The Washington herald., 1913-08-10


ing with deaf-mutes.
= child does not take naturally to the |
habit of walking erect: 1t has to be
Taught to walk that way. Likewise, 1t |
would never learn to talk unless instruct |
cd In the art
But 1t 80 happens. alas! that many chill
dren are born into the world without the |
sense of hearing. and are thus deprived, |
under ordinary circumstances. OF the
means whereby acquaintance with the art |
of speech may be gained
Up to within comparatively recent |
years nothing whatever was done for
such unfortunates. They were regarded
a. In the same category with idiots,
and, being deprived Of all opportunity to
learn. they passed their lives practically
in the condition Of imbecile persons, cut
OF from knowledge and from communica-
ton with their kind.
One OF the most important achievements
of modern civilization has been that by
which the deaf-mute is lifted out of his
former wretched and hopeless condition
and placed on a level OF efficiency and
happiness with those who are able to
hear.
Principal among the means looking to-
ward the accomplishment Of this end
mas DSen the lip IdnBudsc "a uuC
speech which within recent years has
taken the place Of the old-fashioned meth
or of talking with the fingers. Thanks
to II. the deaf-mute OF today appears in
public like any normal person. betraying
no outward or obvious signs Of difference
from his neighbors.
The importance Of this Is hardly to be
overestimated. On the part of people
generally there Is lack OF understanding
Of the mental condition of a person who
cannot speak and who thinks in gestures.
He is a monstrosity. to be stared at and
avoided. Not many years ago a deaf
mute in Alabama was shot dead by a
man who was frightened by his gesticu-
lations.
Deafness Il Inherited.
Science has learned how to modify,
and even to cure. many human ills But.
up to date. it has not discovered any
means whereby deafness may be pre-
vented or cured. The child born deaf re-
mains deaf to the end of Its life. As
for the Individual who becomes deaf in
later life. and who looks for help to the
ear doctor. IL can only be hoped that
his physician. in days to come, may be
less powerless to help him than is the
case at present.
Unfortunately, deafness. like badness,
is one of the most markedly heritable
Of human traits. II might almost be
said that no deaf man should ever marry.
for the chances are great that his chill
dren will inherit the misfortune. II is
owing to this tendency TO the inheritance
Of deafness that the number Of deaf
mutes in the United States is increasing
three times as fast as the population OF
the country at large.
shnur
that one in every 1.5Oo infants born in
the United States comes into the world
without the sense of hearing-meaning,
Of course. that the child will never be
able to talk unless resort Is had to arti-
ficial means for teaching II to speak
And the mischief is steadily growing.
In the decade from 1871 to 1880 there were
eight marriages in which one or both
participants were deaf-mutes- In the dec
ade from 1sil to 1850 there were eighty
four such marriages; in 1s5l-lsSe, 1875: IN
lss1-ls7o. 3ss; in lSIl-lsso. Sc, in 1Ssl-lsso.
l,clT.
Exact figures for the last two decades
are not obtainable from the Census Or
flee. but il is safe to assume 1000 mar
riages of deaf-mutes as a reasonable esti-
mate for the decade lsv1-1slo
Prof. Alexander Graham Bell. whose
own wife was a deaf-mute, and whose life
has pccu idIeciy ucNolcu 10 tNe STUDY OI
this very subject, says that II matters go
on as they are now going. one of two
things must come about. Either % there
will be deaf-mutes in nearly every fam
lily, or (g a distinct deaf-mute variety Of
the human race will be recognized and
forbidden to marry with hearing people.
Prof. Bell thinks that the second alterna-
tive will prove the eventual solution
Of the problem.
Teaching of Lip Language.
The teaching of the lip language IL
based upon the idea that a deaf child
will as quickly learn a lip sign as a finger
sign. From the moment the little deaf
mute enters the school. the Cor she) is
talked to-" Such phrases as come
here" .'Look at met Get up,' Stand
up BE good are read by the child
on the teachers lips before any notion OF
the sounds Involved is acquired.
One of the first principles in this sort
of instruction is that every sound or
word addressed to the child must be
perfectly natural No mounting or
c:imacing by the teacher is permissible.
A method commonly adopted by the in
structor is to take the child on her lap.
and so use a good-sized hand mirror that
the pupil may see his own and the
teachers face side by side. and thus OBJ
serve for himself whether. in the move
ments Of his lips, he is correctly copying
his teacher.
The regular lessons begin with exercises
to form in the pupil the habit Of imitat-
ing with exactness. the various positions
Of the lips, tongue. teeth. and jaws in
the utterance of definite sounds, and to
enable him to gain. by practice, ready
command Of the muscles which control
the visible organs of speech. All of this.
it will be understood. because the child.
before il can talk, must first acquire the
ability to utter the sounds which are the
elements of words.
When the pupil succeeds in uttering the
desired sound. the letter of the alphabet
that stands for that sound Is shown to
him. Thus. for example. the child is
taught to open his mouth to some extent.
with tongue lying fiat. and to breathe
strongly. When he does this correctly,
the letter II is placed before his eyes.
He is taught to press his lips together
tightly and force out his breath suddenly
In opening them. but without putting his
cheeks. Then the letter P is exhibited.
Eesrns the Alphabet.
II Is the same way with all the other
letters: and thus the little deaf-mute
learns how to recite the alphabet Words
composed Of sounds already included
within the scope of instruction are inter-
spersed now and then with the lessons.
Fur instance. the teacher. while the child
watches her lips, says "Hop" 1t Is an
easy word to lip-read, and the pupil. by
imitation, repeats 1t correctly. Then the
teacher hops on one foot The child does
likewise, saying hop again and again.
He IN delighted of course, for he has