The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-06-15
MAJOR HAROLD HANS NC.
Y. s. PRESIDENT of the LEAGUE.
Idea Developed by Miss Peck, Secretary
of New York League, Has Brought
Readjustment Into Her Own
and Countless Other Lives
By HARRIET E. STANLEY.

A 4 AXE your handicap serve
MI you. Hold on to serve
L you," for thereby are the
lives Of many adult deafened people
being readjusted, and on that has
pivoted the success Of the New York
League for the Hard OF Hearing. The
league styles itself 1.-THE Clearing
House and Information Bureau" on
all questions about or Of interest to
the deafened. ~ a@'sss1"id 49,, ~
So great has been the success of
the league. which is located at 81 West
Thirty-ninth street. that there Is In
process Of formation at the present
time a national league, the certificate
Of Incorporation for which is now
drawn up and about to be filed at
Albany. This league, which will reach
GU; to every part OF the world. is to
BE- known as the American Assocla-
ton for the Hard Of Hearing. While
covering a much wider field, 1t will
have the same general objects as the
New York league, and 1t received Its
initial impetus on April 2. when dele
g2tes from leagues already organized
Ia Chicago, San Francisco, Los An
seles, Pittsburg, Toledo and Newark,
\, J.. met with members of the New
York organization and a committee
from the delegates chose the first
board Of managers.
Until one visits the league 1t would
b. almost impossible to realize that
30 much OF cheerfulness could per-
meate the atmosphere where deafened
people hold sway. for whereas the gen.
sral attitude Of the world toward those
whC have become deafened is one
Df pity. here the pity element doesn't
sven get a peep in at the door,
Whether he enters the well ordered
pftice, where each Of the efficient Sec
'etaries Is herself one Of the large num-
Der OF those who have become deaf
ened. or the social rooms where club
meetings or conferences or teas may
be going on, the newcomer realizes
that here 1t has been proved that
cheerfulness may go hand In hand
with acquired deafness.
Making . Handicap Serve.
But how. you say. have these people
In any specific way made the handi-
cap of deafness serve them? Miss
Annetta w. Peck, secretary Of the
league, first caught hold Of that idea
Tor herself when. a promising future
being closed to her along the lines OF
musical development because OF deaf
ness which had gradually grown
worse, she realized that for those
who had to pass into a world Of par
tai or complete silence there were
problems to be solved, not evaded. ana
problems whose solving could be
done only by those who themselves
had been deafened. She completed a
course in lip reading, and applied for
the work Of secretary OF the league.
then in the early stages OF formation.
Miss Peck laughs when she says
that she does not mind in the least
being pointed out as q rehabilitated
wonder. for she knows that for soldier
or civilian rehabilitation Is possible
lnS that with rehabilitation or read
HiSthent life takes on such a different
hue. In making her deafness serve
her Miss Peck has brought readJust-
$3.50 .hOS OiiAJ AtAeO hOA OWh nav 1AN
INTO the lives Of countless others.
1t is estimated that over ten thous-
and visitors visit the league rooms In
ene year. and each secretary there,
herself hard OF hearing. ana under
standing the limitations and the capa-
oiiities Of those thus affiicted. Is help
ing solve the problems which arise
Tor those who become deafened.
The idea OF making the handicap
serve oae does not stop with the
secretaries. but those who come for
ldvice or aid are shown how this may
We possible. Some time ago young
nan who had fitted himself for sales
tsnship became 80 deafened that he
vas forced to give up his work. and
tearing Of the league came there
puch discouraged He was directed
sleArning tia 5swelrx trada. IN which