^.aj .vaj %^ Vs^, ^0^ IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-S) / O Vi 1.0 I.I 1.25 1^ 128 '" 136 If 1^ 1.4 iiiiii 1.6 '<*^ :^^ Photographic Sciences Corporation 23 WEST MAIN :.YREET WEBSTEK.N.Y. USBO (716) 872-4503 ' . -^ 5:

iemplaire film6 fut reproduit grAce it la j4nArosit6 de: IVIetrcpolitan Toronto Library l^istory Depsrtment The images appearing here are the best quality possible considering the condition and legibility of the original copy and in iteeping with the filming contract specifications. Las images suivantes ont 6t6 reproduites avec le plus grand soin, compte tenu de la condition at de la netteti de rexemplaire film6. et en conformity avec les conditions du contrat de filmage. Original copies in printed paper covers are filmed beginning with the front cover and ending on the last page with a printed or illustrated impres- sion, or the back cover when appropriate. All other original copies are filmed beginning on the first page with a printed or illustrated impres- sion, and ending on the last page with a printed or illustrated impression. Les exemplaires originaux dont la couverture en papier est imprimto sent fiimis en commenpant par le premier plat et en terminant soit par la derniire pege qui comporte une empreinte d'impression ou d'illustration, soit par le second plat, selon le cas. Tous les autres exemplaires originaux sont fiimds en commenpant par la premidre page qui comporte uno empreinte d'impression ou d'illustration et en terminant par la dernidre page qui comporte une telle emprointe. The last recorded frame on each microfiche shall contain the symbol ^^- (meaning "CON- TINUED"), or the symbol V (meaning "END"), whichever applies. Un des symboles suivants apparattra sur la dernidre image de cheque microfiche, selon le cas: le symbole — ^ signifie "A SUIVRE '. le symbols V signifie "FIN". l\/laps, plates, charts, etc., may be filmed at different reduction ratios. Those too large to be entirely in^^iuded in one exposure are filmed beginning in the upper left hand corner, left to right and top to bottom, as many frames as required. The following diagrams illustrate the method: Les cartes, planches, tableaux, etc., peuvent 6tre film6s d des taux de reduction diffdrents. Lorsque le document est trop grand pour Atre reproduit en un seul clich6, il est filmA A partir de I'angle supArieur gauche, ae gauche A droite, et de haut en bas, en prenant le nombre d'images nAcessaire. Les diagrammes suivants illustrent la mAthode. 1 2 3 1 2 3 4 5 6 LORD DUFFERIN, The First Patron of tho Maokay Institution for Protestant Doaf-Mutea. ^ !( THE af AND BLIND DEAF-MUTES, WITH INTERESTING FA^V^ AND ANECDOTES ; A SHORT HISTORY OF THE MAOKAY INSTITUTION; AN EASY METHOD OF TEACHING DEAF-MUTES AT HOME ; THE AUDIPHONE, ETC. ILLUSTRATED BY DEAF-MUTE ARTISTS. A COMPIi-ATION BY THOMAS WlUn, Principal of the Mackay Institution for Protestant Deaf-mutes, Montreal. ..,©,- MONTREAL: p. E. GRAFTON, PUBLISHER, 252 ST. JAMES STREET. 1880. i 1 Mom. ^s , \^co HONTRKAI. : PSINTED BY THE B0T8 AT THE MACKAY INSIITUTTON rOK PROTESTANT DEAI^-lnlTK«. eOTB ST. LUO BOAD. 311 . ^ I 2. TO THE MANY KIND FRIENDS OF THE DEAF AND DUMB THIS LITTLE WORK IS MOST RESPECTFULLY AND GRATEFULLY DEDICATED. K TO THE READER. Having sufFered from the most intense deafness for more than thirty-five years, and labored as a teacher and missionary to the deaf and dumb for twenty years^ the Compiler of this little work is, in consequence, thoroughly acquainted with the requirements of this afflicted class. He would urge all who possess any influence, however small, with our Legislators, to use that influence to obtain for the deaf-mute, in the name of humanity and justice, the same facilities for education and spiritual instruction as are enjoyed by persons who can hear and speak. He wants justice, not charity. There is no class of people in the world who have been so much misunderstood, who have* had to contend with so many difficulties and hardships, and whose motives have been so often mistaken as the deaf and dumb ; and on this account the compiler has always striven, and still strives, to ameliorate their condition and to obtain for them their just rights. His humble efforts in this direction, in England and Canada, have, thanks to a kind Providence and to Christian benevolence, been attended with some success. But the education of this class in Canada is yet in its infancy. More schools {not asylums) are wanted (each containing not more than 20 to 100 pupils), also a college for higher education, and places for divine service in the finger and sign-language in towns and cities. The deaf-mute, when properly instructed and trained, is not altogether helpless, as will be seen from this little book,— the type-setting, printing, and the engraving of nearly all the illustrations having been executed by deaf and dumb workmen. ? I I PREFACE. ? There is a great want of correct knowledge respecting the affliction of deafness, particularly as regards its fearful consequences. Very few persons, even among the thoughtful and intelligent, are fully acquainted with the natural and moral state of the deaf and dumb, the condition of their minds, the peculiar means employed in their education, and the nature of their employments in after life. The consequences of deafness are constantly confounded with those of blindness in the minds of many for want of a little careful considera- tion of the essential difference between them. Another error is to regard the deaf and dumb as little, if at all, better than idiots. Many other mistakes might be mentioned, but as they are dealt with in the body of this work, it will be unnecessary to refer to them here. These misapprehensions concerning this afflicted class, coupled with the apparent mysteriousness which is attached to the mode of their instruction, show how necessary it is that correct information on the subject should be diffused as widely as possible, that the consequences of this deprivation may be better under- stood and realized, and that the benevolent projects established for their welfare may receive the full benefit of an enlightened sympathy. I vi With a view to difluso as widoly as possible much general information respecting this class and to correct prevailing errors respecting them, this little work has been issued. The materials have been gathered from over twenty years' practical experience amongst the deaf and dumb, both children and adults, in Europe and Canade. Extracts have been made from the works of other writers, especially from " Language by Touch," by Mr. Wallis, which refers chielly to the blind deaf- mutes ; and " The Deaf and Dumb," by the Rev. S. Smith, London. The history of the Mackay Institution, and an easy method of teaching deaf-mutes at home are here introduced, mainly to encourage others in their efforts to start similar schools wherever required. It has been the aim to make these pages interesting and instructive to both young and old. The writer is himself a deaf-mute, and, having derived so much benefit from instruction is most anxious that all deaf- mutes should enjoy similar advantpges. Any profits arising from the sale of the book wtII be used to help to ameliorate the condition of the children of silence. T. W. Montreal, January, 1880. CONTENTS. Dedication. To the Reader. Preface y Contentfl ''vii. CHAPTER I. The Early Dawn. — London. — Paris. — Hartfoid l CHAPTER II. The Single and Double Handed Alphabets and their Advantages 3 CHAPTER III. The Uneducated Deaf-Mute.— Tho Sin:n-Langiinge. — The DifficulticR of the Acquisition of Language. — The Diaf-inute's and the Armenian's Leticrs. — From the Cicaturc to the Creator 4 CHAPTER IV. Anecdotes of Deaf-mutes. — A Deaf-mute's Prayer. — The Finger and Sign Languages Utilized.—" Jesus and Mc."— Deaf-mute Artists.— A Prodigy. — Deaf-mute Compositions. — Massieu and Clerc — Absurd Expectations iq CHAPTER V. The Systems of Instruction. — The Articulation Method — The Natural Method. — The Combined Method 22 CHAPTER VI. The Mental and Moral Condition of the Uneducated. Deaf-mutes. — No Ideas of a Creator. — Is Conscience Primitive ? 23 CHAPTER VII. Marriages Among Deaf-mutes 29 CHAPTER VIII. Blind Deaf-mutes. — Laura Bridgman. — Mary Bradley — Joseph Hague. — Anecdotes. — Death of Hague. — Other Cases on Record 31 CHAPTER IX. The Comparative Happiness of tho Deaf and the Blind 42 CHAPTER X. History of the Protestant Institution for Deaf-Mntes. — Its Early Stri.ggle.— The First Public Examination.— The Census Returns of Deaf-mutes in the Province of Quebec. — Mr. Joseph Mackay and the New Building ^ 40 Vill. Paor. CHAPTKU Xr. OpcninR of tho Mackay InHtitiition by Lord Dufforin— The Ninth Annual flimnnil Mooting. — CoriRmtnldtory AddroHS. — Donf-iniitoH at Divino Horvioo. — ProHS NoticoH. — To I'arcnts of Deaf-mutes. — Tho Audipliono, Ac. — An Appeal for tlie Deaf-inuto 63 CHAl'TEU XH. An Easy Method of Teaching Deaf-mutes at Homo 74 I LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS. Lord Dufferin, tho first Patron of tho Mackay Institution Frontiapieee. The Single and Doublc-Handed Alphabets 3 Mary Bradley and Joseph Hague, the Blind Deaf-mutes 37 P. Mackenzie, Hon. Secretary-Treasurer of the Mackay Institution 49 Tho Old Protestant Institution Building 61 Interior View of the Protestant Deaf-mute School-room. — Mr. Widd Teaching tho Significance of Words 56 Charles Alexander, the first President of tho Mackay Institution 67 The Mackay Institution 68 Thomas Widd, the Principal of the Mackay Institution 65 John Dougall, of the Montreal Witness 73 The One Handed Manual Alphabet (largo) 81 The Two Handed Manual Alphabet (large) 9,% i I THE DEAF AND DUMB. i CHAPTER 1. The Early Dawn— London— Paris— Hartford. ^ One fine day in the month of May, 1662, there was a large assembly of great persons in Whitehall, London. Ilis Majesty Charles I. was there, surrounded by nobles and fair ladies, by diplomatists and bishops, learned men of all kinds, and ambassadors from foreign lands. The thoroughfare leading to Whitehall was crowded with carriages and horses, and people on foot. Presently there appeared before the King and his grand assembly a learned doctor and profound philosopher, named John Wallis, who led by the hand a little boy, and all eyes were directed to them. There was nothing extraordinary in their appearance, and most of the people present wondered what was going to be done. No king was going to be crowded; no royal marriage was to be solemnized ; no unfortunate culprit was to be executed, — then why this grand gathering? Dr. Wallis had been invited to exhibit before the King his triumphant achievement in having successfully instructed a deaf-mute ! He had taught him to read and write, and the world wondered ! His name was Daniel Whalley. Let us cross the English Channel, and see what was being done for the deaf-mute in Paris about a century after Dr. Wallis's time. A benevolent-looking Paris. — Hartford. gontlomaii in the garb of a Homan Catholic priost. the, Abbo L'i!]pee, was wending his way through the thronged streets o{" Paris to make his usual round of visits. In one house dwelt a huly and her two daughters, whom the good Abbe visited. He entered a rooin in whieh the two young ladies were seated at needlework. No response was made to his salutation, which much surprised him. lii explanation oi' this apparent rudeness, he learned that these two lovely young ladies were both deaf and dumb. The Abbe's kind heart was iou^hcd to the (|uick, and he resolved to devote th(^ remainder ol* his existence to their edu- cation. He soon found that there were many others similarly afflicted a:id to devise means by which to »reach their imprisoned minds became his sole thought day and night. His elForts were not in vain, for he soon found a way, by signs and gestures and the one- handed alphabet, to convey instruction to the children of silence in his country. He afterwards founded the institution for deaf-mutes at Paris We now^ cross the broad Atlantic and come nearer home. Towards the close of the last century, in a pleasant home near New Heaven, Conn., a little girl was born deaf and dumb, and a few years alter a second daughter was born, and she, alas'! was found to be deaf and dumb also. It was a bitter trial to the Christian parents of these afflicted children, and they v/ondered why a loving God should alflict them so' sorely. These little girls grew up to be beautiful young women. They w^ere ladies in manner, but totally uninstruct.d. The Rev. T. II. Gallaudet had recently returned from Europe wdiere he had learned how to teach deaf-mutes and founded the school for them at Hartford. These girls were then in their teens, and their parents hastened with them to Mr. Gallaudet. They wa^re amo'ig those who formed his first class of deaf-mutes. The youngest made great progress in her studies, and when she completed her education became the wife and co-laborer of this distinguished ^^^entleman. She bore him eight children, one of \vhom is the Principal of the present National College for Da-J mutes at Washington, and another is the Kev. Dr. Gallaudet, of St. Ann's Church for Deaf-mutee, in New York, The Deaf-mute Alphabets. 8 CHAPTEE II. The Single and Double Handed Alphabets and their A.dvantages. Now to return to Dr. Wallis. We fmd that he used a double-handed alphabet in teaching his first pupil, and this alphabet was invented by a very learned philosopher, named George Delgarno, a Scotchman by birth, who now lies in a nameless grave in St. Mary's Churchyard, Oxford, England. THE TWO-HANDED ALPHABET. Delgarno wrote a valuable book about teaching deaf and dumb persons, but Wallis was the first to carry the idea of teaching them into practical effect. The vowels of this alphabet are formed by touching the tips of the fingers of the left hands with the index finger of the other. It it used in all the schools for deaf-mutes in Great Britain and other countries to this day. .j^ «|| .^ THE ONE-HANDED ALPHABET. 4 The One-handed Alphabet. The one-handed alphabet used by Abbe L'Epee is different from the above. It was in use before his time. It is employed in the schools for deaf-mutes in the United States and France. The alphabet made with the two hands has a strong resemblance to the capital letters of the Roman Alphabet, while the one- handed alphabet bears a likeness to script, and on these accounts both alphabets can be very easily learned and remembered. The two-handed alphabet is more distinct and is far better known and more generally used by the public than the other alphabet. The one-handed alphabet is very convenient and graceful. With it deaf-mutes can carry on a conversa- tion while holding a lamp or an umbrella, or book, or the reins in the other hand. But for lecturing or religious service, and for communicating with hearing and speaking people, who prefer it to the other, the two-handed alphabet has important advantages. It is therefore best for deaf-mutes to bo thoroughly acquaint- ed with both alphabets. In the practice of either it is necessary to keep in mind certain rules of position, for on these their perspicuity depends. In using the double-handed alphabet the left hand should be held open in front of the person addressed, and the fingers of the right hand should travel over the left hand making the letters distinctly and deliberately. The skilful dactylologist is able to speak with the rapidity of ordinary speech, and any one able to read and write will soon become expert with either alphabet after a little p-^iience and perseverance. The reader can study them both and compare their respective merits at his leisure. CHAPTER III. The Uneducated Deaf-mute— The Sign-Language— The Difficulties in the Acquisition of Language —The Deaf-mute's and the Armenian's Letters. — From the Creature to the Creator. With these alphabets the instruction of deaf-mutes became more general. Schools for them were establish- ed in most civilized countries. They became the key to the minds of these afflicted ones, and a kind of substitute for the potent " Ephphatha ! " But to educate the deaf-mute appalling difficulties have to be surmount- ed. He knows no language, except a few gestures and t J The Difficulties in the Acquisition of Lans^uage. simple signs*. It is difficult for those not deaf to conceive of ideas without language. The most uncivil- ized savage has a language, and can express his ideas to those speaking his language. So the deaf-mute, until he acquires a knowledge of language, expresses his ideas in natural signs and gestures — the same as infants use. When a deaf-mute goes to a school for deaf and dumb children, his teacher has to supply both thought and language, and then to lay out and cultivate the manv avenues to the mind over which thought goes and comes. His lessons involve much translation — first emotion into ideas, ideas into signs, and signs into written words, or words spelled out by the fingers letter for letter. Constant repetition is necessary to &x the words in the mind. The great difficulty is to get him to understand and remember words enough to cmivey his ideas as he writes or converses with hearing and speaking people. We now realize how much a child blessed with the gift of hearing and speech knows of language when he first goes to school — he has been taught bv all the people he^ever met by simply hearing 'them speak. But the only preparation the deaf-mute has received when he goes to school is his careful observation of the motions and behavior of people and things about him, The difficulties besetting the progress of the deaf- mute are chiefly in the way of language. His means of expressing his wants and emotions are those which Darwin has shown to be common with the brute creation. His pantomimes are no more like words than is the chatter of birds or the grimaces of a monkey. When his motions have been directed into the defined expres- sion of thought his signs indicate ideas rather than the arbitrary symbols of speech. He has none of the benefits of comparative philology. All spoken language have certain semblances by which, knowing one lan- guage, the acquisition of others is facilitated. Yet, M. Hamerton, is his "Intellectual Life," says: "A language cannot be thoroughly learned by an adult without five years residence in the country where it is spoken, and without close observation, a residence of twenty years is insufficient." This is not encouraging, but it is the truth. What then shall be expected of a deaf- mute, w^hose only opportunities for the acquirement of I 6 The Difficulties in the Acquisilion of Lan}^7inge. the English language are limited to the formulas of the class-room and occasional conversations with intel- ligent friends by pen or pencil? The first six or seven years in a deaf-mute's school life should be devoted to the study of language, — to obtain the key that unlocks to him the stores of human learning as contained in books. In this pursuit it is not the hundred thousand words of the dictionary that confuse the pupils, and dishearten the teacher, but the dilferent uses to which the same words are put, and the ditfereut ideas depend- ing simply on conjunction. Take, as a simple illustra- tion, the word " draw." The pupil is taught that a horse draws a waggon. The pantomime is clear and corresponds with his daily observation. But to his surprise, the next morning's paper, in its