New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1907-06-12
A UNIQUE GRADUATION.
Remarkable Exercises at Institution
for Deaf and Dumb.

The boredom that usually waits upon COM
nncncement exercises was conspicuousy absent
from the graduation ceremonies Of the New
York Institution for the Deaf and Dumb, at
163d street aud Broadway. which took place
yesterday afternoon. IA this remarkable insti-
tuition said 10 be unsurpassed in the world.
veritable miracles are wrought The blind see,
the deaf near. the dumb speak. and every step
in the process 10y which the marvellous result is
obtained was tArningly interesting yesterday.
Only when these voiceIass ones essayed to speak
in words instead % in The beautiful language of
signs were the visitors reminded of the gulf
which has been fixed between them ard the rest
Of mankind Yet one little boy of 4hout twelve
years --arry Barnes 10y name talked so we'll
that the audience took ii for granted he must
hear a little. Inquiry revealed the fact. how
ever, that he was totally deaf
one Of the graduates Ida Butcher. is not only
deaf hut almost totally blind. With one hand
she read her graduating essay written in
braille point and with the other she translated
It into the sign language The subject chosen by
this young woman who has bee,l terribly
handicapped Iy fate was Destiny, and the
keynote of her message was Destiny depends
on our own viii; circumstances cannot con-
troll it,"
To Miss Butcher was awarded the prize given
every year for the most beautiful character.
Another remarkable exhibition given by
the field music corps. Composed almost entirely
totally dear boys, the hand played carmen,
America Dixie" Aud Lang Syne, old
Hundred" and The Star Spangled Banner"
and though they got little mixed up in the last
number Of two their work was, on the whole,
amazing The Cornetist. Moses Neidenberg, re-
ceived medal in recognition Of his having ac-
complished the Impossible.
His playing would be remarkable, even in
hearing boy said Dr. Charles 4. Leale, chair
man of the committee OF instruction, in pre-
senting the prize. In deaf mute it is some
thing which the world probably has never heard
before"
The valedictory address was. given by Vernon
s. Brick. to whom was awarded the Holorook
gold medal for the highest excellence in all
branches Expressing himself partly in the sign
language and partly in spoken words, ne con-
trasted the New York Of the past with the mod
err city Of ear splitting noises and other
The Harriet Stoner medal. awarded for the
highest proficiency among the students VINO
have never gained any knowledge through the
ear was won by Miss Sarah Zablow. Congeh-
3taly deaf, Miss ZabloW mas never neat s .
sound. but seems to be quite unconscious OF her
deficiency. She is beautiful! young glrl, anu az
her use of the sign language IN lHe uelIHeIy u
her graduating essay on "Self-ControI was
particularly graceful ,,.
The programme was arranged 10 Illustrate
the whole course from the kindergarten up ana
during its progress: the cooking class, lhCluu-
ing bows as vel as girls. served specimens OF
their skill There was an exhibition OF gym
nastics and also Of military drill under captain
Jacob LoVitch. who received the prlnclpa4 5,
Enoch H. Currier gold medal as the pest TN
The graduates from the high class course were
Vernon 8 Brick, who goes 10 Llle S'ftli1-ot t
+. College. IL Washington; Jacob Loyitch, VINO
n viii become a printer, and Ida Buchef. ne
ID graduates from the eight years course are wal
Y ter NJ Cole Bruno Dornblut Alfred Holzhelner'
Robert Iimmer. Chain SchatZkin, Alfred T..
smith Anton Tanzas, Thomas Toburn Albert
Zwicker, Amelia Attig, Ethel ~ Howe and
Sarah Zablow.
Al the printers among the graduates have al
ready got places at s2l a week, and the faculty
expects that all Of the graduates will soon be-
come wage earners as less than per cent OF the
pupils in the eighty-nine years Of the insutu-
lions existence have failed TO become self-sup-
porting.