The Banner-Democrat. [volume] (Lake Providence, East Carroll Parish, La.) 1892-current, 1901-07-20
THIS BOY Is A WONDER.
: PENNSYLVANIA LAD WHO IS AS
REMARKABLE AS HELEN KELLAR.

-x-Uov His Drowsy Little Brain Was
| Awakened-Is Active and Self Reliant.
The fame of Helen Kellar has to an
extent overshadowed that OF Tommy
Stringer, although in his way the lit
tie Pennsylvania boy is quite as inter-
esting and quite as remarkable as the
little southern girl.
Just q year before the kindergarten
for the blind was opened In Boston. on
the Sd of July, 1886, Tommy was born
near Waynesbury, Penn. He was like
any other healthy, happy baby in his
first few months. But soon after the
death of his mother he had an attack
of spinal meningitis, and on his re-
covery, when he was hardly 2 years
old, he was found both blind and deaf.
His father was workingman with
small means, and he felt absolutely
powerless to help his afflicted little
boy. After q time the blind and deaf
child was taken to the Allegheny hos
pital. He was healthy little ami
NAL apparently, with no more intelli-
gence than a good natured puppy. In
this condition he was finally brought
10 the kindergarten for the blind in
the spring of 1891.
Here he was at once put In the care
Of special teacher. whose duty 1t was
to give all her time to him. Although
it seemed an almost hopeless task,
an effort was to be made to rescue him
from the prison into which his deaf
ness and blindness had thrown him.
He had never yet walked upright. In
spite of his years he crawled along,
pushing his way with his hands and
feet, and he always moved backward
| to save his head from coming in con-
tact with unexpected obstacles. The
only sound he ever made was pitt
full moan, which sounded the Same
whether he meant it to express pleas
ure or pain. At times, when he felt
especially disturbed, he would scream
loudly and would strike out with his
hands and tear his clothes.
| Before any effort could be made to
reach Tommy's mind his body had
to be put in order. Exercises were
| given to develop his flabby muscles
| and build up tissues. At last the ef-
forts were rewarded. He could move
about unassisted, could feed himself
and even dress and undress himself.
Unlike Helen Kellar or Laura Bridg-
man, Tommy seemed very dull and
apathetic. He was unwilling to make
any effort for himself, and his teach
ers often feared that in the end they
must give up the attempt to reach his
mind.
Many, many months passed before
the drowsy little brain grasped the
fact that things have names, and that
these names may be represented by
the letters of the alphabet made on the
fingers. But at length, by constant
repetition. by infinite love and pa
thence, the first section of the bridge
was built. Tommy began to realize
the outer world. He walked over the
bridge, and began to take an interest.
Soon he was one of the brightest
children in the kindergarten. He un-
derwent systematic training at the ba..
| sis of which was Froebeps principles
of natural development" Today, at
IA years Of age, Tommy compares ia
vorably with other boys Of his years.
He is tall, straight and strong. He
has a well-shaped head and his ex-
preston is bright and cheerful. His
mind is full Of information, and he is
constantly asking for more, more"
knowledge.
But he is not q mere lover of books.
He is active and self-reliant. He can
use his hands to better advantage than
most boys who can see and hear.
| A year ago last summer, for exam
pie, Mrs. Quincy Shaw (Agassiz'
daughter) gave Tommy a sloyd bench
fitted with all the necessary tools.
Tommy was already fairly expert in
sloyd, because instruction in manual
training had been an important part
of his education. But when he learned
that the bench was to be sent to
Wrentham, where he was to spend the
summer, he Immediately said: "Now
| shall take all the care of Mr.. Browns
house." Consequently even on the
hottest days, he was to be found at
his bench. He replaced worn door
stills with new. made new barnyard
gate. He replaced loose boards in the
| flooring of the porch, made a hand
railing for persons going up and down
the steps. An old smokehouse which
was given him as his especial domain
he improved wonderfully. He took
out the sliding windows. made new
frame on them and swung them on
hinges. Then he put strong bars
across them to prevent the cows
breaking the glass with their horns.
He invented clever device for OPEN
ing and shutting another window. He
put up shelves for holding tools and
other things connected with his work
He repaired stone wall near the
smokehouse. and in other ways i'm
proved its surroundings. He is busy,
energetic boy, and generally makes
his own plans for work, and the plans
that he has made he always carries
out. Before starting for home In the
summer he cleaned his tools very care
fully, packed In boxes all his cher
ished bits of metal, nails, screws and
similar things. as well as the bench
ITSELF He examined the premises
carefully to make sure that he had
left nothing behind. and, in short,
showed himself more practical and
business like than the average boy
with sight would have been.
In the autumn of 1899. when Tommy
was entering for his 14th year, he was
placed In one of the public grammar
schools near the kindergarten. In
spite of his disability it was found
that he was then almost on a level
with boys Of his own age. He started