notices, says : " The concert drew a large house last night," and he has to learn that in this use draw means to attract, and house means a number of people. After being taught by pantomime to draw a picture. He is told if he is ever so fortunate as to have money on deposit, he must draw a check before he can get it. He has seen a school-mate draw a picture, 1)ut when the heroine of' a modern novel " draws a sigh," his admiration for the capacity of art is increased. A magazine criticism commends the scenes of innocence and content which Milton " draws," but on rel'erence to the parlor editioji of "Paradise Lost," he linds no illustrations, or only those which Gustave Dore has made. One must confess that the pupil has enough already to confuse him, but when, in addition, he is told that " a ship draws water," " a cook draws a fowl," " a waiter draws a cork," " money draws interest," and " a minister draws comparisons and refer- ences," he concludes in despair that the conundrums of language are things which no deaf-mute can find out. When to these numerous significations the modifying adverbs in, out, off, on, up, back, etc., are added, and when it is remembered that every pecu- liar use of a word must be made a special subject of instruction and retained by a special effort of memory, a keyhole perception may be obtained of the work involved in the education of a deai-mute. To illustrate the natural language of signs of the deaf and dumb in order that the reader may better under- stand it, let us suppose, for instance, that an uneducated The Sign-Language. \ deaf-mute had witnessed a drunken man run over by a carria,i>'e and carried to the hospital or to his house ; he would run home in a state of excitement, arrest his mother's attention, make the sign he had been using for man (probably by referring to his beard and show- ing his height), and then imitate his staggering gait as he went along : alterwards describing the galloping of a horse and the revolving of wheels as approaching the man, showing the shape of the vehicle as well as he could. He would then represent the man as being knocked down by it, showing over what part of the man's body they passed over by touching the part of his own. He would then make the sign for more men by holding up his fingers to denote the number; point to the door or shutter to describe the stretcher on which the injured man was carried, and imitating the carrying of something heavy on his shoulder, and the moving away of the crowd, by waving his hand in one direction. But he would not be able to tell the name of the street or place where this occurred, nor the name of the man injured, or that of the owner of the carriage ; — nor would he be able to state anything that the people might have said about the affair, or any other details which a little hearing and speaking child would have been able to do. With such language the deaf-mute is unable to tell his own name or that of any of his friends, but he generally has signs for each by which he indicates them ; and this sign is taken from prominent features in their appearance or action, viz., pointing to the place of the wedding ring for his mother, the whiskers for father, and indicating the several heights for his brothers and sisters; limping to indicate some lame friend, and the sharpening of the kniie fo'- the butcher. It will thus be seen that the deaf-mut ■ oeds a language common to those around him by which he can communicate with the world. This is the greatest diliiculty in deaf-mute instruction and requires years of toil, patience and perseverance. He learns everything through the EYE, not by the ear. The first year at school is generally spent in teaching nouns and phrases and a little of arithmetic. The second year he goes over the same nouns and phrases and learn to combine words into sentences. Most intelligent deaf-mutes can w^rite a few sentences to express their 1 8 The Deaf-mute's and the Armenian's Letters. ideas, or write a short letter to their friends, alter being two or three years at school. The following is the uncorrected letter from a boy- deaf and dumb from infancy alter being three years in the Protestant (now Mackay) Institution for Deaf- mutes, at Montreal : — ^ I received your very kind letter from you and was glad to hear from you and know that you are getting better now. My father told me will go to Montreal next September 3rd. I will be glad to see you and your family. I went to the mines last Tuesday. There was a man kill, he fell forty feet at the mines. The men are working the mines.' It is rainy now. I am very busy. The crop is good, the plums is plenty. My cousin and me will mow the oats soon. I think you will go to New York one week. I am happy with my parents at home. I send my love to you." The writer of this article received another letter from a converted Armenian Mohammedan who had been spending eight years at a college in the United States learning the English language. The Armenian understood and used his native language, for he was not deaf and dumb. We will compare his letter with that of the deaf-mute's. It will help to give some idea of their difficulties in learning the English^language. The Armenian had recently visited Montreal, and his im- pressions of the city and the people are curious : " I am going Hamilton College, N. Y. Where am studying to return home Armenia, as I told you when your kind hospitality I was enjoying. I shook 3 times the dust of my foot just now against thise city, and again my brethren who herd me lest night in praree meating I return my censer thank for loving kindness. ' I was a sturenger you took me in.' The Lord give you helthe to teach blessed Grospele to those who are unabl to hear yet Jesus Chrest dide for them for me and for aney bodey. Bible sed ' what me sow the same will me reap.' If I was verey rech the hall city would respect me. If I had nice dresses, stofe-pofe hat rengs on my fenger golden wach and chane and %. certainlly I could lechur on Koran and Mohammedanism. Brethren find plenety excuses just as faresees had when they sow the merecals which our Lord performe." From the Creature to the Creator. 9 It is easy to toach a doal-mute how to write, but a very (lillortMit thiii<2' to get him to understand what he writes or what is written to hiin. Parents and teachers in public schools olttni make mistakes in attempting to teach little deaf and dumb children without any know- ledge of the proper way. Once a schoolmaster brought a little deal-mute boy to an institution lor deal-mutes in l*]ngland, and said he had already taught him some uselul knowledge, lie was asked what he had taught him. He said he had taught him to know that "the way of God was a good way." He was asked to show how he knew the boy understood the sentence, and he made the boy copy it. This was to him sufficient proof, but he had never tried to explain to the boy either w^hat God was, or what the iva// of God was. It would be a long time before a good teacher of deaf-mutes w^ould bring such a sentence for his puiiil to understand. He would explain to him something of the nature of the Almighty, when the pupil could understand the language necessary to express it. and then the v)aij of God would still have to be explained as a metaphorical expression. To teach a deaf-mute an idea of a Supreme Being who is called " God," the teacher would begin thusT A desk is before the pupil. He asks him, " Who made it ? " "A man— a carpenter." " Of what is it made ? " " Of wood." " Did man make the wood ? " " No." " Where did he get it from ? " " Trees." " Did man make the trees ? " " No ; they grow." " How ? " "By the sun, rain, &c." "Does man make the sun shine and the rain to fall?" "No." ''Who does?'' They must be told that it is God who does all these things. So on step by step, from the works of man to the works of God, and from the creature to the Creator. Lessons on secular subjects come in their turn- geography, history, arithmetic, &c : but the great aim of the teacher is to give them a knowledge of ordinary language that they may understand what they read, and to be able to write down their thoughts for others not able to understand their signs and the finger language. Many of them do learn to write down their thoughts in correct language, and some of them learn to talk and read people's lips when they are spoken to orally. B ' 10 Anecdotes of Deaf-mules. f CIUrTER IV. Anecdotes of Deaf-mutes.-A Deaf-mute's Prayer.- The Finger and Sign-Language Utilized.-" Jesus and Me."— Deaf-nnute Artists.— A Prodigy.— Deaf- mute Compositions.— Massieu and Clerc— Absurd Expectations. It would tire the reader to follow the deaf-mute through all the stages of his instruction at school, and It will perhaps be more pleasant to read a few anecdotes ol deal-mutes that have lived since the days of good JJr. Wallis and his early co-laborers About fifty years ago, Lord Seaforth, who was born deal and dumb, was to dine one day with Lord Melville ir 1 M' ^"' *^^^* ^^^'^^® ^^« company arrived Lady Melville sent a lady who could talk on her finders to meet Lord Seaforth and talk to him. Lord CruiUord, who was not deaf and dumb, entered belore Lord Seaforth, and the lady mistook him for the dumb lord, and entered into conversation with him on her fingers. He did the same. After a few minutes Lady Melville came into the room, and the lady said to her, "Well, I have been talking away to this dumb man. " Dumb ! " exclaimed Lord Guilford, " Bless me 1 thought you were dumb ! " The following prayer was written by a deaf-mute boy named Joseph Turner of Edinburgh, who becaimB a teacher ol deal-mutes, and was used by himself, because as he said, he wanted to become a good man : " God, take pity on me ; bless me; forgive me my sin, for I am a poor guilty smner; keep me from neglecting to think much of thee, and of Jesus Christ, and to pray to Thee. Give me wisdom of Thyself to think attentively how to pray to Thee. Oh I I thank Thee, for Thou hast given my master wisdom to teach me and my dear poor companions about the reiigum of Thee and of Jesus Christ. Oh ! pardon my sin ; give me wisdom to understand surely what he says about religion. Oh I give me good care not to break the Sabbath day, but earnestly to read in the life of Christ God, open my mind surely to understand what I read in it. Oh I I would thank Thee to give my companions wisdom to understand what they read. Oh I hear me I Thou art God ; besides Thee there is no Saviour Thou art holy. Oh I make me to hate sin, and to love the good I Oh I give me grace to glorify Thee I Save me from hell ; take me to Jesua Chnst when I die. Lord for the Sake of Christ, wilt Thou hear me? God, give me good thoughts from heaven through Jesus Christ. I thank A Deaf-mule's Prayer. 11 Thee that wo are at peace in all the world, in They prcsonce. Make us obedient to Thee and Jesus Christ Thy Son, in bcliovinp; the KOHp((l, and reading the Holy Bible concerning Thee and Ilim. God, maker of heaven and earth, I look toward heaven. Forgive me my sin, for I have committed much sin against Thee and Thy dear Son Jesus Christ. Oh I I pray thee, God. to be very pitiful to me, a poor guilty sinner. Oh t my God into Thy hands I commit my soul. O God, accept me for Thine only Son's name's sake. God, I am very thankful to Thee this morning for giving me health and sleep. Keep me from telling lies or bearing false witness against my dear poor companions this day. Oh 1 give them new hearts ; make them good, happy and wise, for they do not understand what Thou art. Lord God, for the sake of Christ. Amen." Many jrreat men have found the manual alphabet of the deaf and dumb useful at different times. On one occasion an Enjoflish judge, while on one of his circuits, lost his way to the next assi/e town, and none of his party knew the road. A deaf and dumb woman came upon them at two cross roads. The judge eagerly enquired of her the way to the town he was destined to hold assizes at, but she pointed to her ears and mouth and shook her head, to tell him that she was deaf and dumb, and did not understand him. The judge was in despair and turned to retrace his steps ; but one of his party who had learned the alphabet of the deaf and dumb, spelled the name of the town to her, and she instantly pointed to the direction where the road led to the place. The judge gave her a shilling and rode on. He afterwards learned the alphabet himself, and soon found it useful in the trial of an unfortunate deaf-mute for robbery. He astonished all in the court by talking with the prisoner on his fingers and acting as interpreter for the lawyers. The well-known authoress, Charlotte Elizabeth, was quite deaf, like Dr. Kitto, the author of many valuable books on the Bible and Bible lands. Her husband became very expert in the use of the finger alphabet, and used to translate to her sermons and speeches in ^^arliament as quickly as they were de- livered by i^^ speakers. Some years ago in a village church in Yorkshire, there might have been seen a very intelligent young girl interpreting the sermon to her deaf and dumb parents, between whom she sat during the service. mmmipmmmr»tmmim9msvt 12 The Finger and Sign-Lans^unire VliUzed. The attention of tho g-irl to the voieo oflho preacher, and tho velocity with which nhe worked her linyers to convey to the eyes of her parents what she ho;ird, excited g-reat surprise in all who saw her lor th(^ iirst tini(; thus employed. The value oi the deal-mute alphabet to p(M)ple not deal' and dumb has olten been shown in dillerent ways. We could write many interesting anecdotes illustrating- tho value of " That wondrous Lridfjo, no hig-pcT tlmn i\w Iiiincf, By whicli truth travels to tho sik'nt hind," had w^e time and space at our disposal. One more anecdote of the alphabet, and wo will turn to some- thing else. Some years ag-o, a poor, homeless deaf and dumb girl in London was taken into service by a lady, and taught house-work. Her mistress leariu^d the alpliabet to communicate with her, and soon became expert in its use. Her husband, who was a banker, also learned it, and the girl became as easily to manage as if she were not deaf and dumb. One dav the husband was obliged to bring to his home the treasures of the bank on account of a fire there. This came to the know- ledge of a burglar, who secreted himself in the bed- room of the lady, where the treasure was deposited. The lady retired to bed while the husband was absent on business. She soon heard sneezing under the bed, but remained quiet, as if asleep, the burglar then emerged from his hiding-place and demanded of the lady to know where the money was deposited. She was terrified at his threats and referred him to an iron safe in a corner. While he was trying to open it he heard the footsteps of the husband ascending the stairs, and he rushed to his former hiding-place, threatening* the lady with instant death if she said a word about him or left the room. The husband noticed his wife's paleness and asked her what was the matter. She answered aloud, "I have a bad headache," and im- mediately spelled on her fingers, " Hush, there is a robber under the bed." The husband answered, " My dear, I am sorry for your headache ; you must have a cup of tea," and thrust the poker into the fire, saying it was a cold night. When the poker was red hot, he \ Tke Fin'^er and Sign-Lan^ung-e Uiilized. 13 / turiH'd to tin; sorvunt man who hiul como into the room, und said, " Thomas, there is a man under the bed. Do you think this hot poker will briuij'' him out?" The lmr<^hir at onee lel't his hidini>-plaee and begged lor mercy. " ilow^ did you know 1 was heri^ 'i " he^siiid. " The lady did not tell you, I know she did not speak one word about me." lie was given into custody and altiM-wards' sent over the seas to a distant penal settlement, and never knew how his presence under tlui bed was revealed to the gentleman. The gentleman became a very warm friend to deal-mutes and their schools ever ailerwards. The sign language of the deaf and dumb in the hands of an experienced teacher often shows its vast importance in trying circumstances. One anecdote which came to the knowledges of the writer will suffi- ciently illustrate this :— A few years ago, the London police found a deaf and dumb woman, totally unedu- cated, wandering about the streets at midnight. She could give no account of herself, and the police kindly took her to the workhouse near by for safe- keeping. Every effort of the officers of the workhouse to discover her name and residence failed. A mission- ary to the deaf and dumb was sent for to try to find out from where she had come. lie found she was utterly ignorant of the alphabet, nor could she read or write. He soon found by her signs that she had been brought by railway to London by a man with whiskers and then deserted. Now, as no signs could discover her name and residence, the missionary was in a diffi- culty. He, however, did not give her case up as hope- less, hut hired a cab and told the driver to drive wher- ever she might direct. She directed them on up one street and down another till they came to the London Bridge Station. The missionary asked her in signs if they were to get out. She shook her head to say " No." On they went till they came to the steamboat landing. She then told him to stop and get out. The sight of the steamboat gave her great pleasure, and the mission- ary understood by her signs that she was to go on board one of the steamers, and pointed towards Lam- beth. Tickets were bought for that place, and on arrival there the young woman was overjoyed, and jumped u •* Jesus and Me" out of tho boat, makinjr engor signs to hor kind friond to follow. Thoy thon hnstoned on foot thronjrh s«»voral streets, tho younjr woman acting as guide, till they came to a house, which shi; entered. A ticket was in the window with "This House to Let" on it, which tho missionary read with some misgiving, and presently the young woman returned with a sad countenance, signing to the missionary that her parents or friends had gone away ! The; missionary made enquiries of the neighbors, and they informed him that the occup- ants of the house had left a few days ago, and gone to another part of London. He obtained their names and the address to which they had removed, and soon found the girl's parents, who were overwhelmed with joy at the recovery of their poor daughter, whom they •said had been decoyed away by a bad man. Deaf-mutes sometimes make fnnny sentences in try- ing to h;arn the English language. At one school a little deaf-mute boy was asked to show his skill in the use of the English language on his slate, and he wrote : " A man ran from a cow. He is a coward." He thus unconsciously perpetrated a pun, which caused the Tisitors great amusement. A few years ago, an English lady was teaching a school for hearing children in Demerara; am] a colored deaf and dumb g-irl came to learn to read aiin v, ite. The missionary's wife and the teacher ? ' K their heads, and thought that it was impossible, and signed for her to go home. Day by day she came to the school and would not be refused. At last the teacher wrote to England for the deaf and dnmb alphabet. It was surprising how quickly the poor girl learned the Eririifh ianguage. Ey-and-bye she could read the New Ti ; tuiiient, from which she learned to love Jesus as h'-T Saviour. One day she wrote to her kind teacher, " Missie, me too happy. You would think when me walk out that there were two peoples in the road, but it is Jes?is and me. He talk and me talk, and w^e two too happy together." A deaf and dumb pupil of the great French land- scape painter Corot (who died in 1875), got from his master a paper on which was written " Conscience,'* which so impressed the deaf-mute that in copying one 1 Deaf-mute Artists. 