The Dillon herald. [volume] (Dillon, S.C.) 1894-????, 1911-08-24
BOYS SIGHT RESTORED.
Remarkable Operation on Patient OF
Cedar Spring Institute.


Cedar Spring Institute.
Spartanburg, Aug. Is. - Dewey
Cantrell, the marvellous deaf, dumb
and blind boy, of Cedar Springs In
stitute, has a chance of recovering
his sight. An operation has been
performed on him in a hospital at
Atlanta The result is yet to be
seen. Dewey has excited much won
derment in Atlanta by his intelli-
gence. The following from the At
lanta Constitution tells the story:
One who has never seen light
since six years of age, who has
never heard human voice, who
has never spoken an intelligent
word, yet who is able to communi-
cate with and understand other
people - little 12-year-old Dewey
Cantrell, blind, deafmute from
birth - is now under the watchful
care of his mother while he recovers
from the shock of an operation that
may bring sight to his eyes and
let him at least see something of
the world, even though he be un-
able to speak or to hear the peo-
jle who inhabit il.
Dewey has just undergone a very
delicate operation at Wesley Memo
rial hospital, the operation being
called needing. If il is successful
he will take his first gaze at the
world within a short time. 1t needs
but little imagination to conceive
what that would mean to a person
VINO is able to talk and hear, Still
less to one that can do neither.
Dewey Comes to Door.
The reporter visited Dewey at
his temporary home at 40 Houston
st. He expected to find an invalid,
one who was absolutely helpless.
Instead bright looking little fel-
low came to the door and opened
1t Just as the reporter arrived - a
boy who, save for a bandage over
one eye, seemed much as Other
boys. His face was bright and ale~t
with no sign of that heaviness
that rests on so many children who
are so unfortunate. And his curios-
lty - there was no doubt that he
was a boy of twelve.
His teacher, Miss Emilia Ayers
and his mother were both in the
room. and both seemed to be known
to him even though they stood sew.
eral feet away. Dewey is one OF
the 2S children in the United
States that is being educated al
the expense of William Wade, OF
Germantown, Pa, who bears the
entire expense of their maintenance
and teaching. 1t was William. Wade
who assisted Helen Keller, one oi
the most marvellous cases ever re-
corded.
hoy is Curious.
The little fellow likes to know
everything about all that is hap,
pening. He asked the reporter.
name speaking on his fingers ant
being answered by similar signs i'm
pressed on the palm of his hand
When photographer came he
wanted to know who it was and
went wild over a camera, examining
1T with his fingers until he was
thoroughly satisfied, but not until
he had persuaded the teacher tc
let him photograph her, which he
aid by feeling the position of the
camera.
When the photographer had fin.
lshed Dewey answered several
questions and much to the sur
prise of the two newspaper men
readily told the ownership of sew
eral articles, such as pencils and
matchboXes. 1t was explained that
this was done through the boys
sense of smell. The party ended
by recitation of Little Boy
Blue" by Dewey.
The Cantrells live four miles from
Boiling Springs, in Spartanburg
county, S. c. Miss Ayers, the
boys teacher, has been with the
family six years and is a native of
McGraw, New York. She has been
an instructor in some of the
leading deaf and dumb institutions
in the United States and was one
Of the few selected by Mr.. Wade to
carry on this work. She has been
teaching Dewey for six years,
since he was six, and the results
she has obtained are marvellous.
'fonch" is the only method she
can employ, and beginning by
placing the little fellows hand upon
some object while she spelled it's
name upon his palm.
OF course Dewey is highly hope
full, and talks much of the birds,
animals, and people of whom he has
heard so much and will now per-
haps ce able to see.
Though his extremely sensitive
hands and fingers are almost as
Sond rs eyes, and after he has
1nce run his hand over person s
face he ncver forgets that person,
still that is Iot actually seeing and
seeing is what Dewey wants to do