The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-02-14

care and educatlon OF the utdI anu
blind. The institution located in Boul-
der has been growing in efficiency since
its inception, and a recent visit OF q
representative of the Standard showed
the work that is being done. While &c
is not an eleemosynary institution IN
the common acceptance of the term yet
it lis free to all deaf and blind children
of the state. AS termed in the organic
act and therefore legally 1t is known |
as THE Montana Deaf and Dumb Asy-
lum," but ii Is not an asylum for those |
with certain of the senses lacking; II Is
school, and aims to do the work of |
the common school system though OF
course with different methods, and, too,
with many more difficulties TO over
come.
II is Differed with f. s. Tillinghast,
superintendent; Miss Tillinghast, mat
ron: Mr.. Divine. instructor in the prl-
mary department for the deaf, ana MISS
| Doyle, instructor in music ana otner
| studies for the blind. The attendance
| at the present time is 80. of which "A
are deaf and dumb, and six blind. The
/ school is under the supervision or a
/ local board of three trustees-Messfs.
/ w. v. Myers, L. X. MCNEIL and Jonn
/ +. Sheehy, who have extra duties 10
perform at the present time on account
/ of the construction and furnishing of
| the new building. They make their re-
/ ports to the state board of education.
Mr.. Tillinghast has charge of the
| more advanced classes in school work,
| and some of the deaf pupils stand quite
| we'll in such studies as arithmetic, his
tory, geography and civics, as COM
| pared with pupils of like age, who have
| all their faculties and are in the public
| schools. The means of communication
between teacher and pupil is the single
hand alphabet, and they become so
skilled in its use that conversation Is
carried on almost as rapidly as ordi-
nary speech After a while the plan
will be used here as in similar schools
in the older states of teaching the man
ual arts or trades, such as carpenter
ing, bricklaying, or typesetting for the
boys and dressmakng or similar occu-
patton for the girls. The present equip
ment of the school is not sufficient yet
for that purpose, though the boys OF
the school for their exercise do some OF
the work about the place and the girls
do the mending and work of that kind
But all OF this will be amplified in time
Miss Tillinghast, aside from her work
as matron, instructs few of the dear
pupils in lip reading and articulation.
The progress is necessarily very slow.
and it is sometimes questioned If the
plan is practical or warrants the EFFORT.
Very few of the deaf become sufficiently
proficient to make practical use of 1t,
for while they might through long aSSo-
citation become familiar enough with
the lip movements of one person to UNI
, | derstand, yet another person they
would not understand at all because of
a lack of care on the part of the person
! speaking or a difference in lip move
ments. AS to articulation it is almost
impossible to properly pronounce words
when the sense of hearing is entirely
absent, and knowing this there is al
ways a reluctance on the parS or the
t | pupil to use this means of communities
t ton OF course there have been few
phenomenal pupils who have attained a
high degree of proficiency in this, but
they are very rare. Their success
+ however, gives some warrant for efforts
S to be made in this direction.
The Primary Department.
The work of Mr.. Divine in the pri-
, mary department for the deaf is very
interesting. Most of the children come
to him from homes where the child has
!, made known its wants by signs, ano
!, the conception of words and theil
= meaning and use is very limited. Blu
= they are very anxious to learn, and his
: school room is an animated place Theii
! means of receiving and conveying in
:, formation being entirely visual. they al
: have lively and animated expression
= of countenance accompanied by grea
bodily activity. Nearly every word tina
= they learn must be illustrated to then
= before they can get good understand
. ing of its meaning. For instance. Will
:. the writer was present class was a
the blackboard to get the meaning ant
verbs The word catch puzzled them
To illustrate. the teacher placed one o
the little fellows on the table and Whel
. he jumped off caught him. For tn
word fall, book was allowed to fall t
k the floor, and one OF the boys fell down
lie then it was easy for them 10 writ
7. David fell on the floor" and hay
l. an understanding of the meaning. Thi
w may seem simple, but remember tn
IS condition of these children and the diff
IN ficulty of comprehension. Thus must
Or vocabulary be built up for them wor
IS by word. In this department much q
l. the conversation is by signs rather tina
by the hand alphabet, and by constan
D practice they come to have sign 70
I'd nearly every article, condition or hu
ir man emotion. Mr.. Divine is thorough
S, interested in his work and believes tina
10 he has as bright lot of pupils as any
ig where in the country.
D Miss Doyle teaches music and othe
n studies to the blind pupils by means {
s, text books with raised letters and
is oral explanations. Four of them TAX
Dr. lessons on the violin and others on til
I'd piano or guitar. The appliances in tn
id department are not as ample as the
a should be- but it is expected that other
CT will be added from tome to time. A II
y cent acquisition is set of raised or r,
TX lief maps that are found very useful n,
re only for the blind but in other depar
IN ments. A few of the pupils show
I'll considerable degree or pfonclency
IN music, and all are interested in the
1d studies.
ne The pupils in attendance. with Il
% counties from which they come, are ;
ne follows: In the department for the de.
n Annie Benedict, Madison county. IL
Cole, Yellowstone: Robert Craze. Silv'
m Bow; Annie Couture, Deer Lodge; Il
to Cook Custer; Louise Fischer. De
ms Lodge; Lena +. Fleischer. Lewis al
n Clark: Aida Fergerson. Park. r..
o. Goodman, Cascade: Edith M Harla
a RayalIi; William Jones. Custer
nd Kranheck silver Bow: David
ut Krouse Cascade john Lay, Gallati
ne Ethel NJ. Lebel. Gallatin: O. j. NJ
or Breaty Choteau: Fillmore Mallet, Oh
ne teau; George Morrison. Broadwate
he Iohn Muaneh Lewis and Clark. Jol
of Schafeka Lewis and Clark. / Teera
OF den Cascade. Iosenh TnWnSleN Rroa