11 ! of his beautiful pencil drawing he oven tried toimitato a stain of ghm. Corot, when he saw it, smiled, and wrote to him : " Very well, my i'ritmd ; hut when you are before Nature you will not see any stains." Ill speaking of deaf-mute artists, I would like to tell an anecdote of the Scotch doaf-mute artiKt, Walter Oeikie, whose interesting biography was writtmi by the late Sir T. 1). Lauder, Hart. Creikie was a very clever artist, and has left many much-prized drawings, lie died in 1837. An anecdote regarding an individual who makes a very conspicuous appearance among tho characters found in his etchings, is worth relating as an example of the difiiculties he encountered in his ardent desire to collect the portraits of people whom he saw in the streets of Edinburgh. The porter of the Grass- market was a singular character and arrested Geikie's attention. He was somewhat pot-b(>llied, and with that projection and hang of the nether lip, and eleva- tion of nose that give to the human countenance a certain air of vulgar importance. In this subject it seemed to say : " Though I'm a porter, I'm no fool." Geikie had made several attempts to get near enough to sketch this man. Day after day he hunted his intended victim with pencil and sketch-book, but failed to get a chance of him. The porter perceived him, and suspecting his intention, at once moved on and plunged into the crowd. Like a young Highland sports- man, who wishes to get a shot at an old fox who may have dodged into cover, Geikie, with pencil and paper in hand, prowled about after his prey. But the porter was on his guard and took good care to keep behind other people, so as to defy the attempts of the young artist, until at last, when the market began to thin, and his hopes of defeating the foul intention against him ebbed away with the lessening crowd, he lost all patience, and abused and threatened his tormenter with great fury, both of words and of actions. The first were of course lost upon the poor deaf lad, although there was no mistaking the meaning shake of the porter's mutton fists. But as this only threw his subject into a more tempting attitude, the artist's fervor for his art rendered him utterly regardless of conse- quences, and he tried his pencil with great enthusiasm! ? at i! Ma'a!j j ,y ; t i im.aj vsm. '^ i ^ . T f ifipi^ ii ^K^ i ri '. y . i 16 Deaf-mute Artists. This enraf^ed the porter, who roared like an infuriated bull, and rushed at Geikie to punish him ibr his bold- ness; and before Geikie had time to apply his pencil to the paper, he was oblij^ed to fly to save his bones. The porter's heavy weig'ht prevented anyihing like an equal race, so Geikie kept ahead and made rapid sketcln^s of his approaching* foe at i;very stop he made, as they ran up the Grassmarket. '^'he porter was all the time puffing and blowing and laboring after him, and his I'ury seemed to be increosed at cA'ery step. He made use of every nerve to catch the young artist, which prevented him making further use of his pencil. Fortunately an open stair of one of the large buildings most opportunely presented itself, into which Geikie rushed, and the porter remained outside watching for the return of his enemy. He stood outside with his hands under the tails of his coat. Geikie had a capital view of him I'romone of the windows, and immediately get to work with his pencil and ( secuted an admirable sketch of one of the most curious men of llldinburgh, who has long since passed away. When the sketch was executed Geikie found thot the poi'ter kept watch for him, so he had to remain in his hiding place for several hours. When, at last, the porter got tired of keeping sentry and moved away, Geiki(i emerged from his retreat, went home, and saw him no more. In the collection of this clever deaf artist the reader will find the remarkable character above described in the plate entitled " Street Auctioneer," and he is in the act of consulting his old-fashioned chronometer. Many more interesting and amasing anecdotes could be told of deaf-mute artists (for there are many of them in England), and of deaf-mutes in various other profes- sions, but space is limited. Sometimes deaf-mutes display great intelligence and attain to a respectable niche of fame in art, science and literature. We will men- tion one instance of the extraordinary intellectual calibre of a congenital deaf-mute — a prodigy. Some years ago a benevolent gentleman found a red-headed, ragged little deaf-mute in the streets of Glasgow, and took him to the school for deaf-mutes in that city. He shewed considerable intelligence, and the gentleman thought he was a rough diamond but capable of being highly A Prodigy. 17 polished by oducalion and training. Dnring the first session at school the boy shot ahead oi' every other pupil, and there were then more than a hundred, many oi' th«'nn having been there ibr seven or eight years. The rapidity with which he learned was amazing; indeed his memory was so retentive that what he once read he never Ibrgot. Such was the calibre of his mind that nothing was too difficult lor his comprehen- sion. He read books on mathematics, metaphysics and the like, whether they were printed in English, foreign or dead languages, which he also read with ease. When school was over, he would rush to the library, take out a lot of books under his arms, and make his way to the nearest fire to read them, while his school- mates directed their steps to the play-ground. Such was the force of habit that he would sit near the lire even during summer while he studied. No wonder with a mind so well stored with knowledge, he was a capital story-teller. He never used bigns sine- the day he could spell on his fingers. He was appointed an assistant-teacher at the school, but he found the task too irksome, and left the institution to become a common laborer in order to make money more rapidily to pu -chase books. He spent all his money in books and neglected his bodily wants. His books increased in number very fast, and they formed his table, chair and bed, by being piled one upon another in his lodgings. They were his only articles of furniture. The extra- ordinary learning of this deaf and dumb laborer attract- ed the attention of many gentlemen and his employers, who thought that he was not in his proper sphere. They determined to give him a better position so that his fund of knowledge might be put to some use. They visited his lodgings for this purpose one day when he was not at his work, and found him dead on his bed of books, having literally starved his body to death to feed his hungry mind. He had everything ready for writing a book, which he said would astonish the world. There were several reams of paper and a large bottle of ink, showing that he fully intended to enter upon the work, but there was no indication of what work it would be. His stock of books were printed in several languages of the highest kind of literature. He was sixteen or eighteen years old when c 18 Deaf-mute Composiiions. he died. He had a florid countenance, red hair, greenish eyes inclining to blue, which give him a peculiar expression. The following is an extract Irom a deaf-mute's letter to his teacher in Glasgow, Dr. Anderson : " How graceful indeed is the very idea of placing some tangible token of our gratitude in the hands of our old teacher whilst bidding him welcome to the repose which he so greatly desiderates in the evening of his arduous life ! For I firmly maintain that a simple address, however pregnant with the affecting pathos of a myriad of hearts overflowing with gratitude, such as that with which Dr. Peet was presented by his old pupils last year, would not do sufficient justice to our own real sentiments nor to our benefactor's merits." Another writes in the following strain respecting the education of deaf-mntes,. which contains much truth: "The deaf-mute on leaving school, is a changed being, quite different from what he was before he went there ^ he is now so intelligent that he may resort to the society of the wise and good, maintain proper conduct towards his neighbors, and even hold an inter- course with that Being to whom he owes his life, with every enjoyment that can render life easy and comfort- able. Under the circumstances, the education of the deaf and dumb must be among the most extraordinary and remarkable instances of philanthrophy in modern times." The above are specimens of British deaf-mute com- position which surpass anything ever penned by the famous deaf-mutes of the past century — Massieu, Clerc and many others. Who has not read the brilliant metaphorical sayings of the impracticable Massieu, the famous pupil of Abbe Sicard? Respecting whom Dr. Buxton, Principal of the Liverpool Institution for Deaf- mutes, says : " His best replies were short, terse, pointed, and metaphorical withal. These are all characteristics of the Abbe Sicard's style, both in his writings and in his speeches ; but if they are the natural characteristics of any deaf man's diction, I have been singularly unfor- tunate, for I have never found it so. H' there is one thing they cannot do, and rarely learn to do, and never Massieu and Cterc. 19 excel in doing, it is the use of metaphors." Yet among Massieu's sayings are these :— " Hope is the flower of happiness," " Indifference is the neutrahty of the soul," " Judgment is the interior sight of the mind," " Reason is the torch of the mind, judgment is its guide," " Prudence is the Minerva of the soul, and rules our words and actions," "Envy is the intellectual viper which gnaws the heart and envenoms it," " Jealousy is a serpent without venom," &c. It is now well known that the questions and answers attributed to Massieu were committed to memory, and formed part of the system of teaching by Abbe Sicard. Massieu was, according to his friend and school-mate, Clerc, extremely foolish. " His childishness and vanity, his absurd follies and oddities of conduct, were so extravagant as sometimes to disgust even those who worked with him, and were taught by him. His love of finery was as ridiculous as that of Oliver Goldsmith; and it might have been as truly said of him, as it was of Charles II. — " He never said a foolish thing, And never did a wise one." It was his brilliant sayings alone which made him famous, but they have done more harm than good. They were delusive and led people to expect every deaf-mute taught in the Institution to be able to utter similiar grandiloquent sentences, and to do readily and spontaneously what they can scarcely do at all. Even in our own time the fame of Massieu continues to deceive and mislead. It leads to disappointment on all sides. Parents are disappointed, subscribers are dis- appointed, the public are disappointed, the reputation and possibly the funds of the Institution suffer and the whole blame falls upon the unfortunate teacher, because he is not Sicard, and cannot turn out, not one Massieu, but a score or a hundred. When the Rev. T. H. Gallaudet went from America to Europe, in 1815, to seek knowledge and experience before he entered upon his work of deaf-mute instruc- tion in the Western World, he found Massieu and Clerc in the full vigour of their powers, and at the height of their fame. He first visited England without finding 20 Massieu and Clerc. what he sought, and wont away, disappointed, to Franco. lie was, in fact, compelled to decide upon his course, and make his choice at Paris. Whom, then, did he select as his co-worker and Mf'e companion? Not Massieu, but Clerc. Not the repeater ol' sparkling answers, but the practical, solid, working teacher. His whole life shows that the founder of the American Asylum was a man of great sagacity. The late Dr. Peet, President of the New York Institution, in the published report of his visit to the various schools for the deaf and dumb in p]urope, in 1841, says, respecting Massieu—" Even Massieu, whose fame a few^ brilliant answers given at public exercises have spr3ad through the world, was after testimony of those who knew him best, unable to write a page in correct French, or to ibl- low out to any length a consecutive chain of reasoning." Then after citing Clerc, by way of contrast, and a» showing what a pupil of rare talent may become, in sj>ite of the defects ot the system under which he was trained, Dr. Peet finishes the paragraph by saying, " Such is the prevalent judgment passed upon iSicard in Paris; I only repeat it." (Report on European Institutions, page 98.) In speaking of the disappointment caused by the brilliant answers of Massieu, an anecdote recorded in Dr. Orpen's work, " Anecdotes of the Deaf and Dumb," may here be introduced and read by every one with profit, as it shows the absurd expectations as to the progress of deaf-mute children entertained by persons who forget the excessive difficulty of their instruction. Rev. J. D. Hastings, speaking at the tenth annual meet- ing of the Deaf and Dumb Institution, Dublin, said : " I wish to mention one fact which came under my notice. I happened to be at the Institution on a visit- ing day ; there were several persons present at the time ; among the number was a lady and her son, with whom I have the honour to be acquainted ; the lady is now within the hearing of my voice; she asked one of the little girls, I believe, the smallest in the school (Cecilia White), a question ; she had it written on the slate ; it was, ' Do you remember the first pro- mise of the Messiah ? ' The children looked and looked again, and then made a sign to know what was Messiah ; Absurd Expectations. 21 the lady wrote on the shite, ' the Anointed or Sent.' The litth; g-irl look(;d again, then looked at me, and made a sifvn, by pointing- to her head, to say she did not know. The'huly turned to me and said, 'Now I am eonvmc- ed the Bible is not taught in the sehool ; I was inibrmed before oi" this, but I determined on judging ibr myself.' I endeavored to show her that it was quite unreason- able to expect a child, who was deal' and dumb, to have that knowledge which other children possess. I found all was in vain. I then said to her, ' Perhaps you would permit me to ask your son (who to all appear- ance was three or lour voars older than the little girl) a similar question.' The ladv at once assented. I asked him could he tell me, ' What was the second promise of the Messiah ? ' After some time I looked for an answer ; but no, the boy was as dumb as the little girL His mamma looked at him, but no answer. At length I said, ' Perhaps the question is too difficult ; but I will be satisfied if vou remove the odium from the dumb girl, and consquently from the Institution ; t^dl me. What was the first promise of the Messiah? ' No answer, he could not tell. In vain the mamma looked with anxious eye ; but alas ! no reply. The lady said, 'Answer the question, my dear,' "Indeed, mamma, said he, ' I cannot.' Thus was the Institution brought into disgrace ; while a boy three or lour years older and possessed of those faculties which had been denied to this poor girl, was unable to answer the question. I thanked the little boy, and said, ' I would not say that he did not read his Bible, nor would I say to the lady that it was not taught in her family ; but I would say the question was beyond his comprehension. After some further examination of the little girl, the lady was quite satisfied that the Bible was taught m the school ; and I am happv to say, sir, that we have not only that lady's guinea, but her good wishes, with a determination to forward the views of the Institution so far as she possibly can." Queen Victoria regrets that she cannot use the deaf and dumb alphabet now so hist as when she was young. Her Majesty learned the signs in order to converse with the deaf-mute daughter of a cottager near Osborne, Isle of Wight, several years ago.— Montreal Witness, 10th Dec, 1879. 22 The Systems of Instruction. 1* CHAPTER V. The Systems of Instruction. There are three systems employed in teaching deaf-mutes, viz : The Mechanical Articulation Method, which is the oldest of all systems, was invent. d by Heinicke, a Saxon, about the year 1750. This system aims' at developing the powers of speech, and the educating of the eye of the pupil to perform as far as it can the part of the ear. This system is now greatly assisted by Visible Speech, invented by Professor A. Melville Bell, late of London, England, and now of Brantford, Ontario! It is now employed in most institutions for deaf-mutes. For semi-mutes, or those who have learned to speak before becoming deaf, this method is the best. The Natural Method, or the language of pantomime. This system was founded by Abbe L'Epee of Paris, and is employed chiefly in the United States and Prance. By this method signs are used at every stage of the pupils' instruction, and is often carried to excess in many schools, preventing the pupils from acquiring a good command of their native language. For imparting religious instruction, lecturing and communicating with uneducated deaf-mutes this method is exceedingly convenient. The Combined Method is'a system of instruction em- bracing the first and second methods which, we believe, was first used by Thomas Braid wood in London. In schools employing this system the teachers recognize the utility of the sign-language, and u«e articulation where practicable. This system enables the teacher to teach deaf-mutes of all degrees of intellect and none are turned away without deriving more or less benefit from it. It calls to the aid of the teacher every new or old plan which may have been found to be benefical or of value in imparting instruction to either the congenital deaf-mute or the semi-mute. The combined method is employed in all the large Institutions in Europe and America, and is growing more and more popular every year. Their Menial and Moral Condition. 23 CHAPTER VI. The Mental and Moral Condition of the Uneducated Deaf-mutes.— No Ideas of a Creator.— Is Con- science Primitive? We have frequently been asked for information respect- ing the deaf-mute's ideas of God and the soul previous to his instruction. This subject has often been dis- cussed by learned men. The testimonies of deaf- mutes themselves are substantially alike, as to their having had no idea of the Creator before instruction. To the twenty-second report of the American Asylum are annexed several questions, addressed to a number of pupils, whose average age on joining the school was about fourteen. " Before you were instruct- ed in the Asylum had you any idea of the Creator?'