English, would there be any reasonable doubt that the ideas were thoroughly comprehended? There is even less room for doubt in regard to a translation from signs. The surest test of the grasp of thought is the ability to express that thought clearly in written language. "For an illustration of the power of signs to convey thought clearly, perfectly, independently of written or spoken language, I would refer to the translations printed in the appendix to this report. Classes of various grades, from one year to seven years standing, were assembled in the chapel: all witnessed the same telling of the story in signs by the principal, and no other assistance was allowed the pupils. How much each understood, and the ability of each to express ideas in language, will appear from an inspection of the various versions of the story. "The method of instruction generally employed in the institutions for the deaf and dumb in the United States (about five thousand six hundred out of six thousand pupils being taught by that method) is a broad and comprehensive one, wrought out through long years of experience by such men as Rev. Thomas H. Gallaudet, Mr. Lewis Weld, Rev. W. W. Turner, Drs. H. P. Peet, F. A. P. Barnard, A. L. Chapin, and a host of faithful colaborers, -men able and candid, ever ready to examine new means and methods and to adopt whatever can be shown to be an improvement, but having too conscientious a regard for the real interest of their pupils to yield their earnest convictions to any mistaken ideas of parents or friends, or to the theories of philanthropists, well-meaning, indeed, but misled by an imperfect or superficial knowledge of facts. Its advocates do not claim that it is a perfect system; but they do claim, that, for the instruction of the great mass of deaf-mutes, it is the best system yet devised. When a better way can be demonstrated, they will gladly adopt it.” CLARKE INSTITUTION, NORTHAMPTON. From the report of the principal of the Clarke Institution it appears that 66 During the year there were seventy-eight different pupils, from six to nineteen years of age. The average number for the year was seventy-seven. Sixty-one were from Massachusetts, five from New York, three from Vermont, two from Indiana, and one each from Canada, Maine, New Hampshire, New Jersey, Ohio, Iowa, and Utah. Of the whole number, two were semi-deaf, and eleven were semi-mutes: only four of whom could read when they entered school. "There entered during the year nine pupils, from six to seventeen years of age. One of these became deaf at seven, retained speech, but could not read the lips; had attended public school, and had a good use and understanding of language. The other eight were either born deaf, or lost hearing when very young. It would seem as if the figures given above might divest the public of the idea that the majority of our pupils are semi-mute and semideaf. Only thirteen out of seventy-eight, or one-sixth of the whole number, can be counted as such, leaving five-sixths of the pupils here taught during the past year to rank as congenital mutes. Another error which should be refuted is, that the pupils here are selected, and that none are received from very poor or ignorant families. There could be no greater error. Children are rarely seen by us before being admitted to the school, and it would not be easy to find poorer children nor of more ignorant parentage than some that are here. None were ever refused on account of the poverty or ignorance of their parents. There have never been but five pupils here from the New England States whose parents were able to pay board and tuition during the time their children remained in our school. Again, if this institution has been credited with having teachers of special experience, it is a mistake. At the time of the meeting of the Conference of Principals here, when the school was under observation more than ever before, only four out of our eleven teachers had been here more than two years, and two of them less than six months. It has been remarked that our pupils use simple language: this is precisely what we desire. We wish them to understand difficult language, but we discourage every attempt to use the bombastic style so common among deaf-mutes. has "Of the graduates of the high class of 1875, one still remains in the institution as special teacher of drawing, and as a regular teacher in the primary school. The mother of one, who became deaf at three years and two months, writes, 'You ever have my deepest gratitude, my warm affection; and, when I compare -'s education with the other way, oh! I feel that too much cannot be said in praise of the great work you are doing for those poor afflicted children, giving them the power of speech. acquired much language, and is constantly improving in her speech and lip-reading.' Another has had the care of an invalid sister during the year, and, although she says nothing of her speech and lip-reading, we know they are always her means of communicating with others, and are considered invaluable by herself and friends. Another, who makes herself useful in her home, does not think of resorting to other means of communicating with people than by speech and lip-reading. One young man has just completed his course at Stevens Institute, at Hoboken, N.J., and taken the degree of mechanical engineer. During the two years in the institution he did not acquire sufficient facility in reading the lips to depend upon it after leaving us. He has, however, pursued his studies successfully at Williston Seminary and Stevens Institute. Other semi-mutes might with profit receive instruction as he did, instead of learning the sign-language, and being made to feel that they belong to a peculiar class. "Another young man, a carriage wood-worker, writes, 'My lip-reading improves some, I think. I do not have much trouble in understanding people, except in the evening: then I miss my hearing considerably.' Of two young men who did not remain to graduate, one is in business for himself as a printer and publisher. His speech and lip-reading are good. The other writes, During the three winter months, I had work in Hartford in a fur-store, during which time I found the value of the education I received at Northampton. One time I delivered some goods to a lady, and, as I had to collect some money of her, I spoke to her; and, as she spoke too fast for me, I had to let her know I was deaf. She did not believe it, and I had some difficulty in assuring her of the fact, and her actions made me think she regarded me as an impostor.' All this class became deaf between five and a half and eleven years of age, except the one before mentioned. “Of the graduates of the high class of 1877, a congenital mute writes, 'About the lip-reading, I think I have improved more this year than last. I think my speech is about the same as a year ago. I think I have improved much in language since school, because I read more, and go with the people more.' He is serving his last year's apprenticeship to a steel-engraver. Another young man, who has been learning wood-engraving about the same length of time, says, I think that my speech and lip-reading