only after all other means have failed !;
but the other means have not failed for many
years. There were cases, in the early histo-
ry of the school, in which corporal punishment
seemed to work like charm, and its success
apparently demonstrated the wisdom and ne
cessity of its use but moro mature experience
and reflection have led me to doubt whether
the object which it effected could not have
been gained by less Objectionable means. l
will mention the most remarkable case that
ever occurred with u.s.
Soon after Me Institution was opened, a
man about twenty-five years old was brought
to us, who became quite deaf at the age of
eighteen, and gradually lost the power of
speech, until he was altogether dumb at
twenty four. lie was nearly blind, but not
entirely So He was generally tractable and
obedicnt, but occasionally refractory. One
day, he refused to 90 to work upon basket
whish he was learning to make. He was EN-
couragcd and urged, but remained obstinate,
and upon his teacher perSevering still more,
he suddenly seized an axe and struck vio-
lent blow at him; the teacher fortunately es-
capped the blow, and the man put himself on |
the defensive. / was summoned, and as soon |
as the Kan ascertained who it was, he fled |
and took refuge in the coal cellar,a defend !
ell himself by throwing large Jumps of coal at
those who attempted to 90 in and seize him.
Ia, ILL.,, ,k 1n1t h.,
punishment,and from that day forward he new
err gave us the slightest trouble.
This was our first experience in such cases,
and though it was successful, l have always
looked back upon the cruel scene with pain
1t is true, that, after the struggle was once be-
gun, it seemed necessary to decide it by force
but cannot help thinking the issue might
h ave been avoided.
There is always painful consideration
about such cases, and that is, though the per-
son may not be insane, in the common ac-
;eptation Of the word, he may be under the
influence Of physical irritation which he him
self does not understand, and which he could |
not explain, if he did, h is possible that the
little girl Of whom have been speaking may
up constitutional irritation, which occasionally
pranks for at times she INDUCES in them
without any apparent cause. Grown people
urge the state Of their nerves or
stomach in excuse for inequalities Of temper
which they would unhcsitatingly punish in
children by blows or reproofs. There is one
conclusion to be drawn from such eases, which
s very important, and that ls-the lower the
grade of intellect and the more narrow the ca
&c Lo ,>,,DI tho NJ md |
Kill, and kindness does he require at the
lands of his teacher. When the light of rea-
son burns brightly, it may suffice for the
youths guidance he may be neglected, or
even misdirected, with less evil but where
t Just glimmcrs in the socket, he cannot 90
safely alone single step, and neglect or i'll
treatment may put it out for ever.
The child last referred to has already made
very rapid progress in her studies. She has
1een under instruction only three months, /
Ind yet she has learned to use the manual al
ohabet with great ease and dcXterity,and con-
verses very huenty. Having learned to talk
before she lost her hearing, of course she has
low only to acquire the habit Of making words
with her fingers instead of uttering them with
llation, and her voice sounds naturally and
anu We Try 10 heGp up Tue use Vi
t, though she begins to like to use her fingers
n conversation, and will probably soon pre-
er to talk with them entirely. She is fond of
study, and will undoubtedly make good
scholar.
1t has been stated in former Reports, that
persons are not unfrequently blind in consc-
1uence of the scrofulous nature Of their whole
physical organization, or Of some general ten
lency to disease. This feeblcness Of organi-
cation and tendency to disease sometimes per-
wade the brain and nervous system, and then
here is weakness of intellect and want of
moral energy. l do not mean that the two
are necessarily connected, but that where
there is feebleness Of intellect resulting from
4 want of healthy tone IN the brain and ner-
yous system, there is usually a corresponding
weakness of the moral sentiments. Such per-