The herald., 1898-07-18
oral Education Of the Deaf


The teaching Of the deaf to talk ana read
from the lips 10 not Of recent origin.
More than q hundred years ago Francis
Green OF Massachusetts,. who had deaf
son educated to speak and read from the
lips. at the Academy Of Braidwoods, In
Edinburgh, forcibly advocated oral sduca-
ton, and recently part Of his writings on
that subject have been republished.
He claimed (what all intelligent persons
must admit) that the deaf, generally are
not so from deficiency In the organs Of
speech, but that the sole cause Of their mis-
fortune IL a deviation Of nature in the con-
struction of that intricate and unintellig1bls
part Of the human frame, the organs of
hearing.
All know, as q rule, nature, In all else ex-
cept hearing, has been as bountiful to the
mute a. to others, and any lack IN pro-
ficiency In manhood and womanhood Of the
deaf Is owing to the want Of an education.
not to a lack Of general mental and physi-
cal powers.
onstrate the practioability Of day oral
schools for tho education Of tho deaf and
the efficiency Of that mode Of education.
Hence the name Of the German method is
given to oral instruction as distinguishing
It from the sign language. which last was
so generally adopted in this country and
taught In our public institutions.
Through the persistent efforts OF the
ablest teachers Of the deaf in this country
the German or oral method is fast gaining
ground, and is supplanting the sign Ian
guage.
The various schools throughout the east.
except in three states, where the oral
method has been taught, have been handi-
capped for want Of means. having to re-
ceive their support from private sources.
This condition will soon be Of the past, and
oral education will not be only a part OF
the education Of the deaf in public fnsti-
buttons, but will be interviewer with our
public school systems.
To accomplish this end, there has been
and is no more Jealous worker than DR..
Alexander Graham Bell, who gave to the
world the telephone. which was the direct
outgrowth Of his experiments and efforts
to better and ameliorate the condition Of the
deaf.
So earnest has ne been in the work Of oral
education that out Of his fortune he estab-
lished and is now sustaining the Volta bu-
reau, at Washington City, and employs
a force to collect facts ard statistics from
all parts of the world, showing the progress
of oral education, and to distribute the
knowledge thus acquired throughout the
land.
The first and most systematic and ad-
vanced step taken in this cause was taken
by the chronological institute Of Milwaukee.
xrrt II A..A g.
philanthropic citizens Of that city. mostly
Germans. in 1878.
This association established a private
school and sustained It, and after time
sought to have oral education provided for
by the state. That institute made intelli-
gent efforts, which were seconded by DR..
Bell, and in 1885 succeeded in securing the
passage Of a law authorizing boards Of edu-
cation to establish oral schools at the ex-
pense OF the state. Now Wisconsin boasts
Of fourteen such schools. from which rep
resentatives have passed into the public
and other schools Of higher education, and
have graduated with, honor.
In 1853 Miss Mary MCGOWAN established a
private school for oral education in Chi
cage. Public attention was directed to 1t,
and the work accomplished. In time the
board OF education made provisions for the
education Of the deaf In that city In the
public schools.
In 1897 the Illinois legislature. appreciate
ing the work accomplished in Chicago,
practically enacted the law that had had
a working test in Wisconsin for twelve
years before. and now the boards Of educa-
ton can establish schools there where five
or more deaf can attend, for which the
state pays $50 per year for each pupil in
structed.
The last legislature Of Ohio is the third
in the galaxy of states to make provisions
for the education of 'her deaf, as had
Wisconsin and Illinois legislatures.
Some months ago an organization known
the oral education Of the deaf was formed
in this city, the active members OF which
are parents Of deaf children.
The object was to establish a private
school. but the association being advised
as to the action Of the board OF education
Of Chicago and other cities, appealed to the
board Of education Of Los Angeles for aid
That body, recognizing the rights Of the
deaf, have agreed to furnish q schoolroom
and pay one Of the two teachers. the assoc
citation paying for one teacher. Tho teach
ers and school will be under the direct SUI
pervision Of the superintendent. and thus
tho public will have an opportunity to
Judge Of tho superiority Of the two meth
DDS OF the education Of the deaf.
The one system a. taught hero will en-
able the deaf to converse with all who
speak the English Language. while those
educated in the sign language are cut on
from communicating with any except in
writing who have not mastered the sign
language.
Having been 80 CONSIDERABLY treated by
the board Of education, the association pro-
poses to urge the passage of a law In this
state the coming winter authorizing boards
Of education throughout tho state to estab-
lish oral schools whore five or moro pupils
can be found. If successful the deaf Of
the state can be educated with less cost to
the state and can remain under the parent
al rood, have the advantage OF home inhu-
ences and be permitted during the course of
study to mingle with hearing children. en-
Joy their sports and thus know and enjoy
more Of child life than It 10 possible to
either know or enjoy II educated m any
large educational institution.