Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-10-13
Concerning Deaf Mute Charities.

To the Editor OF The Evenin. Star:
In his admirable and intrepid report on the
charities of the DEtric. the superintendent of
charities is neither correct nor consistent in
persisting in viewing the education of the deaf
and the blind as a charity. Were his contention
true the terms public school, and ''alms
house" would be but different names for a pub
lie charity. In fact the system of public
schools of Pennsylvania was rendered useless in
the early days of the century by being called
'.poor schools" And today in Paris, where
the school provides lunch tor the children,
those who are too poor to pay the small fee are
given meal ticket in such way that none but
the two parties directly concerned know of the
transac ton. The same dread of the aims house
that deferred the unfortunate woman spoken of
by the superintendent from sending her mother
TO the poor house deters many a mother from
sending or even permitting her deaf child to
attend what she thinks is specialized poor
house. Who that has ever read Mr.. Dickens
"Our Mutual Friend" can forget the mortal
dread Of the poor house exhibited by one of the
female characters OF that novel This is senti-
ment, it is trne, but sentiment plays a much
greater role in this world than logic. There
are many more that can feel deeply than think
deeply. aud it should never be forgotten that
though our Christian civilization has failed to
cure the propensity TO vice it nevertheless pro-
duces shame. II has yet to be proved
that the great friend of liberty, equal
ity and fraternity. j. J. Rousseau, was perfectly
right in unloading his children on a common
public charity of Paris, that the Latin and Hell
lenic civilizations were right in exposing their
weakling offsuring, some TO perish. others to
be collected and reared for prostitution. II
new ethical ideas and a logical tsrminology are
TO prevail the old should not be sapped by in
direction; Or, to use the quiet rhetoric OF the
superintendent In regard to substituting chari-
I ties. lit should not be allowed to come about
without being decided on, and it should not be
decided on without being considered"
In Chicago there are several public schools
/ for deaf children, but they only differ from
the other public schools of the city system by
being taught by persons who are qualified to
teach children who have not the full compile
ment Of the human faculties Of sense. In Wis
consin there is o state law granting aid to
! towns establishing day schools for the deaf.
Surely there is no propriety in calling these
schools charities, FOR the public schools are
not charities. As early as 1870 Mr.. Webster, in
his Plymouth Rock GRAFTON, claimed that New
England Was entitled TO the highest praise for
| having been the first to adopt and constantly
maintain the principle that 1t is the right and
| the duty OF the state to instruct that part OF
| Itself called the young. Size thus assured BY
law what III other countries aud in other parts
y; this country had been left to chance, church
| or charity. And Ito leave national education
TO chance, church or charity is a national sin. ,
The influences which have occasioned the
VICIOUS propensity to look upon these insstu.
tons for educating the deaf and the blind al
public charities father than public schools
are TO. One is the very small proportion OF
| the body polite who attend the institution,
and the other and more important one is the
fact .ha, the early schools of this country es
| tablished for the deaf usl6) and the blind
Gs29) took their tone from the European es
Adjustments, after which they were modelled
while the free school Of New England was o.
| native growth.
| therefore do hope that the Superintendent
will recognize the Justice Of the foregoing ar
guments and not mar the ability Of future re
ports BY adding another defect 10 the dea
| or blind child. A.