Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1896-07-29
VOICELESS CLUBS.
THEY ARE SOCIAL ORGANIZATIONS
WHERE DEAF MUTES GATHER.

THEY ARE SOCIAL ORGANIZATIONS
WHERE DEAF MUTES GATHER.
Quiet but Animated Discussions of Lead
ing Observation-Disclosures Clubs Which
Contain Record Makers-New Fields Are
Opening For Speeches. Workers.
Deaf mutes, who have been supposed
to lead a life of silence and uselessness,
are rapidly forcing themselves into
prominence.
There are in this city a number OF So
cial. literary, athletic and benefit clubs
the members of which are all deaf
mutes, many Of whom make their own
living by following a variety OF voca-
lions. In certain classes Of work the
deaf mute has proved himself fully as
competent as the man endowed with
speech, and in consequence the field OF
labor in which they can earn a llvell-
hood is being constantly enlarged.
In speaking about deaf mutes, for
whose good and education the Rev.
Thomas Gallaudet, D. D., has worked
for over half century, the preacher to
the silent said: ''There are throughout
the state of New York nearly 40, 900
deaf mutes, large number Of whom
have passed through the institute at
Lexington avenue and Sixty-seventh
street, and as they grow up enter the
world and battle for their livelihood.
ssFor this purpose we have in this
city the Deaf Mutes' Union league, the
Lexington club, the Quiet club. the
Manhattan Literary association and the
Ouod club. It is here that the largest
number of mutes Is to be found, as they
naturally like to live near those SINH
larly afflicted, SO that they can exchange
ideas and enjoy the social amenities of
life.
"The Union League Club Of Deaf
Mutes is a social club, with rooms at 2O5
East Sixty-seventh street, and while the
members meet to a great extent for So
cial purposes the interests Of those who
are similarly afflicted and mutual help
are the chief objects Of the members.
"This club and the Quod club, which
has rooms in Waverley place, hold meet
ings every week, when different subjects
are brought up for discussion. Many Of
the members take great interest in
politics, and silent but exciting argu-
ments often take place.
SSTLo A461o+ia o1,,I ;o q
club of mute athletes, with rooms in
the Cafe Logeling, where many Of the
members meet every evening. There are
among them several men who have
made records for themselves in the ath-
letic world. They are enthusiastic bicy-
clists and have very good baseball
nine, which plays the smaller clubs in
and around the big cities and have an
annual series of matches with the boys
Of the Institute For Deaf Mutes on
Washington Heights. They never talk
back at the umpire.
Besides these clubs there is the
Guild Of Silent Workers, that meets on
the last Tuesday Of each month at 224
Waverley place. The officers Of this
guild are the Rev. DR.. Krans, president;
the Rev. Charles Chamberlain, chap
lain; S. M. Brown, secretary, and w.
G.. Jones, treasurer. The Manhattan
Literary association is, as its name i'm
plies, given up to literary work, and its
members meet on Thursday evenings at
the Waverley place house, listening to
lectures, papers, etc., and always end
ing the evening with sharp and critic
al discussion. The chief object Of this
association is to bring before deaf mutes
the best literature of the day, and espe-
cially any matter that may be of par
ticular interest to themselves.
with regard to the trades and pro-
LESSONS that our pupils take up in after
life, there is no reason why any Of the
young men who pass through our insti-
tute should not find employment. They
are thoroughly competent to do excel
lent work in many branches Of trade,
and numbers do SO. At present we have
two men in the distributing department
of the postoffice and few in the Gus
tom house warehouses.
Sin Washington quite a number Of
mutes find employment in the different
public offices. The men work as cabinet
makers, shoemakers, printers and cooks,
while a large Lumber are employed as
packers in large wholesale and retail
stores. Deaf mutes are we'll adapted for
farm labor and nursery gardening, and
quite number get such employment
1.-The women, as rule, become ex-
pert seamstresses, and much Of the fin
est embroidery work is done by them.
They readily learn the ceramic art, and
many of them earn good living by
painting on china and such work. Quite
a number find employment in the big
bookbinding establishments, where they
readily pick up the work and give great
satisfaction. At the Gallaudet Home
For Deaf Mutes, on the Hudson river,
near Poughkeepsie, we teach the men
how to become farmers, kitchenmen and
flower gardeners. Our 1855 acres of land
are as well cultivated and as productive
as any similar plot of ground. It is only
after they have been trained here that
they are sent out to work as laborers
and gardeners for those who apply. -
New York Recorder.
Brain Measures.
A machine in operation at the Uni
verslty of New York is known as the
pendulant chronoscope. By means of
this experiments are made in. measuring
the brains Of children and charts are
drawn out giving the results. A child
is shown shutter and told to press
button as soon as the shutter drops. The
interval between the pressing of the
button and the dropping Of the shutter
shows how quickly the child can re-
spond to an optical impression, and,
consequently how smart it is. The
charts show that boys average better
than girl in brightness and general ca
pability.
Wood For Food.
The veddahs, or wild hunters, of Cey-
lon mingle the pounded fibers Of soft
and decayed wood with the honey on
which they feed when meat is not to be
obtained.