The Indianapolis journal., 1904-05-15

glass door in one of the promi- |
I35 nent office buildings down town.
- This means that there is poor |
excuse for the person who is
asf1icted with an impediment in his speech, |
such as stammering and suffering, and |
that there is means to overcome this en-
barrassment to people troubled with de-
fects of articulation.
On entering the office the visitor is greet I
ed by young woman who looks more than
surprised when the person does not either |
stutter stammer. In fact, it is said that |
many of the afflicted persons. when they |
first enter the school. are in such a condi- |
ticn that they can hardly talk at all and |
have TO carry on their conversations in /
writing until they become less excited
There are only about three of these |
schools in the United States, and two are |
located in the East. The one in this city |
is the only West, and there is in
Chicago, which is very exceptional. 1t is
to be expected that almost anything can
Re found in Chicago, and it is seldom that
any kind of institution is found that is
slightly out of the ordinary which did not
originate in the Windy City
However. in the school for stammerers,
indianapolis leads. and the one that is con-
Quoted in this city is one of the most pros
porous In the country. II has been con-
dlcted here for number of years and is
now looked upon as permanent institution
and not experiment
Afflicted persons are attracted to this
school from all parts of the United States,
ahd sometimes foreigners drift in
AT present there is one student who is
native of Shan-Chi, China. which is nearly
1900 miles from here This young
was affected very badly with stammering,
and on account OF the peculiarities of his
has not been here great while, and al
ready great Improvement in his speech
has been noted
RECORD OF STAMMERERS.
One of the most interesting features con-
nected with the work of the school is the
fi.e system in which the records of the
majority of stammerers in the United
states are kept There are now on file the
names, location and occupation of over 5000
people who have great difficulty in talking.
The school is ia correspondence with these
persons all the time. and gradually they
come TO the school The records are kept
on cards. and in such order that any of the
500 names can be picked out al any time.
1t is said by those VINO have charge of
the school that there more men who
stutter and stammer than women. To refer
to figures, there are eight times as many
men as women who afflicted in speech.
aud the reason given for this j. that
woman commences TO talk when she is
q.ite young and keeps it up constantly
that her vocal organs are better developed
than those of man. who. when he is
small boy, plays considerably by himself
and does little talking outside of following
which greatly Injuries his vocal chords.
1t is said, without refiectinej on the
women, that this is one instance in which
their talking is Of some good to them, and
that 1t IS also the reason they are so often
found with better speaking and singing
voices than men, Their vocal chords get
AL OF the exercise which is so necessary
for their development. and consequently
they have good. clear voices for either
speaking or singing.
The difference between suffering and
stammering is that the former is purely
physical. it is said while the latter is
purely mental. and under the least ex-
citement the person suffering is unable to
utter sound Many people attribute stam-
nfering 10 nervousness, but those who have
charge of the school say that this is not
true, and instead of 1t being caused by
nervousness, nervousness is caused by it.
However. stammering does not impair the
mind In any way, and. unless of long
standing, only affects ii 10 the extent that
wien the person gets in hurry to talk
hif mind cannot be concentrated on a word
lohg enough for IL TO be uttered
There are numerous causes for stammer-
Ing. 50 IL is said. 1t may be inherited !:
many times il is the result of disease such
as diphtherias scarlet fever, typhoid fever
measles and ailments of that order. Often
stammering Is caused by fright and may
originate from blow the back or head.
H?wever, In most cases IL manifests itself
ini early childhood. while the speech habit
Isl forming, although IL is asserted that
cases OF stammering have begun after
tHe elSnteentn year. 1t Is also said that
there are no strict laws which can be laid
down as TO exactly what does cause stam-
nsring. for many cases originate with
out apparent cause.
SERIOUS RESULTS.
The results from stammering are often
more serious than the affiiction itself ac-
cording to the statement of the heads of the
school. They say, from the fact that the
imperfect speech is seldom out of the per-
sens mind his vitality is gradually con-
scmed by the constant strain upon his
mHntal faculties. and the i'll effects of his
aftiction gradually impair and injure his
health In extreme cases the nervous sys-
TEN gives way and the victim finds him
self a complete nervous wreck.
the person suffering from stammering
finally loses self-confidence and when the
atifiction has reached the final stage per
sous often lose their minds. The principal
cause OF this is their continual brooding
over their malady.
The course of study and training that is
given I'm the stammerere and Sufferers
scnool covers large field, and includes
many things that hardly seem necessary
as fer instance. dumbbell exercise 1t is
sasd. however, that this Is of the most
important from the fact that physical train
fnE Is absolutely necessary for person
suffering from stammering, from the fact