Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-04-07
Method of LOcOmotiou.

McthOu OF LOcOmOt1On.
Tommy was at this time five years old
He was wrapped up in loose garment and
was scarcely able to stand upright His
mode of travelling was on all tours, moving
backward that he might not bump his head.
He was a fierce and passionate little ami
NAL, apparently savage in his disposition
His face was blank. and his posture, even
When standing, was one Of fear and uncer-
tainty. Then began the long. slow process
OF reaching the mind shut in by such thick
walls of aftiction. How to convey to him
the idea of speech was a problem which
Helen Keller and her own teacher at first
undertook. Later they were succeeded by
other teachers, and for several years past
Miss Conley has been the boys sole teacher
The boy was narrowly watched all the time
to discover, if possible, whether there real
ly was a sound mind behind those blind
eyes and deaf ears. Then, as he was given
food daily, the letters of the manual alpha
bet were formed on his own fingers and
spelled into his hand. Every time that
Tommy received a piece of bread his
teacher carefully formed on his fingers the
letters bread. Then into his hand she
spelled the same word Day after day.
process was continued in spite of discour-
agements. After nine months Of instruc-
ton the hungry child one day put I'D his
own chubby little fingers and spelled
b-r-e-a-d in token of his hunger AT last
the triumph had been won. The idea of
speech had entered the childs brain, and
thereafter the process, though Slow and
certain, and the chiid's vocabulary daily in
creased
The little fingers which so hesitatinsly
spelled b-r-e-a-d now use vocabulary far
knowledge. The mind which so laborously
received the first word of human speech
has become storehouse of knowledge and
of real wisdom. He is an original thinker
and his questions are incessant and his
maginngs remarkable. In all the common
branches ordinarily taught to boys Tom
my is proficient, and it is fair to say that he
knows more thanhthe average boy of his
age. except in such RESPECTS as depend alb
solutely upon sight or SOUND. This, too. is
in spite Of the fact that his education did
not begin until he was five years old and
then it had to be carried on through the
slow and tedious process Of finger speech.
Physically Transformed.
Physically, the Transformation In Tommy
Stringer has beentas great as the mental
and spiritual transformation. The shrink
ing hesitating little creature that would not
walk except backward and on all fours has
become the tall, sturdy and handsome lad
of confident pose and manly bearing.
Physically, Tom is almost perfect He is as
erect as an Indian and as strong and sup
pie athlete. 1t seems Impossible to
tire him by the most vigorous exercises
Tommy is learning to speak with his Inns
Of course congenitally deaf persons are
mute only because they cannot hear
Speech is a consequence Of hearing. 1t is
Ettle snort OF miraculous tndI This DOy, who
has never heard the faintest sound, should
be taught to speak with his lips SO that he
may be understood by anybody. This Is
accomplished by the sense of touch. He is
instructed how to hold his mouth and how
to place his tongue and then he puts his
fingers upon his teachers lips and, throat,
and learns the sounds as she speaks them
Vocal speech is necessarily burdensome
and almost meaningless to Tommy He
cannot hear the sounds he utters and can
scarcely appreciate the Importance Of them