Pagina-afbeeldingen
PDF
ePub

THO

THE BLIND DEAF MUTES.

HOSE of our readers who have accompanied us thus far, in our sketches of Humane Institutions, do not need to be informed of the numerous and trying privations which are necessarily incurred, either by the loss of hearing and speech or sight. The sources of enjoyment from which the blind are cut off are, indeed, numerous; but though their eyes are closed, the sweet sounds of music may delight their ears and thrill through their hearts. They can enjoy the society of friends, and in the pleasure of animated conversation, and the rapid acquisition of knowledge, almost forget their infirmity. The deaf mute, though deprived of the privilege of hearing the "concord of sweet sounds," may still solace himself with the beauties of nature and art. Earth and its beauty, the heavens and their glory and grandeur are not hid from his gaze. He can look upon the countenance of friends, and his well-trained eye will read their thoughts, almost before they utter them.

But there are those on whom is laid the burden of a triple infirmity, to whom sight, hearing, and speech are all denied, on whose darkened vision no day ever dawns, and to whose ear never comes the voice of love, or the notes of melody.

It is difficult to conceive of an isolation so complete. So large a portion of our thoughts, our pleasures, and our emotions are connected with vision, hearing, and speech that the idea of existence without these faculties seems impossible.

Yet

it is a well-ascertained fact that there are in our world nearly or quite two thousand persons who are entirely deprived of these avenues of communication with the world around them. In Sweden the last census reports nearly one hundred of these unfortunates.

To instruct those, who are so entirely shut out from intercourse with their fellows, would seem to be a task too utterly hopeless for even the most enthusiastic philanthropist to undertake; yet the attempt has not only been made, but it has proved successful in a number of instances. One of the first cases which attracted public attention was that of James Mitchell, of Nairn, Scotland, described by Spurzheim in 1825. Very little effort had been made to instruct him, yet he evidently possessed intel

[ocr errors]

lectual powers of no ordinary character. He communicated with those around him, by means of natural signs, in the invention of which he manifested no little ingenuity. Thus, he indicated riding on horseback by raising his foot and bringing the fingers together under the sole, in imitation of a stirrup; he expressed his desire for food by approaching and touching his mother or sister, and carrying his hand to his mouth; he described a shoemaker by imitating the motions of the shoemaker in drawing out his thread.

Mitchell was very amiable in his disposition. At one time he received a severe wound in his foot, and found much relief, while it was healing, in resting his foot, upon a cushioned stool. More than a year afterward a servant in the family also wounded his foot, and Mitchell, after manifesting his sympathy, by passing his hand very tenderly over the wounded limb, went up to the garret, and selecting from the other old furniture the stool on which he had rested his foot, brought it down, and carefully placed the foot of the servant upon it.

The publication of this case by Dr. Spurzheim led to further investigations relative to those similarly afflicted, and, in the report of the Glasgow Society for the Education of the Deaf and Dumb for 1839, we find brief sketches of five or six of this class, most of whom, however, had received no instruction. We do not deem it desirable to burden our readers with detailed narratives of all these unfortunates which have been published, but shall sketch briefly some incidents relative to those who have been most remarkable for their native talents or acquirements.

In 1824, seven years after the organization of the American Asylum for the Deaf and Dumb at Hartford, a girl of eighteen years was brought there for admission. Her name was Julia Brace. She was deaf, dumb, and blind, having lost both sight and hearing at the age of four years and five months. Her appearance was not particularly prepossessing; her temper, probably from indulgence, was violent and exacting, and she was subject to fits of sullenness.

The officers of the asylum, nevertheless, received her with pleasure and in- . terest; for her case offered them a new field of investigation. She has continued an inmate of the institution, with the

larged; and the effect of this has been to ameliorate her naturally unyielding disposition, and to render her more amiable.

