Morning journal and courier., 1884-08-15
The Death of a Woman Peculiarly Un- fortunate and Very Widely Known.

fortunate and Very Widely Known.
 Julia Brace, who died at Bloomfield Tues day, has been known all over the country, and indeed wherever attention has been paid to the education of deaf mutes. She was born in what is now Newington in 1906. When about four years old she lost her sight and hearing from a sickness, and as nothing was then known of the possibility of retain ing the faculty of speech in such cases, she soon became blind deaf mute. At this time there was no school for deaf mutes The American asylum was opened when she was eleven or twelve years old, but she did not enter it till 1895, when she was nineteen years old. There she remained until within twenty or twenty-five years, when she remov- ed to live with sister in Bloomfield. Her case attracted particular attention on account of its connection with the earlier days of the American asylum, when it was still new thing and one as to which there was much curiosity and some ineredulity. Visitors who were astonished at all they saw were more astonished to see this woman, deprived of three senses and yet able to understand much that was addressed to her and to com municate with those among whom she lived. Almost all the older residents of Asylum Hill remember her well and have themselves seen what she could do. She could distin- guish the clothes belonging to different pu- pills and was employed in sorting them and putting them away. In many ways she could render much service in the daily work of the institution. She had good many curious and amusing ways. For instance, it is told that when the girl pupils were dressing in the morning and took turns before the glass to put up their hair, she always insisted on having her turn and would stand there to put up her hair like anyone else. No other place would answer the purpose, though it could of course make no difference whether she was before the glass or in the darkest corner of a dark closet Like many other blind persons she used her tongue to thread needle and did it promptly and accurately. Probably because her education began late and yet at time when much less was known than now as to the proper way to proceed, or as to the possibilities that exist, she never made much progress in language. It was,- however, easy to communicate with her as to all the common events of her daily life and she received hosts of visitors who were al-
 ways impressed with her very remarkable de-
 velopment of faculties that were so hampered by physical defects. Her case was not to be compared with that of Laura Bridgeman. She had none of the early assiduous, special l care that was given to the latter and proba- ply much less acute mental consti- tuition at the outset. In certain ways, however, what she learned to do was perhaps as remarkable. It was in the direc- ] tion of the ordinary duties of household,
 rather than in the more strictly intellectual
 training Personally she was a little
 E'queer," but no more than hosts of other people, especially such as live much. alone. One thing was noticeable. She had a very | clear notion of her own rights and did not allow any interference with them. Some times her idea of personal right was lit tie out of the common course, but she had
 no question about it, and probably could mol see how anyone should have. Since she
 left the asylum comparatively little has beer
 known of her except among those near her and some of the older persons connected with the asylum. The funeral was attended Wednesday afternoon from the house oi
 Mrs Samuel Maloney in Bloomfield. Hart
 ford Courant.