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 rope,
at the end of which is heavy weight AS
one pulls the knob and then lets it go. the
weight is lifted and falls to the floor. Tie
vibration is felt by the occupant of the
room, and he comes to the door The
room visited was the best in the college.
II was handsomely furnished in green,
and had a finely carved mantei 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 reward of
scholarship.
instruction in class room is given in
the manual language. Eacn class consists
of not mere than zen students. The col
lege was added to the institute in 1854.
during the tumultuous period CT the civil
war. Congress appropriated money for The
erection of building and now provides
about $4,000 annually for its malnten-
anco.
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 NJ S. With one or two exceptions,
these are the highest degrees which. tie
college has conferred. few years past
it conferred an LID. upon DR.. Graham
Bell. The course covers "a period CT five
years, the first year being devoted TO
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, Who
could not otherwise afford to take up the
more advanced studies. The first c,ass OF
the college graduated in 1863, and con-
sisted of Mr.. Melville Ballard, who is still
connected with Columbia, in the capacity
of a teacher. Ten years ago 1t was de-
cided, by way Of experiment, to open tie
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 valedi tory. The CO.,
lege publishes a magazine, The Puff ard
Blue" which pays for itself and leaves
a margin of profit.
Higher education of deaf mutes has be-
come such established fact that II
seems queer TO read in the catalogues OF
1856 that many people believed them inca
pable of receiving. or, if capable of receiv-
ing incapable of profiting by an advanced
course of instruction. 1t seems queerer
still that no other nation has attempted in
practical way TO disprove this ancient
belief. In 1927 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 college for the deaf
and dumb u their country. His efforts
have not yet borne fruit. but the foreign
deaf who want higher education must still
come TO us.
Passing through one Of the college corri-
doris attention is attracted to a memorial
stone set in the wall. 1t records the name
OF Edward Stretch, young deaf mute. who
gave promise of brilliant achievement
along intellectual Iles. but who died while
pursuing his studies in -he college. His
last worCs are cared Oil the stone and
are given here because tnrv voice the SEN
tments of a class which was so long de-
prived of mental development. These are:
1T will take away half the bitterness Of
death to have been all wed 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.. Callaudet in regard TO
their careers. He says that Sfty-seven OF
the number have IecGme teachers. four
have entered the Christ IN 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, and several hold Offices of trust
in their respective Stats.
Several years ago DIR. Ca.laudet was con-
WINGED OF the need Of ecu Eating hearing
people TO teach TIE def, 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 N. A at the end Of that
period. Several teachers now in the col
lege entered in this way. Prof Percival
Hall. Prof. II. f. Dcy, graduate of Brown
University, and Prof. Charles Ely OF Yale,
were all fellowship students
Edward Miner Gallaudst, who came here
in 1857. an inexperienced boy OF twenty
years. has developed into the worthy sue
cessor Of his father. DR.. Gallaudet is one
OF the most eminent educators cf the deaf.
and 1t was chiefly due to his efforts that
their college was established. He IL the
author OF several valuable text books, the