The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1903-09-28

In learning to7dance individually we
of course learned the mechanical steps,
but when we dance to music there is no
feeling that we are going through a
pantomime; we get all the mental ex-
hilaratiOn out of the exercise and the
music that those do who can hear and
talk.
From my personal experience and
from the experience of Others with
whom have discussed the subject, the
bass viol is the most important instru-
ment in the orchestra for US. Its pene-
trating vibrations seems to reach us by
some subtle influence on the nerves
about the chest. Through these nerves
the swing of the music is taken up by
the other nerves in the body until we
are all strings and aglow with the full
spirit of the dance.
Should the bass viol stop playing, we
would know it in second and come to
a standstill. Should any of the other
instruments in the band or orchestra
cease playing, we would soon realize it.
though it would not have as powerful
an effect.
Among my silent brethren and sis
tiers there are some splendid dancers,
who put as much life into their dancing
as the most spirited music can rouse in
those who can hear perfectly. We have
advanced wonderfully in this in the last
few months, and the eagerness with
which our people are Organizing for large
receptions and dances is remarkable"
Mr.. Hodgson was one of the active
managers of large dance given by the
league of Elect Surds at Cosmopolitan
park, Amsterdam avenue and One Hun
dred and Seventeen street, last week.
The league of Elect Surds is a benevo-
lent organization of deaf-mutes that is
conducted along the same lines as the
Order of Elks, the Redmen, the Odd
Fellows and similar societies. 1t has a
membership of between five and six
hundred IN New York city alone andit
has lodges all over the country and in
many cities in Europe.
The chief feature Of the leagues en-
tertainmentS' in the past few months;
has been dancing, and the ball at Cas-
nopolitan park last week was the lar
gest that has been given. There was a
carriete oAchestra, conducted by Pro-
fessor Reiff, ard when the grand march
struck up there were one hundred ana
fifty couples On the floor. OF the three
hundred men and women presa1. tie
great majority were both deaf aad
dumb. but half p dozen could hear,
tin ugh they could not s9eak, ar.l a
score could speak who could Nor hear.
Eaftle the musIU started thu only
sT;.has lat could ~ heard in She big
hall were the shutting of feet, the flut-
ter of laces and the crinkle of dresses.
Orders were swiftly given in thu sign
manual by the members of the floor
committee, which were quickly and ST.
lently obeyed, The different couples
spread about the hall were In animated
conversation, smiling and gesticulating,
with every evidence Of keen enjoyment.
The dance card, which contained twen-
ty numbers, including the lancers,
waltz, two-step. schottisch and varso-
vienne, was quickly filled, and with the
same ceremony that prevails in less ST.
lent functions.
With the first notes of the grand
march the couples fell in line with per-
feet precision and kept step with the
music without falter or hesitancy The
noiseless conversations were interrupt
ed for but a moment, and it seemed that
the subconscioEsNess of the music,s
swing could be maintained without in
terfering with the other mental trains
of thought.
When 1t came to the lancers the band
was in full bIare. Itewas easily notice
able to the ear, when Mr.. Hodgson
called attention to 1t, that the harsh vi
bration of the bass viol was prominent
among the other Instruments. As the
dance progressed none of the usual hum
and buzz of conversation, good-natured
batter and chaff was audible, but judg-
ing from the gestures and smiling faces
none was lacking. -"
When it came to the waltz it was even
bewildering to understand how the dam
GERS were able to control their steps in
unison with the speed of the music. AS
the speed increased the deaf-mutes
whirled faster and faster; whenever
there was hiatus these quick senses,
not understood by others, caught it in
second and telegraphed it to the brain,
and the speed sfackened or stopped as
the music governed-New York Times.