DEAF-MUTE SECTION PROCEEDINGS FIRST SESSION TUESDAY, JUNE 25, II A. M. The meeting was held in Carnegie Institute, and the opening prayer was said by the chairman, Rev. F. A. Moeller, S. J. Rev. T. F. Coakley, D. D., was appointed secretary in the absence of Father Burkley. The chairman read correspondence from some of the Bishops relating to the establishment of schools for the deaf in their respective dioceses. There was some discussion in regard to the establishment of day schools for the deaf, but no decision was reached. Rev. Fathers Gilmore, Purtell and Coakley were appointed a Committee on Resolutions. A paper by Rev. Michael R. McCarthy, S. J., was read by Father Gehl. The meeting then adjourned. SECOND SESSION TUESDAY, JUNE 25, 2:30 P. M. A paper on "Methods of Securing Increased Efficiency in Deaf Schools," was read by Rev. T. F. Coakley, D. D. A discussion was held regarding the forming of a summer school course to obtain more uniform and expert instruction for teachers of the deaf. The members of the Section adjourned to pay a visit to De Paul Institute. A paper on "Saint Augustine and the Deaf," written by Rev. Stephen Klopfer, St. John's Institute for Deaf-Mutes, St. Francis, Wis., was read before the teachers of the Parish School Department on Wednesday morning at 10:30. THIRD SESSION THURSDAY, 9:30 A. M. A paper written by Mr. Horace G. Hilton on "The Dangers to the Faith of Catholic Children in State Schools for the Deaf," was read by the Secretary. Discussion followed. On motion duly seconded, Rev. F. A. Moeller, S. J., was named for chairman, and Rev. E. A. Burkley for secretary for the ensuing year. Carried. The Committee on Resolutions adopted a resolution expressing sorrow at the death of Sister Dositheus, of the Buffalo Institution for the Deaf. It was suggested that in arranging the program for the coming year that it be somewhat simplified, in order to allow instructors of the deaf to attend some of the meetings of the Parish School Department. The meeting then adjourned. T. F. COAKLEY, PAPERS ABBE DE L'EPÉE AND THE SIGN LANGUAGE REV. MICHAEL R. MCCARTHY, S. J., NEW YORK In the paper assigned me, "Abbe de l'Epée and the Sign Language," I ask your indulgence if my remarks are not academic and rhetorical, but plain and strictly practical, and containing matters for practical consideration within the Conference. I can hardly hope to add anything to the information which you educators of the deaf already possess concerning the great and beloved apostle of the deaf, Abbe de l'Epée, who spent all he had, and surpassing the modern millionaire philanthropist, spent himself for the enlightenment of those sitting in darkness. His invention, the graceful and eloquent sign language, higher and better than that other invention, designed for our social and commerical convenience, the electric light the sign language has accomplished untold and immeasurable benefits for humanity by diffusing light upon the mind plunged in intellectual gloom and freeing the powers of the spirit fettered by cruelty and ignorance. The bi-centennial of his birthday we are about to celebrate with a World's Congress at Paris in July, and with our own observance in this country in November next; and it behooves us to manifest on these occasions such honor to his memory as will defeat any effort or purpose on the part of others to divert to a disciple the love and gratitude which richly belong to the apostle. In recent years this sign language has been the object of bitter attacks, and has in large measure yielded to the system of speech. and lip reading. It would be useless and indeed harmful to deny the advantages of speech to the deaf child, which after all is said, places the child in fellowship with his neighbor, and makes him a sharer in the multitudinous facilities of the speaking world. But there are limits to the extension of the oral system, and while, absolutely considered, it is possible to teach every child to speak, still in some cases the time required, the exhaustive drain on the powers of the pupil and teacher, the expense entailed, altogether, as some of the most experienced teachers amongst us testify, are not justified by the meagre and crude results attained. That excessive claims are sometimes made for the oral system was never more clearly shown than at the national convention of teachers of the deaf last Summer at Delavan. It was an object lesson, complete and impressive, and it may be well to repeat here the main features of that incident in order to have ready at hand an effective argument against any future pretentious representations of the ultra oralists. At the convention, Mr. Archer, a teacher at the Mt. Airy oral school, delivered a paper on the advantages of the oral system, and in the discussion which followed, he said: "Our oral services consisted partly of responsive readings which the pupils had memorized and which were led by the leader of the meeting. It consisted partly of concert recitation of standard hymns, and closed with a brief talk, ten, twelve, fifteen minutes, by myself on some phase of the lesson just studied. The talk was entirely new; they had no idea of what I was going to say. The same exercises were conducted with the manual department in another room according to manual methods (signs). Judging by every standard I know of, judging from results of moral and religious training, to say the least, our oral pupils got as much, I think they got more than our manual pupils." I wish you would note right here, members of the Conference, that the oral pupils are usually the pick of the class, the brightest and most talented naturally without regard to any system, but this fact is not mentioned and the whole credit of the performance is attributed to the oral system, which claim, I think, you will grant, is manifestly unfair. But it remained for a dauntless woman, one of the teachers present, with a few ringing words to bring down to the dust the pretentious castles thrown up by extreme oralism. Scarcely had Mr. Archer finished, when Mrs. Balis, a deaf member, but an exceptionally good lip reader, and a successful teacher of long experience, arose before the convention and said: "I have been sitting right over there, and I have not understood one word that has been said; and if I, with forty years' experience, cannot get one word, how can a child of five or six without language, get the meaning? "You claim too much; it is not right. I have looked around in oral schools where they say their pupils understand and I am positive that they do not. If I, after forty years' experience, in all countries, with all people, and when I know the subject under discussion, still cannot understand what is being said how can you expect a child to do it? I beg you do not claim so much. It is wrong. Will all the deaf present who have read Mr. Archer's lips please stand. None rise, I see. The gentleman back there says he is a graduate of Mt. Airy and has understood nothing and never has." Our Reverend President, Father Moeller, was present taking. part in the discussion, and he will doubtless tell you that nothing was added to substantiate the position of the oralists or to restore the wreck of their extravagant claims which this fearless woman had brought about. Moreover to make the situation clearer, and to bring out the point which I wish particularly to present before you as members of this Conference for action, we have the testimony of Dr. A. L. E. Crouter, the Principal of the Mt. Airy School, who by his learning and experience, is perhaps the foremost oralist in the country. In 1907, Dr. Crouter made an exhaustive address before the international conference of teachers of the deaf assembled at Edinburgh, Scotland, and said: "I am not one of those who flippantly proclaim that the sign language is doomed, that its days have been numbered. The sign language will always remain a valuable factor for purposes of communication among the adult deaf, but its place is not in the classroom, where it is an exceedingly dangerous and useless thing. Its place-and with me its only place-is in the lecture room, or assembly hall, where are gathered together large numbers of adults for religious and secular purposes. At such time and in such places, the value of the sign language is not to be denied, and I doubt not on such occasions it will always be in demand." Now I am aware that a certain prudence is to be exercised in denouncing the shortcomings of the oral system lest a greater |