Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-04-07
Thirteen Year-oh BY Educated, De-
spite His Affection.
His WONDERFUL ACCOMPLISHMENTS
An Original Thinker and Asks
Numerous Questions.
TALKS WITH HIS LIP S


Bridgman. When 1t became public gen.
Grafton ago it was source of wonder to
two continents. DR.. Howe's achievement
in reaching the soul that was shut in by
blindness and deafness and in teaching it
to think and to speak was considered little
short of miracle There arrived in Wash
ington this morning, however, a thirteen
year-old boy who, though he is similarly
afflicted, knows today more than Laura
Brfdgman knew even at the end of her life.
Yet the progress made in the case of Tom
my Stringer, which is the boys name, and
in the case Of Helen Keller, would nave
been impossible had it not been for the ex-
pertinent made in the case of Laura Bridg-
man.. There have been many advances in
the science of teaching the deaf and the
blind within the last decades, ard Tommy
Stringer has profited by the results of
comes to the capital to ''see" with his fin
gers some of the places and people about
which he has studied in his history les
sens. is as alert and as fully informed as
too, Is just as ardent as that Of any other
vigorous American youngster He is greatly
interested In Washington, and also as proud
of 1t as he Is of Boston, his own city.
Tommy Strlnger is accompanied by MS
constant companion and teacher. Miss
Helen s. Conley, and by two Philadelphia
friends He will remain in Washington I'M
I'll the early part of next week. The boy
was born in the town of Washington, west
ern Pennsylvania, thirteen years ago In
infancy he suffered an attack of spinal
meningitis, which deprived him of sight and
hearing. About the same time his mother
died, and his father, unwilling to be incum-
bered with the care of such a helpless in
FAINT, deserted the child.
Problem to Hospital Authorities.
Tommy was taken to a hospital in ALLIE
gheny, remaining there for long time. He
was problem to the hospital authorities,
for he was in due time cured of his Ill
ness. Physically he was well, except for
his double affiiction. What to do with him
was puzzling question for the hospital
authorities There seemed to be no insti-
tuition fitted to receive him. He was not
taken to blind asylum because he was
deaf An institution for the deaf could not
have him because he was blind. So he re-
manned in the hospital. a mass of living
clay, knowing less than the least of all
animals. There was absolutely no approach
to his intelligence. He did not know that
the world was bigger than the sides of his
crib. He only knew that through the black
ness something ministcred to his physical
needs. Night became day for him because
OF the special attentions of night nurse,
Thus he spent the hours of daylight in
sleep and the hours of the night in wake
fulness. When he was taken to Boston
one of the first difficulties was that of re-
versing his order of the day.
Helen Keller, then but a child of ten
years. heard the story of this blind and
deaf boy, in far-off western Pennsylvania,
and though it was rot known of course,
whether he had any intelligence or not, she
felt that an attempt should be made TO
teach him she mad been taught She
could best realize the fearful blackness, the
unspeakable prison in which he dwclt, for
she had herself been rescued from it but a
few years before. So Helen denied herself
the Injuries dear to Cflld'S hecrt-candy
soda water, ice cream, and such-that she
might save her pennies to pay the expenses
of little Tommy's transfer to Boston. The
letters which Helen wrote at this time to
her friends are surprisingly beautiful in
their simple eloquencc she pleaded for
the little boy who awaited the daWning of
a great light.
About this time Heien's dog, Lionel, was
parts of the country and from foreign
lands offers of d new dog or of money to
purchase one poured in upon her Even a
member of the British royal family wrote to
her offering to replace the dog. To each of
these friends Helen replied that she did not
care for another dog. No other could take
the place of Lionel. But if her friends
wished TO make donations she would be
very glad to receive gifts of money for
the sake of little Tommy Stringer. Thus
she eloquently presented the case of Tom
my far and wide and largely through her
fundamentally he was taken to Boston
TO the kindergarten for the Blind, which
IS an adjunct of the famous Perkins Insti-
tuition for the Blind, where Laura Bridg-
man was educated.