Julia possesses, in matters which interest her, great tenacity of memory and nice powers of discrimination. She distinguishes readily articles belonging to any person, and if left in her care will give them to no one but their owner. Her own clothing, or that of any of the female pupils of the asylum, she selects with unerring accuracy from the washing. She keeps herself apprised of the progress of time, days, weeks, and months, and the changes of the seasons. She notes the return of the Sabbath, and often avails herself of it to enjoy some delicacy which has been presented to her during the

perience, she shall be undisturbed, the pupils being occupied in the chapel.

exception of a year spent at the Perkins Institution at Boston, from that time to the present. Her intellectual faculties cannot be considered as of a very high order; her age, at the time of entering the asylum, was, it is true, unfavorable to that rapid development, which has taken place in pupils of a more tender age; but, in other cases which we shall describe, instruction commencing even at a later period, in persons suffering from the same infirmities, has been more fruitful of results. That this was not the fault of her teachers needs no proof to those who have witnessed the zeal, tact, and enthusiasm brought to this work by Messrs. Gallaudet, Clerc, Weld, Peet, and Turner, but there was wanting in her mind that active and penetrating intellect, and those ex-week, when, as she has learned from extraordinary logical powers which have marked some of the class. It should not be supposed from these remarks, however, that Julia is idiotic. Far from it. In all that concerns the outward and physical nature, she manifests much intelligence. She early acquired the language of signs, and converses in it very freely. She has acquired no little skill in needlework, threading her needle with her fingers and tongue with almost as much celerity as those possessed of sight; and, with but little aid, making her own dresses and performing a large amount of sewing for others. She acquired, by touch, a very accurate knowledge of the prevalent style of dress, and conforms as strictly as possible to it in her own garments. Her habits of order and neatness are worthy of general imitation. She performs her own ironing, and with skill and dispatch.

She is entirely averse to gentlemen, except the principal and one or two of the older teachers, whom she has long known. She shuns all contact with the male pupils, and will receive no attentions from them.

There is no evidence that she possesses any distinct idea of God. Before becoming deaf and blind she had been taught to pray to God, and continued this practice, with her imperfect speech, for some time afterward; but this habit was, many years since, abandoned, and though repeated efforts have been made to rouse in her mind the disposition to inquire in regard to God and his works, it has never proved successful. She has a vague and indistinct notion of death and of a resurrection, but probably none of a future state. She affords the most unequivocal indications of possession of the moral sense. She has a very clear understanding of her own rights, and seems also to be regardful of the rights of others. She is never guilty of theft, falsehood, or deliberate wickedness, and her passionate, vindictive, and somewhat sullen disposition has been, by her residence at the asylum, sensibly ameliorated. She manifests much kindness to the sick, and endeavors to minister to their comfort.

In 1843 she was, at the instance of Dr. Howe, sent to Boston for a year to enjoy the advantage of the same processes of instruction which had been employed with success in the cases of Laura Bridgman and Oliver Caswell. The attempt was so far successful as to make her acquainted with the raised letters used by the blind, and to enable her to spell a few short words and phrases; but, on her return, she lost, almost as rapidly as she had acquired, these attainments, and relapsed into much the same mental condition as that she had previously manifested. The year spent in Boston was, however, of some advantage to her. Her sympathies A case of still greater interest is that and sensibilities were quickened and en- of Anna Temmermans, an inmate of the

She carefully abstains from all labor on the Sabbath, but never attends worship in the chapel, and seems entirely unconscious of its object.

Institution for the Deaf and Dumb and the Blind at Bruges, in Belgium, an account of whom is to be found in a work by Abbé Carton, the director of that institution, entitled Le Sourd - Muet et l'Aveugle."

Anna was born at Ostend, in 1818. She was blind from birth, and lost her hearing in infancy. After the death of her parents she found a home with her grandmother, who was so poor as to be supported in part by public charity. She remained with her until she was nearly twenty years of age. Her parents and grandmother, believing her to be idiotic, had made no effort to have her instructed, and she had, for years, sat alone in a corner, in perfect idleness, her only amusement being the stringing and unstringing a number of beads. Having no exercise, her appetite was fickle and feeble, and her temper excitable and violent. In her fits of passion she would tear off her clothing, and resist every attempt at replacing it. Her personal appearance was exceedingly unattractive; her skin was covered with blotches; her eyes were full of rheum; her figure stooping; and her walk awkward and difficult. Such was the unfortunate being whom the benevo- | lent Abbé Carton received into the institution at Bruges in 1838, and whose instruction has done him so much honor.

were easily controlled. Her general health had improved, and her appearance had become much more prepossessing. She was entirely obedient to the commands of the abbé, and would not do anything which she thought contrary to his wishes.

She acquired, very readily, the manual alphabet, and learned the mode of reading in raised letters, her great delicacy of touch enabling her to read quite rapidly.

