The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1902-06-19


There were no graduates at the
PENNSYLVANIA Oral school this year.
The reason may not be entirely under
stood by the general public that Is ac-
customed to seeing students turned out
by the hundred as FINISHED" on the
June commencement day.
The fact is that at another oral
school, much larger than this. there
were but five graduates last year from
500 pupils. Our oral school graduated
two from among eighty pupils, which
was good record. Those two are now
back here taking a postgraduate
course, one of them assisting in the in
stitution and thus aiding in her own
support
1t should be remembered that the reg
ular course requires ten years and may
consume twelve years, but when 1t is
realized that the children are received
under the ages of six-indeed one was
taken at three and a half-the average
length of time employed is no more
than in the public schools.
A significant fact in the case of deaf
children is that they are chiefly from
the homes of parents possessed of
small means. Pathetic as this may
seem it is explained by the statement
that the rich who discover such an af-
Fiction in their families at once pro-
cure the best skilled surgery and as far
as possible prevent the disastrous con-
sequences of illness Children's diseases,
such as scarlet fever, receive careful
attention and result in fewer cases of
permanent disability.
LEAVE SCHOOL EARLY.
With the very poor this is unfortun-
ately not the same. Hence the state
oral. schools contain a majority of pu-
pills from homes Of poverty. Often
when they have remained several years
in training their assistance is demand-
ed by their parents and thus 1t is that
they are removed before they finished
the required course in school and are
not graduated.
Yesterday was class day at the Penn
sylvania oral school, The beautiful
grounds were gay with roses and laurel.
Within, the bright rooms and the
teachers with their gracious manner
and attractive faces revealed the secret
of the happiness which seems to prevail
even Among tllOSe W Niioiii ehS WV w.
must ever be a silent place.
One has to be especially lovely in
character as we'll as in feature to teach
little deaf children. From inner foun-
tains of uneXhaustible sweetness one
must draw infinite supplies of patience
and gentleness, and thus it is that there
are no stern brows in the oral school,
no grabbed voices. no sneering '5ps. 1T
it a very useless eXertion to shrek and
scold to ears that hear not, and the
teachers up there have no desire to lit
their voices in anger.
The children are like other children,
restless, mischievOus and vexing at
times but they are attentive and they
seem to learn with marvellous celerity.
There We're little people of eight years
who could far surpass many hearing
ones of the same age in public schools
in their language work and mathemat-
les. Small mortals of six, struggling
to form the words that they could new
er hear in life, displayed such keen in-
telligence after the work of less than a
year that it seemed scarcely less than
miraculous.
REQUIRES PATIENCE.
But OH the patience-the patience!
1t fairly gave the visitor heartache to
see the proofs of it on every side-the
delicate sympathy of the teacher with
her exquisite patience, the patience OF
the little child in his anxious effort to
do what was asked, when the chief ave-
nue. of the senses as far as the youthful
understanding is concerned was forever
walled up.
An interesting feature of the morn
ing's work was shown in Miss RallOu's
room where a class of children some of
whom We're not more than eight years
old did clever little play" exercises,
showing extraordinary intelligence.
Their knowledge of numbers and Of
events of general and current interest,
was wonderful
In the other grades the valuable
foundation laid thus carefully, thus
tenderly was evident You cannot
leave a lesson half taught to Il little
deaf child. You must take all the time
there is; no need of worry about pass
ing examinations and tests; no nervous
prostrations for fear the marks will
not be high enough. No jealousies: no
small, petty meanness in order to sup
plant another in the class. The public
school system of this city might we'll
initiate some of these methods.
Miss Brown, the principal, is doing
IL remarkable work among these chill
dren and young people who are denied
so much on earth. She is assisted by "a
most capable corps of teachers, several
of whom have been there since the be-
ginning of the school. Among the
teachers are: Miss Church, Miss King,
Miss Richards. the Misses Conner, Miss
Ballou, Miss Peck, Miss Williams.