The herald., 1894-12-09
GALLAuDET DEAF MUTE SOCIETY.
Its Origin Explained BY One
of the Members.
Grand Work Accomplished By the
Founder of 1t.
Dear Mutss Were Put to Death In
Childhood BY tho Aucisnts.
Considered to Re Hope
less Idiots.

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deaf mutes wss generally supposed &
be impossible. They were forsakeI
wholly and exiled from the community
OF rational beings. Many parents con
sidersd themselves disgraoed by hAvinI
. deaf and dumb child, and studiousl.
concealed the fact from the world. The,
were called monsters by the ancients ant
put to death whom 8 Sears old, or ~ soor
as their deafness was satisfactorily as
certained, sad they were declared to bs
incapable Of civil aots BY the code o
Justinian. They wore ignorant Of sci
encs. geography. history and morality
and above all, ignorant OF religion. Ths
poet Lucretius expressed the following
as his opinion:
To instruct the deaf no art can reach;
No care improve them and no wisdom teach.
In the fourth century 81. Augustine
Influenced 81 the d!c.sm 9! Aristotle
the great philosopher, expressed his un.
favorable opinion regarding their sbil-
ity to obtain any religious knowledge.
He declared that It was imposBible to
instruct the deaf and dumb, and in
proof OF ID he quoted Romans x IL
Faith cometh by bearing and hearing
by the word OF God." He was mis-
taken In his idea of this verse, which
was not intended for the deaf mutes.
Pliny mentions Quintus Pedius, deaf
mute. related to the Emperor Augustus,
as q successful painter at Rome.
But the bright dawn OF education and
instruction has come to these unfort.
unate deaf mutes. Deaf mutes are now
acknowledged to possess intellectual
minds. The first school for the deaf and
dumb was founded in England in 1850 ;
in France. 1853. and in Germany, 1878.
Rev. Thomas Hopkins Gallaudet, q
noted philanthropist. was born in Phila.
delphia, Pa., on the 10th OF Decem ber,
1887. and died in Hartford, c., Septem.
Der 8. 1851. GallAudet was we'll known
over the world 90 the founder OF the
fret institution for the deaf and dumb
at Hartford, c.. in the western world,
established in 1917. Gallaudet wa9 Ii.
oeneed to preach 1911, but he became
interested so soon in the instruction OF
the deaf mutss. He was sent to Europe
to study the system of deaf mute in
struction. He visited London, Edin.
burgh and Paris in 1915, and returned
In 1916 with Lament Cierc, deaf mute
teacher from Paris, to toaOh the deaf
and dumb at Hartford.
Clerc WAS one OF the ablest pupils and
assistants of Sicard. the successor OF
Abbe de PEppe, who fret founded
schools for the deaf and dumb in Paris
and invented the sign languages. The
Hartford school was opened with q class
OF seven pupils and two teaohers-Gal-
laudst and Clerc. Many institutions
have sprung up In the United States
from that institution and mutes have
become useful and eminent in various
walks OF life.
Gallaudet married one Of his own
pupils. His name is to the mutes in
the United States what the name of
George Washington 10 to all Americans.
The mutes often celebrate his birthday
and memory. The Gallaudet society OF
Los Angeles will celebrate the ami
vereary of his birthday on the 10th OF
December. Az q Christian philanthropy.
let, the name OF GAllaudet is echoed in
the ears of every mute in the United
States. His two Hone are living now.
They are great in one sense. The
fame OF their labors for the deaf mutes
prevails all over the world.
The oldest con. named Rev. Thomas
Gallaudet, jr., D. D., was q professor in
the deaf mute school in New York.
He married mute lady, like hie father.
He founded the st. Ann church for deaf
mutss, OF which he was rector for over
40 years. and also general manager OF
the church mission for deaf mutes.
Last year he resigned from the rector
ship, but he is still missionary for deaf
mutes. Edward M. Gallaudet, Phi. ID.
L. L. D., the younger son. began to teach
in 1856 at the Hartford school, and then
went to Washington. d. g., with his
deaf mute mother, at the invitation of
Amos Kendall. He organized the Co.
lumbia institution for the deaf and
dumb, and in 1884 congress established
The Gallaudet college through the aid
of President Gallaudet. to give deaf
mute young men from all states higher
,r advanced education. He originated
and is president OF this college, and also
! professor Of moral and political science.
rhe name of the national deaf mute col.
eye was changed to GallauGet deaf
mute college. 1t belongs to the United
states government, and congress sup.
,orts it.
President Gallaudet has done much to
promote the collegiate education OF deaf
nutes. They became teachers, chem.
sss, architects and editors. President
4allaudet visited England in 1886, at |
he request OF the Britieh government,
md informed the royal commission res
arding the system of deaf mute instruc.
iod in the United States. The Gallsu-
let college ie the only college at Wash
ngton, d. O., in the world to which the
nutes can point with pride.
The manual alphabet and sign Ian
uage in the United States are different
rom that of England. The mutes use
he finger alphabet in the United States,
1hile the double-handed alphabet is
eed in England. There are various
ign languages in Europe.
Germany and other countries in
,urope do not use sign language. Lip
sading or articulation is taught at the
chools in Germany. The sign language
, universal in the German province,
nd oral instruction is for the use OF
My semi mute and semi-deaf.
The debate between oral instruction
nd Sign language has been agitated in
1e United States. Prof Graham Bell
the champ of the oral system.
he readers Of your paper might have
bad about the Bell Telephone compan
/ is Prof. Graham Bell who invented
he telephone. He has a semi-mute
lie. President Gallaudet is the cham
ion OF the combined system OF the
gn language and articulation.
The Gallaudet society OF Los Angeles
i'll try to get Rev. Thomas Ga!laudet or
resident Gallaudet to come here next
lmmer, and no doubt the citizens will