The Hope pioneer. [volume] (Hope, N.D.) 1882-1964, 1907-12-19
TO AID DEAF MUTES
VOLTA BUREAU IN WASHING
TOMS FASHIONABLE SECTION.
Unique Institution Established by Dr..
Alexander Graham Bell with
Prize He Received for In
venting Telephone.

L
Washington.-On a quiet street of
Washington's once fashionable neigh
Dor, Georgetown, there is a build
ing whose peculiar appearance arouses
the curiosity of all strangers who see
it. 1t is something like a library,
something like a mausoleum and
something like a small Christian
Science church with a roof garden on
top.
1t is none of these. If you know
what it is, even after you are told its
name, you may step right along to
the head of the class. Persons who
know about the Volta bureau are not
plentiful enough to get in your way.
The story of the Volta bureau is in
teresting. The beginning Of it lies back
in Italy more than $50 years ago.
when Alessendro Volta, who was to
make a study Of electricity, was born.
Later Napoleon had a great opinion
of the Italian scientist and established
the Volta prize.
This prize, a great reward for inven-
lions or discoveries, is not conferred
at regular intervals. In fact, it has
been given only three or four times.
In 1880 it was voted to DR.. Alexander
Graham Bell in recognition of his
service to the world in producing the
telephone.
The prize amounted to about $780,
900. DR.. Bell was a rich man, so he
set apart the sum as a fund to be
used for the benefit of the deaf.
First he invented it in one of his
own inventions. That turned out so
we'll that the original $4,000 became
100000 and the Volta fund was a
stable sum-.
Part of this money was used for
that building of battling aspect in
Georgetown. Helen Keller herself
turned the first spadeful of earth, May
1, 1894.
Part of the structure really is a IL
brary, and absolutely unique at that,
At the rear of the building, which is
f%reproof, are the steel book stacks
containing thousands of books, period,
icals and pamphlets, forming the
most remarkable collection of stats,
tics in regard to the deaf that exists
anywhere in the world.
DR.. Bell has the best of reasons for
being interested in the deaf. His own
wife is what used to be called a deaf,
mute, though it is no longer an &C.
curate term. Mrs. Bell has been
taught speech, and as she is an &C,
complished lip reader, many persons
have met and talked with her without
discovering her deafness.
1t was DR.. Bell himself who taught
her to speak. His father, Alexander
Melville Bell, invented the system
known as visible speech, and sent his
son from Scotland to this country to
introduce the method in schools for
the deaf here.
Among the young mans pupils was
a daughter of Gardiner G.. Hubbard.
Her teacher fell in love with her and
she became the wife of the inventor.
The Volta bureau corresponds with
almost every civilized country in re.
gard to work for the deaf. On its
shelves are books in all languages.
Its aid is sought by various govern.
ments.
Japan sent a representative to this
country to study u system of in.
%struction for the deaf, and the man
thus sent spent weeks at work in the
Volta bureau. 1t has compiled tables
of statistics not to be found anywhere
else.
1t is a gratifying fact that the bu.
reau's investigation shows the United
States to lead in work for the deaf
Germany, however, is a close second
The report for 1900 shows 126 schools
for the deaf in this country, with a
total of 10,946 pupils. Germany has
80 schools, with 6,947 pupils.
Great Britain comes third and
France fourth. Even China has three
schools, although two are French in.
situations in Cochin China, and the
third was established by an American
missionary and struggles along on
gifts sent from this country and Eng
land. AS the school accommodates
only Is pupils and China is supposed
to have about 100000 totally deaf per-
sons, it is not exactly adequate.
Japan has three schools, two OF
them founded by natives and one
maintained at the public expense.