The Raymer enterprise., 1914-08-06

the childs hand upon her throat and the child.
all eagerness, prepares to initiate her. First she
begins with the sound OF "a" and while still
uttering IT, gently closes her lips. but without
interrupting the sound This action causes the
sound OF IN" to follow "a" and the result is the
word arm" When the little scholar Is made
to understand to what the word applies he Is
usually so delighted that he needs no urging to
repeat II over and over until he has II just right
Sometimes the positions may be excellent but
the sounding weak The teacher will then direct
the child to use his voice. The meaning OF this
direction and the way Of obeying II taught
in the very beginning of the work by holding
the child's hand upon the teachers throat and
chest while she makes utterance of a sound His
hand Is then applied to his own throat and chest
until he has produced similar vibrations. All
the while. of course he is watching his teachers
lips, and the direction is repeated until he has
learned its meaning
The power to distinguish differences of vibra-
tion by touch is very important thing for It is
the child's chief guide in modifying his own
voice later-in raising IT II it is too deep or
lowering IT II II Is too shrill Exercises bearing
upon this are conducted with musical instru-
ments such as the guitar and piano. and then
applied to the vibrations felt In the chest,
head and throat The teacher first strikes low
note and the child, watching feels the vibration
Then she strikes high note and calls his atten-
tion TO the difference. Next she places MS hand
upon her throat while she sugs low and high
notes alternately, and in time he acquires the
ability TO recognize the difference in tone by
touch.
The making Of aspirant sounds, requiring the
forcible exhalation of breath such as ''p," is ex
plained by using feather or lighted candle The
expulsion OF breath blows the feather away or
causes the fame Of the candle to flicker The
difference between p" and 3D." which have the
same visible motions. but not the same sound ia
Illustrated In similar manner. In the case OF
p we simply close the lips, compress the air
In the mouth and then allow II to escape in a
little voieeless puff. But with "b" while the Iins
are closed and opened in exactly the same wav.
the voice Is brought into use and this lessons the
force of the breath as IL leaves the mouth cut.
tural sounds like * and e." being formed Al
the back Of the tongue. are difficult to acouire
but the use OF the mirror is of particular assist.
ance In teaching the child the correct positions
for the sounds of these letters
Speechreading, which is the ability To under.
stand spoken language by watching the speecb
movements on the speakers face. goes side by
side with the teaching Of speech From the first
hour the child Is taught to watch his teachers
lips and to attach meaning to all their move
ments. and he, learns to interpret spoken Ian.
guage with his eyes as the hearing child does
with his ears. without knowing the how or why
OF II.
The second question-that as to what speech
does for the deaf children when they are grown
UPS not difficult to meet In the first place II
puts them on a more equal footing with hearing
children both In their social and business life.
Very few hearing people care to take the trouble
to learn the sign language. finger spelling, lust
for the purpose Of conyersing with one or two
persons. and system Of written communication
Is always slow and laborious. For this reason
the deaf child who cannot speak is always at a
great disadvantage when attempting to minele
with his more fortunate brothers. He must con-
fine his activities largely to that sphere in which
his peculiar form OF communication is under.
stood and this sphere Is exceedingly small com.
paratively speaking But with speech at his COM
mand he finds thousand avenues OF usefulness
and endeavor. Of which he formerly knew moth.
ing, opened to him.