The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1900-03-22
DEAF, DUMB AND BLIND.
His Spontaneous Creations In slold
Work-A sunny Nnture-PIensant
Memory of Phillips Brooks.

Memory of Philips Brooks.
Tommy" Stringer, the deaf dumb
and blind boy at the Perkins Institution
and Massachusetts School for the Blind,
Boston, took part in an entertainment
at that institution on Washington,s
Birthday by reciting a poem through
the medium of the manual alphabet. 1t
was interpreted to the audience by one
of his blind companions.
Tommy entered the school when he
was six years old. That was se yeu
years ago. His condition at that time
was described by one who knew him as
"a bundle of human flesh wrapped
about with perpetual darkness"
The methods employed in Tommy's
education have been similar t. those
which were devised by DR.. Samuel U.
Howe for the benefit of Laura Bridg
man. The first six months Of his school
career were without apparent encour-
agement to bis instructors. The child
was stolidly indolent and obstinate. At
last, however, a ray of light penetrated
his darkness, and he understood that
things had names, which could be rep
resented by arbitrary signs or letters of
the manual alphabet, formed upon his
fingers.
Tommy did not take kindly to talking,
and could with difficulty be induced to
speak. During this stage of his educa-
ton he was required to ask at table
for everything that was given him.
This he would sometimes stoutly refuse
to do, and soup and meat courses would
pass, and he would remain urserved.
But Tommy loved pudding, and when
its savory odor was waited to his nos
trils, which as one of his teachers said,
were not blind" Tommy would begin,
and in his best manner say: please
give me some soup; please give me some
meat and potato" When these had
been got through in perfunctory
manner with the smell of the pudding
before him, he would add, please give
me some pudding"
A little incident which occurred dur
ing one of his first months in the insti-
tuition will always be remembered by
those who witnessed it. Phillips Brooks,
who was present at an entertainment
of the kindergarten, seeing the inert jlt-
tie body, lifted 1t to his lap. At once
Tommy Struggled down in the big
strong arms, and when the great man
attempted to replace the little fellow in
his former, position Tommy expressed
such great unwillingness. to go that DR..
Brooks held the boy until time for him
to leave the building. 1t had always
been characteristic with Tommy to
cling to hand as if to assure himself
that he was not alone.
The story of Tommy's life during the
last year is told by his special teacher,
Miss Helen s. Conley, as follows:
In spite of Tommy's rapid growth he
still holds his firm, erect carriage, and |
on familiar ground walks with a sure,
free independence. He runs fearlessly |
through the corridors, and when door
way which he wishes to-enter is reached
he will turn and with unerring aim
enter without slackening his speed in
the least
At one time, after brief respite from |
the usual routine of school work, he |
found his allotted tasks especially irk-
some, and with this spirit predominant,
the days that followed were not happy
ones But at last one morning he an
nounced: "Old Tom has gone-new Tom
has come-new Tom is not cross and
rude. Are you glad that Old Tom has
gomez" Henceforth new Tom was
the only one we knew.
Work in the classroom fills the greater
part Of Tommys day, with a long walk
after school and an hours happy chat
after supper. This closing hour isN the
sunniest in the whole day for Tommy,
and he is never at a loss for topics for
conversation, which, with foresight
that might we'll be initiated by older
persons than Tommy, he usually as
signs himself, thus insuring his immun-
ty from being at all bored. For instance,
he will say complacently as he seats
himself for the hour: Now talk about
electricity" and he will untiringly pro-
pound question after question concern
ing 1.-The power-the. wires-the motor"
until his companion feels that nerves
and energy are threadbare, even if the
subject may not be.
Sometimes the hour is devoted to
games, of which bagatelle Is a favorite.
With his type slate Tommy keeps the
italy" with separate column for each
player, and at the end of the game an
nounces the results. Since this is quite
a 'reminder of work in arithmetic, Tom
my prefers to limit the number of play !
ers to small and select few. ,
When outdoor pleasures are not to be !
had Tommy is never at a loss to find Z
in the house, and his play Is ,
never aimless He has always an end 8
in view, usually the fashioning of some 6
contrivance. Very clever
have his little fingers become in fathom- !
ing the mystery of the working of many ,
an appliance of common use which some :
older and wiser persons than Tommy ,
would be bowerless to repair should 1
such a need ariee On one occasion he
was anxious to procure a bell, and the {
janitor, thinking that one which had (
lost it's power to ring would be fully as {
useful for Tommy's purpose as perfect t
one, and that he would be happily I'M c
conscious of it's lack gave him an old a
bicycle gong. But Tommy quickly dis @
covered the defect, remedied it, and in
exhibited the bell, explaining t
that it was "all mended now" +
Several stormy afternoons were spent {
in cutting ''checks" from brown paper c
II exact imitation of the transfer checks b
given on street car. These were to {
De used in the barn during the summer, d
each check emitting the holder to five
minute swing. IN return for some little 4
attention and assistance upon the part p