The morning call., 1892-06-08
DEAF And dumb And BLIND.
Graduating Exercises at the
Berkeley Institute.
Wonderful Progress in Learning Made by
the Eff cted Little Boys and Girls.
Diplomas Awarded.

Deaf and Dumb and Blind at Berkeley yes
terday afternoon. They were the friends
and relatives of those unfOrtunateS who are
handicapped In life's race by The loss OF one
or more Of the senses. gathered together to
note the progress in learning made under
difficulties. The programme consisted of
songs, readings and rectatOns in the sign
language, musical selections and the pre-
sen,ation Of diplomas TO eight young boys
and girls
In every department Of learning the pupils
showed remarkable advancement. which
reflects credit, not only on themselves but
upon the teachers of tile institution, who
must possess an ineXhaustible amount of
that most desirable quail ty-patience. Little
tots who had never seen the light Of day
read fiuently by the sense Of touch from
their primers, and the musical performances
of some Of the older ones who were guided
by sound alone were wonderful. Some Of
the exercises were OF humorous nature,
but there was a pathetic touch to the fun
that brought tears to the eyes Of many Of
the spectators.
The exercises took place in the large as
sembly hall of the college building. which
was beautifully decorated for the occasion.
On the platform at one end of the hall sat
DR.. W. {. Bartlett, president of the board
OF directors; Warren Oney; Professors
GOodall and Nbipple. of the institute. and
seveIa others. In the absence of Superin-
tendent Warning Wilkinson, who is visiting
similar Institutes in Europe. his brother,
Charles Wilkinson, conducted the exercises,
which commenced promptly at o'clock
After short synopsis of the past years
Work by Professor GOodall, the programme
opened with the Lords prayer recited in
sign language by Miss Mabel Gaude.
Miss Christine Lab9rraque. a blind girl,
gave an organ solo, March aux Flam-
beauX, in mastery manner. her effort
was received with a round Of well-merited
applause. The blind musicians are in
structed by Professor Otto FleissneT. organ
ist Of the First Presbyterian Church of San
Francisco, and tie instrument used was
presented by Wright q Saunders. architects
Of the institute. Next was bass solo,
''Bed0ufn Love Song" By Master William
Carroll, who impaired much expression in
his rendition of the selection. Then came
a class in reading by the blind, conducted
by Mr.. Wilkinson.
READING WITH THE FINGERS.
First little boy and girl took turns re ad-
ing from the raised letters in spelling
books, pronouncing the words clearly ard
Interestingly as rapidly as their trained and
sensitive fingers giided over the character
After Miss Kate Foley of the senior class
had given an exhibition of her wonderful
SenSitiveneSS OF touch, reading the charac-
tiers through IS thlcknesses of folded silk,
Mr.. Wilkinson explained the apparatus
with the aid Of which the blind are taught
to read aud cipher It's known as the New
York point system and consists of blocks
or types and perforated charts which cor
respond with the characters on the types.
Next was a piano solo, "NalSe>Br illiant.'
by Miss Lille Smith, whose execution was
remarkable, considering that the Dung lady
has received but one years tuition. Then
Miss Marcia Howell, a deaf girl, recited a |
poem, The Fisherman'5 Child" in signs, |
while one Of the teachers read the lines in
order that the audience might follow the |
mute little elOcutiOniSt. She was followed |
By a bind musician, Miss Mary Eastman. |
with an organ solo, which was very clev- |
erly done. Miss GusSie Mast also blind, |
sang Ave Maria" in a sweet soprano voice, |
which. with her sad face and paintive |
notes, was very affecting.
"IypewTiting by the blind" was the next |
number on the programme. A little sight |
less girl, scarcely y years old, who had |
been practicing at the keys less than a |
year, pegged out q words in one minute and |
was heartily applauded for her proficiency. /
Then Misses Mast and Foley of the senior |
class ran a race. The machines fairly |
buzZad while tie nimbe fingers few from
key 10 key, and at the end Of one minute |
Miss Foley had ratified off 81 words. Her
competitor made but "a. but she lately suS-
tanned a severe injury 10 the index finger Of
the right hand, which greatly nindered her
work.
Professor Whipple's class in articulation /
and lip reading gave an exercise, showing /
how tile deaf can converse and understand /
articulate sound by watching the move
ments of the lips. Gne young boy repeated /
passages which the professor selected at
random and read 10 him The accent and |
information were imperfect at times, which |
was only natural, and yet the deaf boy made
himse clearly understood. Mayhem Nor
ton, a small boy, stood up and answered |
dad bu Ia
Mayhem was asked how many buttons he .
had on his jacket He said six, but the rO-
fesssr could only count five Then May
hew raised his large Windsor tie, exposing |
the sixth. wheTeupOn the audience laughed /
heartily at the little deaf boys joke on the
professor.
on A HUNTING TRIP.
Other members Of the class answered !
questions. and Carrie Crawford recited the |
One Hundredth Psalm line for line by |
watching the professors lips, after which
Miss Foley sang and Edward Dugan, a
sharp-eyed mute, went on a pantomme
hunting trip with his gun aud dog. Ed |
ward shot a rabbit, which died in great
agony, after which lie emptied both barrels
into a flock OF quail and brought down five.
He also killed a duck and some other small
game. then ne grew hungry, ate a phantom
ham-sandwich, and went h ZONE loaded down
with the spOlls of the chase. This was
followed by boy and girl in passion signs,
giving clever facial expression to love, fear,
hate, cOwardce, envy, grief, JOY, vanity, re-
Yenge, etc.
While the above events were taking
place Miss Winnie Porter, the yaledictOrian
of the graduating class, was writing out
her address on number of blackbOards,
and when the time for its delivery arrived
Professor G00dall presented 1t to the audi
ence while its author stood mutely BY. The
address was neatly written. the composition
perfect and the ideas clearly and forcibly
expressed. 1t thanked the institution for
the great coed ii had accomplished with its
afflicted pupils, expressed regret at leav-
ing and closed with warmest praise for
those gentle, loving teachers who had
striven so hard to brighten the pathway of
the deaf and dumb and blind Miss Porter's
effort was heartily applauded.
After a spirited march by the piano
quartet-MisSeS FallOn and Young, Morri-
son and BaTkhausen, President Bartlett
presented the diplomas with an appropriate
address To The following graduates Fannie
Winnifred Porter, Marcia Clarice Howell,
Lille Dell Boyer. Edward Dugan, Antonio
Louis Sanguinett, George Henry Kaiser,
Mary White Eastman. Newell Lewis Perry. |
The class stood in row at the back of |
the platform while President Bartlett at
one end delivered the address. At the
other end of the line sat Professor Goodall
who translated the address In sign language
for the class as rapidly as the words LETT the
lips of the speaker.
The exercises closed with the chorus,
cry, Merry Are We" by class Of blind
girls OF varying ages. In some the sightess
Orbs were hidden behind dark glasses while |
In others the eyes were TO all appearances |
perfect Their merry song rang forth in |
1ull, strong chorus, but with the melody /
there flOated out a mornful cadence that |
touched the hearts Of those who hear and |
see and speak