An instance of her sensibility, recorded by the abbé, is worthy of notice. A child was one day brought to the asylum, one of whose hands was crippled. As soon as she had touched the maimed limb she burst into tears, and continued weeping for a long time. Being asked the cause of her grief, she replied that the poor child would never be able to knit. This seemed to her a very serious privation. The next morning her teacher found her with her hands tied, and when asked why she had thus bound her hands, she replied that if she had not the use of her hands she could not knit, or dress herself, and that she was grateful that she could use both her hands.

Her kindness of heart manifested itself in her conduct toward the pupils of the asylum. In sickness she watched over them carefully, and appeared much rejoiced at their restoration to health.

Her conduct, during the first few One of the little girls was her roommonths, was not such as to render her mate, and she exercised toward her alagreeable. Unaccustomed to any employ-most a mother's tenderness, covering her ment, she was indolent, selfish, and exacting, and when any attempt was made to teach her, or to give her work, she resisted with violence and rage, using her nails and feet with terrible effect.

By degrees, however, she became more quiet, and by adroit management and an appeal to her sense of shame, her indolence was overcome, and she manifested a willingness to receive instruction and to perform her task of knitting.

She soon became strongly attached to the abbé, and showed a great dread of his displeasure. Having once committed some fault, and her attendant having told her that she should inform the abbé, Anna went to each of the deaf and dumb, and the blind pupils, and earnestly besought them, by signs, to kneel before him and ask him to forgive her.

As time passed on, the outbreaks of temper became much less frequent, and

carefully in bed, and often, in the sign language, invoking a blessing on her. Some of the deaf-mute pupils were admitted at a very tender age, and over these she took delight in exercising a maternal fondness. Her sense of justice and right is very strong. She is tenacious of her own rights, but prompt to allow the rights of others. She is not addicted to falsehood, or theft, or any other vicious habit. When she commits any fault she never attempts to deny it, but either makes a full confession, or offers a plausible excuse.

During religious worship in the chapel, which she attends regularly, she seems to receive impressions peculiar to the place. She loves to be there, and her manner is so reverent as to encourage the belief that she feels in some degree that God is there.

One of her companions once informed her that the abbé was sick, and added that

she ought to weep for it. She replied ⚫ that she must not weep, but pray, and immediately falling on her knees, remained in that position for more than a quarter of an hour.

In her intellectual instruction the abbé first sought to familiarize her with the names of objects, beginning with those possessing some real or fancied analogy to the object they represented, and proceeding to those which were wholly arbitrary in their character. Having taught her many of these, he next proceeded to verbs, then to prepositions and connectives, and lastly to adjectives and adverbs.

His progress in this mode of instruction had been, at the last accounts, exceedingly gratifying. His interesting pupil manifested, almost dayly, new evidence of intelligence. She had somehow acquired the idea that gratitude was due for favors received, and hence, while she never received a favor without expressing her thanks for it, she insisted on being thanked by others for favors she rendered to them.

She evidently understands that her teachers possess some faculty which she and her blind companions do not. One day her knitting work was out of order, and she was unable to remedy the difficulty. A blind girl, who sat at her side, offered to assist her, but she rejected her offer, touching the eyes of the girl, and then her own, to indicate that they were both blind alike, and consequently needed some one who could see to assist them.

It would be interesting to trace the progress of this interesting girl in the acquisition of knowledge, but since 1848 the Abbé Carton has published nothing relative to her, so far as we are aware.

Another very interesting case is that of Laura Bridgman, whose history is, probably, better known than that of any other blind deaf mute. Laura was born at Hanover, New Hampshire, on the twentyfirst of December, 1829. Up to the age of two years she was endowed with all her faculties, and her eyes were said to be remarkably beautiful. During a severe illness, which occurred at this time, she lost both sight and hearing, and consequently speech. It was subsequently ascertained that the sense of smell was also destroyed, and that of taste much impaired. Gradually she recovered her

health, but her lost senses were not restored. In consequence of her misfortunes she was indulged to the utmost, and bid fair to become a wayward and spoiled child.

It was at this juncture that Dr. Howe, who had succeeded in establishing, upon a permanent basis, the Perkins Institute for the Blind, heard of her case, and visited her. As a result of this visit Laura was admitted on the fourth of October, 1837, to the Perkins Institution. Her mother accompanied her thither, and after a few days left her.

