National Republican., 1884-05-08
TALKS WITHOUT WORDS
Made by the Deaf MuteS at the College
Graduating Exercises Yesterday,
The Remarks OF visitors Translated Into
the Sign Language.

ne DfO10 rOalWUN5 lchuluB up W Jub ucai
mutcs' college at Kendall Green were lined
with carriages early in the afternoon yestor-
day. The limo was nearly q half milo in
extent, and encircled the large main building
like besieging army. The students fitted
about the grassy grounds and through tho
wide and airy halls of the college buildings,
and the sedate professors wore smiles of well
como for the throngs of visitors. Everything
gave evidence that the "presentation day"
was an occasion of more than usual interest.
1t was after o'clock when the assemblago
was called to order in the large vaultcd am
phtheator Tho room was we'll filled, at
least oue-half of those present being ladies.
The students occupied seats in the annex,
which is raised several feet above the main
floor. This room is raised SO that tho stu
dents can read the sign language ovor the
heads of the audience in 'front.' Tho walls
about the platform were tastefully decorated
with flags streamers and notices. subdued
and variegated light was thrown over the
whole scono from the colored panes Of the
prayers of THO speakers and ministers
wore interpreted to the deaf mutesby
the professors with hands, motions of tho
body, and expressions of tho face. On tho
platform were seated Chief Justice Waite.
Mr.. w. w. Corcoran, Gen. Dunn, Senator
Prof. Hilgard, of tho United States coast
survey, Prof ID. c. Gilman, president
of Johns Hopkins university, Baltimore;
President Gallaudet of the national deaf
mutc college, and the entire faculty Of that
institution, besides other prominent men.
The exercises were opened by Rov. Il. ID.
Huntley, of the Metropolitan M. L. church,
and chaplain of the senate. His invocation
was rendered in signs by Rev. Thomas Gal
laudet, rector of st. AIMS church for deaf
mutes in New York. The graduating class
was then introduced. 1t consisted of Messrs.
Warren Robinson, of Wisconsin; Lewis Arthur
Palmer, of Tennessee; Il. Randall Allabough,
of Pennsylvania, and GeorgekdW. Veditz,
of Maryland. After the introduction the
graduates delivered orations in the sign Ian
guage, as follows: Mr.. Robinson, on Theory
and Practice" Mr.. Palmer, on THE lntlu-
ence of Woman" Mr.. Allabough on "The
Pyramids of Egypt" and Mr.. Veditz, on "The
Haufenstanfen Era of German Literature"
At the conclusion Of the orations President
! Gallaudot presented the candidates with
| diplomas, and Immediately afterward intro
duced the president of Johns Hopkins univer-
| sity, Daniel c. Gilman, Ii. D., who made an
! address, which was frequently appuuded. lie
said, "the old proverb AYERS that speech is
silver but that silence is golden, and have
come here to testify to the golden value Of
this institution" He then detailed the good
work that the college is doing, and said,
"the supposed antagonism i'll colleges be-
| tween the advocates of literature and science,
is only superficial circumstance. The
leading study should be humanity. The
study Of nature rebounds credit or instruc-
tors as well as pupils" Referring to labor and
education, he said, "the laborer should bo in-
structed, and learning should guide the hand.
| The spread Of Ignorance was never so marked
as now. There is great need of schools
throughout the United States" The pro-
| fessor also gave 1t as his opinion that educa-
tion would yet solve the labor question. 1t
| will provide work for the brains as we'll as
| the hands. In closing, the speaker said THE
| work of educating tho deaf and dumb of our
land is one of the best in the world. When
| we read poems written by deaf mutes as good
as those written by persons with oil of their
faculties, it speaks volumes for this glorious
work"
Prof. Gillette, of the Illinois State Deaf
| and Dumb institute, followed in an interest
ing address. His remarks were translated
by DR.. Gallaudot He first pointed at the
gold-lcttered motto on the wall, More be-
yond," and said to the graduates, "Ees, there
| is more beyond. You have just entered upon
| the race of life. This institution has been
called by some an institution of charity. l
| claim that there is not one element of charity
about it. Every cent of money that the gov
ernment expends on this institute is money
rightfully expended. This is a Christian
fland and the hundreds of thousands of dollars
voted by congress to find u few of our fellow
citizens who are locked up in the Artic seas
is an act that has been applauded by the whole
land.
The exercises concluded with the benedic-
tion by Rev. John Chester, of tho Metropoli-
tan Presbyterian church.
The audience then visited the college gym
nasium, where about thirty of the students,
in olose-Gtting navy blue uniforms, went
through with several drills and marches in u
very creditable manner. They formed in
each instance when their leader stamped his
foot. The marches were timed by the tap
Of drum.
Geo. w. Veditz, one of the graduates yes
terday passed with the highest record of any
previous graduate of the institution. His
record was 957 out Of a possible 1000. The
class as n whole average over 800 out of q
possible 1000. Tho diplomas will not be
given out until the middle of June. The
four graduates each received beautiful floral
tokens from their friends.
During the twenty years Of the institu'
tions existence 2G0 deaf mutes have been in
structed and 6j have taken degrees. The re.
ception committee yesterday was composed
of Nathaniel Field Morrow, marshall PhiliI
Joseph IIasenstab. Charles Kerney, William
Brookmire, Olof Hanson, Charles S. Deem
Albert Francis Adams.