The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1870-07-25

The idea Of teaching deaf mutcs to talk
had its or gin in France many years AGO; but
il has been brought TO its fullest develop.
mcnt in this city within the last halfdoleu
years by the Institution for the Improved In.
structon Of Deaf Mutcs, nn incorporated or.
ganization, of which DR. MARK BLUMENTIAL
il President. Through the courtesy Of Judge
ALBERT L. CAuDozo, who takes deep in
terest in this bcneficcnt work, we have been
enabled to examine the method Of instruction
adopted in thi' institution for conferrng the
gift Of speech upon deaf mutcs, and to wit
ness the marvellous results which have al.
ready been achieved. The method adopted
is very interesting.
lmaCinc deaf child, say four years old,
20 be presented for instruction. The teacher
begins by making some simple motion, such
as extending one arm, which the clild is re.
quircd to initiate. Other simple motions are
successfully made, and the child initiates
them. Tho teacher in due time gradually
passes on from simple TO more complex
movements until finally whole system Of
calethcnicsis thus Numerically taught 70 the
pupil and ii becomes almost az natural for
him to initiate his teacher rs to breathe.
The habit of facilc and instantaneous mita
tion having been thus fastened upon the
child, the teacher proceeds to use it as
leverage in raising the deaf mute into a con
versntionGl being. For this purpose he
enunciates nm elementary s)unl OF the Eng
lish language, say that which Is represented
by the letter p in the word rap, giving the
sound in a greatly exaggerated manner, so
that the acton Of the organs of speech shall
be plainly visible to tho pupil, who, initial.
Ing the action OF the teacher, makes the same
motions Of the organs Of speech, and uncon.
sciously produces the same vocal effect. In
a similar manner, and by slow degrees, the
learner taught to make ali the elementary
sounds in tho language, without ever hear
Ing ono of them, and also to write the
letters which represent the sounds and he
Is then taught, by course of object les.
sons, to combine tho sounds and also the
letters into monosyllaLl 8.
For example, before the pupil Is taught to
spell, or speak, or write the word Knife, n
knife is shown to him, and he is made clearly
10 comprehend that what he is about to do, or
what lie does, with mouth or hand, means
knife And 30, all through the course Of in.
struction, every object Is shown 10 the pupil
at the time he is taught ts name ; or if the
objects themselves cannot be bad, the b, 81
nttanablc drawings or pictures Of them are
shown. TO teach the alphabet, and the forma.
ton, utterance, and writing Of monosyllaAlca,
Lakcs about six months after which words OF
any length, together with phrases AMI sen.
fences, are taught.
The pupil having been thus furnished
with vocabulary and n knowledge Of
objects, and taught to write as well os speak
the words, the next step is to teach him al.
stfact IDEAS and enable him to lay rational
hold upon the world Of mind and action. In
order to do this, pontomlmc, which may be
considered phase or extension Of object
toachng, is resortol to- For example: the
teacher walks up and down before the child
md says, Il am walking" The child imi.
Rates the teacher. walks to and fro. aud