The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1896-10-01
DEAF MuTEs ARE PRoEANE.
They Swear with the Wave of tho Hand
with the Greatest OF Ease.

They Swear with the Wave of tho Hand
with the Greatest of Ease.
Several frantic passes of the hand in
front Of companions face, and man
who never had spoken word and never
will speak word had sworn at the
other as plainly as if the articulate
words had been shouted. 1t is some
thing of a puzzle to many how persons
who cannot hear u sound acquire q
profane vocabulary, but the solution Is
easy. The average deaf mute, educated
by the most approved methods, can tell
what q person is saying by the move
ment of his lips, provided they be visi'
BILE. Deaf mutes who can read the
movement of the lips or the sign Ian
guage study the Bible, and in conse-
quence they are as familiar with the
phrase consigning sinners to everlast-
ing perdition as are those gifted with
speech and hearing.
Following this line of argument, one
of the most successful teachers of the
deaf and dumb in this city said re-
Gently: at is not at all difficult to see
how the deaf and dumb learn the use
of profanity. 1t is strange thing, per-
haps, but they rarely make their pro-
fame signs except under circumstances
which provoke any ordinary person to
the use of profanity. On the other hand,
deaf mutes vary in temperament as
widely as other people, and where one
has seemingly complete vocabulary OF
profanity, others seldom or never give
expression to such sign language"
Said another instructor: at is some
thing which we cannot explain any
more than can parents, as a rule, tell
how their little children, brought up
among all the refining influences of
home, learn to swear almost before
they can talk plainly. Like other things
which we have taught, the pupils pick
up profanity in the streets from seeing
men swear at one another, and when
one learns the use of profanity the 9TH
ers soon pick it up"
There is no greater authority in the
country upon the subject Of deaf mutes
than Rev. Thomas Gallaudet, who has
been a preacher to and teacher Of those
without speech or hearing for half a
century. His father, Thomas NJ. Gal
laudet, in 1917 founded at Hartford
Conn.,, the first school for deaf mutes
in this country, and in 1859 Rev. Thomas
Gallaudet began his mission worl,
among them.
DIR. Gallaudet said, when asked about
deaf mutes and their ways: "Asidt
from their inability to speak or hear
deaf-mutes are in no wise different from
other persons. They have the same
feelings and the same passions, and in
their way express themselves just as
forcibly as those who speak and hear
AS matter of fact the sign Language
used by these people is, in many cases
more expressive than any spoken
words, and in cases of anger the deaf
mutes find no difficulty in expressing
themselves or making those with when
they are angry understand exact.
what is meant.
ITO express sorrow for anyone thu
deaf-mute will assume n sorrowfu
countenance, and rub his hand over hi
heart in circle, meaning thereby tina
sorrow is grinding his heart. In ange
what is more expressive than an angr,.
countenance and the clinched hand
shaken above the head?
"The sign language for deaf-mute
was invented about $50 years ago b.
Able De l'Eppe, teacher in Frenrl
school. He noticed the signs which Thu
childen made to each other and under
stood. He elaborated these signs and n
a result what is known as the manua
sign language was evolved. The ora
system, or that of understanding b,
means of watching the lips of tin
speaker, was late invention. Their
are to-day between IS and so schools Il
this country for the instruction Of tn
deaf and dumb. There is also colleg
for them at Washington, D. c. Most o
the schools teach what is known rs tn
combination system, which is both tn
oral and manual systems combined
There rs a church mission in this cit,
for deaf-mutes and the Gallaudet iIonl
for Deaf Mutes, on the Hudson river
just below Poughlicepsc."-N. Y. Re
cortler