^ The answers, substantially alike, are given by thirteen pupils. " No, I did not know that a Creator existed. I had no idea of God at all before I entered the Asylum."' "Had you reasoned or thought about the world, or the beings and things it contains ? " "I never attempted to suppose who had made the world, or how it had ever come into existence." " Had you any idea of your own soul ? " "I never conceived such a thing as a soul, nor was I ever conscious that my mind had faculties and operations different and distinct from those of my body." Their answers show how little their friends at home had been able to teach them. The mental and moral condition of the uneducated deaf-mute has been found to be so low that men of science and education have asked "Is conscience primitive ? " It was only recently that our attention was called to an article on this subject in the Popular Science Monlkly by the editor of the Canadian lllustraled News, who requested our views on the matter. There seems to be much ground for the belief that conscience is not primitive in the congenital deaf-mute before instruc- tion. We have, after nearly twenty years' experience as a teacher of deaf-mutes and from personal experience, been led to believe that " conscience " as now understood — the internal self-knowledge or judgment of riffht and wrong, the knowledge of our own 24 Is Conscience Primitive ? actions as well as those of others — is an acquired facuUy in the deaf-mute. "We possess no record of a congenital deaf-mute who, by his own unaided etlbrts, has i'ound the being of a God, or discovered the fact of his own immortality. His mind is indeed dark and inert — in fact, hermetically sealed. IIow could it be otherwise in his condition? Locke says that man has no innate ideas, but that his mind in early infancy is like a blank sheet of paper, ready to receive any external impres- sions. So wath the uneducated deaf-mute. His mind remains a blank as long as he is uninstructed. The famous Abbe Sicard, of Paris, a world-renowned teacher of deaf-mutes, says that " a deaf-mute (congenital and uninstructed) is a perfect cipher, a living automaton. He possesses not the sure instinct by wdiich the animal creation is guided. He is alone in nature, with no possible exercise of his intellectual faculties which remain without action." Sicard, however, refers to the deaf-mutes of his day, nearly a hundred years ago, when through neglect, and being hidden away from society as a family disgrace, the germs of the rational and moral faculties were scarcely manifested. Such treatment of deaf-mutes in our own time is rare, and, with kindness and sympathy from the beginning, their minds have received considerable development. H' conscience means internal self-knowledge, or judgment of right and wrong, a mind so dark, so inert, and wholly uninstructed as that of the uneducated congenital deaf- mute, could not reasonably be expected to possess any- thing like it. Uneducated deaf-mutes seldom exhibit compunctions of conscience when they have done any- thing wrong, but such symptoms gradually appear as they grow older and some instruction is im- parted. The testimony of educated deaf-mutes them- selves goes to support this view, and the personal experience and observation of the writer confirms it to a great extent. Their moral and intellectual condition before instruction is little above that of the more intel- ligent brutes, and lower than that of the most un- enlightened savages. All philologists and mental philosophers agree that it is the gift of language that chiefly distinsruishes man from, the brutes, and that I Is Conscience Primitive ? 26 without it he would have little claim to the title of a rational being. The testimony ol' eduiated deaf-mutes throws much light upon the amount oi" knowledge they possessed before coming under systematic instruction. Verv few of them had any idea of th(> creation ol the world, or of the plants and animals which it contains. Their own reflections, and all the imperfect attempts of their friends to instruct them, have failed to give them any idea of the existence of a God or the soiil. We need not wonder at this when we read that Ovid, who lived in the learned and polished era of Augustus, expressed the popular belief of his time in the theory that all things were produced by the due union of heat and moistui'p, which shows that deal-mutes have not been alone in the utter ignorance of the existence of a Creator. The existence of the soul after death has never occurred to the uneducated niute. All the efforts of anxious parents to convey some idea to this end have failed The pointing to the lire to convey an idea of hell impresses the mute that the body will be thrown into a fire for some cause by some person at some indefinite time. Before receiving instruction the writer, whose home was wathin sight of the parish church and the county jail, had his notions of heaven and hell formed by his mother always pointing to one or to the other of those buildings according to the nature of his conduct or actions. If he required re- proof she w^ould point to the jail and fi-e, bat if she wished to show that she was pleased with his behaviour she would pat his head and pohit to the church, and then upwards and assume a reverent look. From this mode of control he formed his idea that the church was the place for those who had fine clothes and were well behaved, and that the minister was the object of worship or admiration. The jail he thought was for the poor, the drunkard, and those that robbed orchards, w^ho were there cast bodily into a fire. Having observed a man in the street whom he once saw taken into a jail, his astonishment was very great on finding that neither the man's person nor his clothes had been burned The next time his mother threatened hira with the terrors of the jail and the fire for misconduct, he o-azed at her with a look of incredulity, shook his head and laughed. Queer ideas about death have been \ 26 Is Conscience Primitive? entertaiiittd by uneducnted deaf-mutes. Most of them have thought that death was only sleep, and to put a body in a coffin and bury it seemed to them to be an act of cruelty. They have no sense of moral wrongs doing". They think they ouglit to be allowed to do just as they please, no matter what it may he. A most intelligent lady, a congenital mute, who had reachi d a nature age before receiving any systematic instruction^ confessed that she had been practicing falsehood for many years without the slightest notion that she waa doing wrong. This is not an uncommon fault with this class of people. Another of great intelligence had been in the habit of falsehood and dishonesty without any compunctions of conscience. He never dreamed that he was doing wrong, and only dreaded the punish- ment which followed detection. Many instances could be cited if necessary from deaf-mute testimony in support of the assertion that the uneducated deaf-mute has no moral sense of right and wrong. He is a practical atheist, and if his friends have tried to give him an idea of a Supreme Power and such takes root in his mind, his conceptions on the point are most vague and un- satisfactory. Teachers of deaf-mutes have frequently watched the gradual development of the mind of their new pupils. It is found that, by associating among the other pupils, the new arrivals will soon gain the idea of a Being existing above "^who can see them, and is angry when they behave badly," and the pointing upwards is often used by one pupil as a check upon another who is inclined to be naughty. Sometimes it has this effect, but we have more than once seen the admonitions defied by young deaf-mutes who had not yet obtained clear ideas on the subject. We have seen them disputing and their antagonistic principles aroused when one has been desirous of saying some- thing especially annoying to his opponent, who, he knows, has a reverence for the Being above, and is shocked when anything is said against Him. He will eay in his signs " God-bad," not knowing his blasphemy, yet with a secret shrug that he has gained his point, beaten his antagonist, who rushes with horror express- ed on his countenance to report to his teacher the profanity of the other. Is Conscience Primitive? 2t When tho doaf-muto is put undor careful control ho comes to associate in his mind a line ot conduct with what produces pain, and another line ol' conduct with what produces pleasure. Out of this g-rows a sort of conscience which leads him to be sorrowful when he does certain things, and to be glad when he does the contrary. This conscience is entirely dependent upon the person to whom he is subjected. " Given a good master," says Dr. Teet, the highest authority m America, " and he will be very likely to have a land of moral sense that will be a safe guide in the life he leads, and will bring about lia))its that will be uselul to him hereaiter." So quite the reverse will be his conduct if he be placed under a bad master. He may be obedient, diligent, aft'ectionate, habitually honest, but it will be owing to the influence of kind and lirm control and good example— wo< to the higher moral end religious motives that are addressed to children who hear. He is too often self-willed, passionate, prone to secret vices and suspicious, but these bad qualities are generally the outcome of parental indul- gence, and in having been the butt of thoughtless young people. Is the uneducated deaf-mute morally and legally responsible ? is a question which has been often dis- cussed. In many criminal cases, both in Europe and America, uneducated deaf-mutes have frequently figured for murder, but they have been treated as irresponsible beings, and no sentence has been passed on them. There can be no more pitiable object than an unedu- cated deaf-mute, except where blindness is added to that of deafness. His condition points to conclusious which cannot be evaded. It is the duty of society to provide for his instruction at the proper age, and it is criminal on the part of parents and guardians who ne"-lect to secure for their unfortunate child the bene- fits' within their reach. To the deaf-mute education me&ns evenjfMnir. It means intercourse with fellow- men, hope, happiness, the pleasant communion vvith the highest intellectual achievements of men of all countries and all ages, which we find in books. R makes life in this world enjoyable and grVes him hope 28 Is Conscience Primitive ? of siilvntion in the world to come. To doiiy the doaf- mvitc cducnlioii is to k(H>p his mind on ii lives him so small a portion of tln^ knowledge he possesses that it may be considered rather the rej^ulator than the source of his attainments. To the deal-muti^ it means home, happiiu>ss; it means the full and free exercise of all the rights, immunities and privileges which belong to humanity." 1 :r CIIArTER VII. Marriages Among Deaf-mutes. "We will now considered the man-ia^e of the deaf and dumb with each other. We have known people to declare that such unions are very wicked, and ought not to be allowed ; but their opinion is mainly founded on the belief that this intermarriage invariably perpe- tuates the inlirmity, which is quite a mistake. We admit that the children of deaf and dumb parents are occasionally similarly aitticted, but the cases are rare — they are quite the exception. In London we know of 114 instances of this kind of union ; 76 marriages have had offspring, but in only seven of these instances is the offspring deaf and dumb, and in these cases one or more of the brothers or sisters of one of the parents have been so afflicted. On the other hand, we know of deaf and dumb parents wdio hiive had as many as nine children, not one of which was deaf; we have known, on the contrary, cases where both parents have had all their faculties, but out of ten children five have been deaf and dumb ; and the report of the London Asylum gives an instance where out of ten children eight w^ere deaf and dumb. This argument, therefore, of perpetuating deafness, though it may be tlius applied in the least degree, is not, says the Rev. S. Smith, chaplain of the Royal Association for the Deaf and Dumb, London, strong enough to support any one in prohibiting such marriages. Marrini:^e!i Amovp; Denf-nwfes. ^ as wicked, when oUkt liicls are liikeii into cori- sidcTiition; ibr siiu^e it is kIiovvu Hint it is in quite exceptional cases that the oflsprino- oi" these intermar- riages inherit the same indrmity, it will not be di-nied that deaf-nniles have a rinht to marry as \V(^]1 as oilier persons, and whom Ihey oujiht to marry depends upon each one's choice and acceptance. Now it will readily be granted that ther«> will be the most sympathy and love between persons whose feelings, tastes, and habits ofler a certain resemblance, and who can communicate freely with each other. Comparatively few hearing people know the deal' and dumb language, and a very email proportion of those who do would marry a deaf and dumb person, unless some advantage were con- nected with the union : indeed it may be that in the w^hole of a deaf and dumb man's hearing acquaintances not one eligible female knows his language ; it is evi- dent theretbre that he will generally seek a wife amongst those of his own class, and in London, the instances existing and known to us where this intermarriage has taken place stand in the proportion of/o«/- to uns where the woman can hear. Again, not many hearing men would marry a deaf and dumb woman without a consideration as a " make-weight." Only lour cases of this kind are known to us in London. Besides, we have been told by very respectable deaf and dumb females that they 'would not marry a man who could hear; they would not have conlidence in him ; he would not take the trouble to tell them everiithing ; perhaps he would have hearing friends come to see him, and then they would be shut out from the general conversation ; they would prefer one like themselves— one who had no' advantages over them. We argue, nevertheless, that the best wife for a deaf and dumb man — if he can find one and persuade her to marry him— is a woman who can hear, one who has acquired a ready means of communication with him, sympathizes with liis affliction, and so is prepared to take upon her- self a larger share than ordinary of the management of their family and joint affairs, which must devolve upon her on account of her husband's deprivation ; and the higher and best educated class, as a rule, do obtain this kind of wife ; their eyes are open to the advantages of such a hclp-mcct. As one ot them has written : 80 Marriages Among Deaf-mutes. " When a man marries, he ought to try and supply that wherein he is deficient ; a deaf and dumb man wants some one to hear and speak for him.... A deaf man taking a deaf womaji to be his companion would find the various hindrances M^hich he meets in his daily life doubled and increased ; he would be obliged to go to some one else than his wife to interpret or to explain for him." The hearing sisters or daughters of deaf and dumb persons would be most likely to fulfil the necessary requirements ; and it so happens that the hearing wife of one deaf-mute gentleman, who is much praised by her husband, had a brother similarly afflict- ed, of whom she was very fond ; but death snatching him away from her love, she took the opportunity of supplying his place by a husband from the same class, and ah excellent wife she has proved. We also know other similar cases with the same happy result. But, returning to the general rule prevalent amongst them of intermarriage amongst themselves, we can bear testimony that when two are well-matched, intelligent, and of amiable disposition, and especially if they act from Christian principle, they get on together exceed- ingly well. There is, however, some disadvantage as regards their children ; they cannot receive early in- Btruction in spoken language and moral training : they may learn vulgar expressions from other children, and use them towards each other in their parents' presence without their cognizan^-e, and in this they are unable to correct them. Some of these disadvantages are, however, soon overcome by an early attendance at school. The children of the "deaf and dumb soon learn to communicate with their parents by signs, and it is very amusing to see little things two or three years old beginning thus to make known their wants to them. So that, taking all these circumstances into consideration, we may consistently state that deaf-mute intermarriges are not advisable in those cases where a Bui table hearing partner can be obtained, but they are not wicked, nor are they to be prohibited, lest a worse thing come to pass. Still this precaution should be taken by the deaf and dumb, not to choose those in whose families any hereditary tendency has manifested itself. Marriages Among Deaf-mutes. 81 In Canada and the United States there are many deaf-mute unions. Perhaps no country in the world shows so many deaf-mute intermarriages as does the latter country, and many of them have produced deaf- mute children, but it has not been found necessary to prohibit or discourage them on that account. There are about a dozen deaf-mute married couples in the Dominion of Canada, and most of them have families, but none, as far as we have been able to learn, have deaf-mute children. CHAPTER VIII. Blind Deaf-mutes.— Laura Bridgman.— Mary Brad-- ley.— Joseph Hague.— Anecdotes —Death of Hague. —Other Cases on Record. There are, happily, but few human beings who in addition to the loss of hearing are also deprived of sight, and are therefore at once deaf, dumb, and blmd. These appear to be so entirely cut off from the outer world that the position seems at first sight beyond the reach of amelioration ; and was until a comparatively recent date believed to be so, even by those whose ingenuity was daily taxed to find means to reach the mmds of those who are deprived of hearing only. The case of a deaf, dumb, and blind youth, the son of a Scotch minister, attracted a large amount of attention early in the last century. Curiosity was excited to watch the habits of the vouth, in order to see whether there was not some loophole by which light might be made to penetrate the darkness within, but nothnig could be devised which yielded any result. It was not until the wonderful revelation of the case of Laura Bridgman by the late Charles Dickens waa made in his " American Notes" in 1842-3, that attention was again awakened to the consideration of blind deaf- mutes, and the possibility of reaching and developmg a mind so completelv isolated. The statements made by Mr. Dickens were of so extraordinary a character that f«-w persons— especially those engaged in edu- cating the deaf and dumb— could give them credence, and many persons concluded that he must have been imposed upon, or that the narrative was only "the tale of a traveller," related to astonish and amuse. 