Wyandot County Republican. [volume] (Upper Sandusky, Ohio) 1869-1903, 1871-12-21
NO. 6.

the little readers lips intently, and at the
end of each sentence up go several little
hands. The owner of one is selected, and
he tr0ts off with an air of gratified self
Importance to bring the book, or to put
Jennie on the desk, as the case may he,
thus showing that he has understood
what his clasSmate has just said. Jem-
mie, when lifted upon the desk, where he
stands half timidly, half proudly, facing
the company, turns ont to be tiny fellow
of only five years, with large blue eyes,
sunny hair, and very resolute mouth
and chin. The children then take turns
to write on the blackboard sentences
! spoken by their teacher.
In higher class, which is next mar
shaled upon the platform, there is one
little maiden who lost hearing when three
| years old. She has been under instruction
here four years, and she speaks as well as
any hearing child of her age, though
when she first came she had lost speech
entirely, but for the instruction she has
received she would never have spoken
again. A young girl of nineteen is in
this class, who is a congenital mute, and
never received any instruction until she
came to school here, her,friends preferring
to keep her at home and communicate
with her by natural signs. She has been
here two years, and now she speaks so as
to be understood, has almost dropped the
habit of using signs, and reads the lips
better than she talks. Another noticeable
case is a colored boy of ten, who became
deaf at four years of age, and was not
sent to school before being placed here
some six months ago. He has never lost
speech, owing, probably, to unusual care
on the part of his mother. He has i'm
proved greatly since being here, and talks
very well but it is amusing to see how
the African peculiarities in pronunciation
will sometimes crop out in his talk and
he has all the marked partiality of the
race for making himself conspicuous-its
easy, good-natured, silly conceit, and ten
dency to take things easy-its impulsive
quickness of retaliation and swiftly-chang-
| ging moods-but he is no iaggard with his
lessons, and delights to learn. Some one
having asked him how old he was, he re-
! piled in loud, distinct voice, addressing
the whole company, and not one whit
abashed, that he would be ten years old
next Jinnovary" He further Informed
the audience, with grin, that he lived in
! Lennox-which he pronounced Lenx,"
very short-"on the right hand side of
the road" This happens TO be the home
of the Lieutenant Governor of the State,
who was sitting not far away.
The children in this class were put to
writing out words from dictation on the
blackboard. They were such words as
Steamboat" October" " September.
believe only one word was missed, and
that was Waterproof"
A third class was employed in writing
out on the board descriptions of the vari-
Gus objects in an engraving which was
held up by their teacher. This was done
to show their fluency in written language.
They were also exercised in sums in null
tiplication, calling out the figures as they
wrote them down and summing up the
result orally. should except one little boy,
who was allowed to do it all in writing be-
cause, though he talks very well, he is
subject to a distressing nervousness
which incapacitates him from appearing to
advantage before strangers. The poor
fellow suffers from a contraction of the
lower facial muscles, so that his mouth is
drawn to one side, and he fancies that
everybody is noticing it. His teacher re-
lated to me an affecting incident i'll this
connection.
She had the children gathered about her
one Sunday and was telling them of
Heavea. They had great many ques-
tions TO ask. "should they be allowed
to play in heaven ?" "Should they wear
long white dresses ?" and questions of a
like nature She told them that they
would be very happy and very beautiful
there, and that they would see a great
many beautiful things. Beautiful ~
Il beautiful ?" "Oh, l shall never be
| beautiful - cried out one and another,
with all the intensity of childish self
depreciation. She repeated that they
would be beautiful and free from all
! bodily defects Just then she caught the
gaze of the boy whom / have mentioned
| fixed upon her face, with intense eager
ness He waited till he saw that all the
children were looking at her, and in a
moment, when no one saw him, he made
a rapid and significant gesture and asked,
- Will my face be straight ?" Poor childi
such a look of perfect delight came into
his eyes when the teacher grarely an
swered, &" Yes"
In fourth class the children did
sums in simple fractions from the oral
dictation of the teacher, and gave speci-
mems of impromptu composition, which
they wrote ON the blackboard, and read
aloud. This class all keep daily journal,
which is read and corrected by their
teacher each day.
The highest classes were examined in
the various studies taught in other schools.
They gave some interesting illustrations
in chemistry, under the direction of their
teacher, and explained the different pro-
cesses as they went along. They were
also examined in physiology; and they
study mental philosophy. botany and
drawing.
There was one little fellow so exceed
inpIy bright in the scientific branches that
he won from the Governor the remark
that he would be heard of by and by as a
lecturer on kindred subjects.
! One must bear constantly in mind that
these children are taught entirely by word
of mouth; that no gestures are ever used,
except such ordinary ones as often occur
naturally when a speaker tries in all ways
to enforce what he is saying.-Ne'c IOrA
EceRing Nal.