Chapter VI. 



UPON THE CAUSES THAT DETERMINE THE SELECTION OF THE DEAF BY THE DEAF IN MARRIAC4B. 



In till' preceding chapters I have shown that sexual selection is at work among the deaf and 

 dumb, tending to produce a deaf variety of the human race. 



Those who believe as I do, that the production of a defective race of human beings would be 

 a great calamity to the world, will examine carefully the causes that lead to the intermarriages of 

 the deaf with the object of applying a remedy. 



It is a signitlcant fiict that "before the deaf and dumb were educated comparatively few of 

 them married'';* and intermarriage (if it existed at all) was so rare as to be practically unknown. 

 This suggests the thought that the intermarriages of the deaf and dumb have in some way been 

 promoted by our methods of education. When we examine the subject from this point of view a 

 startling condition of affairs becomes apparent. 



Indeed, if we desired to create a deaf variety of the race, and were to attempt to devise 

 methods which should compel deaf-mutes to marry deaf-mutes, we could not invent more complete 

 or more efiBcient methods than those that actually exist and which have arisen from entirely 

 different and far higher motives. 



Let us, then, consider how we might proceed to form a race of deaf-mutes, if we desired so to do, 

 and let us compare the steps of the process with those that have been adopted by philanthropists 

 and others, from the purest and most disinterested motives, to ameliorate the condition of the 

 deaf and dumb. How would we commence? 



1. With such an object in view, would it not be of importance to separate deaf-mutes from 

 hearing persons as early in life as possible and make them live together in the same place, care- 

 fully guarding them from the possibility of making acquaintances among hearing persons of their 

 own age 'J This is what we do. We take deaf children away from their homes and place them in 

 institutions by the hundred, keeping them there fi'om early childhood to the commencement of 

 adult life. 



2. It would also be of importance to promote social intercourse among them in adult life, so that 

 the boys and girls of former years should meet again as men and women. We might, for instance, 

 hold periodical reunions of former pupils at the institutions. This again is what we do. 



Indeed, 'the grailuates of our institutions now commonly organize themselves into societies or 

 associations lor the promotion of social intercourse in adult life. Societies of deaf-mutes are to be 

 found in all large cities, and in many of the smaller ones. Rooms are hired in a central locality, 

 which become the rendezvous of the deaf-mutes of the neighborhood. After the business of the 

 day is done the deaf-mutes of the city meet together for social intercourse, and on Sundays for 

 public worship. Not only do local societies exist, but there are State associations for promoting 

 social intercourse between the deaf-mutes of a State. Periodical conventions are held in ditlerent 



•See "The Causes of Deafness," by the Rev. W. W. Turner, American Aunals of the Deaf and Dumb, Vol. 1, p. 32. 

 S. Mis. 110 28 217 



