The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1894-01-16
The Portland School for the Deaf.

Inc TOrCIaQQ ScnOOl Tor the Dear.
To the Editor fthe Press:
l believe that it is generally accepted
axiom of the moral life that the greater
the need, the greater the reason for HUI
man helpfulness. Accordingly many of
the friends of the Portland School for
the Deaf have been panied to learn that
in the sad event of Miss Barton's death
there has been expressed a strong feeling
that now is the time, while it is stagger-
ing under this dreary blow, to put an
end to the Institution altogether, or to
remove it's pupils to the Asylum at Hart
ford. Some of us feel that, in the light
of the heroic struggle for the unfortu-
nate made by the late Principal of the
school, who in some real sense gave her
life. by her untiring devotion, to the
welfare of the boys and girls in her
charge, moral is rather that there
should be renewed and greater effort in
behalf of this institution.
The simple facts of the case seem to
be .as have learned from the teachers,
that the State sends to Portland some
thirty or forty deaf mutes, at an expense
of two hundred dollars per annum for
each student. Out of this amount the
scholars board and tuition are to be
paid. As a matter of fact this sum is
Inadequate, and every year Miss Barton
eked out the necessary amount by secur-
ing clothing for the children and finding
some, srenumerative work-like Snow
clearing in.the winter, &c, to make lit
possible for the poorer students land
many of them are very poor) to live here
at all. 1t is now proposed, I understand
to send these deaf mutes to the asylum
for such unfortunates in Hartford, where
the expenses will be somewhat less than
in Portland. Can they be looked after
SO carefully there as here in their own
State? Will any one take the trouble
with them that has been SO cheerfully
taken by Miss Barton and her assistants?
There are many things to be said con-
corning the unfortunateness of this pro-
posed measure. The children have already
made an excellent beginning here in their
education and anyone who knows the
almost insuperable obstacles to the i'm
parting Of knowledge to deaf mutes will
recogize that here the well begun" IS
indeed "half done" They trust their
teachers and they are abnormally sus-
picious and sensitive concerning all new
influences Moreover, here the children
find boarding places in many different
families, where they are surrounded by
people who talk in the natural manner,
and they continually gain fresh power
of speech. In an asylum their constant
companions would be their fellow suf-
ferers, from whom they learn nothing
and (naturally ;enough) they would be
more apt in spite of stated instruction,
to fall back into the old hopeless sign
making and gesticulating, which is the
very thing the teachers here have been
SO persistentiy fighting against. Now it
is well known that the only way to adj
p0nC9tinn and Jc ic fO
place the scholar under the most favor
able conditions for such progress.
Besides those who attend the Port
land school from out of the city, there
are at present ten or dozen deaf-mutes
from Portland itself What is to become
of these in the event of the school being
closed or transferred to Hartford? Some
of them, perhaps, will be sent away, 1t
is more than possible, however, that the
larger num- Der will remain to grow up
in ignorance, with the added curse-as
if ignorance were not enough-of their
strange loneliness and isolation. Were
it not better that these should be pro-
vided with instruction here in their own
homes, than that they should grow UP
to furnish, possibly, in later years.
abundant occupation-and that at q
large cost-for the overseers of the Door
OF the philanthropic institutions? j
wonder IF the people of Portland, as
q whole, are aware OF what has been done
in this city through the method .of Visi.
BILE Speech? If they do not let them visit
the Portland Deaf School to see what
thai system is accomplishing and has
accomplished. l am glad to learn that
| Mr.. Alexander Graham BELL. the son Of
the inventor or discoverer of the method
is to be in the city to present the subject
to the school committee as it should bt
set before them. But every citizen Of
Portland who wishes to make life less
difficulty for others has some RESPONSE
bility in this matter. We ought to fee
| that now, in the presence OF disaster
| (Which though great is not without itt
| possible relief is not SO much "a good
| time to economize," to cut off and taks
in sail, but rather that sit is ga good
| timen to show a larger generosity, more
determined purpose to help. / do moi
believe that any sacrifice is in vain, but
I should be sad to think that the noble
service of SO many faithful women in the
| Portland Deaf School should have nc
better friend today than that we lightly
edge that I'VE cannot afford" to support
work of an exceptionally high character
work indeed most difficult, bui
crowned with a success that has
half concealed its difficulty.
The late Doctor Hill, whose memory is
still an incentive and an inspiration tt
hundreds of teachers and scholars-anC
we were all pupils at the feet of his
wlsdom-had this Portland school very
near to his great, kindly heart. He be-