Evening star., 1898-07-08
AN INTERESTING EXHIBIT.
How the Deaf Learn to Speak and the
blind to Read.

nAihu 10 neaO.
Number 16, the new department of the
National Educational Association, that for
teaching the deaf, and dumb to speak and
educating the blind and feeble minded chill
dren, is attracting very general attention
from the delegates to the convention. The
thousands of strangers in the city now bs-
gin to realize what an extensive and inter-
esting exhibit has been made by the new
department, and the crowds which are
drawn to the Franklin school building are
hourly increasing. For the benefit of stran-
gers it can be stated that the Franklin
building is very accessible, being located on
the southeast corner of 18th and K streets
northwest, opposite the northeast corner of
Franklin Square.
The entire building, which is open during
the whole of each day, is given up to the
exhibit and visiting teachers find it well
worth their while to drop in for few min
utes during the intermissions between the
fixed exercises of the day. There they see
for themselves the wonderful progress that
has been made In recent years in this new
department of education.
The headquarters are in charge Of Mr.
John Hitz, prominent worker in this
branch of education. Mr.. Hitz explains
the general methods of teaching the un-
fortunate classes Of children, which is the
same in all the schools. The children are
taken at as early an age as possible and
instructed in the simplest elementary
branches. AS they advance in age the les
sons become more difficult, SO that when
they are ready to leave the schools they
are qualified as thoroughly as more for
tunate children. kindergarten methods are
| employed until the children reach the age
when they can readily appreciate the ad-
vantages of the more advanced learning
Then the boys are taught manual training
and the girls sewing and cooking.
The time Of the pupils IS not entirely
Occupied with this c1a of
| for their ordinary classical studies are not
neglected. The average amount of time
given OF manual training, cooking and
sewing is between three and four hours
! a week.
One of the principal institutions for in
struction of the deaf Is the Horace Mann
School of Boston, which has very inter-
esting exhibit on the third floor of the
Franklin building. The work is arranged
chronologically, showing the progress of
| the pupil from the time he is taken into
| school the practical branches of printing
| and typesetting, woodwork, needIework
and cooking are very thoroughly taught
There are 125 boys and girls in the school
On the same floor is the exhibit of the
McCowen Oral School for Young Deaf
Children of Chicago. This is in charge Of
Miss Cornelia Bingham, and class room
work is shown, illustrating in sequence tho
value Of drawing and other materials as a
| means of expression for very young chill
dren in kindergartens, and for primary
grades Of public schools. Children are
taken in this school as young as two years.
but the age limit IS twelve. The number OF
pupils at present In the school is thirty.
There are two other exhibits of the WorI,
of schools for the blind and mentally da
f1cient children, that of the New York State
| School for the Blind and that of the Had.
donfield. Nj, Training School for Mentally
Backward Children. 4, striking feature of
the exhibit OF the FORMER school Is an
American flag made entirely by blind girls
whose forty-five stars were sewed on bv
forty-ive different pupils.
There are also quite a number Of books
library Of the District, exhibited under the
auspices Of the Aid Association for tho
Blind, of which Mrs. John Russell Young
Is president.
School of Philadelphia are among the most
interesting exhibits. This school is under
the direction of Miss Mary Garrettson and
several assistants. The children gave two
morning. The first was in class work.
showing how little deaf children are train
ed in speech; the second was what is
known as the Swedish gymnast drill, CIV
ing an example OF the physical culture
work among the tots.
This afternoon there were three drills
very similar to those of the morning There
were also several renditions of instrumentaI
and vocal selections by the blind Of the
District.
Reception by Mrs. Hubbard.
There will be a reception at Twin Oaks.
rendered by Mrs. Gardiner G. Hubbard to
Department 10 tomorrow from to 8 o'clock
pm. Owing to the death of her intimate
friends. Mr.. and Mrs. Anthony Pollok. In
the Bourgogne disaster. Mrs Hubbard win
not receive her guests tomorrow evening.
but will be represented by her daughters
Mrs. Alexander Graham Bell and Mrs
Charles J. Bell.