The Devils Lake world. (Devils Lake, N.D.) 1920-1982, 1922-10-04

The North Dakota State School fol
the Deaf, situated at Devils Lake, is
not a home or an asylum, but school
maintained by the state for the edu-
cation of the deaf Of the state. It is
not penal nor charitable institu-
ton, but school in every sense of
the word.
The object in educating the deaf
is to return them to society indepen-
dent citizens, and citizens of whom
the state will be proud OF course
they come to us handicapped. but
their handicap is overcome to very
great extent, by education.
The children at the institution arc
given both literary, and industrial
education. There are twelve grades
in the literary work. The children so
to school in the morning at eight
o'clock; they are in school from eight
until one, then they have their din
ner. At two o'clock they go to work
at the different trades. Each boy is
given an opportunity, to select the
trade which he wishes to work at,
and if he has no choice he is placed
where the Superintendent thinks he
will fit best The following trades
are taught: Carpentry, printing,
which includes linotype operation,
shoe making and repairing, barbering,
art, and this year agriculture is to
be introduced.
The girls have classes in cooking,
sewing, art, (china painting) water
color, etc.,, ironing, dancing. Beside
this regular class work the students
make their own beds, clean their own
dolmitories, etc.
The big brother idea is carried out
with the boys and girls, each large
boy and each large girl being respon-
sible for the appearance, and behavior
of small child. This idea has work
ed out beautifully in the school and
has been of great help both to the
small child, and the older one. It is
found that nothing helps more in solv.
ing the problem of discipline than tc
give boys and girls some responsib;
ity. There seems to be little trouble
with discipline in the school. The Su.
perintendent informed us that chill
dren are never whipped. If punish
ment is needed they are usually de-
prived of some privilege for certai,
length of time.
Two methods of instruction ar,
used in the school room. They ar
known as the oral land the manua
method. By the oral is meant
teaching Of speech and lip reading
and by the manual is meant the us
Of signs and finger spelling. BY tn
use of both methods all children ca,
be reached.
The children have Sunday schoo,
and chapel exercises twice on Sun
days with Christian Endeavor for
older ones in the evening. No cree
is taught, but the children are give
religious and moral training.
A great deal of time and energ
are put forth by the teachers and 9th
ers to give to the children the high
est type of social entertainment. The
have movies every Saturday night !
the chapel, and parties once a month
They have their annual hollowe'e
bonfire, and party, masquerade part
on Washington's birthday, and pic
mic and field day at Lakewood in tn
spring.
The students participate to grea
extent in athletics. The regula
meals, bedtime, etc., help a plot in prc
auclng good athletes, and this sprin
me man who received the medal fo
nelng the best all round athlete 8
the state meet of high schools i
Grand Forks, was an eighteen yea
oid deaf boy. He could have won tn
state meet alone, had he ben Above
to enter all the events in which h