The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1902-07-10

sHoRN OF ONE SENSE
Chicago Children Show What They
Can Do without Hearing.
An interesting exhibition of the work
done by hildren of the Chicago day
schools for the deaf was given this morn
ing in the parlors Of EHennepin M E.
church under the direction of Miss Mary
McCowen, supervising principal. Four
classes were present, va rying in age from
the kindergarten children to those of the
upper intermediate grade. No sign lam
guage is used, but writing and drawing
are helpful aids in explaining difficult
words.
The kindergarten children proved of
special interest to the spectator because
they were acquiring their first ideas OF
language Of any kind. Pictures OF OBJ
tects and objects themselves were used in
leading the little people to try to SPEAK
their knowledge Of familiar articles. All
seemed eager to talk and would try again
and again to initiate the vocal move
ments produced by the teachers. The ar
ficulation of certain letters seemed very
difficult ''H'' and "R" were stumbling
blocks ito the little people, but their eff
forts were so persistent that they pro
duced intelligible words. At times all
talek dat once, but no one could be con-
fused by the noise of the other and the
aeaohers seemed wonderfully expert in
hearing all voices at once and picking
out a INSTRUMENTATION her and there
The kindergarten games were especially
enjoyed and amusing initiative gambols
gave the little people great delight. A
Particularly wonderful thing to the spec
9ators was the ease with which the chill
dreu kept time in marching. The teach
!ers started them in time with the music
and 80 accurate was their counting that
Ishe children kept in time. Now and then
~ 41,1 ~Jo - md
feel just how the piano said one, two
one, two, three, after which he could more
readily keep tn Q time.
In the intermediate rooms writing,
spelling and nhmeral work were prac-
tticed. All instructions were given verb
ally and by close watching the entire
class would grasp the teachers meaning
readily. All wrote we'll and were quick
ito notice each others mistakes in spell
ing No answer was allowed to pass un-
ill the reply had been clearly enumerated
The more advanced pupils, class Of
bright boys, had lesson in natural his
tory from a case Of silk worms and
Cocoons. They were greatly interested
An the soeoons and readily understood the
tdaot that the worm wrapped itself IN a
covering, but just how it spun the threads
iof silk seemed puzzling, as it does to old
er he ads. Geography seemed Of absorb
ing interest and the har d names were
lwelI mastered.
Speech the Great Thing.
The children when in Chicago are kept
In DO arding schools and make good prog
aess when compared with their hearing
Brothers. First, last and all the time
pthey are taught to talk and many OF the
voices have 80 few peculiarit1es that 1t
Beerns Incredible the children do not learn
t6hear accent and modulation by ear A
folever kindergarten teacher is entirely
deaf but talks readily with the children
=, and has a charming voice. -. .
Miss McCowen said that the beginners
were like new corners in any school They
Ri leousd not at fist be made to understand
what they were there for. sometimes
we have a boy come to us who can ane
will do no thing but turn somersaults
but ne soon learns by imitation OFTEN
child will sit with bent head for a weel
or more too shy or frightened to notice
whist goes on about him, but as rule tn
children who know how ito do anythin
are very eager to do it, and others lear
to try.
.. Great pains is taken in writing an
spelling, as It is upon these accomplish
unents that the children must often de
pend 70 make themselves understood D
strangers. The pupils accepted in tn
Chicago schools very from those absolute
~ DEAF to those who have a little hear
ling and those who have once had speec
hut have lost hearing, or hearing and tn
[memory of speech Through disease
Through the constant mental develop
lsnerat afforded the children they grow u
szitho1lt the look peculiar to many dea
persons who have been long shut out fro1
sound and speech. Those congenitall
Deaf have more of this waiting and listen
ing look than do those who have ever eS
Iperlenoed hearing or speech. 8.
The Opening Session.
The first session Of the department {
sspeciaI education was held yesterday al
eernoon in Hennepin Avenue Methods
lrhurch.. do. Alexander Graham Bell pre-
). aided over the meeting, which was frs
addressed by DIR. C.. M. Jordan, who eS
keuded a welcome to the special teacher
and told them of the interest felt
tehds state In their work and the pride tn
citisens take in their successful state II
WtttUtionss sl .......,- = II. !.
Or. BELL then introduced W. T. Harri