32 Blind Deaf-mutes. About the time when "American Notes" appeared, a member oi' the Committee of the Institution reported a case of complete blindness and deafness, in a child named Mary Bradley, which had come under his observation at the infant department of the Parochial Schools of the Manchester Union. This excited the curiosity and kind interest of the head master, Mr. And^-nv Patterson, and it was proposied he and the member of the Committee should examine the case and see if there were any possibility of doing- anything with it. From all that could be ascertained about the child, it appears she was then about seven years old, and that she had lost her sight and hearing about three years previously, having been abandoned by her mother in a damp cellar while suffering from some virulent disease. The mother, it was understood, was a loose woman, who had left her husband and subsecjuently her child, and had taken to evil courses. It was believed, at the time the child was received into the Institution for the Deaf and Dumb, that both parents were dead. Having succeeded in getting the child placed in his charo-e, Mr. Patterson had next to decide upon some mode of proceeding with her, and the obvious course seemed to be to watch her habits, and to endeavour to adapt his own course and the efforts of those around her to them. With this view she was left for some days to her own resources, in order that the b^nt of her inclination might be seen and Judged of. Finding her- self in a new position, she was occupied for a time in becoming acquainted with the locality, and the persons and things by which she was surrounded. She made no attempt to make known her wants by signs, as is usual in the case of the deaf and dumb. If she required help her habit was to shout and scream, and as her utterances were by no means agreeable, every one was interested in relieving her wants. Since her loss of hearing and sight she had been in no position in which sio-ns could have been understood, had she made any, but it never seemed to occur to her to do so. In fact, she was at the time one of the most uncouth and wild- looking objects it is well possible to conceive. She had recently had her head shaved in consequence of Mar7j Bradley. 88 Bome disease in the skin of the scalp, and with a crouch- i„cv o-ropino- attitude, she had more the appearance ol a Beared and timid animal seeking some mode of esacpe from dano-er or unpleasant position, than oi a human being end'owned with a rational soul. The first step in teaching seemed to be to make her acquainted with the names of the objects around her. With this view, then, Mr. Patterson selected those obiects which diliered materially in form Irom each other viz., a pen, a book, and a sMe As the visible letters could not be submitted to her the signs used by the deaf and dumb were given on the fingers instead, Mr Patterson giving the signs by touching her fingers with his, in the proper form. Thus the pen was placed in her hands ; she felt its firm, elastic quality, etc. ; then the letters pen were signed on her lingers, and an endeavour made to indicate to her tha the signs meant the obiect which she had been handling, ihe other v^'ords book and slate were indicated m the same way; but she failed to understand the connection between these arbitrarv signs and the things handled. It never Beemed to occur'to her that the signs had any reference to the objects. of children who can hear or sae, the letters or the forms of the signs are at their application to the object named, there was no clue to the meaning, as In the case sounds of the once a key to but in this case at present they had neither sound nor form to her mind. An hour or two, day after day was devoted to the accomplishment of this first and all-impoi-tant step ; but the labour seemed entirely without efiect. JNo nroo-ress towards success was made, and every day the^w^ork had to be commenced anew, and unlortunat- civ" was followed by the same results as on the previous days, without any progress. Every means were tried to arrive at some degree of success. The appliances were varied as much as possible, but still apparently without any intelligence on the part of the pupd Her kind and assiduous teacher could only devote to her the hours in which he could be spared Irom the routine work of a large school. He continued these attempts for four or five weeks, and almost m despair ot any good results began to think of abandoning his efforts, E 1 84 Blind Deaf-mutes. at least for a poriod ; wlioii all at once, like a sudden burst of sunshine, her countenance brij^htened up one day with a lull intellig-ence beaming in it. She had found the key to the mystery ! Placing her hand on each of the objects separately, s.he gave the name of each on her lingers, or rather signed them on the fina'ers of her teacher as her mode of describing them. Thus the first step was attained at last, and the chief difficulty cleared away for overcoming the next. It was a comparatively easy matter now to proceed and enlarge the vocabulary of the names of the objects most familiar to her. Mr. Patterson then cut out the letters of the alphabet in cardboard, and gummed them to a sheet of stiff pasteboard, so that they stood in relief, and could be sharply felt and distinguished from each other by the lingers. By this means she soon became acquainted with all their forms, and mentally associated— say p e //—with the signs upon her fingers and the abject which these signs represented. Her progress now became daily more and more evident. She took great delight in her work, and with the limited time at Mr. Patterson's disposal, it w^as difficult to keep pace with her desire for the knowledge of names. From these she was taught the quality of ihing^. When new words of this kind were intended to be taught, the objects were generally placed before her, as an illustration of comparison ; for instance — a large book and a small one, a light object and a heavy one, thick and thin, rough and smooth, hard and soft, sweet and sour. Objects possessing opposite qualities were placed within her reach, and she very readily acquired the words to express them. Thus the work went on step by step, every day's lesson being a preparatory one for the next day. Verbs were taught much in the same w^ay, the word being given with the action: standing, sitting, w^alking; eating, drinking, laughing, crying, &c. , generally in the form of the present participle, and in connection with a noun, as being an easy change from the adjectives— as, a boy standing, a girl crying, &c. At length the great inconvenience presented itself of the want of a lesson-book adapted to meet the case. In order to supply this want, a case of type for print- i Mary Bradlei/. 86 i inn- in relief was obtained, and some lessons were pHnted, which were readily deciphered by the pupil thioucrh the sense of touch. It was, howe^^r, soon discovered that the operation of composing the type was an exercise which was not only very amusins? to her but also very instructive. A little box was coLtructed in which she could arrange the type m Htences! &c. , which were dictated to her by natural Bins, the teacher using her hands in the same way as he would use his own to sign similar sentence^ to a eeeino deaf child, and this became a never-foiling source of interest. It made her familiar witb the varous modes of construction,-the greatest difficulty wh ch ihi. deaf and dumb have to encounter. Lvery Tw word was at once applied to its appropriate meaning. The effect of the dawning of this new world of intellectual life upon the temper and disposition of Mary Bradley was at this point of her education very Sstakable^ She had hitherto been of a lr.^fu^. imoatient and very irritable temper, crying and scream- inlti out any apparent cause ; but as she made nron-ress in her studies, this irritability gradually soft- red down, and she became ^-ly more anc^^-o^^^^ subdued in disposition and manner f ^1/^ "^*;/\;^^: more or less prolonged, she would have fats oi Iret- folness and passion, which would end in a few hours n telrs, when she would again ---«^-,,^^\rtould placid manner. These occasional outbursts would appear to have been a necessity with her^ Ihty setnned like an accumulation of humours which would burTt out and expend themselves, and thus 8;ive relief for a time Mr. Patterson and the kmd Iriends around her soon discovered that during these paroxysms the best and simplest course was to leave her to herself The time occupied in teaching her to write was enormous as compared with that expended on children possessing their Wper /acuities . It w- a work of incessant and interminable repetition; ^^^ f^^^ P^]^^^' son had resolved that it must be done, and it was done a.ccordin^'lv. Having once learned to write, she was enabled to corresporid with friends at a distance, and to inter- 36 Blind Denf-muien. change letters with lier sister in deprivation across the Atlantic, Lanra IJridgman, who was kind enoui^h to send her a tablet, such as she hers-^^ T -« sv d. Now it must be distinctly understood that t) Its thus happily arrived at were attained under - cunistances very dillerent to those in which the education ol' Laura Bridgman was carried on — not to mention the great dilierence between the condition of Mary Bradley when she was rescued Irom the degrading and cruel associations of a pauper school, and the domestic surroundings in which Laura Bridgman had been brought up in a bright and loving home, under the care oi' a tender mother. From this home she was transferred to the charge of Dr. Howe, and by him placed under the special care of the lady teacher whose sole duty and pleasure it was to see to her evcuy want, and act as her instructress. Mary Bradley, on the contrary, could only receive continuous attention lor any length of time from Mr. Patterson when the duties of a large establishment permitted : and then he could only devote, what would otherwise have been his leisure, to her instruction At the period when Mary Bradley had been under instruction some four or live years an application was made to the Institution for the admission of a little boy sulf'ering ujider the same sad privation. Joseph Hague was the son of a deaf and dumb mother wdio had been educated in the Institution, He was born deaf, and became blind before he was two years old. At the period of his reception in the School for the Deaf and Dumb he was eight years old, and at once became the fellow-pupil of Mary Bradley. On his admission he was allowed a few days to make himself familiar with the new position in which he was placed. It w^as very amusing to watch his explorations and to see the ready intelligence with which he made his observation. Joseph Hague showed a considerable amount of determination and combativeness when he met with opposition. On one occasion he was walking up the Bchool-room, in which there are two or three iron pillars to support the floor above, and forgetting that '.i Joseph Hague. 37 '\ such was the caso ho struck his forehead ai^aiust one oi"lhem and recoiled IVom it. lie rubbed his ibrehead for an instant, and then walked deliberately up to the pillar and kicked it violently. This boy, being born deaf and dumb and having been under the care of his mother, herself a deaf-mute, was thoroughly acquainted with the signs used by deaf children of his' age, and consequently the first steps in the course of his instruction were easily overcome. The progress made bv the two far outstripped any anticipations which covdd have been formed on the subject irom what had been previously ellected by Mr. Tatterson's attention to Mary Bradley only. The knowledu'e of things, gradually led on to those ot a more abstract character, and enabled their kind teacher to show the relation between cause and effect, and by means of things of a lower nature to reach the higher. A knowledge of Scripture History and of God's caro lor His chosen people was imparted. During the prosress of these children in their instruction, many points peculiar to themselves and to their condition could not fail to manifest themselves. One pecul iritv, which is perhaps more striking than any other, was the appearance of a perception which seemed like a new sense. The quickness of appre- hension and understanding of what was passing around them seemed so complete and so accurate, that it was impossible to conceive how the mind grasped the iniormation unless such was the case. The boy was of rather a mischievous disposition, and was fond oi ainuf.- ing himself bv teasing and annoying his companion; but it is a singular fact that the moment Mr. Patterson entered the room he became conscious of the fact, and instantly ceased his amusement. No doubt he had become accustomed to the vibration caused by the opening and shutting of the door, and by the step of his teacher, for he could distinguish the latter Irom that of every one else ; and w^ould frequently stop Mr. P. in the room to ask a question. In addition to this, however, both these children would receive impressions when the sense of feeling could not be acted upon, and they would be aware of facts which could not reach the mind by any of the known senses. For instance, they ii I i 38 Blind Deaf-mutes. would sit togethor nnd hold long conversations upon each other's lin-crs, and while doing so Mr. 1 attcrson would approach them with the greatest caution, and m a mann(>r which could produce no vibration, cither from liis step or the movement of his body, yet they became immediately conscious of his presence, ceased their conversation, and one would miorm the other that Mr. Patterson was behind them. 1 his occurred over and over again in order to test their intelligence ; every precaution and means being taken to approach without their knowledge, but always with the same results It was qaite impossible to discover by what mode they discovered the fact of the presence oi their instructor; all that could be ascertained was that they did discover it at once. As a further illustration of mental peculiarity it may be stated that they had an instinctive perception o tiharacter. When strangers approached them they at once put out their hands to touch them, and having done so, would either feel attracted to them or repulsed bv them In the Ibrmer case they would soon put themslves on the most familiar terms with thtnn ; in the latter they would hold themselves atoot. It ^;^s the eame among their school-fellows. With some, t^ie boy especially, was on the most iamiliar terms and could take any liberty with them, making them the slaves of his will ; while with others he held little or no inter- course, and never voluntarily associated with them. The sense of touch in these two children was exceedingly acute. Every person in the Institution ior the Deaf and Dumb was known and recognised by them bv the touch, and though many schemes were adopted occasionally to puzzle them, yet they always discovered it and named the right persoii^ On one occasion the late Bishop of Manchester, Dr. Prince Lee, having brought some friends to visit the Institution, wishcfd to test the boy's ability to find any one ot his companions who might be named He did so without a Binn-le failure, though they were all mixed ogether, and not in their usual places in the school. The^boys were then made to exchange clothes, and one of them pre- sented himself to be named. Hague at once named the boy who belonged to the clothes. On being told i t Joseph Hague. 89 i that he was wrong, ho procoodod to manipulate the hands and features, and without hesitation gave the right name. Alter I'uiling in the first instance hia 8Uspieion,s,were awakened, and he could not be deceived a second time. One would imagine that persons so shut out from the influences that are apt to excite and stimulate vanity in dress, would be quite free from any weakness of this kind ; but it is not so. Mary l^radley was quite a connoisseur in dress, and was fond of leeling the dresses and trimmings of those within her reach, and giving her opinion. On one occasion two ladies, dressed in every respect alike, both as to pattern and material, came under her manipulation. She said, or rather signed, that Ihev were very nice, but that one dress was much better than the other. The ladies said Bhe was mistaken, as they were exactly alike, being made of the same material, cut from the same piece of fabric. She, however, insisted that they were not ahke^ and that one dress was much better than the other. No difference could be detected by any one else; but Mary Bradley was found to be right. From subsequent inquiry it was discovered that the person from whom the material was bought had not sufficient of the one piece for two dresses, and had opened another piece, supplied by the same manufacturer, from which ne cut sufficient for one of the dresses, believing it to be m everv respect the exact qualitv of the other, t rom the delicacy of the touch of this deaf, dumb, and blind c-irl, the fact was detected that one piece was ot superior quality to the other. Having acquired a tolerable facility in basket-making, and becoming impatient under the restraints of the Institution, Hague became desirous of leaving. Both his parents were living, and could understand him and converse with him: it was therefore thought advisable that he should quit the school and the surveillance of his worthy and kind teacher, Mr. Patterson, who had providentially been enabled to do 60 much for him ; and be placed under the supevvision of his father and mother. Mary Bradlev, without a relative known to any one connected with the Institution, remained in it and f 4Cl Blind Dcfif-mutes. ro"'ardo(l it as lior pormaiiont homo. Iiidood, s^ho was irencrally considcnMl as an in(lispoiisa])l(^ pari ol it ! llor conscious liio had Ixmmi, as it were, awakened within its walls and developinl in its school room. She scarcely knew of any world beyond— at least, not in this liie. During: the last seven or ei^ht years of her earthly existence she sullered much Irom abscesses, which formed in various parts of her body. She gradually wasted away and died June, 1806, m her 2Gth year firmly believinu: in a future life of happiness Ihrouo-h Christ, leaving her bodily privations and fttHictfons behind her. Nothing can be clearer than the fact that the probhmi of the education of the deaf, dumb and blind was as fully solved in her case as in those of the more widely and popularly known instances of Laura Bridgman and Oliver Casw(dl, at the Massachusetts institution. Joseph Hague died in the Sheflied workhouse on the 28th Februaiy, 1879. His parents had removed there, on his leaviiijT school at Manch(>ster. At that time the writer was emplovi^d at IShetlield to organize the Association for Adult Deaf-mutes, having lor its object their religious and secular instruction. Joseph Hague attended these services rt^gularly and took great delio'ht in them. This continued until 1809, when circumstance ^ arose which became necessary to remove him to the wo -.ihouse, where he was placed under the special care of an assistant. He was a good basket- maker, and partly supported himself after leaving Bchool. He continued to work at that trade while in Unioni where special privileges were allowed him by the guardians. His greatest pleasure was to be allowed to attend the Sabbath services, his deaf-mute Iriends takinn- a delight in conveying instruction to him upon his ffno-ers, and in other ways administering to his war'ts, Including taking him to their homes ; and even the poorest ungrudgingly shared their frugal meal with him. A great portion of his time whilst m the Workhouse was occupied in reading and committing to memory portions of Scripture, and repeating upon his rin«-ers the portions so learnt, and in this manner he had" acquired a store of Scripture knowledge that would put to shame many of his more favoured fellow- • MARY BRADLEY AND JOSEPH HAGUE, The Blind Doaf-Mutos. Joseph Hague. 