The Lee County journal. (Leesburg, Ga.) 1904-19??, 1913-06-12
Oppose The Pure Oral Method

~ FFNM
TO tile Editor Of The Macon Telegraph;
The deaf mute people from various parts
q Georgia we're in session in Macon hold
inc their third annual convention q the
Georgia State Association Of the Deal
This association Is composed Of able and
competent officers and intelligent menu
bers. They are in a position to tghtI
against the invasion Of the oral or lip
expression, which, the deafmutes admit,
Il very unavoidable unless one who IS
q semi-mute can talk well and under
stand lip reading excellently, and he q
she is entitled to betaughtin oral school.
For instance, see this: A board 81
visitors recently appointed by Governor
Brown inspected the school at Cave
Springs. One Of their recommendations
was that las soon as it becomes evident
that child shows NO FITNESS Tor
speech that it be turned over promptly
to the manual department and not be
given instruction oniyim lip reading
The visiting board was exactly right and
advocated the use OF sign language-tlie
manual method--w which must stay. Don't
let the oral system conquer the manual,
The art Of lip expression requires too
much time in instruction, is too difficult
to master and cannot be perfectly
learned The deaf mutes admit that the
lip reading is a great waste Of time ana
money at Cave Springs. The deaf ash
chat the State institution be removed at
once from Cave Springs to Macon, where
there will be a larger attendance tia AZ
the isolated place, and wherethe mahuai
system practically must be used. 1t Is
admitted that the management at Cave
Springs is verypoor Mr.. o. z Wiling
ham, Of Macon, i'll his recent report, was
correct, and should meet general appros
val by all the mutes. He claimed that
between $50 and 400 mutes, who live
southwardly, were not in attendance at
Cave Springs. He was in favor Of anoth-
er school being established in Macon OF
somewhere in South Georgia, i think
it is best for the State institution to be
removed to Macon, making a larger
school Where is Cave Springs, Ca
Find it on the map Of the u. S.
The first manual method was used in
1917 when Mr. Thomas IL Gallaudet,
who was NOT a mute himself, and who
had great interest in the mutedom,
opened school for the deaf at Hartford,
Conn. (The National Association ofthe
Deaf OF the United States will meet at
tliat place IN 1917 to celebrate tie Tooth
anniversary The founder received this
same method from France, where he
studied and learned, before retaining to
the United States, the art Of sign lang
uage. This is the very old custom. From
this method the educated deaf have been
turning out into the world as useful,
self-respecting and law-abiding citizens.
hope the Legislature will atonce take
steps to have the removal of the State
Institution to Macon and to put a prac-
tical manin charge Of the school Then
the school would be a prosperous one,
and Macon as the central location would
be easily reached by the mutes going to.
school from all parts around in Georgia.
Dr. DUNCAN Ray, Of Atlanta, who adj
vocates the use of the oral method, in his
report said, z predict that it will not
be long before there will be no deaf in
stitutions which teach the sign langua-
ge Never! Don't believe what he
said. IS TO lis opinion, it isvery foolish
] admit, without doubt, it is an imprae
tieable one, ii the oral method is only
used III one school in state.
From my long experience, when one
gets through school after eight or twelve
years spent in the oral class, he or she
would drop speech forever on earth after
he or she tried a few words to be spoken
to several acquaintance, who would
laugh and would not realize the familiar
sounds. You see that the State is was
ting time and money by the oral method
used at Cave Springs. 0RALISM is
NOT ONLY EMBARRASSING, BUTT
is A MENACE TO THE DEAF MEN
TALLY AND MORALLY, AND RoBS
THEM or THE HAPPINESS AND
PEACE OF MIND GOD MEANT FOR
THEM.
In my mind, I always advocate the
manual method which is practically used
in nearly all the States in the United
States, as well as in Europe. l want the
Of the school to Macon and the
manual method taught there.
L. b. DICKERS0N.
Leesburg, June 4.