Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1917-05-24
BLIND GIRLS
WORK ON FARM
Kathryn Frick and Another
Mt. Airy Girl Watch Cur
rent Events

Unable to see, hear or talk, Miss
Kathryn Frick, daughter of Mr.. and
| Mrs. william L. Frick "a North Sew
enteenth street, who is a ward of the
| state at the Pennsylvania School for
| the Deaf at Mt. Airy, is taking an
active interest in current events and
is working hard in the gardens to
relieve the food situation.
There are but two blind deaf per-
sons in the state who are receiving an
education under the guidance of the
Commonwealth. Kathryn is one and
Grace Pearl, also a student at Mt.
Airy, is the other.
Every day these girls study their
lessons In spelling, geography, his
tory, work out problems in mathe-
matics sew and play much like othev
young folks
Their books are not the small, COM
pact volumes from which other chill
dren learn. but large Braile tones,
each as unwieldly as a big diction-
airy. Their states are complicated af-
fairs in which innumerable tiny pegs
must be placed in minute holes and
written lessons must be executed on
the typewriter.
In addition each of these girls is
learning slowly and laboriously to
articulate words and sentences and as
they can neither see their teachers
nor hear them, learning to speak is
far more difficult than one would i'm
agine.
That Kathryn is able to speak at
all is due to the efforts of her teach
er Miss Mable p. Whitman, who for
eight years has devoted herself to
her pupil. Miss Whitman also super
intends the teaching of Grace, al
though she has for her personal in
structor, Miss Edith Ball. who is also
deaf and graduate of the school
where she now is teacher.
1T is difficult for me to remember
or to realize that Kathryn is deaf or
blind said Miss Whitman in the in
terval of history lesson. when her
pupil had gone to her typewriter to
tell the story of the early inhabitants
in New England, in her own way
she Is so bright, so amiable, so sweet
and affectionate, and so responsive,
too, that it does not seem possible
that she cannot hear and understand
everything"
81 have had her for eight years,
and have taught her all that she
knows. 1t is different from teaching
normal child. you see. for l have
to teach language all the time, along
with the other studies. Whenever
not heard before, we talk it over and
she learns all about it, and uncon-
sciously adds 1t to her vocabulary, 1t
always pleases me so much when l
find her charging her stock of words
in this way"
Just then Kathryn finished her his
tory composition and was ready for
her lesson in current events, for these
young girls are being thoroughly
posted in all the events of the day.
as well as in history that is past and
gone.
Tell us about Colonel Roosevelt"
asked Miss Whitman, but Kathryn
had first to ask few questions about
the visitor, to whom she had been
introduced in due form.
us she one of your best friends ?'''
she queried.
mo, I have not met her before"
replied Miss Whitman. but she has
some pictures of us that the photo
grapher from her paper took the
other day when we did not know II -,
That provoked a merry laugh from
Kathryn.
"Oh, IL we had known it, how nice
we would have tried to lookw she ex-
claimed in her strange, mechanical,
but not unpleasing voice. But show
me the pictures"
Showing the pictures consisted in
Miss Whitman sitting beside her.
holding Kathryns hand in her own
and spelling into it rapidly a de-
tailed description.
"Grace is standing beside the
plough and Miss Ball is with her
Grace Is smiling; you are standing
near me and your hair is blowing;
you are smiling also. l look like an
old grandmother"
"Ha, haH laughed Kathryn. "And
do l look like an Italian? Because my
hair is dark l might. Do II"
Then we went back to Roosevelt
Talks About Roosevelt
"He wishes" said Kathryn, slowly
and hesitatingly. like a foreigner who
is desiring of making every syllable
stand out for itself. He wishes to
take 100000 volunteers to Europe. but
this he cannot do until President Will
son and Congress approves"
The lesson continued, the girl with
her fingers placed on her teachers
lips, showing eagerness and interest
in every word that Miss Whitman
uttered.
1T is wonderful how they stretch
out for more knowledge" said Miss
Whitman, 1T is a pleasure to teach
them" ~.