The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-05-06

vented BY Prof John B. Hotchkiss. To
the knob OF the knocker is attached a rope,
at the end Of which is a heavy weight As
one pulls the knob and then lets it go. the
weight is lifted and falls to the floor The
vibration is felt by the occupant OF the
room. and he comes TO the door. The
room visited was the best in the college.
Il was handsomely furnished in green,
and had a finely carved mantel decorated
with Shakesperean scenes The young
man who admitted the visitor blushed mod
estly when the professor said that the
best room is always given as q reward OF
scholarship.
instruction in class room is given in
the manual language. Each class consists
Of not mere than ten students. The col
lege was added to the institute in 1854.
during the tumultuous period CT the civil
war. Congress appropriated money FOR he
erection Of a building and now provides
about $50 900 annually for its malnten-
ance.
The students are not advanced quite as
far as students OF the larger universities
for the hearing but they have conferred
upon them the degrees B. A, B. :. NJ. A..
and N. 5. With one or two exceptions,
these are the highest degrees which tie
college has conferred. A few years past
It conferred an LID. upon DR.. Graham
Bell. The course covers a period CT five
years the first year being devoted 10
preparatory work. As this is the only
college for deaf mutes. a number OF
scholarships are given out each year 10
scholars. In various State schools = no
could not otherwise afford to take mp toe
more advanced studies. The first c,ass OF
the college graduated in 1863, and con-
sisted Of Mr. Melville Ballard. who is still
Tod nj n ha
OF a teacher. Ten years ago IL was de-
Cided by way Ct experiment to open lie
college TO women for two years. This fea-
ture OF the expansion policy proved sue
cessful and now One-third Of the students
are women. On one or two occasions they
have captured the valedictory. The co.
lege publishes a magazine, The Pun ard
Blue, which pays for itself and leaves
a margin Of profit.
Higher education OF deaf mutes has be-
come such an established fact that It
seems queer to read in the catalogues OF
1866 that many people believed them inca
pable OF receiving. or. IL capable OF receiv-
ing. incapable Of proiting by an advanced
course OF instruction. Il seems queerer
sull that no other nation has attempted in
. a practical way TO disprOve this ancient
belief In 1897 the President OF Columbia.
Dr. Edward Miner Gallaudet, visited Eng
land and in an address before a London
association attempted TO awaken the peo-
pie to the need OF a college for the deaf
and dumb Of their country. His efforts
have not yet borne fruit but the foreign
deaf who want higher education must still
come 10 US.
Passing through one OF the college corri-
doris. attention is attracted to a memorial
stone set in the wall. II records the name
OF Edward Stretch. a young deaf mute. who
of brf1 anh faga
along intellectual lines but who died while
pursuing his studies in the college. HIS
last words are carved on the stone. and
are given here because they voice the SEN
tments Of a class which was so long de-
privod Of mental development. These are:
1t viii take away half the bitterness OF
death 10 have been allowed to learn some
thing"
Nearly 600 young men and women have
gone out from the Columbia College TO
lives Of happy usefulness. Some statistics
are given by Dr. Gallaudet in regard to
their careers. He says that ffty-seven OF
the number have become teachers. four
have entered the Christian ministry, ons
Is an eminent patent lawyer Of Chicago,
another a well known botanist. They have
entered the departmental service and are
well represented in the scientific bureaus
OF the Government A few are editors and
publishers ana several uoiu Onces OF trust
in their respective States.
Several years ago DIT. Gallaudet was con-
vlnced Of the need Of educating hearing
people TO teach the deaf, and established
the fellowships for graduates OF other col
leges. These are given one years instruc-
ton in the work Of teaching the deaf They
receive the degree NJ. A. at the end Of that
period. Several teachers now in the col
lege entered in this way. Prof Percival
n
University. and Prof Charles Ely OF Yale,
we're all fellowship students
Edward Miner Gallaudet, who came here
in 1857. an inexperienced boy Of twenty
years, has developed into the worthy sue
cessor Of his father. DIR. Gallaudet is one
OF the most eminent educators OF the deaf.
and 1t was chiefly due TO his efforts that
their college was established. He is the
author Of several valuable text books, the