On the National School Penny Club. 495 Church and State, we nevertheless feel conscious that we should prove ourselves unworthy members of our own apostolical communion, if we suffered ourselves to be outdone by other denominations in zeal for the religious instruction of our youth." "It cannot surely but be an object of high interest to every Christian mind, and especially to every one more immediately concerned in the welfare of this Parish, that so large a portion of its juvenile population should receive that salutary instruction which is provided for them, should be trained in habits of subordination and discipline, should be habituated from their childhood to regular attendance on the public worship of Almighty God, and be taught their duties to their parents, to each other, and to their superiors, and future employers. How far these objects are kept in view by the mas→ ter and mistress, and by those ladies and gentlemen who visit and superintend the School, the Committee are desirous that the benevolent and respectable inhabitants of Clifton should ascertain for themselves by inspecting the School, which is always open to the public." ON THE NATIONAL SCHOOL PENNY CLUB. AT Clifton a penny club is connected with the school, and it appears to have been productive of great benefit to those children who have belonged to it. The plan of the Penny Club is as follows; the parents of the children advance one penny per week towards clothing for them, and a second penny is added from a voluntary subscription raised expressly for the purpose. The benefits of this Institution are great. Much comfort is afforded to the children by the clothing procured, and habits of ON THE INSTRUCTION OF THE DEAF AND DUMB. To the Editor of the Cottager's Monthly Visitor. SIR, YOUR Correspondent, on the subject of educating the Deaf and Dumb, is certainly calculated to diffuse a knowledge of that art, which has been for so niany years concealed from the public in this and other countries. As I have frequently had communications from the parents, to know how to proceed in the education of these unfortunate children, I have sketched my ideas off on the subject. If you think them worthy of insertion in your widely circulated Visitor, they are much at your service; at the same time, I hope my observations may not stop the continuance of your Correspondent D. D. on the subject. I am your's, J. P. A. On instructing the Deaf and Dumb. How are children, who can hear, first taught a language? Are they not taught by sounds? And what are those sounds but tokens and signs to the ear, importing and signifying such and such a thing? If then there can be signs made to the eye, to be agreed by the party teaching the child that they signify such and such a thing, will not the eye of the child convey them to the mind as well as the ear? They are indeed different marks to different senses; but both the one and the other do equally signify the same things or notions, accord ing to the will of the teacher. I strongly recommend that Dumb children be sent to school when they are three years old, with other children, and that the Alphabet be immediately put into their hands; not as a task, but to play with. A few alphabetical counters would On the Instruction of the Deaf and Dumb. 497 greatly amuse them at this early period, and they would soon get to know their letters. As early as possible, teach them to make their letters with their fingers, (according to D. D.'s picture, in page 25.) so as to lead them afterwards to a knowledge of Substantives. In the next place, teach them to make the letters in sand or on a slate, observing to teach them such words as can be designated by showing the persons, objects, and things constantly before your eyes and most in use, such as, parents, furniture, food, drink, clothes, playthings, &c. &c. For instance, Mamma.-Show the mother. Brother. Show the brother, and his name John or Thomas, with the counters, the fingers, and, as soon as you can, by writing. Sister-Show the sister, and her name Ann or Elizabeth, by the same means. If the child should have two or more brothers or sisters, the singular and plural may be explained by the letter s being added. Brother, or John, come hither.-The action of John's coming, when called, will prove to the child the meaning of the word come, and that hither, signifies the place where you stand at the time. Thomas, go thither. The action in like manner explains the Verb go; and the word thither being pointed out by the finger as opposite to hither, the two words hither and thither are clearly under stood. John, shut the door.-The action of John in the same manner will explain the word shut, and the door itself will be understood, when shown to be designated by the four letters door, in the same manner as the Verb shut. The Articles 4, an, and the, may not at first be understood by a Deaf and Dumb infant any more than by a child who can hear and speak; still the the infant to understand that the Articles, when used, are for the purpose of connecting words, and that the Article the refers to the door which is opened, or, as in the next example, to any particular door or thing. In writing short sentences for the Deaf and Dumb, to be explained by the action of another, always write the sentence full, although you may not be able to explain every word at the time, yet, by a constant repetition of the subordinate words, the Deaf and Dumb will become acquainted with them the same as other children, without knowing them grammatically; so as to understand a language, the same as other children, before they are taught grammar. Thomas, shut the kitchen door. Thomas obeys your order, and the child understands what is meant by the door of the kitchen, and by this means the Article the is clearly understood. The child will be so pleased with this information, that he will not rest till he knows the names of all the doors in the house, and by these means you will soon teach him the names of all the rooms in the house; and by such means you may teach the child the windows and cupboards, and every visible thing. By the same means open the door, open the kitchen door. Open the window or window shutters, box, drawer, &c. John, sit down.-John obeys, and the action of sitting down shows that the words signify the na tural sign used by the Deaf and Dumb to express this action, which is the same as is used by every person. Thomas, stand, or rise up.-Thomas obeys, and the action explains the words, the same as in the last example. In the same manner kneel down, walk down or up the steps, run up or down the garden, &c. and suit an action to each word which no person can be ignorant of, and when the Deaf and Dumb child On the Instruction of the Deaf and Dumb. 499 knows how to spell the words with his fingers, or to write them in sand, or on a slate, make the sign for any or all the words, and desire him to spell them with his fingers, or write them down without seeing the letters: this will enable the child to explain his own, or your signs, and will inevitably impress upon his mind a thorough knowledge of a language, by signs, writing, printing, or dactylology*, which must stand for ideas, the same as the motions of the organs of speech. Under the word Professions, put Law. Physic. Divinity. Lord Chancellor, Physicians, Bishops, Rector, Counsellors, Apothecaries, Vicar, Attornies. Curate, &c. &c. Under the word Trades, put Baker, Butcher, Carpenter, Shoemaker, Grocer, Under the word Coach, put the words Body, Door, Carriage, Wheels, &c. at the same time show the different parts of the Coach. Under the words, Man's Clothing or Clothes, put Coat, Waistcoat, Hat, Shoes, Boots, &c. and show them. Under the words Woman's Clothes, put Breakfast, Dinner, Tea, Supper. put Thus you may proceed to any length, and lessons will suggest themselves, never forgetting to shew the object designated by the word, either by a drawing or otherwise. It would be advisable for every Deaf and Dumb child to keep a book, in which he should be made to copy every lesson from his first commencement, as soon as he can write a legible hand. This book |