Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1892-11-28
THE SIGN LANGUAGE.
A Statement of tho Points over which
Two schools Arc wraMrilng.

Two schools Arc wrangilng.
During the convention OF deaf mutes In
this city, clear and woighty statements rs
TO the use OF the sign language wero mado
nt considerable length by PrrNdcnt J.. NJ
GRllaudet and Professor j. -. liotuhkiss,
Of the National College for Deaf Muioa,
and by Dr. Poet, Of the Now York school.
Shorter but no lcsa emphatic declarations
came from the Rev. DR.. Thomas Gallaudet,
Principal job Williams ana other speakers.
All united ia approval Of the sign method.
With no thought OF adding TO what has
been 80 wcll said by somn OF the highest
authorities ia the country The Courant
will try to explain TO those who aro not
familiar with the subject what the quns.
ton at issue really Is, and why IL has made
so much stir uinong teachers OF the deaf
md dumb, Disrcgarding The early tenta-
tive nttcmpts az instruction, and coming
down to the dmo when deaf mute schools
were established ia some numbers in thla
country ADD In Europe We lind two sys-
TENS ia use-that which employs signs and
the finger alphabet, and that which at
tempts to teach speech and lip reading
Not mnny yesss ago HE form.r was In
almost undisputed possession OF this field
IN this country, More recently the other
has become prominent, largely through
the onthusiasm of DR.. Graham He'll over
his system Of visible speech The dispute
between the schools X really whether this
latter system shall be taught alone signs
being dlaroyardod, or shall be- an adiuuct
to instruction based on the sign method,
the lattor bring used by all In the school,
and instruction IN articulation and lip
reading given to all who show that they
profit by IL In u degree commensurate TO
the time AID labor required.
The American asylum, for instance like
most schools Of Ia class, gives instruction
kased on thosign language tooyory scholar.
But wh0novor a new pupil arrives he "
also put Ia chnrge Of Il teacher OF artigula.
ton. A moderate percentage, chiefly
those who have lost their hearing through
sickness, make such progress as 10 justify
continuance OF the instruction. Those who
do not are after a time relieved Of the work
at articulation.
Practically, then, one system rejects and
forbidA signs, which arc n natural means
Of communication between deaf mites:
the other uses and develops this natural
Language, unitcs it with the use OF the fin
ger alphabet aud add instruction IN Artic.
ulation for all who Gun profit by H.
It lsworth bearing In mind that Presl-
dent u. NJ. Gallaudet, DR., Thomaa Gallau,
Diet and Dr. Poet grew up among deaf
mutos, learned their language ~ readily
md perfectly as that Of their own intherH,
arc familiar from childhood aud through
mature life with the feelings, mental op.
erations, limitations aud capacities Of deal
mutos, and probably are rs competent 90
give final Judgment 10 the matter as any
three men ia the world. Professor Hotoi'
kiss, as highly educated man. drnf from
childhood. but possessing the power d
speech, Is another authority who secs tla
question from q slightly different stand,
point. All these are agreed as 10 the great
advantages offered by the sign language as
means Of instruction.
It Is probably safe to Gny TINT few a
those who oppose It have this ontirc famit
iarity with t. lisa language Of wondur
fni resource. rapid aud capable Of precise
expression 20 n degree not dreamed OF Wy
those who have not thoroughly studied a..
As TO the rcsult Of the presnnt dispnte,
time will show, but them are indications
that the schools which forbid signs and
trust TO articulation have already seen
their best days Tbs method which most
easily aud perfectly opens the MUD, pro
NOTES general education, establishes rc.
letion with tho outside world aud fariii'
tatcs rapid and accurate intercourse under
an conditions - tho one that must prevail
Hartford Courant