For the first two weeks the child appeared lost in the extensive halls, corridors, and rooms of the asylum, but soon she acquired such a familiarity with the locality as to be able to wander about at will through the building. The plan adopted to communicate to her the names of objects was the result of careful thought on the part of Dr. Howe. Articles in common use, such as a fork or spoon, were put into her hands, and their names in raised letters attached to them. She soon learned to distinguish the articles as differing in form, and also the words as having some relation to them. She learned to distinguish these words from each other also when separated from the objects, and, after a time, to apply the name to the article it represented. The faculties of imitation and memory were thus developed, but no others were called into action. Her idea of the connection between the signs or words and the thing signified, if, indeed, she entertained one, was extremely vague and indistinct.

The next step was to present her the separate letters in relief, so placed, at first, that they formed one of the words which she knew. Having ascertained that she recognized this word, the letters

re disarranged, and her teacher, taking he hands in his own, re-arranged them so ar as to form the word, causing her to observe each letter that composed it. After repeating this several times she accomplished it without assistance. The same process was repeated with other words, and before her lesson was completed, the idea dawned upon her mind that this was the process by which she could communicate to others the thoughts which passed in her own mind. Dr. Howe says:

"At this instant she ceased to be merely a well-instructed animal; her whole countenance became truly human; and the expression of her features was lit up by the immortal spirit, which had awaked within her, and indicated to her a new bond of union with other intelligences. I felt, from this time, that the greatest obstacle (to success in instructing her) was conquered, and that, henceforth, we had only to follow perseveringly the same path to be assured of success."

It was necessary, however, to have patience. For many weeks she received lessons in the manner above described until she had become familiar with a large number of words. She was then furnished with type, having the letters in relief, and a board which had been pierced with holes for the reception of the type. Objects known to her were then presented, and she composed their names with the type. This exercise afforded her great gratification, and she practiced it constantly. The next step taken was that of teaching her the manual alphabet of the deaf and dumb. She acquired this with great readiness, and used it as rapidly and correctly as the deaf mutes.

Her teacher, one day, put into her hands an object with which she was not familiar, and left her for a time to inform herself concerning its form and use. She then spelled its name by the manual alphabet. It was an interesting sight to witness this poor little blind deaf mute seize the hand which slowly spelled the letters, her head a little inclined to one side, as if in the act of listening, her lips half closed, her breathing short, and her fingers following with the deepest interest each motion of those of her teacher, her countenance presenting, meantime, an expression of anxiety, which was presently replaced by a smile, as she comprehended the word; till, at last, raising her little hand, she spelled it herself by the manual alphabet, then composed it with her types, and finally, as if to make assurance doubly sure, placed the word thus formed by the side of the object it indicated.

At this time, she had had but three months' instruction. The same course of instruction was pursued during the year, and some lessons on the physical relations of objects were added to it. Laura never wearied of this instruction, and it was highly amusing to witness her recreations, when she supposed herself alone. If with out occupation, she employed herself in spelling words which she had recently

acquired, by the manual alphabet, or in imaginary conversations. She would spell a word incorrectly with her right hand, and then strike that hand with her left, by way of punishment for its carelessness. Again, she would spell correctly with one or the other hand, and then caress the hand which had done well, with her head, as a reward for its good behavior.

After she had been a year and a half at the asylum, her mother came to visit her. Laura encountered her while running, and by her usual process of touching her face, her clothing, etc., endeavored to ascertain whether she was a person whom she knew, but not recognizing her, she left her and resumed her play. The poor mother, in distress at not being recognized, gave her a string of beads, which she had been accustomed to wear at home; the child put them upon her neck with great pleasure, and ran to show them to Dr. Howe; but when her mother attempted to caress her, she still showed no signs of recognition, and repulsed her, evidently preferring the society of her young companions. Another object connected with her early home was put into her hands, and awakened evident surprise and interest; she examined anew the person who had given her these articles, and intimated to Dr. Howe, that she understood that this person was from Hanover. She suffered her to caress her, but without returning the caresses, and with the utmost indifference. This indifference excited the most distressing emotions in the mother; she felt that her daughter was lost to her, and her anguish was painful in the extreme. At this moment, a vague idea seemed to pass through the mind of the child; she seized, once more, her mother's hands, and examined them carefully, her countenance bearing strong traces of thought; suddenly she became very pale, then blushed violently, her face indicating the struggle between doubt and hope. Never, perhaps, was the conflict of contending emotions more strongly depicted on the human countenance. Her mother, unable longer to endure the torturing suspense, seized her and clasped her to her bosom. Then doubt vanished; she recognized the parent who had nursed her in infancy, and she could not be moved or drawn from her embrace. The sports of her young companions, which ordinarily attracted her, had lost their fascination. She had found her mother.

« VorigeDoorgaan »