The Van Buren press., 1904-12-10
An Orphan, Blind and Deaf.
m the Little Rock Democrat


Thomas Switzerland, an orphan
boy from Alma, has just been ad-
mitted to the deaf mute institute,
the first deaf.blind child ever re-
ceived in the school, and so far AZ
known the only one in the state.
There are not more than eighteen
or twenty of this class being edu'
Gated in the United States. There
are three in the Texas school,
with an appropriation of $4,000 a
year for their education. But there
is no provision in Arkansas for
their training, as special teachers
are required for them. One liberal
citizen has subscribed consider
able amount toward his education,
and it is proposed to start a fund
for him. 1t will be remembered
that Helen Keller, herself q de-
monstration of what education can
do for those who have lost two or
three of their five senses, started
a Tommie Stringer fund for the
maintenance ofa deaf.blind orphan
boy, aud it has already grown to
quite a sum. The fund is placed
in the Perkins Institute and the
Massachusetts school for the blind.
Miss Pauline Camp has been as
signed as special teacher for
Tommie Southerland, aud has al.
ready taken him in charge. She
says OF him:
1--WE find Tommie an unusually bright
boy and Notwithstanding his aflllotion,
he has II cheerful, fun.loving disposition.
| have great hopes for him, We have
taken this boy without appropriation for
the salary of N teacner but we felt that
he should not be permitted to waste any
more of his valuable time, He now 10
years old, and has been blind and deaf
for three years A kind friend sent us n
check for $3.50 to help defray expenses
until we can get relief from the legisls-
ture. We are confident that we will have
no trouble in securing an appropriation
That this class can be reached and bro
out of utter darkness and stiffness into
touch with the outside world, Helen
Keller, Tommie Stringer, Edith Thomas, :,
Ruby Rice and others bear witness, y
Supt. +. b. Yates has received
from II. w. Shaffer of Il, f. ID. No.
! 3, Alma, the following touching
history of Tommie Southerland
"Tommio oSoutherland our poor, blind
and deaf orphan boy IN the sou OF Mr.
and Mira, John SouIherland, deceased
| rommie y parents worked hard 10 earn
A living, His father died In March 1900,
of pneumonia. This left MIRA, Souther-
land and the children 10 earn their liv.
ing, Tommie, then bright happy little
boy, WAS u good worker, but was de
prived Of school privileges owing to the
! fact that his mother WAS not able 10 work
much and his help WAS needed at home,
"But alas In July, 1909 he was taken
sick, aud during hie sickness he had
spaslns. lie WAS not sick long until hls
sivht and hearing began to fail, finally
he became deaf and blind,
He was very much iutereste d IN his
lessons when he took sick jnst being
promoted 70 the fourth grade After he
10, well he would ask about his class
aud schoolmates when would visit him
He would even get his book aud have
nip as h. said show him his lessons lie
would turn leaves down so that he could
feel and Ind them again, noticing the
number OF leaves his clHss passed over
from time 10 time, When | visited him
he would ppy bis speeches for me some
times, aud ask about the children 4
speeches. lie could write a nice hand
aud was reasonably good IN the i've
Fundamental principles OF arithmetic
ie knows everybody that he ever know
aud talks 10 every one that Waits him
"Whpn took your last letter down 10
his grnndnulhAr | made known 10 him
whom II was from, anl that we would
ppt him IN school ~ s)on ~ possible, II
tiukIed him to think hp was about To start
To school Again He issO anxious to come
10 Little Rock Oh, II An arrangement
cunll bc made for him soou what " bless
INK " would Oe 20 poor hrl pess, 0lind
pnd dpAt hoy, who Ia waiting for help
from poneonp whom God has blessed
with wealth happiness aDl nnimpalred
health llis toys nre constructed with
wonderful ingenuity, considering his
condition, liz makes little wheelbar.
rnws hnhy hngviea bicycles eio, lie
thhkA his sssh, and hearing VIII come
back to him Nui tHlks ahnnt I, u great
deal, lie taytvye,ytbiueis eis white before