New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-12-23
THE EDU CATION OF DEAFMUTES.
A LETTER FROM PROFESSOR BELL

To The Editor Of The Tribune.
SIR: In your issue of November Ia, you
gave admirable abstract of the paper presented 10
the National Academy Of Sciences, Upon Formation OF
Deaf Variety of the Human Race that hardly thought
1t necessary correct one or two slight
In the report.
As these mis- statements however have been made the
basis of Dr. Sections letter published in your issue OF
November 90 and OF the remarks Of the Rev. Dr. Gal
laude at Church published in The TRIBUNE OF 10
day. as well as ofyOur editorial OF this morning, Ibcgper
mission even at this late date make the necessary cor
rectiOns.
did not say that the sign language of the deaf and
dumb was French "a regarded nlnetenths OF the ges
lures" nor did advocate the coeducaOn of deaf and
hearing children in our public schools. alluded to the
fact that the Sign language introduced into this cO-
try from Paris and that 1t stretan OF its French
origin I'm the structure Of Of its signs; but this had
no bearing whatever upon my argument ana was quite
incidental and subordinate. The Rev. DR.. Gallaudet-
knows great deal about the gesture language than
do and find that his remarks printed in this morn
mg's TRIBUNE, confirm the views | expressed in my
paper
whether there IS or is not anything OF French or
spanish" or German" in this "idellanguage" las
Dr. Gallaudet very happily terms it, Is OF no lmpof-
lance to Amercaus but the fact that there no Eng
llsh in IS Of very grave Importance People generally
have the idea that deatmutes communicate with one
another by spelling English words upon their fingers
whereas the fact that like Dr. Gaauet, they use the
'iIea.anguaec" aud never think II words at ALL"
Only proper names are spelled upon the fingers
This was the important point alluded to in my paper:
VIZ their language not our language; ana tins leads
them to associate together in adult life and marry one
another
IL MY paper pointed out the fact that more than so
per cent OF the deafmutes who marry marry deafmutes
and that the proportion Of deaf offspring resulting from
such unions many times greater than among nearing
persons The experience of breeders in producing, by
selection permanent varieties OF or domestic animals
houd warn rs that the constant selection Of the deaf by
the deaf in marriage points to the production
OF a deaf variety Of the human race after
few generations. II Is the part OF wisdom to look
forward into the future and consider whether
such result Is desirable not. Those who believe, as
do that the production OF defective Of human be-
ings would be great calamity to the world Will examine
carefully the causes OF the inemaages Of the deaf with
the object OF applying 4 remedy Segregation in child
hood for the purposes Of education, ana the USE as
yernacular OF a language that Is different from that OF
the of the people are to my mind the main deter
ami hence of their intermarTiages The remedy ven
ured suggest in my paper was, the removal OF these
~ averuacuar substitute for the sgnansuage the
/ langiIace OF the ueoplc-the English language.
e. In place Of largo institutions where deat cnrtn
are hered together by the hundred. away from their
friends and from all association with hearing ana speaking
children substitute deaf classes IN our pubic schools so
deaf children live at home, ana DC constantly
| n contact with hearing chlluttn
While do not advocate the cO-education OF deaf and
| hearing children I think that many advantages woud
arise from proximity OF the two classes IN the same
buildng The deaf children could have all the advan
aces OF special instruction without the disadvantages OF
exclusive association with another They could even
with advantage be thrown into the same classes win
drawing Writing map-drawing, silent arithmetic etc.
and be caused TO join the hearing children III tner sdSs
snch lan would Of course involve the transfer OF the
Jnroon of the deaf from the boards OF charities to the
boards OF edueator-a change that III my OPINION WOuu
! be In every way beneficial ,,,,,
Think we should aim giving the deaf in CHILDHOOD
ma nearly as possible the environment they should
have I'm adult life Bring them together only In small
numbers In the midst hearing children In large num-
hers Bring them together little as possible ana only
for the purpose OF Instruction After schOOIh0urs sep
aote The deaf children from another TO prevent the
develoUment OF special language, aud scatter them
among hearing children and their friends In the outside
! world Yours &c. ALEX,N GRAHAM BELL
! Washington, d. c., Dec. ,, 1885,