Congressional Serial Set Volume 4911 (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1906 Excerpt: ...importance of allowing our deaf children a means of saying what they want to say. If in coming into school they are restricted to words, they may be expected to use what they have not yet at their command. And the activity of the child's mind of ( or 8 years is far greater than we elder people imagine. They desire to express their ideas, to communicate their thoughts, which they can not do if they are shut off from the use of the sign language. And there is another point that Hill makes. He says: "A most efficacious means of assisting even pupils in the higher degrees of school training, giving light, warmth, animation to spoken language, which for some time after Its introduction continues dull and insipid." Now. the use of signs out of school I would not attempt to prohibit, as has been tried in some schools, but I would use all practicable means to encourage the use of speech and dactylology by pupils on the play ground and in their ordinary intercourse with each other. I would encourage any reasonable measure that would promote the use of verbal language. I stand second to none on that point. I only favor the use of natural signs where I believe they fill a want in communication with the deaf that could not be as well tilled in any other way. Some of you perhaps may remember that at the convention at Buffalo my dear and honored brother. Thomas Callaudet. whom I know is a precious memory to you. had something to say about signs, and he gave expression to an idea that I think is worthy of consideration. He said that "signs are to the deaf what sound is to the hearing." When the use of the language of signs is admitted there is something in the graceful movement of the hands and the expression of the face, all coming in together, that i...