found the key to the mystery," says a writer who, twenty years ago published an account of Mr Patterson's great work in a brochure which few, except specialists, possess probably to-day. "Placing her hand on each of the objects separately, she gave the name of each on her fingers, or rather signed them on the fingers of her teacher, as her mode of describing them." What a moment for the teacher! What unutterable joy must have suffused his heart as he realised that he had found a way to an imprisoned brain and a human soul! He instantly cut out the letters of the alphabet in cardboard, and when in time he had made her understand the meaning of these, he got a case of type which she learnt to compose into words. He taught her to write, and she actually wrote to and received letters from Laura Bridgman. Like her, she was very quick and eager to learn; and, when a boy similarly afflicted was sent to Mr. Patterson, she took the greatest interest in assisting in the lad's education. As they got to know each other the two became close friends. Sometimes they would be sitting together talking with their fingers, when Mr. Patterson tried to approach them unobserved. The boy invariably warned his companion that Mr. Patterson was coming. They never confused one person with another, and their memories were remarkable.
.png)
As example is better than precept, so I hope the facts contained in this article will point a moral which it is impossible now to enforce at any length. A hundred years ago, De l'Épée is reported to have given utterance to two opinions: first, that the world will never learn to talk on its fingers in order to have the pleasure of conversing with the deaf and dumb; second, that the only means of restoring the deaf and dumb completely to society is to teach them to hear with their eyes and to express themselves viva voce. The case for the pure oral system could not be more pithily stated than in these views of one who found it necessary to rely absolutely on signs.
The Royal Commission which sat three or four years ago on the subject, issued a report containing several noteworthy recommendations. Every deaf child must be educated, was the moral of these. It was hoped the Government would give effect to these proposals last year; but they did not get beyond the printing of a Bill. Brave men and women have in their private capacity devoted their lives, and often their incomes, to the indigent and the poor deaf mute, and upon such Christian energy everything has depended. This is not as it should be, and the Government have it in their power to do a just and generous as well as a wise and politic thing. Experience has shown what, under proper conditions, the oral system can accomplish, and any Bill which assists the reduction of the number of deaf mutes will conduce to the advantage of individuals by making them more self-dependent and to the advantage of the State by adding to the number of capable citizens.
