The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1911-08-17
BLIND, DEAF AND DUMB,
THIS CHILD is A MARVEL.

age, who has never heard human
voice, who has never spoken an in
telligent word, yet who is able to
communicate with and understand
communications from other people
little 12-year-old Dewey Cantrell,
blind, deaf-mute from birth, is now
under the watchful care of his moth
er and teacher 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 unable to
speak to or hear the people who in
habit it.
Dewey has just undergone very
delicate operation at Wesley Memo
rial hospital, the operation being call
ed needing. If it is successful he
will take his first gaze upon the world
within a short time. It needs but
little imagination for one to conceive
what that would mean to a person
who is able to talk and hear, and
still less to one that can do neither.
The reporter visited Dewey at his
temporary home at 40 Houston street
yesterday. He expected to find an
invalid, one who was absolutely help
less. Instead, bright looking little
fellow came to the door and opened
it 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 alert, with no
sign of that heaviness that rests on
so many children who are so un-
fortunate. And his curiosity-there
was no doubt that he was boy OF
12.
Knew Those Around Him.
His teacher, Miss Emilia Ayres,
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 who
is being educated at 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 of the most marvellous
cases ever recorded.
The little fellow likes to know
everything about all that is happen
ing. He asked the reporters name,
speaking on his fingers and being
answered by similar signs impressed
on the palm of his hand. When a
photographer came he wanted to
know who it was and went wild over
the camera, examining it with his
fingers until he was thoroughly sat
isfed, but not until he had persuaded
his teacher to let him photograph
her, which he did by feeling the po-
sition of the camera.
When the photographer had finish
ed Dewey answered several ques-
tions, and much to the surprise of
the two newspaper men, readily told
the ownership of several 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 coun-
ty, S. C. Miss Ayres, the boys teach
er. has been with the family for six
years and is a native of McGraw,
New York. She has been an instruc-
tor in several of the leading deaf and
dumb Institutes in the United States,
and was one of the few selected by
Mr.. Wade to carry on this special
work. She has been teaching Dewey
for six years since he was six, and the
result she has obtained are marve-
lous. "Touch" 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, she probable
that the operation will prove sue
cess and credit to the surgeons who
operated.
Of course Dewey is highly hopeful,
and talks much of the birds, animals
and people of whom he has heard
so much and will now perhaps be
able to see.
Though his extremely sensitive
hands and fingers are almost as good
as eyes, and after he has once run
his hand over persons face he never
forgets that person, still that is not
actually seeing and seeing is what
Do-,o1, re- ~ Sn