Evening star., 1942-11-23
Blind and Deaf Pupils
Work Out Problems
In New D. T.. Glasses
Handicapped Children
Have Special Equipment
At Adams School

The pretty teacher with the yel-
low carnation in her hair slipped up
behind 11-year-old Douglas at the
John Quincy Adams School and
asked him what day 1t was.
Douglas did not answer. She
spoke louder and he did not answer.
But when she turned him to face
her and asked the question in a
whisper, Douglas face lit up. Its
my birthday" he said.
Douglas, the son of 1t. Comdr. G.
G. Lamb of the Naval Bureau Of
Aeronautics, is one of the eight pu-
pills who last week began receiving
hearing conservation instruction in
the District public school system.
The course is the first in the public
schools history. Braille classes for
blind children also were started for
the first time this fall. Sight con-
servation instruction has been given
at the Adams School for some time.
The two new classes were therefore
set up there under Mrs. Florence N.
Cornell, principal. #
Class Has Special Equipment.
Special equipment for sight con-
servation classes includes unglazed
paper, fat black pencils, radio and
phonograph with story telling rec
ords, story books with large type,
typewriters with "prima" type and
yellow chalk to show up sharply
against the blackboard.
Equipment for the hearing con-
servation classes includes a f1ve-foot
mirror in front of which the chill
dren stand to learn lip reading; an
auricle through which their teacher
can amplify into their ears the cor
rect pronunciation of words, and
group hearing device which is to be
delivered to the school later.
"The Adams school is good place
for these children receiving special
instruction Robert L. Haycock, as
sistant superintendent of schools,
said. 'It is one of the few elemen-
tary schools with a cafeteria and it
is within easy reach by street car"
Gives Normal Schooling.
The whole purpose of the pro-
gram, he said, is to give the children
normal schooling in normal sur
roundings. Children with eye and
ear difficulties eat the victory spe-
cials in the cafeterias and play in
the yard exactly as the others do.
They can do things the other young
sters can't do. In the sight con-
servation class, 11-year-old John
explained proudly that he had been
tipping his lessons by the touch sys-
tenn since he was six.
only the kids in my class can
type" he said. I'VE type the menus
for the lunchroom."
AS John talked, Carl, 8, stood
laughing before tall mirror in
one corner of the sight conserva-
ton classroom. He was practicing
lip reading by talking to himself.
Taught to Read Braille.
Golden-haired Nancy, 8, was one
Of the five sightless children being
taught to read Braille at the Adams
School by Miss Ilah Ola. Twenty
two youngsters with faulty vision
are being taught conservation of
their sight by Mrs. Kathryn Ker-
win and DR.. Henrietta Kornitzer
The eight pupils in the hearing
conservation classes are being in
structed by Miss Lorraine Amos and
Miss Esther Krallman. Audiometric
testing Of the hearing of an the
children in the system is being done
by Miss Florence Camposa
A particular effort is made to
keep the hearing conservation pupils
with the other children. They at
tend the special classes only a short
time every day, or stay in their own
schools to receive visits from the
lip-reading teacher. The sight con-
servation pupils need their yellow
chalk and phonograph records,
however, and can take social ac-
tivities only with the other chill
dren at Adams School.
Pupils with only slight sight and
hearing loss stay in other schools
with special attention from the
teachers. Those with q greater de-
gree Of loss stay at home or 60 to
the Kendall School for the Hard of
Hearing or the Columbia Institution.
Was Long Struggle.
These new classes for sight and
hearing conservation are the climax
Of long Campaign which began
here in the l860s. First appropria-
tions for handicapped children were
given TO the Interior Department,
then to the District government and
then to the Board OF Education. But
the children were sent BY the Dis
trict TO the Columbia Institution or
the Maryland School for the Blind.
Preliminary classes In sight con-
servation were not set up until 1894.
Since then the advisory COMMITTEES