, 1876-03-03
The Case of Laura Bridgeman.

In a village in the mountains of New
Hampshire the late DR.. Samuel G. Howe
found the subject of this sketch, then six
years old, blind, deaf, dumb, and nearly
destitute of the sense of taste, scarlet
fever having deprived her of these gifts
She was thus excluded from all the beau
ties of God in nature, and seemed little
better than piece of marble chiselled in
human form, and that soul containing a
tlickering spark of an immortal soul.
Her father was well-to-dO farmer, and
her mother a woman of much intel
igence, who gladly consented to place
her little daughter in care Of DR.. Howe
Accordingly, she was brought to Boston
and process of instruction Immediately
commenced. She was first taught to use
her hands and tOacquire a command OF her
muscles and limbs, and afterwards, by
means of pen and pin, to distinguish
two articles by arbitrary signs. Then
from monosyllables she learned all the
letters of the alphabet and how to arrange
them to represent objects. She soon ac-
quired a knowledge of numerals, punctu-
alton, &c, and then she gained the power
ofexpressing thought, the names of things,
&c. The next process taught her was to
recognize the same signs in embossed
types. She worked with great eagerness,
thus rewarding the watchful care of her
devoted teacher. Miss Bridgeman is now
in her forty-sixth year, and between her
home and the Perkins Institution she has
passed her time thus far. She is tall,
slight, graceful in form and motion,
wears green bands across her eyes, IS very
demonstrative, and her face at times
radiates with emotion. She dresses with
great care-more to please her friends
than herself-and takes pride in showing
her gold watch and other feminine orna-
mentations. Sheis quite expert in crochet
ing and plain needlewOrk, and takes much
delight in assisting one of the teachers
in the sewing department. A few days
ago she was at work with perhaps dozen
of the pupils, turning the hens ofnapkins
and threading needles with her fingers
and teeth. She exhibited some of her
hemming with as much pride as a soldier
bearing trophy from battlefield. A
lady on the occasion referred to made a
purchase from her of crochet mat, and,
with clear articulation, Miss Bridgeman
repeated the word "money" twice. She
can utter intelligibly the name of teacher
and such words as baby, &C. She forms
words with lead-pencil by the aid of a
French writing-board. This latter article
has grooved lines about an eighth of an
inch deep, an inch or so apart, running
transversely across the pasteboard. She
takes her paper and presses it into the
grooves, thus making depressions which
can be felt by the pencil point and when
slightly pressed leaves letter mark. In
furnishing her autograph she writes above
her name. scripture text. On being
asked if she realizes the meaning of the
quotation, "The Lord is my Shepherd,
she replied, "Fully." On learning thai
her questioner had been a Sabbath-schooI
teacher for-eighteen years she clasped hel
hands with delight and made an attempt, il
a rapturous manner to speak, giving forth
a lurid-like sound. Miss Bridgeman, aftel
the death of her father, was selfishly de
prived of the little property he left fol
herself and her mother, and she continued
to earn little money by the use of hel
needle. She, however, possesses the in
tcrest of bequest Of $4,000 from tn,
Loring fund. Yesterday this lady wa!
feelingsactually the dssth Of the Gobll
man who brought out her imprisoned
! spirit ts9H eiiaos. She is living monu
meht of his devotion, patience, hope
waiting, watching, and giving of eyes Il
the blind and language to the dumb lips
The Emperor of Prussia sent DR.. Howe
gold medal for his marvellous achieve
ment in educating Laura Bridgeman
The attention of the European world wa
first drawn to Miss Bridgeman's mos
extraordinary case through Charles Dick
ens's 'Notes, in which very full accoun
was given and adeserved eulogium passeC
upon DR.. Howe.-BostOn TraUelEer.