Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1859-05-28

was WrltlnB SOME grammatlcal EXERCISES on
the blackboard As soon as we entered the
room the teacher, who appeared to be a man
about forty years Of age, descended from the
bench on which he stood, and coming up to
me addressed me with some words Of welcome
saying that he was always very glad to receive
visitors, and that he would exhibit to me
some specimens OF the proficiency to which
his pupils had attained in speaking, although
they were all born deaf. noticed q peculiar
clipping" Of some of the words and q harsh
cultural sound which be gave to Others
but supposed the teacher TO be German,
aud after thanking him for bis prolrered kind.
ness, be called mp bright, intelligent look.
ing little fellow. The boy looked closely at
the teachers lips while the latter told him to
bid us good day. The boy immediately spoke
to me, enunciating his words clearly and dis
tinetly, and with very correct accentuation,
and saiG
Glow do you do, sir T.
replied, and the teacher requested me to
ask the boy u question. / did SO, merely
moving the organs Of speech without uttering
any sound, and asking with my lips how old
he was?
lie instantly replied, Thirteen years und
half"
| Upon being told by the teacher, he asked
me, 'W here did you come fromI"
replied IN the same manner 90 before,
! from America.
| The boy repeated America" and then
tuking piece Of chalk wrote upon the black
board
! You have come from a great distance and
! must have seen great many savages who
were very wicked"
! During all this time bad been copversing
with the teacher, he giving me information
| about his pupils, aud requesting me to ques.
! tion them, without ever having II suspicion
tha. | was talking with deaf man, and lis
! tening - dumb one, and should have re-
nIained in this ignorance, had not The guide,
after he had permitted me to enjoy my error
| for quarter Of an hour, informed me that
the teacher well as the pupils had been
born deaf, and. until within the lust five years,
| had never spoken word.
| Two Of the boys stood upon platform, at
! the teacEers suggestion, and held converse
! tlon with each other, and each wrote senten-
| ces upon the board, and read them in loud
I aud dlctinct voice. Another boy was called
up apd handed book, which | opened for
him at tandom and from which be read two
or three pages, rapidly and without the slight.
est hesitation, and with a really musical aud
agreeable voice.
The pupils, Of course, receive the idea in
! tended TO be conveyed 10 them through the
! formation Of the lips, and once or twice, when
the teacher was speaking TO them, they made
a motion signifying that they did hot fully
understand him, aud once one Of them drew
him to the window, where the light played
fully upon his lips while he was uttering quite
Il long senteuce. Ofcourse they can havo DO
idea what sound is, and the only difference |
noticed between their utterances and those Of
other children wac, that the modulatons were
not always correct, and some OF them kept
the voice at the same pitch while speaking in
reading an entire sentence. But so perfectly
can they interpret the movement Of the lips,
that when placed so that they could only see
the side of the teachers mouth, they under.
stood him evidently as well MS whom looking
directly at his lips. SO perfect indeed, was
the whole exhibition, that had ] dropped in
accidentally. without knowing where | was
going. the last place should ever have sus.
pected myself to be in would have been among
deaf and dumb children.
1t was in this room alone learned from
the teacher that spoken language was EN-.
ployed. and here no sign we're used. the chill.
dreu being taught their lessons either by
speech or writing, and the smartest ana most
cupoble children are placed here. remain.
ed there au hour. and a crowd OF strange, sug
g-sliye thoughts came over me as left
Where, after such an exhibition as had wit.
messed, could bounds be put to the results oi
patient labour, where can be placed the limits
Of possibility | doubt whether the good A b.
be L'Epee, who founded the Institution. ever
dreamed that in SO short time the truths oi
the text from St Mark, which is inscribed
over the chapel altar. al ben fait toutes
chooses. Ii o ist erteudre les sourda ct par
Ter les muets," would bave been so literally
verified as had seen it during my visit.