Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1900-05-26
A PEER OF HELEN KELLER.
Deaf and Dumb Boy Who Is One of til
Brightest Ct HIS Race.

For fourteen years, reports the New
York Herald, Orris Benson has lived
in dense darkness and absolute silence
yet he has developed a most cheerful
more than ordinary capa-
bilIties for learning and an absolute
genius as a modeler. For several
years he has been pupil in the New
York Institution for the instruction
of the Deaf and Dumb, which he en-
tered little more than an animated
organism, with no sense but that of
touch; yet through patient training
under the direction of Enoch HI. Car
rier, principal, he has shown a men
tai growth and perception that are as
tonishing and are attracting wide at
tention.
Orris is 16 years old. He is the son
of a carpenter living at White Lake.
Sullivan county, this state, and when
years old suffered from an attack of
cerebro-spinal meningitis that depriv-
ed him of his sight, speech and hear
ing. He was helpless, and for years
was alone in mental darkness as
great as the physical one that sur
rounded him in his terrible silence.
Then he was brought to New York
and the apparently hopeless task of
developing mental facunties that were
on the road to idiocy through neglect
was entered upon.
Miss Bessie L. Nixon was assigned
to instruct him, and with a kindly
pressure of the hid she tried to i'm
press upon his almost dormant con-
seriousness the fact that she was his
friend, wished him well and would do
what she could for him.
With what interest was watched
the slow progress of kindling the first
mental spark in that almost isolated
mind His gentle teacher communi-
Gated to him certain simple inquiries
by moving her fingers, according to
the manual, within the palm of his
hand.
At first the pronunciation of the
words was mechanical, and the mental
effect was devoted merely to the eff
fecting of the combination of SOUNDS.
With persistent practice the boy learn
ed to think out words, the vocal or
gans were trained<into use, and then
enunciation came, uncertain at first
but afterwards with sufficient clear
ness to be understood
After the first certain mental COM
munlcatlon was established between
teacher and pupil The task became
really fascinating. Every month the
mental growth was such that the
teacher found in the blind boy remark
able powers of intellect, anu soon he
became the shining light of the in
stltution. So it has gone from that
day until this, with remarkable p~o-
gress at every ste.
Orris Benson has become an expert
modeler in clay, and the most clever
thing he has done is Grants tomb in
miniature. His eyes have not seen
the tomb, and he has not more than
touched its massive columns; but he
has faithfully copied it, even to the
details of OrDamR0tatiOp
How? He has not even heard a de-
scrlption of it, but he has seen it
through me eyes of one of his deaf
fellows, and has been told by fingers
as clever as his how the beautiful
structure looks and how the irious
details of its architecture are arrang-
ed.
This information, carried through
the fingers and palm, formed defln-
lite and mainly correct mental picture
which the sightIess boy reproduced in
plasic clay, showing wonderful artis-
tic skill and perception.
This is really a wonderful thing
when we consider that the boy knows
absolutely nothing of the appearance
of buildings either in general effect
or proportions, excepting such infor-
nation as is conveyed to him
through the sense of touch. He has
no memory of sight before he was
blind, az his mind was practically a
blank when his e ucation was beg IN
seven years ago.
The tomb is the last o. the boys
works i'll clay, ,ne first being a rather
rudely executed key, the forming of
which gave him intense delight. 1t
has been me same with his other mod
els The creation of them has given
the modeler great pleasure as he has
felt them grow into shape under his
fingers.
To his other accomplishments he
has added the typewriter. on which he
is most rapid and correct operator.
seldom making a mistake. He is quite
proud of this accomplishment. His
hours at work are given principally to
Gaming chairs, at which he is an ex-
pert and at which he Will probably
earn his living when he graduates.