The Lexington dispatch. [volume] (Lexington, South Carolina) 1870-1917, 1900-10-03

The Job Is Made More Difficult Be
cause of Her Total Deafness.

The Job Is Made More Difficult Be-
cause of Her Total Deafness.
One Of the most unique pupils Of the
deaf and dumb institution cf Knox
county, Ind, Is Rhoda Hewitt. stout,
sun tanned girl Of between 13 and Is
summers. When she was brought to
the school. it was learned that she had
lived a wild sort Of life OH an out Of
the way farm, spending much Of her
time wandering around In the woods
and fields and often sleeping at night
under the hedgerow or In fence cor
ner. Her mother died when the girl
was very young. and the father had
not the time or perhaps the ability to
tell her, after she lost her hearing at
8 years Of age, of the world about her.
She grew up one Of natures own chill
dren.
When she was brought to the school,
she was in great terror. She hung her
head and threw her hands before her
face to hide from the gaze Of stran-
gers. She Had never in her life, 1t was
told, been to Monroe City. the nearest
town to her home. and had never seen
many other human beings than her ia
ther.
The strangers at the school were at
first looked on as enemies. She would
strike, kick and bite when they ap-
preached. This savageness Of temper
lasted about three weeks, when she be-
gan to appreciate that no one would
do her harm, but that all wanted to be
kind to her.
Rhoda was put in Miss Elizabeth
RAYS class. For three weeks she cried.
hid her face and repelled all advances
with kicks or fsticuffS or threats to
use her teeth BY degrees she came to
learn that no harm would be done and
began to look up and take human in
tercst in those about her.
Her teacher and the other pupils in
the class showed affection for her by
strokinS her arm or shoulder. bat 1t
was long time before this met with
response. Today she Is one Of the
most affectionate pupils in Miss Rays
class and rarely passes her teacher
without touching her in an affection
ate way characteristic Of the deaf.
Sometimes the affection Is shown by a
rather too severe blow In the back. and
one Of the teachers duties is to make
her understand that great physical
force is not essential to affection.
When RhoGa was In a pugnacious
and inconsola ble state OF mind. many
ways were tried to comfort her. She
was shown picture book. This ell
gagged her attention little while. She
recognized the picture Of COW and ap-
parently thought of home. for she be-
gan to cry and. pointing as if toward
home. said Papa, papa" This word and
baby" she could speak when she came
to school-words she had learned to
articulate before she lost her hearing.
She has already learned from the
other children what 1t Is to lie. The
children are forbidden to say any one
lies. Rhoda made sign indicating
this the other day and was punished
by being put in a seat separate from
the other children. She understood the
punishment. for she told her teacher
afterward that she had used the word
lie and had been made to sit apart
from the other children.
Her conception Of Creator IS diff
cult to learn. The teacher takes many
occasions to try to impress upon her
some notion Of God. and Rhoda has
learned to point upward. as IL to an
unseen power, when she IS asked about
the maker and preserver of all.
Her development has been so fast
since she came to the school that it is
difficult to learn how far it has gone.
She seems to understand many things
that she has no way to express.
The first word she associated with
an object was "shce" She can say
shoe" in a rudimentary fashion. She
reads and initiates the motions Of the
teachers lips when she wants to eX-
press word for an object. She now
has 16 words. When the teacher points
out the picture of cow on q chart.
Rhoda can write the word Cow" on
the blackboard..-Indi Sentinel.
To Rcd For Influenza.