Evening star., 1897-03-06

placed after "cat" were then rubbed out
and the child wrote ''eats the bird In their
stead. The teacher then erased the sem
space before bird" The child quickly in
sseted little in the space Another space
was indicated before cat and the child
wrote the" therein. By thus represent
lures. objects and gesticulations these
children are taught to write simple SEN
tences. They do not begin with their writ
ten alphabets. which ordinary youngsters
the deaf and dumb alphabet or sign Ian
guage. if they do not already know it.
They learn to write words words.
Learning Trade.
In another class room a woman instruc-
tor-whose speciality was 'articulation-had
seated before her four little girls. Ar
ranged before them were charts represent
ing cross-sections of the human head, the
vocal organs being conspicuously indicated
Each division of the chart contained a let
ter of the alphabet. while drawing along
side showed the positions of the tongue.
lips. teeth and other organs of speech,
when they arrange themselves to pro-
nOunce it. When l entered these children
were reading simple words from cards held
in their laps. After each little girl read her
word the teacher made her repeat it until
it could be distinctly understood Some
times a child was required to place her
finger upon the teachers throat. or against
her nose. as the word was properly pro-
nounced, in order that she might feel the
vibrations and thereby ascertain whether
the sound was cultural or nasal. An ex-
plosive was explained by placing the child s
hand before the teachers lips, that the sud
den outflow of breath might be felt. The
words pronounced by these beginners were
hardly capable of being understood by one
unaccustOmed to hearing them from day
to day, as in the case of the instructor.
Never Heard His Own Voice.
When the little girls retired there entered
young man, who looked to be in the
neighborhood of twenty. He had good,
strong face, his features being somewhat
Napoleonic and in his dark eyes there
fingered rather a dreamy. sad expression.
Have you any news to tell me this morn
ing?" was the teachers first question. In
deep. manly voice, suggesting chant
rather than informal discourse. he recited
to her some Cuban pews, which he had read
in the morning paper. After this he read
from a tenxt reader and related an ex-
perience he had had in the city, where a
dishonest bookseller had day or two ago
presented him with a counterfeit half dol
lar in change This was well said. and l
could follow his meaning almost through
out Exclusive of its strange chant, his
speech sounded more like that of a for
than of person suffering from an i'm
pediment. This young man was born to-
tally deaf, and had never heard his own
voice.
The Sign Language.
The procedure in other than the primary
and articulation classes was similar in
principle to that in schools for hearing and
talking children, the main difference being
that the sign language was substituted for
speech, almost altogether. Even the
slightest remains of hearing detected in
any of these afflicted ears is cultivated to
the utmost within the possibilities of mod
ern surgical skill 1t Is often possible to
train deaf ear which has never impressed
the memory of Il sound upon the brain. In
this training the is exercised by the
application of sounds through hollow tubes
In some cases there is used an improved
electrical device which administers a sort
of aural message.
Students in the collegiate department both
recite and receive instruction in the sign
language. The professors deliver their lee
lures silently. depending upon their hands
to express their ideas. The regular morn
ing as well as the Sunday religious serv-
ices in tn college chapel are conducted in
the deaf mute alphabet entirely.
As Athletes.
The young men of the Gallaudet College
foot ball and base ball teams, which COM
pete creditably with teams of neighboring
colleges. have a peculiar advantage, exclu-
sive of their excellent physiques. which,
by the way. they are compelled to develop
according to a rigid rule OF the institution
Their signals are all given in a language
foreign to their adversaries Every few
weeks during the college year the young
men and women are permitted to meet at
a hop. The orchestra furnishing the dance
music must always include deep-sounding
n he Yrin oiS tv,
cadence. The music of this instrument Is
1ot perceptible to the ears of the dancers,
but is heard through their toes. 80 to,speak
Its vibrations are taken up by the ball
room foor and can be distinctly felt by
those gliding over it. President Gallaudet
said that almost all of his pupils have a
modified appreciation Of music If suffi-
cfently near to 1t they can distinctly feel
Its vibrations In the air against their
bodies. A band is partc uiariy agreeable
to them for this reason.