Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-05-25
ESPECIAL TELEGRAM TO THE D1srATcH.i i

ESPECIAL TELEGRAM TO THE DIsPATcH.I
BOSTON, May A.-Laura Bridgman, the
famous blind and deaf mute, who for over
80 years has been a living exemplar of the
methods of the Perkins Institution for the
Blind at South Boston, died at noon to-day.
She was born in Hanover, N. H, December
q, 1929. When she was 2 years old a Sc
we're illness deprived her of sight and hear
ing, and consequently of speech. Her sense
of smell was also destroyed, and that of taste
much impaired. At the age of 8 she was
placed in the institution, where the Super
intendent, Samuel c. Howe, undertook the
difficult task of instructlng her.
DR.. Howe began her first lesson by giving
her the word "knife," which was printed in
raised letters on slip of paper, and moving
her fingers over it as the blind do in read
ing. Then she was given the knife, so that
she could feel the label on it. and the sign
indicating likeness, which was made by
placing side by side the forefngers of each
hand, was conveyed to her.
HOW SHE LEARNED.
By repeating the process with other
articles she was led to understand that the
were affixed, and she showed great pleasure
at mastering her first lesson. Then the
operation was reversed, and the labels hay
ing been given to her she would search for
the article and designate it by this means.
To form words from letters she was supplied
with sets of metal types, and in less than
three DAYS she learned the order of all the
letters of the alphabet.
In about two months she began to use al
phabetical signs as made by the fingers, ex-
amining an object and learning its name by
placing her right hand over that of her
teacher, who spelled it with her fingers
Then she learned to spell words herself, and
was delighted with the finger alphabet, as
being much easier and more rapid in appli-
cation than the old method, with types.
Later she learned to write, and also became
very expert in talking with her fingers. She
also learned to count, TO measure time with
great accuracy, and to strike single notes on
the piano in perfect time, quite correctly.
MADE IMMORTAL BY DICKENS.
On January %, 1842, Laura was visited
by Charles Dickens, who was so much inter-
ested in her that he remained several hours.
His visit is described in his "Notes on
America"
When she was II she suffered from sick
ness which caused her to become very much
emaciated, and to take hardly nourishment
enough to keep her alive, but her mind
seemed brighter as the body failed, and at
last the vital powers began to rally slowly.
When her health was restored she studied
algebra, geometry, philosophy and history.
A remarkable faculty was her ability to
read character, and this she did literally at
her fingers ends. She was very thoughtful
of her friends and liked to aid the poor. At
the time of the famine in ireland she
bought with money which she had earned
with her work barrel of -four, which was
sent to the sufferers.
In the summer of 1852, when she was %
years old, she undertook to make her per-
manent home in her fathers house in Han
over, but she became so homesick that at
last she was confined to her bed, and DR..
Howe, who went to see her, found that she
was
ALMOST AT DEATHS DOOR.
He had her brought back to the institution,
where in time she fully recovered her health.
During subsequent visit to Hanover, in
1868, she was baptized and admitted to mem
bership in the Baptist Church, with which
her parents were connected.
Her death was caused by erysipelas,
though she was sick for nearly fortnight
before the disease took fatal turn. The
facts of her life have been referred to by
theologians, philosophers and medical men
all over the world, and her physical and
mentvl condition aroused the greatest inter
est until the hour of her death.