The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1914-06-11
Excellent Work of Students
at Austine Institution
Is Recognized
NOTED INVENTOR
MADE THE ADDRESS
Dr. Alexander Graham Bell Distin-
guished Guest Deaf and Blind
Pupils Gave Remarkable Exhibition
This Forenoon-Showed Progress.

This Forenoon-Showed Progress.
The second closing exercises OF the Aus
tine Institution for the deaf and blind,
held this morning in the institution, were
OF even more interest than those of
year ago. in that some of the pupils who
participated this morning had opportun-
itv to display the remarkable advance
they had made in year.
The presence OF DR. Alexander Graham
Bell. inventor of the telephone. an early
teacher of speech to deaf mutes and the
founder of the American Association to
Promote Teaching of Speech to the Deaf,
added TO the importance OF the occasion.
DR.. Bell, at the conclusion of the eXer-
cises. made a brief address in which he
referred to the fact that his invention OF
the telephone was because of his efforts
in teaching the deaf to speak.
The exercises began late because of Dir.
and Mrs Bell being delayed in reaching
Brattlcboro from Northtcd, on account
ot an accident to the automobile in which
they were making the trip. DR. Henry ID.
Ilolton, president of the institution, pre-
sided nc the exercises, which were opened
with prayer by Rev George f. Tomkin-
son. pastor of the First Baptist church.
Vera Bicl,ford. Dorothy Fiske and Maui
rice Larroway. blind children, with Miss
Ethel Littlchalcs, teacher of music, at the
piano.
The first grade work in charge of Miss
Margaret A. Nelson, was by deaf children
who read Instructions and questions from
the lips of the teacher and instantly re-
,pouded. Maynard AIedor, who until two
Years ago had never known what it was
to speak, rected distinctly a short pa
tiotlc sentiment
Children's Exercises.
Florence BodwelI. Zylpha Porter. Pearl
Grant Florice Harrison. Hazel Martyn
aud AIlriel Pratt recited verses of My
Country ii. OF Of Thee, the first three
being given by individuals and the last
IN unison. These pupils, Miss Throck
morton, the principal, explained, hav,
come TO the Austne Institution from 9th
or schools where they had been placed ion
education by the state before the present
institution was established, and whil,
each had received previous instruction j
was not all in accord with the methods o
the local institution.
Martin Fiske a blind pupil, playc,
ltubcnstcins Melody in Il as violi
solo, accompanied by Miss LittIchales. AM
~
violin duet with his teacher Both effort
were roudly appIauded, as were those Q
the other pupils. He also gave an eXhb
ton of tvnewriting from dictation by hi
teacher, Mrs y. ID Clawson and OF tai
ing diCtatiou on Il bralle machine an
transcribmg it from that to the typ,
writer. He has a speed at present Of >
words "a minute on unfamiliar matter an
has been taking instruction on the typ,
writer only six months. He practices o
one make Of machine and takes lessor
on another, which makes him famlia
with two standard makes
Exercises 10y blind pupils in braie rea
ing and writing and in pencil writing n
der the direction OF Miss Marion Mile
teacher were highly interesting ar
ranged from beginners work to the mo-
advanced. The pupils who participated
this were Fred Hoag, Dorothy Fisk
Martin Fiske and Vera Bickford.
Dr. Bell Introduced.
Or Bell who had reached the buldil
about the middle of the program, was
troduccd by pr Holton, aud spoke brief
skctching the history Of the teaching
the blind and the deaf from its Garlic
days He referred to the charmans i
PRODUCTION Of him as the inventor Of Il
telephone and founder of the art of teac
ing speech to the deaf by saying that i
telephone invention had been the rest
of wears of cXertion in teaching the dc
to speak in the Horace Mann scho
The oral method Of teaching the deaf
speak goes back some POO years for t
first school for this form of teaching t
deaf was opened in Scotland in 17C
There were no schools in America
teaching the deaf at the beginning of t
18th century and not until 1872 did
member Of the Scotch family who Ii
opened the first school open one in V
ginia. He soon died and so carefully h
the inventors Of this system guarded [