41 creatures. On thoHO occasioiiH ho would have a number of words committed to memory ol" which he did not know the meaning-, and would most anxiouisly seek an explanation of them. It was also his delight to read the biography ol' j^reat and f?ood men, which books he obtained from the lendini? li))rary for the blind; and it is a most remarkable fact he rarely forg'ot any portion of such works, and was very conscientious in all his dealings. • JOSEPH HAGUE. Departed this Life on the '2,8th February, 1879. Wall'd in by Doafnefis, Dumbiicss, Hliiidncss, all I 1« J^^ those who have to pursue manual labor fer then own Buppo^, yet hearing, the mother of speech, is far more importalit for the development and i^ipi'ovement of the intellectual and moral faculties, and lor the enjoy 44 Comparative Happiness of the Deaf and the Blind. ment which comes from their exercise, and from the various rehitioiis of love and affection. The senses are the instrumentalities for human development, and for all moral and intellectual action and reaction among men. The eye is the key to sensuous enjoyment, and to a certain range of knowledge of material things ; but the ear is the real queen among the senses, and she brings us into those moral and social relations and affeclions from the indulgence of wrhich the purest, hin-hest, and most lasting happiness is derived. This a ^priori inference is confirmed by pretty extensive acquaintance with blind persons and with deat-mutes. I have found most of the former not only unrepining, but cheerful, affectionate, confiding and very social; while most of the latter seem to De always conscious ot a defect or an infirmitv, which acts as a bar to intimate relations with their fellew-men. Speech, in its widest and best sense, is to them unattainable ; and although the kind of speech which they learn seems marvellous, and is to some extent pleasurable, but its imperfection always keeps thenl in that sort of isolation from other men in which imperfect knowledge of our language keeps the foreigner who sojourns among us. We do not converse freely. He translates his native language into ours, and we translate ours into his ; and much of the thou"-ht and attention of each is occupied in making the translation. We do not know a foreign language as we know our vernacular tongue until our thoughts clothe themselves spontaneously in it; that is until we think in it and dream in it. It is indeed a plain fact, and one well known by teachers of the two classes, that the blind are cheerful, hopeful, sociable, and confiding, w^hile the deaf-mutes are inclined to melancholy, to be uncommunicative, unsocial, jealous, -suspicious, and dissatisfied with their lot in life. It is, indeed, a terribly hard one out of which to extract that kind of happiness which is " our being's end and aim." Besides, the happiness of most persons is gjeatl^ iifFected by their conventional standing, that is, by the kind of regard in which thev are held by others ; and the blind a,s well as the deaf are peculiarly sensitive on this point. It is, indeed, much a matter of convention- I *F^ Comparative Happiness of the Deaf and the Blind. 45 k alitv, and it differs in different countries, and changes with time, but always exists. The infirmity o blindness is seen and understood instantly by everybody. All pity a blind man, and are eager to show him sympathy. The natural, indeed the best, way to do this is by speech for bv that vou express your sympathy, ihe blina value this sympathy highly, and are ever ready lor conversation, although they wish it to be on a foo tino oi equality, and they especially dishke to be considered as objects of charity. Thev chat with you, argue with you, joke with you and enioy the spint and fun of conversation as much as you do^ Indeed, the chief source of their pleasure in lile is intimate oral communication with other persons, and learning their sentiments by words or else by listening to reading. It will be Perceived that the deaf are, to a great extent, necessarily cut oil from all this. The infirmity of the bhnd strikes you at first siglit, and brings pity to your heart and tears o vour eyes. But it requires a long time to be fully Iware of the extent olUhe infi^-^^y ^V^'hl/lturt much reflection to understand its deplorable nature and effects. Hundreds and thousands of blind persons are found who are in intimate relations with seeing people, and some m every age have risen to eminence in music in tetters, in legislation, and politics, while there is hardly one deaf-mute whose name is known in history. Every consideration, and a multitude of instances, show that the infirmity of the blind ^^l^S^ter than that of the deaf; but in spite of all these the great majority of people if offered the alternative of bhndness or deafness and mutism, would unhesitatingly and eagerly accept the latter. As regards deaf-mutes being inferior to the blind in intellectual achievement, it must be remembered that the art of teaching the former is barely a century old. and has yet hardly passed out of the experimental stage iS fact an efficient method of reaching and training the reasoning faculties of deaf-mutes is still more or ess of a desideratum, although progress is bemg continually 46 History of the Protestant Institution for Deaf-mutes. made in this direction, and the time Avill no doubt Tme when with a perfect system it will be possible for the deaf-mute to vie with those in full possession of their senses in the intellectual arena; there are very few good teachers of deaf-mutes new who are ot Btrivino- with might and main to attam that happy end. II V I fi ! f CHAPTER X. Historv of the Protestent Institution for Deaf-mutes, "ills Early Struggle.-The First Public fxanama- tion -The Census Returns of Deaf-mutes in he Province of Quebec-Joseph Mackay and the New Building. When the writer of this sketch* took up his residence -al Mon real in the year 1868, there were four schools m Sa to meet the educational requirements of some .?50S deaf-mutes scattered over the Dominion viz: The two Roman Catholic institutions at Montreal ; the Nova Scotia Institution at Halifax; the Upper Canada Institution at Hamilton, The ^^ -/^ ^Jf.f ^^*' havinff been founded m the year 1848, under the natronaire of the Roman Catholic Bishop ot Montreal and Seminary of St. Sulpice, (the most powerful and wealth^ RoT^^n Catholic corporation m America.) OiW these Roman Catholic Institutions is for boy^ and the Rev. A. Belanger is the principal. 1 he other L for gii^s, and is conducted by the nuns. The Insti- uJioi^at Halifax was established in A-gusU856. and WIS lono- coi;ducted by Principal Hutton. ine Situt'oS in Upper Canada was begun at Toronto in 1858 by Mr. J. B McOann, who may be regarded as the pioneer of deaf-mute instruction in the western part of the Dominion. In 1868, Mr. McGann was^struggling manfuHy to save his school from hopeless bankruptcy Td ruili The education of deaf-mutes was a new demrtuie to the sturdy pioneers of that penod m wLtern Canada. Some' there were who admitted the imnortance of educating deaf-mutes, but doubted its prHht; others had no objection \o ^^,- ^^^l^;^, made, but protested against_be mg taxed to su pport and has been revised und enlarged for the present work. IK Its Early Struggle. 47 "dummies" while at school The writer could no help sympathizing with Mr. McGanii when he said 1 am oblio-ed to buy my fuel on credit and keep a pobs- b" k with my grocer' and baker My furniture h.is been twice distrained lor rent ^"^ .^l^^^^:^,^^^;", McGann's spare moments were occupied i» /itt^f "? information respecting- the deaf and dumb, and m convincing the public that their education was not o y possible, but absolutely necessary. 1 his, coupled with many examination tours, had the desired eftect. ihe greniment of Ontario came to Mr. McGann's^issistaiice Ind in 1870 opened the present Institution at BelleMlle under the direction of Dr. W. J Palmer who had to resign in September, 1879, and was succeeded by Supt. Mathison. It will thus be seen that provision was made for the education of deai-mutes in the western part ot he Dominion, in the Maritime Provinces, and lor the Roman Catholic deaf-mutes m Lower Canada , but nothing had been done for deaf-mutes of the Engjish-.^'f''^ population, or Protestants, in Lower Canada. Ma^ny «* these were the descendants ol tlie early f ttlers, the United-Empire loyalists. None of their deai-mutes had received any instruction, except in one or two cases where the parents possessed sufficient means to send them to Hartford or to England lor instruction. Ihe writer had not been long a resident in Panadas commercial capital belore the necessity of a s^chool lor Protestant deaLutes was forcibly brought to his notice by the father of one of them, who appealed with sorrowful heart on behalf of his grown-up deaf-mute son, totally uninstructed. Others were soon discovered some of school age and some past the Prime ot manhood and womanhood, with no school m ^he v hole Prm ce where their parents could have them taugh. according To their own religious belief. The writei ^aw a new field of labor opened for him. Hf f ^Pf ^^""1?/;°' ^^^^^ years as an assistant under the late Dr. Baker, of the Yorkshire Institution for Deaf-mutes, and as a missionary to adult deaf-mutes m different par s ot England, amply fitted him for a career ot ^^^^f^^^^ although surrounded by very great difficultias A long correspondence on the subject of a school lor Protestant 1 'il III 48 Hislor, oflhe Proteslant InsHlution for D^af-mute^. aeafWe. in Lowe. ^^^:±^^:^:^ Dai^ Witney ^%^^^^Z w s dt^ently songht fov; deaf-mutes in the ^ ™\"'"-,; enwed commenced, "^^-'^^'''■''r:t^^^r: TZZhII and their aid Bcience and ediicatioii we , ^^ ^^^^^^^^ asked fov and obtanied ^ "-^J^^Yh Province, nnd the of vital statistics P^jb'^^f ,f^; *^„lj d\af.„;„tes and public seemed t<> •' "^ no ' ^ . o^j^,,;,, „hen deaf-mute instruction than tncyu „ , ^ted Mr. McG^iin. beg,in l«s jMl^^^^^^^^^^ ^Many^^ ^_^^ *'^'' r'"',^", fheFn"lsh language and his literary ^^ ^' ■d •d u I a a. -d I— i o o o 00 2 a .1 08 0) o •c S a if^^ *^^ O o 8 1 ■a I a ■-a I— t o o o I ^^ o o ,q o OQ 2 a 0) o •c 4i^ -i I J t CHARLES ALEXANDER, Tho Fir«t President oftho Mnckay Institution fcr Protestant Deaf-Muto«. and the .Steadfast Friend of the Poor and Unfortunate. . 'n\ Mr. Joaeph Mackay Comes to the Rescue. 57 economy and irufjalitv were practised in all oxpoiuli- tures. Still, the ilniin'ces ol" the Institution continued in rather on unsatisfactory state. The manag-ers tried from time to time to raise I'unds ibr enlaro'inn- the biiildino-, or to buy more land and build elsewhere. One hufy manager, Mrs. C. J. Brydo-os, whose active benevolence is well known in Canada, managed with no small trouble to collect $2,061 towards a buildmg fund; another, Mrs. P. Holland, collected $500 ibr the same object, and others of the board of managers exerted themselves in the same direction; but not much success attended their eflbrts on account of great financial depression which prevailed at the time. The census returns of Lower Canada were published in 1873-'4, and showed a total of 16G9 deaf-mutes— 883 males and 786 females; but every attempt to find the number of those who were of Protestant parentage failed, and these returns proved of comparatively little value to tlie Institution. New cases of Protestant deal- mutes continued to be reported to the prnicipal and president of the Institution, but nothing particular was done to induce them to enter the Institution on account of iis financial condition and the want of proper accommodation. Matlers became worse in 1876, when failures in trade and financial depression were universal. Ihe Institution was without funds and much m debt. 1 he prospects of a larger building and better times were to all appearance as far off as ever. The managers felt much discouraged, and to keep the Institution going the secretary-treasurer and the president advanced money irom'tlieir private funds. As the dark t'loud gathered over the prospects of the future of iho Institution, and " while we were trying," asth;^ vvorihv president of the Institution stated at the last annual meeting, " to make both ends meet, in the time ot oiu' anxiety'' God raised up a friend to help us in the very w^ay we wished— that is, to extend our eflbrts by mean a of a larger building— and put it into the heart of an old and respected fellow-citizen, Joseph Mackay, Esq., to . give us a splendid piece of land, and to erect thereon at his own expense a stone building capable of accom- modating 80 pupils and their teachers." H i*^ ^ \ A(/drcH:i hjj Mr. Joaejih Mnc.kaTj, 6d Tho cornor-stono ol'this magniricoiit o-ift was laid on tho Gtli Juno, 1877, in (ho prcsoncd ot'a kirgo number of ladios ami gcntlcmon, on which occasion this kind and (Jhristian IViiMul ol* tho (hvii* and dumb— who will ovor koop his name in i^ratol'al loinombraiico — addross- cd tlio assoiul>ly as lollovvs: " Mit. CiiATUM.vN, Ladies and Gentlemen: Tho Instiluiion lor which liiis huildiii'v is boin<'- oroctod has had ;is yiU Ji hrioT ciireor oi' us:'iulnoss. Amono- its founders and frionds may bo numborod loading- citixous o^" Montreal, besides ladies and g-entlomon, and I think special men Lion should 1)0 made in Ihis connoctiou of our worihy chairman, Mr. Charles Alexander, our secretary-treasurer, Mr. F. Mackenzie ; Mr. Thomas Cramp, Mr. Andrew Allen, Mr. Doug-all, senior, who is always doing- g-ood wherever he g-oes, Mr. Widd, the principal of tho school, as well as the u-overnors and manag-ors, who have done g-ood work. Tho work of tho school was commenced in 1870, with sixteen pupils; tho largest number yet in attendance was twenty-live, during; tho session of 1874 and 1875. Tho total number connected with tho school from its for- mation is forty-one ; some of these have continued throug-h several sessions, and others have remained for only a i'.w months. Of tho twenty-two in attendance last session, seven have paid full fees, live partial fees, ton were free pupils. Of tho education given, it may bo sulTicient for me to say that it is under the able and judicious direction of the principal and his assistant, and embraces intellectual aiul spiritual cultnre, as well as instruction in several of the useful arts of life. Tho pupils are prepared, when they remain a sufficient time in tho Institution, to make their way in this world, and have their minds and hearts turned to tho higher realities of tho world to come. AVhat a blessing to the alHicted ! And thus the founders and supporters are made a blessing, as stow^ards of God's bounty. The government of our Province has given a small annual grant in aid of tho Institution, but its support has been chielly drawn from private benevolence. Feeling deeply tho importance and value of the work done, and wishing to promott s success and extension. I resolved some time ago, as announced i:i a letter ■^mMM^ i , ! . l< m 60 mi.or>J of the ProlesUmt InsiUnUonfor Denf-nndes, eSa y when o.i mcirtionino- it to a rolaiivo the reply w?« ' Whv not do it yourseir? ' I only iidd, that I tinst ^ , v.v\h?s buildino- may bo completed without any "^ ,,.,Hnn« tn come the Institution may, through the ftTvi^^^c a -or pvo" a souvco of manifold blessing to the instructors to carry on the work. The board of managers resolved, as a token of their r. 1 to Mr Mack" V for his noble gilt, to changa r„i:-r:i;riir n the isla^ n''"fsiWeTom so';»v'p"nt"rb;ing/t"ated o„ & uo r oad. It was -o^inallv intended to erect h?,ik i, o to accommodate about 50 pupils, but altci mird^^ca efi Uhoujht and study, Mr. Mackay deeded mnoli can.mi "'" = buildins, to accommodate f™rTo"o"lSoTtfyle of the-building is Gothic, ha".." four facades rockieed courses, with tr-mmu-gs cut stone A ^\ I^J^^^ ° ^ elevated basement and level with the ground, will afford abunda..ce of hght \f„ir There arc three entrances; one on the north :;Slforbrr;Uber, etc.; a,rd one io^^^^^^^^^^^ ^ ^oys to ;he pay-ground w.thdoo,so^^^^^ the iiaii auu Wiau v^oii!---, The Neio BuUdimr, 61 with openings on throe sidos, with serving-room teachers dining-iooin, kitchen, scuHory, hiundry, larder, cook s pivntry, ston^room, hivatories, fuel cellar and two boilers lor heating the building with hot water. The ground lloor is 15 ieet high, and contains an octagonal vestibule 12 feet in diameter opening to a hall 20 by 14, having a handsome stairl case SIX feet in width in the centre, and two returns of oT^' t^^' ^'^ ^^^^ ^"^^'^ '"^^^ *^'^ ^^°^^^' '^ class-room n \ ^ ^^' '^'^^ ^^'^ ^"^'^' r<^creation-room 37-G by 16. Both these rooms can be made one for meetings, etc ', by sliding the doors out of the way which divide them! On the right is the office and board-room, with sale' 16.6 by 16, and teacher's room, 28 by 26, and corridor between them, with staircase and private entrance leading into the girls' recreation-room in front, 20 by 16, and in rear a class room 19 by 16 The eecond story is 12 ft. 6 in. high, and contains a library 18 by 12, two bedrooms, or dormitories, each 16 by 16, and ten bedrooms, each 11 by 16, girls, and boys' lavatories, hall in the centre, with corridor 8 ft. m width, and staircase at each end. The third etory is 12 ft. 6 in. high, and contains dormitories, hospitals, and lavatories, nurse's rooms galleries, etc. To secure thorough ventilation and warming,' the ventilating and smoke flues, each 3 by 2 ft, are carried up through the centre of the building, 'with register at the floor and ceiling on each story. The heating apparatus consists of two of Spence's hot. water boilers, connected so that they can be worked separate or together, with coils in all the rooms, halls, corridors, dormitories, etc. The work, which IS of the most substantial character, was desiirned and earned out under the superintendence of John James Browne, a Montreal architect. 63 Opening of Madcvij laaUlution by Lord Dufferin. Ill i I CHAPTFU XI. Opening of tho Mackay Institution by Lord and Lady Dufferin.— The Ninth Annual General Meeting- Congratulatory Address.— Deaf-mutes at Divine Service.— Press Notices.— To Parents of D-eaf- mutes.— The Audiphone, &c.— An Appeal for the Deaf-mute.. The lunv Institution buildiii'v- was formally opened on the 12th February, 187>^, by Lord Duliefin, the lato Governor-Oeneral oi" Canada, in the presence of a brilliant assembly. Among whom were the Hon. Mr. Letellier, the late Lieutenant-Governor of Quebec, His Lordship the Metropolitan of Canada, Bishop Oxeiiden, Dr. Dawson, Principal of McGill University, Ivieut- General Smvth, U. S. Consul-General Dart, C. J. Brydges, Chas. Alexander, Alderman Clendinnenj^, Capt. Smyth, Joseph Mackay, Illdward Mackay, 'JeV. Dr. De Sola, Col. Dyde, and about 400 others. The Institution was very tastefully and elaborately decorated for the occasion. Mr. Joseph Mnckay made the deed of donation with a lew appropriate remarks. An address was read to Lord Dulferin by Mr. Charleg Alexander, the president, welcoming him as the patron of the Institution. An address of welcome frt.m the pupils was also read, and one of the pupils. Miss Jessie Macfarlane, presented a bouquet of beautiful flowers to Lady Dulferin, who smiled pleasantly, stooping down to receive it. Lord Dufferin, the patron, made a very appropriate reply to the addresses, praising Mr. Mackay's liberality, and contrasting the former establishment which he had visited some years before, with the present fine building. He then declared the Listitution opened for the purposes for which it was erected, and the visitors took their departure after inspecting the building. The ninth annual general meethig of the Listitution was held on the 23rd October, 1879, Mr. Joseph k The Ninth Annual General Ulcctimr. G3 Mackay, tho prosident and loundor, after whom iho Iiistituto is named, ocoupicHl the chair. Ainoiii^sl olhrr friends of llie InsliLule present were His Lordlship tho liishop of Montreal, Messrs. C. J. Bry(l'/'>s, j^ed. Mackenzie, Honorary Secretary, (Minrlcs Ah'^xiunler, A. W. Ogilvie, John Sti'rlin-.