The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-10-15
DEAF TAUGHT TO TALK.
Afflicted Children in Philadelphia Have
 Worked Six Years for Speech.

From the Philadelphia North American.
 Transformed from delicate deaf mutes to healthy, happy talkative chill dren, nine graduates of the Home for the Training in Speech of Deaf Chil- dren Before They Are of School Age, '' at Belmont and Monument avenues, will be among the great army of young sters to enter the public schools of this city next Monday.
 Years ago it would be called mira = cle to make a deaf and dumb child talk. yet in these days of develop ment the teachers of the institution which was founded by Miss Emma and Miss Mary s. Garrett are doing Just this very thing, and they are going about 1t without medical journals and scientists ever noticing the remarlSa ble work they have accomplished.
 The children graduated yesterday from the home with delightful exer- cises, and every one of the pupils who was sent tn ere six years ago as deaf and dumb had a speaking part in the programme.
 Unless you spoke with the children IL WOULD pc ullDCuil tO ttll HOW Wttl they can talk Miss Garrett allow ed the guests to converse with the chil- dren after the exercises were over, and when one woman asked a little boy 10 years old how he managed to talk, he replied, readily
 T watched your mouth. We are trained to know what you are saying, although we cannot hear. Every mus cle of the face means a sort of signal to us. That is how we can speak with you"
 Miss Mary s. Zane. one of the teach CTS who drilled the children for the exercises. explained how the children are taught to speak with tn cir tongue. She said:
 "1ach pupil must ever watch our mouth. We tell them there is no such thing as a deaf and dumb child, and that encourages them to learn. Of course, the task is tedious. but within u few months the pupil can master the silent chords in his or her throat. and gradual k they are able to make sounds Then we repeat syllables over and over to them. and they must repeat them also within one year the pupil hti partial control of the tongue and vocal chords and then nature assists them to speak
 Day by day we talk to them as we do to any normal person. and they become so proficient in watching the formation of our mouth and facial muscles that 1t ig only 2 question of wear nr N nafor" they can speak so you can understand them By the time they are ready tc graduate, which is six years. they are prepared for the public schools even bet ter than most children. for the training we give them enables them to know the value of speech. and they are ever try ing to talk better
 Officials of the United States govern ment know that the home is the only one in the world of like nature. and 1t is no wonder that Miss Garrett was sent to the international conference of teachers of the deaf held in Edinburg Scotland recently.
 The ambitions of the home which were also explained by Miss Garrett yesterday places the institution in class all by it. self. Miss Garrett saw deaf and dumb child. as he was called. in his home some years ago, being taught to speak by his mother. She thought it would be bless ing to afflicted children if they had a home to train them before they are of school age. and. with her sister. they founded the institution near. Fairmont Park