The Washington herald., 1908-03-15

The children of Washington yesterday
occupied the attention of tine delegates at
the afternoon session Of the International
Congress OF Mothers. in the Metropoli-
tan Memorial Church The entire after
noon was devoted TO them There was
storytelling by Miss Susan Holton. Of
Philadelphia. and songs and games by the
children. Little tots. ranging from two
and one-half years TO ten years Of age.
were in attendance. and the merry
laughter of their voices rang through the
building.
Mrs. Herman Birney. Of Philadelphia,
first spoke TO the children. She told them
Of the best books 10 read. She said II
children would go into the woods and
fields and look into the heavens. they
would find there in nature the best litera-
ture to be found anywhere. and that if
they would read them, and learn about
the rocks. flowers. trees. and the birds
and animals which inhabit the woods.
they would grow into wise people.
Miss HOiton told the children stories
and legends in child language. which
amused the grown folks as we'll as the
children She told the Spanish legend
Little Half Chic" She then told them
a true story Of the life Of the famous
Italian opera singer. Mario The chill
dren then sang The Song Of the Wood
\ pecker." after which Miss HoltOn told
them the Indian legend about the Great
Spirit when he visited the wigwam Of
an old squaw and asked for something
10 eat and because the squaw would not
Lii IA
wcodpecker. This was followed b. a
bear story.
"Oats, Peas, Beans, and Barley"
h Miss Marion E. Mccoy told a nature
story, after which the children played
Oats, Peas, Beans. and Barley" LOO
\ By-L0o," Come and Skip with Ne" and
\ Farmer in the DELL
The games were in charge OF Mrs Wal
/ ter Seymour Birney, assisted By Miss
Cora Johnson. accompanist. The follow
ing young ladies from the Washington
schools acted as ushers: Jennie Ryan.
+ Ruth Branson. Mary Rice. Mary Blazer.
Madaline OMeara, and MaybeIle Dona-
hoe.
Y There was reception held ar Stone
leigh Court last night by the State presi-
dents Of the congress.
The programme for to-day embraces a
/ Sunday school service at O'Clock in
charge Of Rev. William Loring Worces-
ter. OF Philadelphia. There viii be ad-
dresses by Rev. Jacob r Werren, Mrs
J. ". Barnes. Rev Robert G-Boville.
Rev Richard NJ. Hodge. and Rev. Joshua
Strong
There will be a memorial service for
Mrs Theodore Birney at the Metropolitan
I Memorial Church tonight beginning az s
o'clock. AZ which a tribute viii be pre-
sented from President Roosevelt. There
/ viii be- addresses by Rev. William IIOring
Worcester. Mrs. David o. Mears OF Al
bany. y. Y: Miss Janet Richards. Mrs
Robert r. Cotton. and Miss Florence
Newton
Trimming Deaf Children.
The session yesterday morning was de-
voted To the reading Of several papers.
principally among them being the one on
''The training Of the deaf" by DR..
Charles S. Turnbun.
DIT. Turnbull spoke Of the work Of his
father among deaf children in Pennsyl-
vania. and urged that the language OF
the deaf and lip movement be made as
perfect as possible. He asked the CO.
operation Of the mothers in the educa-
ton and welfare of deaf children. DIT
/ Turnbul said pantomime is 70 play no
/ part in the form Of speech for the deaf
that he is champiOning. He favored the
oral method. Children are mimics. he
! declared and every effort AT speech by
4 lip reading should be encouraged
Or. Turnbull described the benefits OF
voice culture. and said there is no one Of
these senses so variable in its develop
ment as speech. Deaf children. he con-
I cluded. keenly appreciate every effort
that is put forth to make them ike other
children.
Hear with Their Eyes.
The deaf children from the Philadel-
phia institution. in charge of Miss Mary
/ s Garrett, founder Of the home. then ap-
! peared on the platform. The youngest
member of the group was but three years
Of age. the oldest being eleven. They gave
/ an interesting exhibition OF hearing" by
the lip movement. and replied to a num-
/ Der Of interroGatories that were made TO
/ them by Miss Garrett and her assistant.
Miss Grace Mcclellan. The baby picked
out number of toys as they were named
/ by Miss Mcclellan. and when asked who
/ he was the little fellow liSped,
I'm mammals boy.
/ Miss Garrett explained that the deaf
children were taught 20 understand con-
versation by reading the lip movements
of the talker. The two eldest members
of The group. she added. were ready for
admittance 10 the public school She said
! those who can hear should take pleasure
in teaching deaf children by the lip move
/ ment at their homes
Some Helps and Hindrances.
( Miss Garrett read her paper on Helps
and hindrances of deaf children in ac-
auiring speech and language at the nat
ural age" She said.
The foundation 'hindrance' to the early
! training in speech and language of deaf
children, is in the general misconceptiOn
Of their condition IL is practically taken
/ for granted that because they lack one
sense they lack many of all the bound
/ less possibilities OF hearing children. when
in reality they share them. Quite gen
orally and thOughtlesSly they are nurtured