New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1884-07-21
LOCAL MISCELLANY.
DEAF CHILDREN IN THE SCHOOLS.
How THEY SHOULD BE TREATED-DANGER OF

HOW THEY SHOULD BE TREATFD-DANGER OF
THEIR BECOMING A PECULIAR PEOPLE.
At the great teachers meeting in Madison; Wis,
last week Professor Graham Bell made an
address in regard TO the proper treatment and in
structon of deafmutes aud children VINO are partly
deaf. This matter which has excited COZ sider-
able interest among medical and sclentlhc men IN
this city ever since II recently discussed AT a
meeting of the National Academy of Sciences
"New-York city is far behind Pit'sburg, Chicago
and Boston in regard to her method of treating deaf
children" said Dr. Samuel Sexton, of this city, re-
Gently whes speaking TO TRIBUNE reporter of
Graham Bells work. Some years ago noticed in
connection with my cases in one OF the dspensaries
that great many more children were deaf OF part
~ So than or probably any one else had suspected
Many little crea lures among the poor who passed
for stupid fools, or even idiots discovered to he
only deaf When they seemed stupid II was because
they could not hear what was sald-not because
they were unlnteligent. They did not go TO school
teachers were bothered by them or concluded that
they did not know anything; and so the parents
thought il of nc to send them | called the at
tentlon of the Board of Education TO the matter
and suggested that the pupils IN the public schools
especially those who seemed llttle slow, should he
in some way tested for taer hearing, ami IL
1t found that they did not hear well
that they should have especial pans
taken with then by the teacher; that they
should have front seats near the tcacher-in
word that the fact that these pupils did not hear
well should be taken INTO consideration. Well,
nothing came of If. ! was referred TO the Com
mttee on Teachers but there II ended
"More recently, since the subject of the proper
education of the deaf has been before the pubic
through the efforts of Dir. Graham Bell. again
fried 10 get the Board of Education TO have the
teachers take some pains with partly deaf chill
dren but could not get any suggestion so lar as
the Board III session IL was plump'y sat upon by
the preSid cnt. All the same, something better
ought To be done IN this great city. Not only Tor
the partly deaf. but those which are wholly so.
Neither class ought to be taken from their families
aud sent to intitutonS where they meet only I'M
furtuuates like themselves. They ought to he al
lowed 10 live At home and To attend day schools
which should be annex to our present pubnc
schools or even more Intimately connected with
that system than an annex. IheY might go
in and sit with children who can bear perfectly.
They would learn much from observation merely
from object teaching especially; and then there
could he special teachers for those who would
adopt the same methods as are now pursued IN the
so-called public institutions which cost an I'M
mcnse amount of money. Extra teachers o. TINS
kind would I've good as extra teachers Tor French,
German, Spanish in fact, the expense of mStruc-
ton would be leSScned since, the same number OF
teachers could do the work and the pupils would be
boarded at home.
This is not a new or novel idea II has been
urged for years. In Chicago, III Boston and Pitts
burg they treat deaf children in day schools IN the
way have suggested. 1t has an excellent elect:
The unfortunate creatures whose hearing is not al
right do not grow a peculiar people, but they be-
come rational beings. and much more intelligent
than is possible when they are cOoped up by hem
selves.
AT least something might he done IN our day
schools for children who pass for stupid when they
are only hard of hearing. There are l,OI4 deal
mutes in New-IOrk Ihepartly deaf must be three
i'm manVN