The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1911-06-28
BOY SCOUTS x LEARN UNIVERSAL
 x SIGN LANGUAGE
With the Help of Ernest Thompson
 Seton, Chief Scout, the Boys Are Learning Means of Communicate { ing with Boys of All Nations and
 Thus Are Proving Scouts of Peace

The Boy Scouts of America are learning a universal sign language and. therefore, are devolping the real Esperanto. Under the guidance oi Ernest Thompson Seton, Chief Scout communication not only between the boys of this country but also between the boys of every other nation. The plan now being developed means that eventually the boys of all nations will have a common language and that they will be drawn more closely to- gether. Such binding of the boys ot the different nations together, it is asserted by the leaders of the Boy Scout movement. will tend greatly to- ward the promotion of universal peace
 The sign language is simple. It is common to all nations. It perhaps was developed long before the art of speaking It is natural to use ges- lures and signs to emphasize ones ideas in speaking. These gestures may express entire sentences. For in- stance, the traffic patrolmen in crowd ed thoroughfares in New York use the sign language. They are on duty all day directing the traffic of thou sands of vehicles, and perhaps never speak one word.
 Baseball players have a sign lan- guage. Every sport has given rise to certain gestures or signs that are perfectly natural and are understood easily by persons not versed in that special activity. Children and grown ups use gestures and, therefore signs, instinctiveIy. More than 100 signs are used by the children in the public schools. There are 5000 signs that students of the language have picked up. A person can communicate his thoughts intelligently with 500 of them. The ordinary person uses avocabulary of not more than 1000 words. The signs have been developed in the deaf and dumb schools so that the deaf and dumb alphabet is discarded. ex- cept for the spelling of proper names and unusual words.
 "It is a fact says Chief Scout Se- ton, that at many deaf and dumb schools whole lectures are delivered and sermons preached by the use of single sign may convey an entire sen tence. The savages out West have sign language. A person who un- derstands the sign language can talk to an sIndian.l He, can convey his meaning adequately to persons of diff ferent nations, such as Russia, Chi na and India without speaking word.''
 Chief Scout Seton points out that the use of the sign language makes a person more observant, and that ob- serving persons use it. The sign lan- guage may be used in signalling. It may be employed in places such as hospitals, where persons may not be permitted to speak. It is used in places where the noise is so great that the voice cannot be heard, or perhaps in speaking to one another across a room. Its use is so greatly recognized that it is being developed in the army and many other places.
 Chief Scout Seton has prepared dictionary of signs, with Illustrations whict will soon be ready not only for the use of the scouts, but for all per sons who are interested in learning the sign language. rEvery person uses signs,'' says Chief Scout Seton ''but the Boy Scouts in developing it are spreading it throughout the entire world, and are putting into practice the real Esperanto language. They will naturally come in closer contact with one another, and will be united in universal brotherhood. What can be more helpful in the promotion of universal peace? I hope every Boy Scout will study sign language"