The interior journal. [volume] (Stanford, Ky.) 1912-1984, 1914-06-02

lips. her first finger on her cheek, her
second finger on the jaw-bone and III,
fourth and little finger ON her throat
she said these two words, slowly
many. many hundreds OF times, letting
the CHILD feel with her left hand the OBJ
Iect as she spoke its name. There
were many weary days before the fin
ger tips ON the teachers mouth and
throat conveyed meaning TO the strug-
Cling brain
| More difficult even than making
the fingcr-tips hear was the work OF
teaching this child to speak. A deaf
child who can see when ne comes 10
school realizes that most OF the peo-
pie IN the world go about moving
their lips and he is dmly aware that
these strange motions mean some
thing although he as yet has every lit
tie, II any. conception of the meaning
OF language But this child who can
neither see nor knew nothing OF men
communicating with each other bv
means of speech. Therefore the at.
tcmpts OF her teacher to inl'icc her
To make sounds must have seemed a
very scnscless proceeding Ia her. The
~,
and were given first. Oma feel.
ing her teachers mouth and then imi-
tating her Aitcr many weeks irving
she finally succeeded in giving the broad
sound of and soon OF m and her first
word arm, was spoken three months
after she entered school
Nv the first of June she had acquired
vocabulary OF about two hundred
a. IL a.
aud verbs. She could spell simple sen
fences expressing her ideas and her
wants She had learned that words
were the magic keys which would un-
lock her prison
With wonderful patience and al
most uncomfortable effort ON her own
part and on her teachers part her
education has been continued. until
now. after iouf years IN school, during
which time she has suffered several
severe illnesses. she is studying lan-
guagc. arithmetic. geography. ypewrit.
ing and Braillc. She is able To- un-
derstand almost anything said to her
by feeling the speakers lips and to an
,Ner IN speech, which II not entirely
natural. y always ineligible. Experts
IN speech teaching agree that her arti-
Is marvellous. many OF them
declaring that they have never heard |
better speech attained by the deaf. She |
to Use the manual alphabet, |
spelling with great rapidity and accu-
racy, when she Is thrown with the man |
ually taught deaf. When she is with |
hearing people, she talks continually. |
She Is able To- sustain a conversation |
with her elders fully and interesting as
hat OF a normal child OF her age.
She writes her letters. her journals |
ana her school exercises on type |
writer. using the standard keyboard. |
having mastered ii by the touch sys-
EN-. She reads, a. yet somewhat slow
y, Braille. the printing OF the blind |
Outside OF school. she PLAYS with her |
Tolls, dressing them, putting them to
led. feeding them. scolding them and
lctiing them. She plays, too, with the
'ther children OF the institution among
ahom she has her chums and her
special friends. .>ne often sits reading |
, book" that is, holding II before her
ace, or letting il lie in her lap, while
he slowly turns the pages.
What II has meant TO bring this
hid in touch with the universe not
wen those who have stood by while
he miracle was being grough, can
ully comprehend Each OF the facts
VI existence. each of the phenomena
II nature have had Ia be presented to
Ter slowly through her finger tips.
he has many curious IDEAS abou,
hingS which she cannot touch or
which she cannot finger IN their en-
ircty. Soon after the word star"
lad been taught. one OF the teachers
n the school gave a pasteboard star To
Ter To feel She Immediately told the
cacher that God would be very cross
With her for taking the star ont n
leaVcn She shows great interest in
he colors OF things The first ques-
ION she always asks about a new dress
5 what color IL is"
Her ideas of God are very much like
hose OF a normal child She knows
ha, God can see her, that He loves her
md that tie wants her To- be good Not
ong ago her teacher asked her where
iod was and after thinking a moment.
he answered. I'm the moon" Another
inc she was asked. why can't you see
,od?" and Oma promptly replied.
Because ! have no glasses"
She seldom makes mistakes in the
se OF language. but when she does.
hcy are often logical mistakes such
: foreigners learning our language Of
IN make. One day. ON being given
ome hot tea. she said. please wind
he tea" She did not know the word
low hut she did know that she want
d the eiiec, az wind Several days
go she said. MY thumb-toe hurts"
leanine her big toe |,
She is an unusually happy child.
asily controlled. aficctionate patient.
'ell hammered, quiet. retiring in dis |
osition. She is at all times perfectly
She is extremely fond Of new clothes Il,
nd Of iewelry, During her first year
: school one of the first things she 4,
sked for voluntarily was ring" for
er wrist and little coral bracelet
iven to her by one Of her friends was A.,
ne of her dearest treasures. Nor long [
go one OF the children broke this |
raceclt and Oma's grief was pitilul to /
ehold. A yerv human desire for ven
eance was also aoparent. /;