The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1891-06-11
YOURSELVES"

tuesday nlght.
YOURSELVES"
TIE deaf mutes of this country owe
much 70 Able DePEpee. Previous
10 his tine several men had under
taken Ia instruct deaf mutes in France,
bur bad failed. DelEpee first began
the Instruction of two sisters. The
success he attained was wonderful.
He Invented signs for them and soon
after No obtained more pupils and
taught them also. He established and
maincai ued a school at his own ex-
pense He continued to instruct till
1879. when he died. However, the
deaf luutes were not left without a
teecher. The Able Sicard, the COM
Pauinn of DelEpee, took his place
Del Epee's success awakened an en-
thUsiasn and others came to him to
learn Ills system. He gladly taught
GbelD. New schools were founded, and
ar present there are over sixty schools
ia France for educating the deaf.
hi ut if not all of them owe their origin
to Del Epee.
The founder of deaf mute instruc-
lion n this country was Thomas Il.
6Qiiau1et. A little child was the cause
OF 4is hecoming an instructor OF the
deaf Her name was Alice Cogswell
(5allaulet taught her words and SEN
fences ut first. He soon began to take
al !u' rest in the instruction of the
dea I'D with the help of the father
OF Ice Cogswell he sailed for Europe
IA 1915 to learn the system then in
use ia Europe. He first went to En- 20
land nat was unable to learn any
tGug there and then he went to
France. He was kindly received by
= bc Heard and given instructor :.
lie had soon learned something of h e
hr6HGA system. On coming back to
this country he brought Laurent
Clerc, pupil of Sicard, with him to
teach him further in the
system and to aid him in the
work. Arriving in this country,
tney vent about making speeches; Dr.
ft2aliaudet speaking and Clerc singing.
Thew soon had created enough inter.
est 20 insure the establishment of an
Institution. They oun"ed an institu-
zion vt Hartford, Conn, in 1917, and
called it the american Asylum for ed
ucatiug the deaf" The institution
va. g success and other men in this
country were instructed by DR.. Gal
iaudeg and were appointed as teachers
in new institutions established soon
after Since the Hartford institution
was founded, new institutions have
been established in various parts of
Sic country till there are seventy three
In ali. Most of these schools are sup
ported by the states in which they are
located.
Yne name of DR.. Gallaudet is rever-
ed al over this country among deaf
lrrres. Most OF them owe their educa
Jn indirectly to him. The American
sguoGs are generally superior to those
"a E'urope. In some the sign system
Cuiy is Employed; in others the
oral method is the only one
used and thus Others e the combined
systct1. In continental Europe most
It tha institutions are conducted by
oral nethod only, signs being excluded.
( n comparing them with the Ameri-
can .ohools we find that the pupils of
thu liter are superior in mental de-
Fa,opment TO those in Europe. The
,uhaols where the combined system is
Used are best. European schools have
about found out the mistake they are
making in teaching deaf mutes the
vii Don remedy this.
Tue American sign system is the
most perfect Of any. Signs are used
IS a medium to convey ideas to the
4Qind and are regarded as IL ispens able
in the education Of the deaf. Without
signs the uneducated deaf would be
unable to express their thoughts, as
written language conveys no ideas to
their minds. The signs used in this
country and those used in Europe are
not alike. There are some
differences, but ours are con-
-ceded to be the best. Deaf mute
graduates of the National College
are gAnerally able to make good liv
ing a ter leaving school. Many of
them become teachers to the deaf;
Others are able to engage in some of
tine same trades as educated persons
90. Deaf mutes educated at the State
institutions, while not having the ad
yantages of those from the national
COLLEGE, are not lazy, and become able
to Ter into competition for positions
OF profit. They are taught industry
at school, and on leaving are generally
prepared to support themselves. The
principal trades taught at the institu-
lions are printing, shoe-making and
carpanting. OF the three, printing is
the hest and most profitable for them.
MANY deaf mutes on leaving school be-
come successful farmers or stock rails
ers. We see few deaf mute tramps in
this country. Most of them are hon
sast, busy. law-abiding people. Many
people think that deaf persons are in
capable OF working themselves at the
ordinary trades, but this is not so.
They can work at most OF the trades,
and are often better workmen than
teafiog men. Some deaf mutes, how
ever. depend too much on the sym
pativ of hearing people. They.should
re 10 this. They should scorn pity
aus show hearing people that they
a., able to take care of themselves and
negd no pity.
Some people regard deaf mutes as
half animals, who are incapable of
learning much, but visit to any of
the state institutions will convince
them that they can learn as well as
hearing children if given an equal
chance. OF course they learn slowly