Review of Reviews, $0/3/06. 



The Land of Silence. 



245 



Sarony.'] 



iPhoto. 



Mr. Abraham conversing with a Blind Deaf Mufe. 



It is quite possible to teach the deaf 

 mute to speak, and, although the effect 

 is somewhat mechanical owing to their 

 knowing nothing of the modulations 

 of the voice, yet, nevertheless, the feat 

 can be effectively and easily accom- 

 plished. 



These people are simply robbed by 

 nature of one of their powers, that of 

 hearing, but their brains are as keen 

 as other peoples, and they only need 

 to be taught how to look out on the 

 world, to be able to master some 

 means of communicating with their 

 fellow-creatures, to take their place in 

 any department requiring mental 

 power or mechanical skill. Neverthe- 

 less, they labour under a grievous 

 disability. 



THE "INSTITUTIONS." 



It is unfortunate that any as- 

 sistance given by the States is doled 

 out under the objectionable name of 

 " Charit}'." It ought not to be so 

 labelled. State assistance is a matter 

 of simple justice. It is a matter for 

 deep thankfulness that the people of 

 the States have been as ready as they 

 have been to assist the deaf and 

 dumb. The general public have been 

 ever ready to assist an object so laud- 

 able, but too much is left to public 

 subscription. The State, for its own 

 sake, shpuld exercise more oversight 

 and take a keen interest. 



In each of the States there are resi- 

 dental schools, or " Institutions," as 

 they are called (an objectionable 

 term, by the way, and savouring of 

 pretentious benevolence), situated re- 

 spectively in Brisbane, Sydney, Mel- 

 bourne, Adelaide, Perth, and Hobart. 

 There is also an exxellent school 

 in New Zealand. These " Insti- 

 tutions " are built by public subscrip- 



tion and supported mainly by voluntary contribu- 

 tions. The New South Wales Government makes 

 a " Charity " grant of ;^45o to its Institution, Vic- 

 toria one of jQ()oo, South Australia, ;^8oo. Western 

 Australia, jQ^oo. These amounts provide for a 

 total of about 170 or 180 deaf and dumb children. 



THE SUPERINTENDENTS. 



The Superintendents of the Sydney, Adelaide, 

 Brisbane, Perth and Hobart Institutions are expert 

 teachers of the deaf, the three former, Messrs. S. 

 Watson, S. Johnson, M.A., and Mrs. Bryan, having 

 had lengthy experience as teachers of the deaf in 

 the old country. The two latter were trained bv Mr. 

 F. J. Rose, founder and first Superintendent of the 

 Melbourne Institution, and Mr. S. Johnson, M.A., 

 respectively, and are both excellent teachers. 



Sarony.] 



The Church 



IPhoto. 

 and Institute for Adult Deaf andJDumb of Victoria, Melbourne. 