-, F. W. Thomns, IJcvs. Messrs. Johnson. Stevenson, Canon Norman, I.indsny, Principal Mac Vicar, and Trincipal Dawson, of McGill College. and Hr. Scott. ° The proceedings were opened with prayer, after wliich tho President, in opening- tho meeting, said: Ladien and Genfhmen. .-—The' .Manag(M's of this Institu- tion have much pleasure in meeting the friends of tho deaf and dumb, on this the ninth anniversary, to hear the report of the past year and to make resolves for tho future. Since we last met here (>ducation has been going on steadily under Mr, Widd's able management. Indeed, to my knowledge, this is the only Institution wh(>re a deaf-mute occupies the position of Principal, filling the oihce with satisfaction to the Board. Wo have at length been able to secure the services of a lady teacher of articulation. Miss Littleheld, of Boston, who, we are assured, will be a va'luable addition to the stall'. We have much reason for thaidd'ulness for the measure of support this Institution receives and the interest evinced in its success, yet a large increase is necessary if wc would continue this valuable work, remembering \v'e have no endovvmer L fund and only a small Govern- ment grant, together with some pupils' fees, to meet our increasing expenditure, and whilst giving your meang let me urge you to visit the Institution to^see for your- selves the progress made, and to give encouragement to the t<\ichers. We have here three childrenlrom ono family and a fourth to come. What sacrifice would not any of you make to restore speech and hearing to an afflicted child of your own ? Then, as a thaid^-oftering for these gifts Providen -e has bestowed on you, increase your liberality. We had hoped to have been able to put up w^orkshops much required, indeed had plans ready and tenders received, but had to abandon them, and instead ended our iinancial year, unlbrtuiuitely, w^ith a deficit. In view of this, our Managers resolved that our Principal should visit the Towaiships and t 64 The Ninth Annual General Meeting. ti vin- consKlorinn. the uiiivt^rsal depression, and we boli.vo lichas croat..d an int,M-08t whi.h wi 1 hi' Zt manont. Wo have to thank our irionds in Q u 'b oc^ aa " tribntio/^' r'""!'r ^^---hips, i«r tluMr valulb e contnbntions. vvill now cull on our Honorary becrotary to road tho reports. iioiiouiry The Socrotary-Troasuror, F. Mackenzie, then road ho Hnancial «tatomont, tho Annual lioports ol tho loard of Manaoors. of tho Principal, and that of the ma" DC l'' t f'^'^u *'r, ^"^ ^'--» Norman! The Toacher of Articulation, Miss Littloliold of Boston, Mass., gavo an exhibition of tho results of six wooks, instruction in articulation by Boll's V^.ible bpeech, which was hic^hly gratifying^ being- in etx^-v nistanco very creditable. It was intended aFso o luive an examination of the pupils generally, but as the thie was so hnnted and tiioro was a largo amount of busi ^bs beloro tho mooting it was dispensed with. """"^^« «.iJ^rf. "T^ resolutions on such occasions were put Rov^Tnl''T'i'^".^^^'"^T.'^^^^^^^« ^'^^^' delivorod^y Kev Hugh Johnstone, Principal Uawson, Rev Mr Stovenson, Rev. Canon Norman, A. W. O-vilv e Esc, Ouoonf^'iii ,?^P^^^^« *h-^ ff-o "God S^;. t2e' 1 lu " ^^^ '^igii-language, and tho benediction wor^ ^^J^r'^T' l'"'^ T^-« thon ins^octecl he ^Aoik ot the pupils and tho building gonerallv •md eTy'hhig. *'^""'^"^ thoroughly ^sJtiJhod'^'^ith Tho following address from tho pupils to Mr Widd ,Ti''m ^t h\^^"di«"^^^ by tho «ecrotarv-Tivasu or Mr Wn';- '^r'.^'^' ^I\^»^^«8bton read it on his finger to mr Mack.iy. Mr. Widd made a very suitable nud beautifully got up m colors and penmanship by Mr Macnaivghton, the border being made up oVhe prettiest autumnal maple loaves, °pain ted in^all thoi? gorgeous colors, and was very much admired loth as a work oi art and for the sentiments it oxpresrod -- was gra* and wo 1 bo por- U'b(>c, aa valuublQ [oiioniry en read i of tho it oftho "Gorman, Koport ield, of s ol' six Visible 1 every to have le time usiiiosa 're put red by V. Mr. , Esq., ve the clictioii ted the y, and with Widd I surer, rers to iident, 3 and s waa f Mr. •f the their 3th aa II tilt i 11 THOMAS "^A^IDD, The Principal of the Mackay Institution for Protestant Deaf-MulJes. Mr Widd became totally deaf, andconsciucntly dumb, between the "^l^sof thrco and o.r years by .-cnr'.ct fever. lie was c.lucated ,n the \,rlre Insftuticn icr t^e Deaf ard Dumb at Done.stcr. under Dr. IJaker, where he also re e ved Ms valuable training as a teacher, he was fcr some ye.r. o'nP^f , 'l^ missionary to the deaf and dumb in various parts of England ai.d founded asscciSs for the mcral and religious inslretion of the adult deat and dumb 'n SI Sand other English towns. In 1S67 he came to Canada to -uelu rate Sc condition of his afflicted bre;hrcn in that country. The results of h, ctfirts arc to bo seen in the substantial bui ding erected by Mr. Joseph Mackay icr the instruction of Protestant deaf-mutes in Lower Canada. \ X^ Co7igratulalory Address. 65 " TO MR. THOMAS WIDD : " Dear Teacher and Guide,— Permit us, your affecliouate " and grateful pupils, to congratulate you on your entrance " upon your tenth year of principalship of the Institution '^for the instruction of Protestant Deaf-mutes of the " Province of Quebec, and pray God to bless you ivith " health and strength to continue your noble and self-denying " labors for many years to come. You have dispelled the "■gloom of intellectual night in ivhich we long lay groping, *' and brought us into the broad sunlight of knoivledge. " How well you have performed your work of educating us " let our progress and proficiency attest. With kind and " loving hand you have led us step by step on our path to " knoivledge, with patience borne with our waywardness, " and firmly, yet gently, you have corrected our errors and " shortcomings. We gratefully acknowledge all the good '■'■you have done us, and praij God to reward you, for we " cannot. Our limited knowledge of language fails to ''adequately describe the extent qf^ our respect and affection, " toivard you, our dear and honored teacher. Therefore we " beg you to accept our hearty congratulations. ''JOHN MACNAUGHTON, " In the name of my fellow pupils.^' ^'Mackai/ Institution for Protestant Deaf-Mutes, "Montreal, 23rd October, ]87i)." The following is an address from Mr. J. Outterson, a former pupil of the Institution, who happened to be in Montreal on a visit, and wished to say a few words expressing his gratitude for benefits received in the Institution : "Mr. Chairman, Ladies aud Gentlemen. " As an old pupil of this Institution, allow me to make a few remarks upon the benefits I have derived from the admirable system of education pursued in it. When I compare my former state and condition before I became a pupil with my present, I am filled with amazement and wonder, and consider myself a new 66 Deaf-mutes at Divine Service. man lifted into a new world. I can now take my place in society and hold converse without difficulty with any one. I can now read my Bible with an intelligent and thankful appreciation of its blessed truths. " I and all Protestant deaf-mutes of the Province of Quebec have great reason to bless and t/.ank Him, ' who hath formed both tongue and ear,' for bringing Mr. "Widd across the Atlantic from England to found this admirable Institution (my alma mater, I am proud to say), and putting it into the hearts of you, Mr. Chairman, Ladies and Grentlemen of the Board of Managers, to stand by him, and cheer him on by your counsels and pecuniary assistance and support. " Having myself been benefited so much, I feel very anxious that all my fellow Protestant mutes of this Province should also share in its benehts. I would suggest that a more energetic eflbrt be made to raise funds throughout the Province, so as to admit more pupils by bringing its claims more and more before the benevolent and charitable public. I shall always be happy to do all in my power to aid the schooL" IV "'J ^ The following account of Divine Service in the Mackay Institution is from the Argenteuil Advertiser (Lachute), of Dec. 17th, 1879, and will give some idea how the Sabbath is spent by Protestant deaf-mutes at that school : "On Sunday, the 14th of December, we had the pleasure of being present at and witnessing divine service amongst the pupils of the Mackay Institute for deaf-mutes. Cote St. Luc Road, Montreal. Our readers are aware that through the munificent liberality of Joseph Mackay, Esq., a palatial building has been erected for the education and training of the Protestant deaf and dumb of the Province of Quebec, where some thirty or forty children are acquiring an education which will fit them to become useful members of society. Not only is the secular education of the pupils' attained in this institution, but their moral and religious training is also carefully attended to. Every Deaf-mutes at Divine Service. 67 Sabbath afternoon divine worship, in the sifrn language, is held in the school-room, conducted by Mr. Principal Widd. The service is open to adult" deaf-mutes, as well as to the pupils of the Mackay Institute, on the occasion above referred to, the mute concreg'ation assembled in the school-room. The order oT service was written on the black-board, and a Bible lay on the desks before each pupil. It was plain to see from the expression which pervaded each countenance that all were fully conscious of the solemnity of the occasion. At three o'clock Principal Widd took his stand, and the congregation rising, he spelled on his fingers, verse by verse, the Ixvii. Psalm, {Deus Misereatur) explaining also by pantomime, or signs, the meaning of each verse as he proceeded, so that the youngest pupil could not fail to understand ; then was given by minister and congregation, the Lord's Prayer, in sign language, and 60 graphic were the gestures that one totally unac- quainted with this style of language, could not fail to understand the meaning of the signs made. This was followed by the spelling (reading, shall we say) of the Ixxxii. Psalm, as lesson, also translated into pantomime. Then followed the Second and Third Collects of the Evening Service. After this a short sermon was preached, of which we give a condensed report. Principal Widd took for his text " How excellent is thy loving-kindness, O God," (Ps. xxxvi., 7) and then in graphic pantomime, said : " God's greatest and most excellent attribute is love. It is made manifest to us in all His works — in the light which surrounds us, in the air we breathe, in the food which He causes the earth to bring forth abund- antly for our sustenance. Like as a loving earthly father caies for and provides for his children, so does our Heavenly Father care for us. His watchful care preserves us also from all dangers, both seen and unseen. His greatest love, however, is made manifest in the gift of His Son Jesus Christ, who was offered up a sacrifice in our stead, — who died for our sins, and who is now our Intercessor before the Throne of God. We ought all to love God, because he has manifested His love for us in so gracious and effectual a manner ; and if we do love Him w^e shall exemplify it in our 68 Intellectual and Industrial Training. daily lives, hj our praises to Him and obedience to His word and His laws ; we shall hate sin, and love the good; we shall study His holy word, the Scriptures, daily, and shape our lives in accordance with their holy lessons. But il' we say we love God and do not obey His laws, then He will regard us as hypocrites, and will most surely punish us. His mercy is everlast- ing. His power inilnite, and He will ever listen to our prayer for help. Let us, therefore, to-day raise our thoughts in love to God, the Father in that He gave His Son Jesus Christ to be an offering in our behalf, and let us pray the Holy Ghost to shed upon us His benign influence, W'hich alone can make our lives worthy the name of Christians. Above all, let us eYer remember with devout gratitude, the grand old truth contained in our text, which ascribes the perfection of excellence to the loving-kindness of God." " It was touching to witness the play of expression w^hich flitted over the faces of his congregation, as the preacher proceeded with his discourse. There was absolute silence, not a word spoken or a sound uttered ; yet the audience (if we may use the word) received advice, w^arning, encouragement. It was a scene of great interest, and one of which but few hearing and speaking persons can imagine the importance. The service was concluded with the benediction, having lasted about one hour." The Montreal Witness; of Dec. 12th, 1879, contains the following article regarding the intellectual and industrial training of youth : " The educators of deaf-muteti havo discovered, earlier than those who have the training of youth who have all their powers, that the best results are attained by the training of the constructive along with the intellectual faculties. It is only by degrees that most educationists are learning that man's work upon the face of the world is done with his hands nnd that hie happiness and usefulness are both very much curtailed by the suppression of the faculties which prompt to manual work. Drawing is perhaps the best, although by no means the only form in which the use of the hands can be introduced into schools, and this is happily now a part of the course in the schools of Moiiireal. We hope to see the day when Kindergarten exercises will form a part of all early schoc I training, to be followed in later years by some form of constructive labor which shall occupy a good hm. ."fl S^N-^ Press Notices. 69 part of the time. Wc know some avIio s':nH their boys to practise a trade if only for an hour or so daily. Tiiis course is to be mucli conunendcd. It is (jiiite usuhI in Germany, wlierc even Royal and Imperial princes learn trades. Mr. Widd, Principal of the Mackay Instituti', makes an earnest appeal tor workshops in whicli to educate his pupils to trailes. The i)rinters' trade is the only one wliich is at present tauylit there. Ho points out that it is very hard to get situations for deaf mute boys .vho have no trade. Employers shrink from the work of teachins? them, but like to get them as journeymen after tliey have learned. Another conside- ration, and tills one a[)plies also to those who have all their faeidties, is that the -iod of a mental education has to terminate early for those who have still m learn their trade, and might last much longei if the trade wi's being aepuired at the same tiun', or at least the faculties required in mecluinical operations being trained. We hope tlw necessary funds for establishing these workshops will not be lacking." In noticing the historical sketch of the Mackay Institution in th(^ American Annah of the Deaf and Dumb, October, 1877, the Editor of the Deaf-mute Journal of New York says : — '' One cannot pick up the Ocitober Annals, look at the fine building in the frontispiece, and then read the accompanying account of the Mackay Institution for Protestant Deaf-mutes without the conviction that now and then a deat-mute does not live in vain. Mr. Thomas Widd, the Principal of the Institution, is a dcaf-mut(!, and the only deaf-mute principal of an institution of that kind in America. There are two or tl\ree principals of day schools, but only one of an institution. " Going to Canada late in the sixties, Thomas Widd toiled a couple of years in that deserted field before he could arouse enough enthusiasm to make a beginning. And when he did, and managed to live from year to vear, slowly increasing his little flock the while, well-nigh his only resourcf --os individual diarity. Our annals hardly present a parallel of such vvOi. the present cnlightement and the numerous flourisldng examples all ccusiileiod. In his brief history of the institution; he tells us that he worked "ight hours a day in the school-room, he taught two classes out of school hours, he was principal, steward, supervisor, and teacher of trades, and the hours of night were diligently utilized to complete such duties as the day rcquiicd. He had to ho\ise, in a building comfortably accom- modating but fifteen, besides himself, one teacher and two domestics, tvventy, and at one time twenty-seven pupils. And as to finances and salaried rewards, the matron, teachers and himself between them, got the immense aggregate of $000 a year I But Thomas Widd is a deaf-mute, and is working for the good of other deat-mutes. Incidentally, he tells us that circumstances at first comp'dled him to use the eight-hour system, but as 80on as he could, with commendably alacrity, he discarded it and sub- '•l 70 Advice to Parents of Deaf-mules. II Btitutcd five hours, which change speedily showed beneficial results in the health and improvement of the pupils, and the physique of the teacherg improved also. "In the fall of 1870, a citij;en of Montreal, Joseph Mackay, Esq., who had long been watching the course of the institution and the labors of Mr. Widd, came forward and said he would erect a building of stone on a fine plot of ground, capable of accommodating 80 pupils, with the necessary ofiicers. This has been done, and the structure is now ready for occupation. !