Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-08-03
MANY DEAF-DL|ND
HIGHLY EDUCATED
Afflicted Persons Learn of
World Through Sense
of Touch.


how many persons know that there are
1000 to 5000 Helen Kellers in the
United States and Canada3
To be sure, these deaf-blind persons
do not have the fame or perhaps the
brilliance of the famous Helen, but at
least 900 cases Of deaf-blind persons
and their accomplishments have been
studied by Corinne Rocheleau and Re-
becca Mack.
They have put the results of their
studies in Those in Dark Silence" q
book describing the remarkable teach
ing of the deaf blind Many Of those
studied are persons of surprising at
tainment.
The authors of the book themselves
constitute a unique pair. Miss Roche
leau. American despite the name, is
completely deaf, but speaks English
and French, learned through lip read
ing, and has been named laureate Of
the French Academy for book In
French
Miss Mack is all but blind. The two
have specialized in studying the deaf
blind. When they travel together Miss
Mack hears and Miss Rocheleau sees.
The authors point out that, few per
sons are born deaf and blind, but that
most cases result from disease in IN
fancy-spinal meningitis, scarlet fever
and sleeping sickness being 1reqment
destroyers Of the optic and auditory
organs.
Often Sense Of Smell Lacking.
The greatest problem is to establish
n contact with the deaf-blind brain.
often touch is the only sense that can
be used, even smell being gone. Inc
problem is to awaken the brain, which,
as the specialists put 1t, is ike that OF
deaf-blind child may be perfectly
healthy, but without hearing and with
out sight the brain remains infantne,
learning practically nothing.
Then comes the teacher, who puts
an object in the unfortunate ones hand
and at the same time spells with the
manual finger alphabet against the
other hand of the deaf-blino person.
Gradually the brain begins to associate
these consecutive signs with the object.
other objects are discovered. Letters
and words begin to be born In the $50
lated brain.
n the oral language is used The af-
nicted person is taught to place the
fingers on the lips or neck OF the speak
er to feel the vibrations. BY the same
system of constant association, certain
ing. gradually assume meaning IN con-
nection with objects used In the lessons.
Then the student learns to initiate
these vibrations and thus speak, al
though usually in an unnatural voice
When one realizes that the contact pc
tween the outside world and the isolated
brain Of the deaf-blind person Is only
6y vibration through the fingers or the
sense Of touch, one marvels NJ the
knewledee acquired by persons ike
Helen Keller. Every one knows her case.
But consider Leslie Farquhar Oren,
who lives on q farm near Wilmington,
Ohio. He is 81, he speaks Eng1sn ana
French. typewrites, and is scholar
with interests ranging from astronomy
20 prehistoric man. He mas stuoleo
Interpretation of radium and mag
netism, bacteriology, the insect Worio
and other varied subjects. ,..
Charles Crane, Vancouver, British Co
h,rnhia. particularly likes English,
French and Latin, and speaks SO
naturally that those he meets in every
day life have no difhculty understand
ksthryne Mary Prick. educated at
Philadelphia, Is one Of the better known
deaf blind persons OF the Country.
stories Of her life. written Dy nerse en-,
have been published this year In the
Atlantic Monthly.
Deaf-BIind Girl l. Musician.
Helen May Martin, sometimes called
the wonder girl" ID . deat-bl1n6
musician. When she was very small
she used to sit by the hour strummlng
the piano and feeling the VIBRATIONS.
Her mother then tried to teach her to
play Purely from vibration, Helen
started in. She began lessons. Mean
while. she was learning to talk with
the world with the manual alpnaoet.
Helen Martins music became 80 re-
markable that she has given concerts In
many cities.
while playing Miss Martin gets ner
music through her feet. Once at
concert the foot pedal broke. Miss
Martin could not play. When others
play she listens" by placing her hands
on the piano She has decided likes
and dfslikes in music. Beethoven ana
MacDowell are her favorites. Incl
dentalIy. Beethoven was almost deaf
when he wrote some Of his later COM
positions.
Ira N. Rathbun. New London, Conn,
deaf, dumb and blind, y an expert
shoemaker and a well known ngure IN
his city. He is more than 60.
Miss Rocheleau and Miss Mack point
ont that there are an astonishing num-
her of ways for communicating with
the deaf-blind, despite the fact that
only q few generations ago they were
usually called idiots. In addition to
the methods already mentioned, some
deaf-blind persons use the phonetic
hand alphabet, various spots on the
fingers and palm of the hand repre-
senting different letters or ideas. Most
deaf-blind persons also understand
words written with the finger on the
back of their hands.
Oral Method Jumps Barrier.
Raised type and the braille system
are used for writing. With braille ma
chimes the deaf blind may correspond
with one another. But most Of these
methods isolate the deaf-blind persons