The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1880-07-07
DeafMutes.

"How many deafmutes are there il
the United States?' inquired Detroi
reporter of a practical teacher OF deaf
mutes.
"There are 10000 in this country. Al
Flint, Mich. where there is an educa
tional establishment for them, there art
2l1. About one-half of these people art
born with imperfect hearing, and ir
consequence can never learn the trick o.
speech. The other half have lost their
speech by diseases Of infancy, more par.
ticularly scarlet fever. If they have
ever learned to talk before losing the
power of hearing, thev may retain an
indistinct speech all their lives. With
some, however, the vocal organs arc
paralyzed, and those can never be taught
lip-reading. The articulation must be
unimpaired for this system, which
brings every faculty into use"
"Do deaf mutes learn professions?"
mot as general thing. There is an
institution at Washington with a col.
legiate department, and few 60 into
postoffice or custom-house situations
There are three deaf-mute ministers. the
first ever ordained in this work: They
are the Rev. Henry W. Syle, of Phila.
delphia, the Rev. Austin W. Mann, who
has charge of the itineracy OF the " est
and the Rev. Job Turner, who has the
Southern diocesan interests. The deaf
mute usually prefers to become q me
chanic or farmer. They make good
citizens, but are naturally isolated in
their lives"
HDo thew intermarrYp"
"Yes; they prefer to. AS a common
thing it is not considered happy union
for a deaf mnte to marry one In posses
sion of the faculties of speech and hear
ing unless, as in my own case, they have
been teachers and are in sympathy with
them. A young man will see pretty
deaf and dumb girl and learn the Ian
guage readily enough, but when the
novelty wears off he is apt to weary Of
the constant demand of Interpretation.
He finds want of companionship in
his pursuits and pleasure, and the young
wife is still worse off and more COM
pletely alone"
"Are the children of deaf mutes also
deaf and dnmbp"
"There is no law of progeniture in
this matter. Sometimes they are, but
m oe frequently they are not. Chill
dren rare often born with this peculiar
ity who are the first known cases IN the
families they belong to. 1t is long
time before parents will admit. even to
themselves that their cherished darling
is a deaf-mute, and they try every
method to rouse its apparently dormant
faculties when once assured that it
really is set aside from its birth as one
dedicated to a peculiar people. They
at once make themselves familiar with
the best systems of education that they
may relieve by science and culture the
monotony of silent life" :.
A further talk with this practical
teacher revealed the fact that the deaf
mutes have no literature of their own
beyond few elementary textbooks;
that they can be taught everything that
the speaking people can excepting vocal
exercises; that they are naturally quick,
good-tempered and happy dispositioned
and eager for instruction. They have
developed artists and poets. Howard
Glyndon, the poet-author of Hartford. 1.
is deaf, dumb and blind, trinity OF
misfortunes rarely seen. Her maiden
rame was Laura Reddin. She is now
married to a gentleman who both hears,
sees and speaks, and is now Mrs. Scar
ing. Much has been written in the past
about this remarkable and highly edu-
Gated woman. The writer was once
shown a silk dress which was exhibited
with much satisfaction by its owner, a
deaf and dumb lady, as the handiWork
of Laura Reddin, who is regarded by
the deaf-mutes as living wonder.