^''ed when the owner had no further use for it. Besides, it wa3 given to promote the interests of a peculiar system — that of ftrticulation. Mr. Ma^ kny is alive aad can daily see the fruits of his good deed. His benevolence is not marred by any hobby, but is u generous, whole-souled help, and, if length of days is a boon to be coveted, may he live a number of years equal to the dollars he has given "The facts as they are, arc very suggestive. Mr. Widd is the only deaf- mute principal of an institution, as far as we know, and that institution, of all others, has been favored in an unparalleled way, in a country, too, where such things are rarely looked for. The instance stands out brightly in a back-ground that increases its proportions — it adds one more triumph to the few vouchsafed to deaf-mutes." To Parents of Deaf-mutes. — When parents discover that their child does not seem to hear or to try to talk like ordinary children, they begin to suspect that it is deaf and dumb, and search for the best remedy they can find for such afflictions. Deafness is one of the most difficult to cure of human ailments, and there is probably not a single genuine cure of total deafness on record. Unprincipled professional men and quack doctors have paid special attention to cases of deafness and reaped an abundant harvest. They have made the partially deaf totally deaf, and those in whose cases existed no hope whatever have been made to undergo untold suffering and great pecuniary loss. In nearly every case of the pupils in the Mackay Institution (including all those admitted since 1870), quack and other remedies have been resorted to for the recovery of hearing, but without the slightest benefit. In the case of total deafness from protracted The Audiphone, Sec. 71 illness or accident, it is always found that the auditory nerve is either paralysed or destroyed, and nothing short of a miraele can effect a cure. The wisest and only sale course to pursue in all eases of deafness in children or adults is to consult a reliable and respect> able physician and follow his advice. The veteran teacher of deaf-mutes and founder of the Ontario Institution, Mr. J. B. McGann, givfes his testimony on this subject (which coincides with that of every other person of experience with deaf-mutes), as follows : " In my travels in Ontario, I found that in nine cases out of ten quack remedies have been applied to efl'ect the restoration of hearing and of speech. Some of these remedies proved to have been of a very painful nature in their operation — others harmless and absurd, and all without any beneficial results. I have yet to learn, notv^'ithstanding the rigorous process of scientific investigation which marks the 19th century, that there is a cureable property for the congenitally deaf. Dr. Wilde, the distinguished Aurist, Dublin, writes in his treatise on the ear, thus : ' Exce/d by miraculous inter- ference, I do not believi ihat the true congenital mute was ever made to hear, nnd ihose who lose their hearing so early in life as never to have acquired speech, come into the same category.' Dr. Stand, the eminent Physician of the Royal Institution lor the Deaf and Dumb, Paris, who made more post mortem examinations to ascertain the cause of deafness than any other man, says, ' That in most cases of profound deafness the cause was paralysis of the auditory nerve — the nerve of hearing was dead, and medical means have no effect on the dead.' " Early in 1879 an instrument called the Audiphone was invented in Chicago to enable the deaf to hear and the dumb to speak. It made a few persons, who were only slig'htiy deaf, hear better, and straightway the news flew to every quarter of the world that the deaf would be no longer deaf and the dumb no longer dumb, and that schools for deaf-mutes were things of the past. The inventor of this creation of science no doubt reaped a large harvest by its sale. Many purchased it only tc be sadly disappointed and 72 The Audiphone^ $fc. to mourn the loss of their money ; others felt slight vibrations of sound by the help of the instrument and imagined they could hear ; but as far as can be learned, the number of those who have fovind the audiphone of any use are very few and far between, and those are persons who have but very slight deafness. Those inventions profess to make the totally deaf hear, which is as absurd a statement as to say that spectacles can make the blind see ! The Audiphone had scarcely been in the market six months beibrc^ the Dentipiione and the Tangipiione appeared, and claimed to be able to do even greater wonders than their predecessor. The Magniphone, by Prof. Hughes, is another wonderful invention, which, we believe, appeared before the Audiphone. It claims to enable a person (not deaf, of course), to hear the foot steps of a lly on a table, or the touch of a hair when rubbed against a pen. This instrument is probably the best and most valuable that has been invented to aid the ear, but the inventor is more honest and does not profess to be able to aid the totally deaf by the instrument. Speaking on this subject, the Editor of the Toronto Silent If or/i/ remarks : " We fully endorse Mr. Widd's opinion with regard to the Audiphone. We have little doubt that the so-called invention is a mere catch-penny device for extracting money from the pockets of the credulous. A moment's consideration will show that to hear a sound correctly is a very different thing from merely hearing a sound simply because it is loud, and similiarly, to I'eel a vibration with the teeth is a very different thing to distinguishing the nature and quality of such vibration, which is absolutely necessary to give any value to it as a conveyance of language. To put a parallel case : If a mirror is cracked through in every direction, or if . it be rubbed over with whiting, no light will ever make it take a correct image of any object ; it might catch in the first instance a vague fragmentary reflec- tion, in the other a dull gloom, but lor any practical purpose as a mirror it is absolutely useless. If any invention were to be of any service at all, it would be the Magniphone of Professor Hughes, which is said to enable a person to hear the sound of a fly's foot on a board, or the crackling of a feather rubbed against a V mm light , and •lied, le of 3 are hose hich i can been ; and ]o to The erl'ul the ii; of r the This that ;or is 1 the this irks : rd to aHed iting ent's tly 3und iel a g to iion, to it jase : or if eA'^er light jflec- itical ' any Id be id to on a nst a ec J li I JOHN DUUuAL L-., C3fc.lil The Proirc'cr cf tl;c M( and ni(if.t stun. ell IrxMid ;iii(l ;i(l\-( nlroiil iiiiil New Y( r\- Daily \\ erciit oblii,':iti()iKs ti r h ci(c (;t J\:i-. \\ i(l,l, t(. wl iithor this nor any other i'orm of m ,nilying bound or convoying- it to th(! auditory nerve has ever hcon devised that will benelit deai- mutes, or is likely to be until the resources ol' science ehall enabh; physicians to construct by artilicial means, end insert into the cavity ol" the ear such apphances as will supply th" parts Wanting either from congenital causes or from ravages of disease. A very unlikely thing- in our opinion to happen, but xn absolute sine 4ua non to hearing with the least correctness," AN APPEAL FOR THE DEAF-MUTE. ITho following bountiful npponl, written ftr " Dioponcs," (v comic paper publishoi in Montroal nbout twelve yoxn (ixo, li;is been tlio means of obtaining many kind IrlonJa fordoif-niutosundsuppcrttTd of their tehools. Tho namj ot tb» author is unknown.] Deaf ! Not a mnrimir or a loving word Can evor rcacli his car. The raging Mca, Tliu piaiing lliiiiulor, and tho cannon's roar 'J'o liini arc silent — silent as the grave. Not quite : for, over, when God tiikes away He gives in other shape. 'I'lie tinmp of feet, The crash of falling things, tho waves of sound Strike on a deaf man's fjeling with a force To us unknown. Vibrations of the air Piny through liis fiainc, on sympathetic norvci Like fine-strung instruments of varied toao. Dumb I Not a murmur or a loving word Can ever pass his lip. The cry of rage, The voice of friendship, and the vows of lore Freeze on his tongue, so impotent of sound. But deem not that intelligence is null In that doomed mortal. Gaze upon his eye — ■ A speaking eye I — an oyc that seems to hear E'en l)y observing, and tliut gathers more From flickering ligiits and shadows of a faco Than duller minds can gain from spoken wordi. The age of miracles hath past ; but man Can Biimmon art and science to his aid, And cause the faculties of sight and touch To act imperfectly for speech and car. J tt^ IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) A ,v c^^ 1.0 fM IIIIIM I.I 1.25 !^ 1^ 1111120 M 1.8 U IIIIII.6 6" 4^ •m %. / * "^^ .:?^ Wf Photographic Sciences Corporation «■ ^^m 4i>^ <^ 23 WEST MAIN STREET WEBSTER, N.Y 14580 (716) 872-4503 ^O 'O .V 6"^ '# t '<^ ^^. . -^ t /> \ s \ Ik •74 ■ s ■; : ij An Easy Method of Teaching Deaf-mutes at Home. Thft dcaf-mnto seems, by Nntiiro, funned to bo A dclicatti artifiwr, and skilled In sublk' operations of the hand. He can be tanght to read, and thus to learn The story of the Present or tlic Past, Or by quick signs to share liis inmost (hotighta Chiefly for those for whom he yearnetli most His fjllow siiff'rors f Nay, it sometimes haps That men, like Kitto, 'reft of senses twain, Have, by their lore, electrified the worlds And won the crown of literary fame. Spare not your gifts, yc wealtliy of the fend. To these afflicted bretlircn. Ye to whom- Heav'n giants that sweetest of all bk ^ings, healthy And the keen joys of each corporeal sense, Aid those to whom these blessings are denied, And shed some sunshine oVr their gloomy lives. Let us all tread, as closely as we can, In the blest footprints of that Holy One Who went about, forever doing good. Making the dumb to speak, the deaf to hear. CHAPTER .XII. An Easy Method of Teaching Deaf-mutes at Home. For the benefit of those who desire to do all thev can to instruct their own children before sendiiio. them tL an Institution the following description has Teeii prepared of the method to be pursued. It is hoped that all having mute children will spare no pains in their home instruction, and however little pro^rress may be secured, it will still be of value to the cJiild In some cases it may be weeks, or months, before the child IS able to write a single word,, but if the plan here explained is perseveringly carried out, success IS certain. The method here presented is not a new one- it haa been m vogue more than half a century, and* is still of deaTmufe's '''''''^'' ^ '''"''' ""^ "'^ ^^'^ instructors .\.\u ^f^i*i«'^,/o writing, ^ords and sentences, let the child also spell them by means of the manual alphabet oi which engravings are given in this book ,"" "•"* s«sc;z Hoiv to Begin.— First Step. 16 ■ In memorizing the alphabets, the best way is to learn thoroughly eaeh horizontal row of characters belore commencing the next one below. If this is done, the alphabet will be perfectly mastered in less than an hour. Use either the one or the two handed alphabets as you like best. It is also well to use every means to preserve the vocal utterance of the child, ior, though hearing cannot be recovered, speech may, in many cases, be retained, It the child is constantly practised in the use of its voice. The child may be taught as early as the age of three or lour to write n few words. From that age, until €ix or seven, he should bo practised by the method here given, and then sent to some institution, where his progress will be very rapid if this preparatory home training has been well performed. HOW TO BEGIN.— FIRST STEP. Begin by writing in a plain round hand the name of eome common object Show to the child first the object and then the name, pointing from one to the Other until he sees that the name stands for the object. Get him to copy the word, and when he has mastered it, teach him another in the same way. Always write the before the names of objects. As above explained teach the following list of words containing all the letters of the alphabet : the book, the cup, the mug, the Jar, the key, the quill, the feather, the box, the pen, the watch, the glove, the rinc. Besides these, the names father, mother, the child's own name, and those of his brothers and sisters, should be taught. SENTENCES. As soon as the child can write the names of live or six objects, sentences may be taught. To do this a short direction to do something, as. Touch the box, ia shown to the pupil. Then the teacher himself touches the box and gets the child to imitate him. After several repetiti.)ns the child is made to copy the sentence, / touched the box^ as the proper way of 'n 76 An Easy Method of Teaching Deaf-mutes at Home. expn>ssing what he has done. He is then directed in writing to touch some other object of which he knows the name and, If he does not understand, the teachef Sr^ ""V'' ^u^"^'"- ,This is repeated irequently mr^ the pupil, on being shown a direction to touch i lamiliar object, will at once go and do so This process of writiiig a short direction, showing the child Ti A^?^''^ ^J ^^-^^'^^ performing the action indicat- ed, and then having him copy the proper form of ..sentence to express what he has done, is to be always carried out Proceed in the same manner with many examples like the following: f Toucli the kc-y. Touch the tabic. Touch the cup. Touch tlie chair. Touch the mug. ToucIi father. Touch the jar. Touch mother. Touch the zinc. Touch John. Touch the watch. Touch Mary. The teacher must also touch objects himself, and o-ei the child to describe what he has done, by using you m place of /, thus : ^ ° ^ You touched ih,. key. You touched the fork You touched the shovel. You touched tJie glove. A third person should aU be asked to do some- thing in the presence of the child, and the latter taught to describe it. as : Fatlicr ♦ouchcd the sUito. John touched the fan Mother touched the pail. Mary touched the jug. John touched Mary. Mary touched John. When the pupil has became expert in these exercise^ direct him to touch two or more objects, which must jt first be placed together before him. Vary all of the foregoing exercises, as in the examples given below: I touched the hat and the kty. I touched the chair and the table. > You touched the book and the shovel. You touched the pencil and the slate. Father touched the d«or and the hat. John touched the knife and the fork. ' ' The same exercises should now be continued, with the following words in place of touch. Each word must be used quite often and thoroughly mastered oelore a new one is given : o / ^v* Phrases. — Color, Size, Form, SfC. n bring, open. shut. kick, Btriko, throw, hit. push, pull. Rather, break. pare, tear, cut, lift, bito, wash, wipe, Rwocp, cat, drink, smell. taste. slap. clean, whip, raise, pat. ruli, drop. bin(l. shnko, roll, pinch. lock, unlock, covor. uncover, toss. fill, empty, scrape. feed, light. punch, tickle. comb. scratch, PHRASES. The following- phrases, it will be seen, are as easily explained as any of the sing-le words above given, by merely performing the act indicated. These should be used very often, and with as many objects as are appropriate to them : sit on, stand on, lie on, kneci oi.i, write on, play on, run on jump on, roll on, stand m, stand under, walk to, go into, walk into, run into, n;o <>m' of, walk out of, run out of, put on take off, jun)p over, stand before, stand behind, stand beside stand near, ivalk around, walk across, stand between, point to, bow to, shake bands. The following examples will show how the abova phrases are to be used : I sat on the chair. I 8tt)od on the b(>.<. I went to the table. You lan on the ^lass. You turned oti" the fjas. You walked around the chair. John walked aeross the room. John stood before father. Mr. Smith put on his coat. I stood in the tub. I blew out the match. I walked to the gate. You went into the bouse. You jumped over the stool. You sat nuir the lire. Mary ran from the dog. Mary stood behind mother. The cat jumped from the chair. I stood between the chair and the table. I stood b.'twet^n the door and tlie window. John sat between fatlier and moth;r. Father stood l)etween John and Mary. You walked from the chair to the table. You rail from the door to tiie gate. COLOR, SIZE, FORM, &c. The process of teaching color, size, form, possession and numbers will now be considered. In explaining these, some object having the qualities described by the words used must always be placed before the V8 An Eas?/ Method of Teacliing Deaf-mutes at Home. h\t ' ?J^''''^^^ ^Y '"'^\""^ ^«""«^ b^ "^«de clear to him He must always learn by seeiiio- handling fimelliiio. and tasting the objects. ^' iiandiin^, To explain color, make a number of balls of yarn of different colors. These should be of black white brown, gpl^^^^j^ oran^re. yellow green blue' white TioU Pieces of ribbon", cloth, or «S painted of these colors, will answer as v;eir A the ^"flriSingt:^"^^^* ^^^'^ "'^^^^ -^- -^ ^' ^'^ Place one of the balls, say black, before the child and write the direction- 7W.A the 6/«.y;; ^/ a^ trcTl'orrin'^llrnr^ '^'''^''' ^-^'^"^ '^^ ^^^ Wifh'sniffhr'''^^^ With suitable objects. The contrast in meanino- is a great help towards understanding them aulbr this reason first one and then the othe? should" be used : hot cold; hard, soft; wet. dry; clean, dirty; ewoet, 8cur; th.ck, tlnn, fat, Lan ; sharp, dull; „.w, old; high low full, empty ; Hmooth, ro.igh ; straight, crook.d ; wide, narrow ' Bound, rotten j fragrant, fetid ; light, heavy ; &c. Size will now be considered. Get two objects of the 6ame kind, but differing much in size, as stonerpoktoes apples, books, &c.. and with these teach the n eC rof the words /«r^.. and small. Place both belore the pupH and direct him to touch one, and give him ihe nroner form ol sentence to describe what he has been doinJ Do he same with the other, and repeat unUlhi; words are understood. ^ ^ ARITHMETIC-NUMBERS. In teaching numbers, get stones, sticks, beans or marbles, to count with. Then give the iblbwi,r<. directions, and show the child how to carry them o 3 and express what he has done: Put one hean on the tahlc. Put two beans on the table. Put three beans on the tablo. This exercise may be continued until all the numbers learn both the names and the characters a^ed to ' ^^i»C£ ■M««MMi m m&m: i Addiaon.--Sublrnction.--Mumplicaticyn. 19 renresent the numbers. Let the teacher himself, as well a^'Xr persons, put objects .n f^^-^^^^^; ^ to-ioh the child to dostiibc what they do. iii uiio Ixetiselaun umc as well as muuhers arc bomg eavued at the sam "?im." as the examples hove given w.U show . I put fom- books on the tal)lc. I put nine stoni'R in tlu' pail. I put fiftJi'n bfans under tho tabic. You put one stone and 8-;ven sticks in the hat. ADDITION. To teich addition, put down two beans before tho chUd,S' luting IVoln one to^'"-"-'.^,'™! 'u z^ p^r«;tx:u r;;s\:aSd : dtwoatMs a"eCw^.^:--;:Htr«.etK;eeti.. SUBTRACTION. When wo -no to Buhtract.0,^- h^^^^^ ^r; ^.eTmCgiv: hSuhc pvope. lb™ in wh.ch to express the operation. iLnin hv Dlicin" two beans before him, and then tautf avX -; write On. fi^J^ '«- ^ Ihis'S =^;:^;^qrf:S^PteiieesandM the child HU up the blank spaces thus . One fmni six leaves One from two leav.s One from nine leaves • Proceed in this manner until the tables in sub- traction are thoroughly mastered. MULTIPUCATION. In ™„l,iplicatio„ the beans are to be -ra»ged m groups containing f>> eq^ial """""ffutje vi-ay from it, lean bolore the child, and aiiother a f^^^J'^ ^.^e,! and have him write, 5^"'' j""^'. ';7,"rite Two /imes place two beans in each group, and ^;™« ^„a two are four. Next put three beans in tacn „r v. i Hi I «6 .4w Eas7j Method of Teaching Deaf-mutes at Home. write Two times three are dx. In this way proceed to 1^0 times ten are twenty. As boloro, Inush by ^hanging the phices of the seuteiices and leavmg a b ank im he pupil to fill up. Teach the remaniing tables in the «ame way. division. In division there may bo a little more difficulty, but patience will overcome all. Here the process consists in arranging n row of beans before the child, and then separating it into groups containino- the same number^ Place two beans before the pupil. With both hands separate them and draw each a little to one side Then write One is in two twice. Now separate in the same way a row of four beans, and write i..(> is m four twice. In this manner con inue till Ten is in iwento twice, has been reached. Change the places o the sentences, and proceed as before described, t imsU all the tables in division in this way. The teaching of fractions is far less difficult than may at first sight appear. Let there be some apples in the room and give the child the direction, Bring me one apple, lake me apple, and in his sight divide it into two equal parts. Then write the direction. Bring me one-half of the appl% explaining the phrase one-half of IM appleM vo}^iiin^ to it and then to the object. Then write, Bnnii; me two halves of t',e apple. As in the P/^^^^^^^^.^^^^j^^ff' let the child be practised irequently, until he has mastered this. Show him that one-half and I mean the same thing. Tlie Two IJufidcd Alphnbut. T 81 than 82 The One Handed Alphabet.