The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1896-05-14
MISS EMMA GARRETT.

School, was thoroughly educated wo-.
man OF great energy and wonderful ca
pacity for work. She was student III
the Boston Schoolof OratOry during the
winter of 1S77-7S and made special
study Of the mechanism of speech and
the teaching of speech to the deaf
Her life in Scranton. while compara-
lively brief, was noted for Its earnest
ness, activity and usefulness. Nearly
seven years of tireless, self-sacrificing
work was wrought among us. Her ef-
forts in behalf of the deaf impressed
her friends most forcefully with the
idea that few women possessed such
marked ability to awaken the dormant
ideas and powers of expression in the
deaf
The patience and affection displayed
toward her children was something be-
yond ordinary comprehension and of
these the Pennsylvania Oral School
stands as a monument. The first In
structon of the deaf in this part of the
state was in the year 1882, when the
sign method was taught to a class Of
eight children by Rev. j. NJ. Koehler, of
the Episcopal church. in room pro-
vided by the board of control. The
large proportion Of deaf in this locality
and the possibility Of providing an e1u
cation for them was question worthy
the attention of Mr.. Henry Belin, jr,
Judge Hand, Mr. w. T. Smith and other
prominent men OF our city. Before
taking any steps to establish a school
in this section Mr.. Belir. at the sugges-
ton of Mr.. A. Sidney Biddle, of Phiia-
delphia, visited Miss Emma CARROTS
school and there saw for the first time
the pure oral system of teaching the
deaf. So impressed was he with the
superiority of this system over the sien
method. that upon his return pure
oral school took the place of the sign
school
on the 10th of September 1SS3 Miss
Mary Allen, of Chester, a former stu
dent of Miss CARROTS, was appointed
teacher The school opened In a small
wooden structure built by the Method
lists and used as a church in the pioneer
days of Methodisn. Very little prog
ress was made during the first year. At
the beginning of the term. September.
1884. Miss Garrett was induced to come
to Scranton. The small class previous
ly under instruction began to drop out
one by one, and ii became necessary to
canvass the country and by personal
appeal bring in the afflicted ones of the
poor. Many a tiresome ride was taken
into the rural districts and often amid
squalor and filth did she find her sub
Ject. III one Iaflily IOuf uHIoTtunateS
were found. Nearly every call made Il
demand upon her purse, and the
amount she contributed to her mis- on
in life will never be known. 1t was no
easy thing to keep these children IN
school after you had secured them. OBJ
staces of every conceivable form were
placed in her path, and often from most
unexpected quarters. but q woman of
such courage was not daunted by these
seemingly mountainous difficulties, and
it Is not surprising that the work has
reached such magnificent propor-
tiOnS.
During the winter Of 1884 Miss Mary
Garrett. now principal of the home for
the training In speech of deaf children
before they are of school age. BROUGHT
several scholars here and gave an exhi-
bition of the oral system of training.
The result was most satisfactory. In
1885 the board of control appropriated
81 600 for the maintenance of the school.
In the meantime It's friends were at
work. The late John b. Smith, OF Dun
more. gave a valuable plot of ground
i'm North Park. Miss Emma Garrett
enlisted the cooperation OF Lieutenant
Governor Watres, coupled with that AZ