Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1889-05-11

also to the country "a a whole. for it has re-
suited in giving to it hundreds of useful citi-
zens who might otherwise have been left in an
extremely helpless and pitiable condition. was
due. in large measure, to the interest taken by
the Rev. Mr.. Gallaudet in the little deaf-mute
daughter of DIR. Mason F. Cogswell, of Hart
ford. This little girl. Alice Cogswel is the
one represented in the statue. In 1914 DIR.
Gallaudet had just graduated from the Andover
Theological seminary and intended to enter
the Congregational ministry. He devoted con-
siderable of his leisure during the winter of
1S14-15 to the instruction of little Alice. and
succeeded BY patient effort, i'll Importing to
her knowledge of many simple words and
sentences. This achievement led DIR. COgswell
to consider the idea of the establishment
of school for the deaf in Hartford. and a
number of the citizens of the town were
called together by him to consider the matter.
As result funds were raised 10 send person
to Europe to acquire the art of teaching deaf
mutes. Dr. Gallaudet was urged to take this
mission. and after some hesitation accepted. and
henceforth his life was consecrated to the work
with which his name is identified He went
first to England but not being successful in his
efforts to obtain the necessary training there,
he proceeded to France, where he was cordially
received by the Able Sicard, the director of
the institution for deaf rnutes i'll Paris. The
Able Sicard was an associate and pupil of the
Able LIE pee, and with him had studied out a
sign language by which deaf mutes could learn
with the methods pursued in the Paris institu-
ton. DIR. Gallaudet returned to Hartford in
August, 1916.
THE FIRST SCHOOL.
In the following April, funds having been
raised for the purpose, the school was opened.
A grant of $4,000 in aid of the new institution
made by the legislature of Connecticut
and during the winter of 1888 Congress
made grant of township of land to the insti
tuition. The sale of this land yielded fund of
more than 100000. The institution thus e5-
tsblished, and which has since continued in
successful existence. hOnored the mother
school. remained under DIR. Gallaudets man.
agement for fourteen Years. By il more than
1000 children have been educated, and its
teachers have been called upon to organize and
take charge of schools in various parts of the
country. From this school, opened under
the wise guidance of DIR. Gallaudet,
have sprung all the fine institutions
for the deaf in the country. There are now
nearly SIXTY schools of this character in Amer
lea. Statistics show that in no country in the
world has tine education of the deaf been so
well provided for as in the United States. Dr.
Gallaudet resigned the direction of the school
in Hartford lit 1880 on account Of impaired
health, and some years later became chaplain
of the Connecticut Insane asylum. lie, how
ever. all through his life, which ended in 1851.
took the deepest interest in the education of
the deaf. He edited the American Annals of
the Deaf and Dumb"
DIR. GALLAUDET's SON.
The name of Gallaudet continues to be asso-
ciated with the work of educating deaf mutes
in the persons Of the sons Of Rev. Thos. II.
Gallaudet. Rev. Thos. Gallaudet, the older
son. after assisting in the Hartford school, was
engaged for fifteen years as a professor in the
New York institution. Having been ordained
to the Episcopal ministry he founded in 1852
st. AIMS church for deaf mutes in New York.
and has since then been the rector of that
church. Through his efforts services for deaf
mutes have been established in several other
cities. Rev. Thos. II. Gallaudet founded the
first school for deaf mutes. and his son. DIR. Edw
NJ. Gallaudet, founded and developed the first
institution for the higher education of the
deaf-the National Deaf Mute college in this
city. After two years experience as an
instructor in the Hartford school he was in
1857, made principal of the Columbia institu-
ton for the deaf and dumb, in this city, an
institution which came into existence chiefly
through the muniicence of the late Amos
Kendall. In 1864 the National Deaf Mute col
leSe, which had grown out of DIR. Gallaudet's
efforts. was founded by Congress, and Dr. Gal
laudet became its president, an Office he has
ever since filed. 1t is on the lawn in front of
the college building that the statue OF the
revered Thomas II. Gallaudet will be erected