The Bridgeport evening farmer. [volume] (Bridgeport, Conn.) 1866-1917, 1912-03-13
Make Mutes Speak
By Sound Vibration
PUBLIC EXHIBITION OF WORK
DONE AT THE NEW YORK
INSTITUTION FOR DEAF
AND DUMB.

AND DUMB.
New York. March 13.-An entertain
neut was given Monday afternoon at
the Kinemacolor Theatre in FOrtieth
street by instructors from the New
York Institution for the Deaf and
Dumb at 163rd Street and Fort WASH
ineton Avenue. 1t was the first pub
Ac exhibition of the sound vibration
system of instruction in the school.
About $50 boys and girls from the
institution were present at the matinee
exhibition of the life-colored moving
pictures, accompanied by Major Will
liam H. Van TasseH, military fnstruc-
tor, and l. Bjorlee, a member OF the
school Faculty.
The children were the guests of the
theatre management, and We're brought
down from the institution in special
Subway train provided for them by the
officials of the Interborough RAPID
Transit Company.
While Ben Greet related the nara
tive of "Oedipus Rex" portrayal OF
the tragedy was thrown on the screen
and one of the teachers from the
school stood at a Coz yer of the stage
circle of calcium light and translated
the story told by the speaker into the
deaf and dumb sign language for the
benefit of those pupils whose sense
of hearing had not yet been suff1clently
restored to follow the audible sounds.
During the half-hour intermission In
the entertainment Major Van TasseH
and Mr. Bjorlee demonstrated the
method by which sound perception and
the power of speech are restored TO
those who come to the school lacking
those faculties Seated in the gallery
were the members of the military band
of the school, and from among these
boys four were selected as subjects.
N,ior Van Tassell explained that the
boys in the band were the best able
to differentiate musical tones and har-
mony because of their training.
They have been trained by vibra-
ton to perceive not only sound but
tone" explained Major Van Tassen.
They receive these sound vibrations
through the sensitive nerves in the
palms of the hands. the pit of the
stomach, the small of the back, or
through the soles of the feet, just as
normal children perceive sound through
vibrations against the ear drum.
THE hardest thing with a child
who rs congenitally deaf" continued
the speaker 'is to train him to differ
entiate between musical notes and to
perceive melodies. That they can be
taught to do 50 am going to prove
by means Of these four boys
After the Major had concluded his
remarks the four youngsters were sent
to the stage and the great pipe organ
began to sound the air of America"
After some hesitation the quartet be
gan to sing the words Of the song
somewhat haltingly, but in harmony
with the music Then the organ ceas-
ed and the boys sang without accom-
paniment. There was a slight discord
but the notes were fairly well main
taiEed.
After this exhibition the youngsters
returned to their seats, and the organ
ist played various well-known airs for
rissimo. Major Van TasseN and Mr..
Bjorlee called at random upon various
pupils to identify the melodies A few
responded in the sign language, but
many replied in articu1ate speech. All
answers were correct with the excep-
ton of one little 6-year-old, who iden-
titled "The Star-Spangled Banner" as
.-OId Hundred This boy, the Ma
jor explained, is the best cornetist in
the school. but is as yet totally unable
10 differentiate note vibrations, al
though sound perception is possible to
him
Mr. Bjorlee explained that the man
ner in which the dumb children had
been taught to speak was also by
means of sound vibration.
There IS no such thing as a dumb
child in the world" he said, Except
in such instances as where the vocal
cords are incurably paralyzed. These
boys and girls, or most of them, come
TO us congenitally unable to utter an
articulate sound. 1 will not call them
dumb, for / consider that word bar
barous and obsolete.
I'VE teach them to speak by first
learning the vibrations of the various
novels and consonants. The teacher
places the child's hand firmly under
his chin, and then repeats the sound
which he desires the child to utter.
ofn6 he inc ha
child is able to attempt the same
sound When he does so, we compel
him to take hold of his own chin firm
ly, so as to perceive the difference in
the vibration of the sound which he
utters and that which the teacher has
just made.
After constant repetition he learns
20 obtain the same sound perceptio ion
for himself. and in time he can be
brought to utter articulate sounds, un-
til the power of speech of which an
unkind fate has deprived him is fin
ally bestowed upon him. Thus by
sound vibration the deaf can be made
10 hear and understand articulate
speech and the dumb can be made to
talk"
In proof of his assertion, Mr. Bjorlee
raised his voice somewhat loudly and
began to ask certain boys, all Of
whom, he said, had come to the insti-
tuition unable to speak, questions, to
which they responded without the
slightest hesitation and at time We'd
with each other in noisy, schoolboy
chorus. 1t was difficult to believe that
these children had ever been deprived
of the power of speech.
Mr. Bjorlee described the manner in
which the power of perce'ving sound
vibration is developed. The subject
is first submitted to a period of train
ing by means of heavy drums, loudly
beaten in perfect rhythm, which re-
suits in sensit'zing various nerve CEN
tres in the body to sound vibrations.
Then the course of speech instruc-
ton Is begun in the manner already
described, the pupil receiving the
sound vibrations in the palm of the
hand, which is pressed firmly under
the teachers chin. In addition three
periods of half an hour each are set
aside during the day in which the in
mates Of the institute ON are all assem-
hled to ''listen' to the music of the
school band, and thus gradually learn
to differentiate note and harmony vi
brations.
Rheumatism has to disappear at
the Hotel Atlas Turkish Baths. az