The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1915-01-27

/ handicap Of deafness and the chill
dren failed to receive the full bene-
At of the instruction given.
A practical combination Of these
two methods Is now coming into use.
Recognition is given to the fact that
the deaf child more than any other,
requires individual methods and that
the system best suited to one set OF
children is valueless to another.
While the oral system has accom-
plished lasting good in enabling the
deaf to speak, 1t cannot answer all
Their needs.s At its last convention
the National Association for the. deaf
decided that all deaf. including those
who had been taught the oral meth
cd, should have the privilege of u.s.,
ling the sign language.
The public residential schools eni-
ploy both systems. The children are
given some instruction orally and
are also taught to develop their own
speech. but writing, the sign Lam
guage and also the manual language.
which is really form of writing, are
lall in use. Every deaf child is be-
ing taught to speak, even though
his voice never becomes as clear as
that Of hearing person. in order
that may express himself to those
who hear. Because the sense or
hearing is lacking, the art OF speech
has to be taught by study Of the
breath as 1t comes in contast with
THE muscles of the mouth and throat
and also with the teeth. 81 1his
reason. the instruction Of deaf chill
dren is begun earlier than former
,ly. The deaf child left untaught
in his own home forms the habit
! OF making meaningless sounds. rem
dering the development of proper
Articulation more difficult.
Totally deaf persons have been
found to be remarkable sensitive to-
vibrations and music is being intro
,duced into the schools for the deaf
with practical benefits. The New
York Institution for the deaf has a
lwel!-organized student band. Mr..
Enoch Henry Currier, the principal,
reported last year that he considered
music more important factor in
the education Of the deaf children
than of hearing children. His at
tention was drawn to their musical
possibilities by observing that a boy
would sometimes stand and pound
against a wall with a cub. 1t was
not done once or twice. but seemed
habitual practice. A careful in
quiry among the children as to why
they did 1t elected the informaSon
that the vibrations gave pleasure
and enlivened Tne body"
,1,,,y, 1voo Arof ~ infn
the school. Flies and bugles were
added until last year regular band
of between 40 and SO members was
organized entirely OF deaf boys. The
band numbers 16 pieces, including
comets. flutes. trombones. symbals.
a snare drum and a bass drum. and
has a repertoire of 1876 selections
and has frequently been invited to
participate in public concerts with
hearing musicians. The school has
been organized upon a military basis
for years. Now the students rise in
the morning to the call of fife and
drum Led by the band, they march
to their meals in perfect time. They
do not hear the music in the ordi-
nary sense of the word. They re-
ceive no more sensation from their
AUDITORY nerves than from any other
lpart of their bodies, but their whole
systems respond to series of har-
monious waves.
Music is now being introduced
into other schools for the deaf 1t
is pathetic to see group of deaf
children crowding around piano
upon which some one is playing a
selection. Most of them will try to
!press their ears u some part OF their
bodies against the instrument to re-
ceive the vibrations more strongly.
They feel the music in a literal and
\ physical sense. Several cases are on
record in which decided facility
in music has been acquired by to-
tally deaf person. A young lady in
Atlanta, who has been totally deaf
from infancy. has become an accom-
plished musician, deriving great
pleasure from the vibration of the
strings OF her violin.
The range of occupations to
which a deaf person can adapt him.
Iself is long and varied. 1t includes
many scientific and intellectual pur-
suits, as well as most of the indus
trial occupation. Ga11audet college.
located in Washington. ID. c.. is the
only institution for the deaf in this
country authorized to confer bacca-
Ilaurate degrees. This authority was
granted by act of Congress and the
college is chiefly supported by pub
lie funds. Its students are gather,
ed from all parts OF the country. Its
graduates are frequently admitted to
universities attended by hearing per-
sons, which their special training
has made possible for them to at
tend probably A Gallaudet gradu-
ate completed the course in dentist
ry last year in the University OF
Pennsylvania. Another is now study
ing civil engineering at the Univer-
sity of Michigan. Others have done
post graduate work in different
branches at other institutions.
IS .