Omaha daily bee., 1914-08-22
ATTACKING CORAL" METHOD
Combined System Supporters Wag-
ing Fight in Deaf Convention.
ADVOCATE ESTABLISHED WAY
Declare Mutes Of America Are I'm
surpassed In Their Educational
Attachments as q nj
rect Result.

An attack on the present oral method
Of teaching at the Nebraska School for
the Deaf. and a livery fight between the
supporters Of that system and those who
urge the combined" method, has become
the principal item Of business at the sixth
triennial convention Of the Nebraska State
Association for the Advancement Of the
Deaf, which is now in session at Hotel
Rome.
Before the delegates adjourn, It IL pre-
dicted that they will adopt resolutions
strongly condemning the system used
here by Superintendent F. w. Booth Of
tho state school J. c. Howard Of
Duluth. MINI. president OF the National
Association Of the Deaf, is here to lead
the fight against the oral method
In regard to the situation, which he
says is attracting attention from deaf
people and teachers Of the deaf through
out the United states, President Howard
says:
The oral system requires that all
deaf children be educated by word Of
mouth, much like normal children The
combined system recognizes that all deaf
children arc not equally fortunate and
gifted. It therefore makes use Of every
available means to educate given child.
fitting the method 20 the child rather
than the child to tho method.
Long in Use.
For 100 years the combined method has
been used in America, and the oral
method in Europe Today the deaf people
Of America are unsurpassed in educational
attachments and material success We
who urge the combined system believe II
to be the only sensible and efficient one"
I'VE feel that Superintendent Booth
Is making q mistake in using this fad
system OF oral teaching. and we arc here
in convention to protest against such
folly. lie is backed by certain parents,
who would rather have their children
say Mamma and Papa in a mechanical
manner, than have them educated in all
the arts and sciences"
President Howard lost his hearing
when years of age, but he can speak
quite plainly. lie will make an address
in the sign language this evening against
the oral" method.
Today's sessions OF the convention
we're largely given over to routine bust
ness, with the reading Of papers by Miss
Ella Cowen and c. Il. Comp of Omaha
Elliott to Make Address.
Robert J. Elliott, deputy state superin-
tendent OF education, whose nomina ton
for republican state superintendent Is
still in doubt, will make an address this
evening. which will be Interpreted into
the sign language by Miss Ruth Comp
Rev. DIR. J. II. Cloud OF st. Louis spoke
somewhat in detail concerning the pro-
visions of a bill now before congress to
create a bureau for the deaf In the De-
partment OF Labor. lie suggested that
the association endorse the measure and
do all in its power to enlist the support
| of members of congress from Nebraska
| toward Its passage. This suggestion was
well received by the association. Prof
f. w. Booth, superintendent OF the Ne.
brasks School for the Deaf, in previous
address before the association stated that
at the convention OF instruction of the
/ deaf held recently at Staunton tho deaf
made such an excellent showing that
without previous acquaintance he could
not distinguish them from the hearing
/ members Of the convention.