The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1879-10-24

lrtisrsrefs IorrnAi.
Although this Is not the age Of mira
eles. Il must I've recorded that on Saiur-
day evening last very wonderful occur
renee vs. witnessed by party Of ladies
and gentlemen gatbere i'm one Of the
rarlnrs Of the institution for the deaf and
dnmh. Literally, ~fhe dumb spoke and
The deaf heard and this without the
performances OF any miracle. the aid Of
anv legcrdemain or mysterious incanta-
lion. II seemed simple enough. when
rhr fest had been accomplished. and yet
twelve months agoit could not have been
dDne-hasi Indeed been scarcely dreamed
OF a possibility OF the dim distant
future.
The scene on the occasion referred to
vas. Il need hardly be said novel aud
deeply interesting Only few persons
were invited 10 witness Il. and included
~ The select COMPANY was Jourual rep
re~.nltiive- The object was TO test the
valfe OF The newly invented audiphone
70 PERSONS who for fhe greater part Of
III. have been both deaf and speech
les Mr.. Richard : Rho lies. the in
vcntnr. waS present 70 superintent the
test. which was the more intensely inter-
e~fimg hecanse IL was the first time that
ths new instrument had been introduced
~ the pupils OF any institution devoted
cnrirely 10 the education OF slsaf mutes.
Beforc describing the test Il may be
well 70 state for Inc information ~ the
UniHformed reader that the audinhone l.
an instrument OF peculiar composition.
made in the shape Of fan. which pos
se~Ses the property Of gathering the
iainte~t sounds (somcwhat similar 10
telephone diaphregn) and conveying
them TO the auditory nerve through the
medium of the teeth. the external ear
having nothing 20 do in hearing with
This wonderful instrument. To aid IN
the experiment with the pupils. a cabinet
organ was brought in use-for the first
time. il i understood in the history oil
the institution. and class OF girls. vary
ing 10 age from II TO Is. were provided
with auiiphones- One by one the chill
crcn We're taken close up 10 the organ.
which was played bv one OF the LADY
teachers. and were asked whether. with
the use OF The instrument thew could dis
iinguish any sound. and If % whether
any difference in sounds were noticeable.
BRIGHT LITTLE GIRL
Of ten or twelve years was The first 70
whom the test was applied She had
not heard her own voice or distinguished
any sound for a number Of years. and
was regarded - stone deaf and speech
less She bal not listened more than
minute when her features lighted upl
with a smile which told the whole story.
IL was not that the music was sweet and |
pleasing-thc child's uncultured sense oil
hearing knew nothing of sweet or harsh |
sounds; but IL was revelation 10 her 10 !
hear At all When asked " whether the |
organ music appeared al one tone. herl
reply in the mute language was that she l
could distinguish what seemed to her,
different sounds; and that fact was all
that need TO be established AZ the first ex-
pertinent Several other rli dren listen
90 and with the aid o. the audiphone re-
ported Ike results, some hearing less
distinctly than Others hut all being able \
10 distinguish some sound when the or
gan was PLAYED, and noticed the differ
enre when il suddenly ceased Some of.
Older srholsrs and few OF tile teachers
then experimertef with the use Of the
Instrument until shout twenty had tried II
~ Only one. 4 male teacher reported
unfsvorably. and in his case il was adj
United that the auditory nerve was en-
fi.ely destroyed rendering ia impossible
for any mechanical appliance 10 be avail
able or useful.
ArorHEs TEST APPLIED
was 70 repe&t two or three letters cf III
alphabet 10 tie deaf mufes. who were
asked II they could Distinguish the diff
ference In sound between .a.- III andl
"sf.." Simple as this NAV seem 10 those
who have always had the full enjoyment
OF the senses Of speech and hearing. II
was ~ difficult 10 the deaf mutes rs i'll
would be for an ordinary mortal to tell
70 first hearing the different shades OH
meaning attached 10 the T-nffipIicifv b,
vowels in the Fiji language Except Ill
the case Of mutes who AZ Some time inI
their past life have been able 10 hear and
speak. the mind Is perfect blank "a toI
me nearing Of sounds. and therefore ALL
thaf could be done At = FIRST trial was fol
a~~frfaiH whether the audiphone enable
fhefn \ hear wi-h snch disiincfness a. tol
recognize arv Difference In sounds. and
NJ tais exreni the exr1primental fs-f oil
lA-t sturdy was quite satisfactory
phe ~ tne most experienced teachers inl
lNf NsilirAion -f.'nl 10 the Journal rep
tentative, during the evening. that. al
though he did not think the andirhoneI
would pnf an end 10 his occupation as q
teacher ~ LEAF nnics. vet hr Hid believe
.r 'Ht'Furenf wouif nroye very SER
Fics'Hne r persons whose anfsffOrr nerve
nAi not been destroyed bv disease.
hose who were partially deaf wonldl
doubtless he able 10 hear with the aid oil
tne aufiphOne much more easily and