Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-05-13
A DEAF MUTE PREACHER.
Rev. Austin Mann Has a Parish Cow
ering Ten Miles.

From the Chicago lnter-Ocean.
One of the most interesting institutions
in Chicago. and one of which few people
know, is All Angels mission for deaf mutes
in Trinity parish house on the South Side.
Here about once a month, as often as
the Rev. Austin w. Mann, himself deaf
mute. can visit the city. services are held
in the sign language. Mr.. Mann's work OF
ministering to deaf mutes extends over a
territory embracing ten states, so he is al
lowed only one day in month to Chicago.
Mission work among the deaf mutes is
carried on principally by the Episcopal
Church. Only one person in 100000 is a
teacher of deaf mutes and out of the entire
population of the United States only a
dozen are clergymen who can minister in
the sign language. The literature of deaf
mute education, showing the origin and
growth of the work, is limited TO d very
small circle, outside OF which some con-
fused ideas prevail. One of the popular
errors is that the deaf child is placed in
school mainly to learn what is called the
sign language, when the real object Is that
the child may be taught to read and write
IKE other people. The teacher uses pic
torlal or descriptive signs to make clear
the meaning of written words as a means
OF lmpressing the English language upon
the pupils mind.
Beginning in a small. way in 1850 in New
York city. this silent work of the EMS
copal Church has spread to every large city
ana important center of the Union 1t
reached the middle west in 1873, when the
Rev MIR. Mann began with lay reader $
license. Nj Mann is the second deaf mute
ever admitted to the ministry In 1879 he
founded All Angels mission in Chicago at
81. James Church, but now located in
Trinity parish house During his long ne
ROO or service he has made in the agpre-
gate 800 annual reports to the bishops in
whose dioceses the work is being carried
on mas written 1000 letters and postal
cards and distributed nearly Io0eo ,1ra,.er
DOCKS and as many tracts, and has gath
ered INTO the church about 500 communal
cants. He has held services In 2q2 places
MI. Mann's territoy covers Ohio. Indi-
ana Michigan, Illinois, Missouri Kansas
Nebraska, Minnesota and Pennsy1yanja
In preaching in the missions in the CITIES Of
these states he travels - 900 miles each
year ana manages to deliver a sermon
ABOUT once every month in each place. HIS
nome is in Gambler Ohio, but at least
one-half OF his life has been spent on sleen-
ing cars. Mr. Mann is possessed of a
strong mind, wonderful energy and splen-
DID physique. Even to those who are not
familiar with the sign language he is fas-
clnatlng and interesting. With his pencil
ne Is d clever conVerSatiOnaiist. He reads
what one is writing to him while the char
acters are upside down to him, and writes
his words upside down to himself. This
he does rapidly and with penmanship as
plain as that of copy book
MI. Mann has wife and two Interesting
children. Mrs. Mann is also deaf, but the
children have not inherited the affiiction
or their parents. Mrs. Mann has been
taught to speak. and as she can read from
the lips readily as one talks to her If is
seldom that a stranger in conVersing with
ner detects that she cannot really hear
what Is being said.