The evening times., 1896-07-07
OF DEAF MUTEs
French Champion Of the Oral
Method in Washington.
CLAIM OFRIVAL FACTIONS
Difference of Opinion Between the
Two Factions In Deaf Mute Instruc-
ton In This Country Has Reached
the State Of Open Warfare-Drs.
Bell and Gallaudet Opposed.

DR.. Alexander Graham Bell, the eminent
electrician, and Prof. E. n. Gallaudet OF
the Deaf and Dumb Institution, are the heads
| or the two great opposing schools Tor the
instruction of mutes. Dr.. Bell is planning
TO bring the controversy prominently be-
| fore the country and settle the merits OF
| the disputed points. He has now as his
guest Prof. Joseph Marius Magnat, the
| great French instructor Of the deaf and
| dumb, who has been the leader in his own
country of the school Of instruction cham
! pioned by DIR. Bell. With DR.. Bell he Will
attend the meeting of instructors at Mount
Airy, near Philadelphia, and attempt to
demonstrate the superiority OF his method.
The system taught by DR.. Gallaudet here
proposes to combine what is known as the
oral method with all that is good In the
old sign language, in which the hands and
even other members Of the body are EN-
pIoyed in giving expression 10 the thought.
DIR. MAGNAT's CLAIM.
The oral method relies wholly upon the
movements OF the lips and other vocal or
gans. Dr. Magnat claims for 1t that 1t
puts deaf mutes on level with their rel-
low men, at least so far as conversation
among themselves Is concerned, and en-
ables them to understand readily what
those say who know nothing OF the sys-
TEN. OF course, they cannot make them
selves understood by such persons.
He tells with enthusiasm how mutes, tax
en- in their infancy, nearly all talk freely
by the oral method as they grow up, and
four-fifths OF those who have learned the
OF, oil talEprs ny
his system. OF the progress of the oral
system in France he says:
"The National Institute has been slow to
give up the old way. We showed at Paris
in 1878 that this was the true scientific
way, and that it is comparatively easy OF
acquisition. and the advantage OF its stu
dents being able to understand everybody
madeitthe only one tO be considered. Teach
ing by signs is simply a waste of time. But
1t was not till the congress at Milan in 1850
that we won a complete victory.
ADOPTED IN ALL COUNTRIES.
AFTER that the oral method was adopted
in all French, German, Italian, Spanish,
Bel gian, Dutch and Swiss schools. The
| director of the National Institute at Paris
resi gned and was succeeded by N. Peyron,
who used the purely oralinstruction. Other
con crosses were held at Bordeaux in
1881; Brussels in 1883. Paris in SS4, and
1885. and in every one the new system was
more firmly established in favor.
My pupils are now scattered through
| out Europe. Inithis country NJ. Trepanner.
| at Montreal. a director whose success has
won him much reputation, was under my
instruction. and employs the oral lmetl!od ex-
ciusively.''
Prof Ma gpatis small man. about sixty
five years old, with sharp, gray eyes and
| a quick, ca ger manner. He was a leader in
the revolution that closed in the elevation of
NapoleonII II To the eimperialthrone, and W as
twice wounded at the barricades. fight
| ing for the rights of the people.
WHAT THE OTHER SIDE CLAIMS.
Prof. Gallnudet. on the other hand, has
the weight OF conservative methods and
long experience in this country on his side
His father was the first instructor OF mutes
in America, and the success OF father and
son has made the reputation Of the school
here world wide. Prof. Gallaudet holds
that the new method is unsuccessful in SO
! many cases that it is not good practice
To rely upon 1t exclusively; further, that
alone it is seldom u satisfactory way of
communicating ideas. He says too much
time is occupied in attempting to train
the child merely to talk.
This time, by the method with the
manual alphabet, is used in giving the pupil
instructions in the rudiments Of numbers
and in other topics Of education. The
result is that when the child, taught by the
oral method has. by tedious and painful
application, learned to communicate with
reasonable freedom. If that time is reached
at all, the pupil Of the other method is
talking easily and has learned much else
to fit him for the struggle of life.