Waterbury evening Democrat., 1888-02-03
THE DEAF AND DUMB.
VARIOUS METHODS BY WHICH DEAF
 MUTES ARE EDUCATED.

of the New York Institution for Their
 Instruction-System of Manual Train
 ing-Work Turned Out.
 In order to prepare the mute for inter- course with the speaking and hearing world 1t is necessary to acquaint him with the ls h. guage of words in their forms of script and speech. The system employed for this pur- pose at the New York institution is the one perfected by the present principal, Isaac Lewis Peet, IL. D., who has been an in- structor within it's walls during the past forty years. The teacher provides himself with twelve objects, the names of which, embracing all the letters of the alphabet, are written upon a blackboard. He points to one of the objects and then to its name upon the board, repeating this process until the pupil catches the idea that the written word represents the article, and can himself point to the word when the teacher touches the ob- ject This is repeated in connection with each of the other articles until the pupil is able to associate the name with the object at sight. Then the pupil is taught to spell the words by the manual alphabet, after which the teacher repeats the letters in alphabetic order, requiring the pupil to point out each letter as it occurs in the list of words on the board. Next the pupil is taught to write the words by copying them from his books, and then to write them without copy when. ever the corresponding words are shown them.
 When this has been accomplished the mute is taught the use of the personal pronouns in connection with verb. A simple sentence, such as Touch the key" is written upon the board, and tsc pupils are required to pass il singh fife and perform the task designated Then the teacher writes the question, "What did you dos" and ach pupil is required to write, '1 touched the key" When this lesson is thoroughly learned the use of the other personal pronouns is taught ill similar man. ner. Then by degrees the adjective, the rel ative and demons.rative pronouns, the moods and lenses of the verb, tho vari forms of the predicate of the English sentence, the use of abstract terms and what may be called English idiom arc excessively developed on substantially the same principle.
 TAUGHT LIP READING.
 When the pupil has made sufficient pro gress he is prepared for conversation with speaking people by articulation and lip read ing. This is imparted by system recently devised by Dr. Feet. The department de voted to it is under the direction of Professor E. Henry Currier. It is based upon the faci that all sound has its fixed, definite position upon the lips, and the mute is taught to watch tho speakers lips and other organs of speech so accurately as to discover the words uttered, not by context or guess work, but by absolute recognition of theIr phonic ele- rlents. Under this system it becomes DOS sibie for a mute and speaking person to carry on an extended conversation u on almost | any subject. The articulation of the mute | is, of course, crude, and, in some cases, un- pleasant to Q sensitive ear, but it rarely hap pens that it is SO indistinct as to be unintelii- gible.
 In connection with this system there are two departments in the institution for deaf children. Ono is composed of children hav- ing sufficient degree of hearing to enable them to repeat sounds after the teacher, and yet not sufficient quickness of hearing to en. | able them to attach significance thereto, ard ! thus learn language ill the usual way. The | other class, which is larger, is composed oi | those to whom the tones of the human voice
 their own as we'll as that of others, have | been revealed for the first time through a l flexible ear tube.
 Not very long ago it was considered i'm possible to educate the hearing and develop 1 theApeech of these people so as to place them absolutely upon the same level with speak. l ing and hearing persons. But the seeming l impossibility has been overcome by a simple ! contrivance invented by Professor Currier | This consists of an ear piece and two tubes with a mouth piece attached to each The pupil places the ear tube in his ear, and the
 teacher first speaks through one tube. Then the pupil, through the other tube, repeats the | words or sounds that have been uttered tc
 him through the first tube, thus enabling \ hi Lie that of his instructor, and by repeated trials cure the reproduction with clearness and pre- cision. Tho success obtained with this in
 strument is simply remarkable.
 THE MAIN OBJECT.
 l As the main object of the institution is to provide the mute with means of obtainina | a livelihood, q system of manual training i: | carried on hand in hand with mental devel l opmcnt When each male or female pupil ar rives at tho ago of 13 years (unless physically
 incapacitatedD he or she is assigned to some form of employment, at which three hours
 are spent each day.
 1 A practical printing office under the direct l ion of mute foreman is in full operation
 there and turns out work equal to that of tn,
 general run of job offices. It does all th,
 printing for the institution, including tho on
 uual report, and last year it took in S1 AIS fol
 custom work. A newspaper is also printed
 there which is edited by mute who possesse
 all the instincts of a modern journalist.
 In the carpenter shop the boys are taugh
 that trade in all its branches. They do al
 the repairs to tho buildings, and it is estima
 teti that their work last year saved S, III. Il 1 to tho institution. They also turn out som, 1 fine specimens in cabinet work All tn,
 shoes distributed to the inmates by the in
 stitution arc made by the boys in the sho'
 shop, where they are taught all the details c l practical shoemaking.
 Those whose inclinations run in that direc
 tion are afforded every facility in the tailol
 shop for acquiring the trade. There, too,
 number of girls are taught to sew upol
 mems garments, and tho shop last yea
 turned out s2,013. F worth of clothing.
 large farm is also connected with the institu
 tion. There those boys agri-ulturally in
 clined can put their inclina oons to practica
 use. For the employment of the girls ther' 1 is Q seamstress' room, where almost ever,
 article of female apparel is made, and larg,
 amount of mending is done, and alteration in garments are made.
 1 Every effort is made to inculcate goot
 manners, refinement and good taste. II furtherance of this on art department is con
 nected with the institution. In it each pupi