California Deaf Mute Asylum.
By Editor
It was our privilege to visit this institution last week. We had previously visited the grounds and examined the buildings when the schools were not open. We cannot speak of all the matters of interest connected with our late visit; we were most interested in the exercises of the classes of the deaf who are being taught to read. The teacher wrote on the blackboard the names of our party of four, and called up several young persons in succession who each read them off so distinctly that all could readily understand them. By request one of our party gave a sentence, reading from a copy of the SIGNS in her hand, concerning John the Baptist. "But what went ye out to see?" This was very distinctly read by nearly all the class; by every one called upon. When this class was dismissed each one said, "Good-bye," on passing out. We then repaired to a room wherein there was a class of beginners; children who had been in training to speak and read only four weeks. The progress made in this short time was truly remarkable. An active little girl from the other class would take a word from the mouth of the teacher and impart it to every one in this class, being sure that all articulated it with tolerable correctness before leaving them. Then such as uttered it most accurately were in turn sent to give it to, the others; and this continued until all were conversant with the pronunciation of that word. Then one was called to point out the word on the blackboard, which was always done with readiness. A large number of simple sentences were written on the board. The teacher would construct a longer sentence, speaking it without any motion other than of the vocal organs, and call upon a pupil to pick out the words of this sentence on the board. The words were often found far apart, but always found, showing that they were very fast becoming conversant with spoken and written language. These children, in this short time, had learned the alphabet; that is, the position of the organs of speech in articulating the letters or sounds of a true alphabet. They had also learned to take these sounds combined into words from the teacher, and to recognize these words in writing. A class in any day-school, with all their senses, who would learn the alphabet and as much of the construction of the language, in the same length of time, would be regarded as having made great progress. Miss Garrett, the teacher, is a graduate of Prof. Bell, the originator of the system, and is doing credit both to herself and to her instructor. A young lady, an inmate of the institution, addressing a lady visitor, said in a rather pleasing tone, "This is a very lovely day," (which it truly was); and we were surprised to learn that she was entirely deaf. She had been one of the "deaf and dumb" until she was taught to speak by the method here used. We learned from Prof. Goodall, of the Asylum, that the present Legislature proposes to cut down the appropriation to so small a figure that it will not be possible to keep the school in operation during the year. We have no doubt that retrenchment of the State expenses is advisable; but "leaks" might be stopped in many places to such advantage that it would not be necessary to close this institution—one of the most important charities in the country. Of the deaf and blind there are now about one hundred and fifty scholars. To throw all these out of school after making a good beginning, to lose what they have acquired, as many would before another appropriation could be made, would be a calamity which every well-disposed person could but deeply, deplore. We hope that wiser counsel may prevail, and the asylum schools be kept in operation.