are about as good as they were a year ago. I do not feel that I have gained or lost in either. I do not think that any thing helps my voice and improves my conversation so much as does reading to some person who can point out the defects in my speech. It has become a pleasure to me now to take up the paper, and read aloud whatever interests me, and I feel that it gives me a habit of pronouncing words correctly and easily. The person who hears me says I read better now than I did a year ago, and she always understands every thing I say.' A friend thinks his lip-reading has improved very decidedly. He became deaf at five years of age. The young lady of that class became deaf at ten and a half years, and has excellent speech and lipreading. "Of the graduates from the grammar course in 1878, one who became deaf at seven years of age says, that while staying at the house of her brother, who is an expressman, people came to leave orders for him, and in no case was she obliged to use paper and pencil in conversing with them, and it was not more than once or twice one had to repeat what he said. Few of them knew her at all. Another, who is a dressmaker, says, ‘I think I have neither lost in lip-reading nor speech.' She became deaf at four, and lost her speech entirely. A young man, deaf at one year, who is engraving in a watch-factory, thinks he has lost nothing in speech and lip-reading. Another, a congenital mute, not heard from recently, is known to have retained her speech and lip-reading. Of others in the class, who did not remain to graduate, one, partially deaf at two years, perhaps born partially deaf, says, 'Every stranger thinks that I am some hearing fellow. They say that I talk very plain.' He reads the lips well. He spoke but few words when he came to school at five years of age. Another young man, in his father's laundry, is said to read the lips very well. One is working in the largest printing-establishment in Iowa. He says, 'My articulation is about the same as when I wrote last." "Of the graduates of 1880, from the grammar course, the friends of one think her speech remains about the same, but that her lip-reading has improved. She says, 'I very often understand friends when they talk to others. Many strangers understand me readily when I try to talk nicely.' Through a friend, we hear of another whose speech has improved in the last few months. Another we have not heard from, but we know that she will lose neither speech nor lip-reading. The only semi-mute in the class has this year graduated from a public grammar school, and ranked fourth in a class of twenty-five. Much to our disappointment, he is now to learn a trade instead of entering the high school, where he might acquit himself with credit. His lip-reading has been of great service to him. "A semi-mute, not in school long enough to acquire much lip-reading, has lost nothing in speech. She is a frequent contributor to juvenile peri odicals. There remain only five others from whom we have received reports. These were pupils of average attainments. They seem not to have lost in speech and lip-reading since leaving school. "In the early years of our school, a little one of five years came to us without speech. She remained two years, and since then has been instructed at home, - her mother being devoted to her. Now, at seventeen, she is attending school with hearing children, the same demands being made of her as of the others. She is studying English literature and physiology. "From all these reports we gather encouragement for the future." HORACE MANN SCHOOL. In the report of the committee upon the school it is stated that "At the close of the last school year, in June, 1880, there were seventynine pupils in this school. Since that time twelve new ones have been added, and eleven withdrawn. 66 Fifty-five of the present number of pupils live in Boston, twenty-two in towns in the vicinity, and three come from other States. "This school suffered from the prevalence of measles and mumps during the winter, as did the other public schools of the city; but these diseases affected chiefly the youngest classes. With this exception the health of the pupils was good throughout the year. "But one change occurred in the corps of teachers. "The value of experience, combined with a constant study of the principles of education and with their application to methods of teaching, is perhaps nowhere more evident than in schools for the deaf. Children who have one of the most important avenues to the mind closed forever ought to receive instruction from exceptionally skilful, ingenious, patient teachers. "The deaf child, on entering school, must be taught the words, phrases, and simple sentences which are used in daily speech, through the constant association of their written forms with the objects and ideas which they symbolize. In this part of the instruction the teachers have found the papyrograph an invaluable aid. To avoid wearisome exercises, as well as to give increasing interest to the acquirement of a vocabulary, illustrated word and sentence lessons have been prepared for the youngest classes. Papyrographic copies of these and of other simple language lessons have supplemented the blackboard work of the teacher. "In the early part of the school year, the committee in charge received and accepted a proposal for a course of kitchen-garden lessons, including the loan of the necessary apparatus ; and the results are highly satisfactory. Once a week a class of twenty-four girls was taught by an experienced teacher. The opportunity to have the apparatus at the school was of great value to the children, who were thus made familiar with the names of household implements and with the language associated with their use. These twenty-four girls will never forget the instruction received in the proper way to lay tables, to sweep and dust rooms, to make beds, and to wash clothes. Their progress in acquiring the language of home life was very marked, and was one of the most important results of this course of objectlessons. "As during the previous year, a class of girls attended the Boston Cooking School on Saturdays. "A few weeks before the close of the school year, one of our boys was admitted to an afternoon class at the North End Industrial School, where a practical carpenter gave lessons in the use of tools. Another boy went every afternoon to the shop of a sign-painter to learn that trade. Both of these boys were occupied in their respective shops during the greater part of the vacation, and will probably continue their afternoon lessons during the coming year. Further opportunities for industrial training out of school are earnestly sought by the principal, and will be cordially embraced wherever they are found.” 62 beneficiaries for the term beginning March, 1881, $5,425 00 62 beneficiaries for the term beginning September, 1881. Clothing furnished beneficiaries for year ending July 1, 1881 Clarke Institution. 60 beneficiaries, quarter ending March 31, 1881 60 beneficiaries, quarter ending June 30, 1881 60 beneficiaries, quarter ending Sept. 30, 1881 70 beneficiaries, quarter ending Dec. 31, 1881 72 12 12 72 203 $40,000 00 |