Birmingham age-herald., 1895-03-01
REASON IN ANIMALS.
A THEORY THAT IT COULD DE SUc-
 cEssFULlY CULTIVATED.

Truly Wonderful Examples Tn the Dog
 Family-One Taught by the Kindergar-
 ten MethSd-A Black and Tan That Dis
 played Human Intelligence.
 'Instead of trying to learn tho speech of animals, D said gentleman interested in science recently "thcro may como time when what we now consider dumb brutes may be endowed through the efforts of man with an intelligence approximating the human intellect. In other words, the higher order of animals may be taught to reason and demonstrate their power of thought in way that would indeed be marvellous considered in tho light of the laws of naturo as we now have thom re- yealcd to us. But wo arc forced to believe from tho worlds experience in the past that all things are possible, and that wo have not by any means attained tho climax of the knowledge which NC arc to obtain in this life. In regard to the education of animals l am not speaking from theory, for have but recently had examples of the great development of animal intclli- gence which, as a starter in a new line of scientific teaching, is extraordinary, But recently there was exhibited at ono of the theaters of tho city dog whose cxhibi- cion was so remarkable that every person attributed 1t to a trick A wink of tho eye or somo movement of tho hand by the owner sienifcd to tho dog when he came opposite tho correct card Now, this dog, the owner told me- really did not reason. His power was developed by the kinder garten system of instruction and was dis covered by small child, who for amuse-
 
 playfeilow pick out numbers and cards while she was at her Kindergarten lesson. The dog was with tho child continually and soon showed signs of reasoning and evidenced m intelligence which would seem unusual in brute. Tho dog had had the advantage of all the Kindergarten instruction given tho small child and strangely had made use of it.
 Tt had learned by observation just as child does in the kindergarten. It is noth- ing surprising either when you observe how rapidly the mind of child develops under such teaching. Why, there are many instances of child being deaf and dumb or not knowing the English Ian guage, yet making almost as fast progress in the kindergarten as the child more for tunate To q person not knowing that children have reasoning powers an until tored deaf and dumb child would scarcely show more intelligence than a dog. So why should we assert that dog has no intelligence that can be developed simply because we do not know anything about itp Who knows what results could be ob- tained in tho education of dogs if the sys- tematic teaching that is bestowed upon children was given to tho cannes? Wheth- CT the deg which was exhibited here was really educated as the man claimed or not is immaterial. But that such possibility exists was proved to mo by Q personal ex- perience had with dog in the east re- gently. was in small town in Jersey, and in walking down the street one day I saw an elderly man carrying small black and tan dog wrapped in sort of a blanket which had been made especially for it. approached tho man and ven. tured that ho must think great deal of the dog from the care he took of it. A great deal, said tho old fellow, Why, if he. was my son l could not think moro of him. He has actually human intelli gence.' I told him had heard of such cases before, but had always attributed the show of intelligence to a well devised trick Well, continued tho old man, my friend, can prove to you that this dog really does reason. He will do anything you tell him to, discriminate between ob- jects and men, and, in fact, show an in- telligcnce which will surprise you. By this time three or four men passing by, hearing the conversation, became interest ed and stopped. The owner of the dog then took little square piece of black flannel from his pocket and spread itupon tho pavement. He then placed the dog upon it and asked me to tell him to pick out any one in the crowd by the description should give of him. l then spoke to the dog, Pick out the man who has the red mustache and red necktie and wearing the light checked trousers.
 II referred to man in the rear of the crowd The little dog sat up, and raising his ears looked all about the crowd. Then, as soon as he spied the man, he ran to him and jumped up, putting his fore paws on the mans legs. tried this several times on different people, and never once did the dog make mistake Then the dog was told it. He then did some addition and subtraction. then told the man that thought there was some trick about it, so he said he would convince me fully that the dog really reasoned. Now said he tell him to go to any object you may see within two blocks of here and tell him to point it out by placing his feet upon it when he finds 1t. will go into this store, out of his sight, so that there will be no chance of my giving a signal After the man had retired noticed bicycle lean ing against post about @ block and half up the road. turned to the dog and said slowly, Go find bicycle up the road,