Review of Revieics, 20/3/06. 



The Land of Silence. 



24; 



Mr. Samuel Watson, Prinsipal NS.W. Institution. 



alphabet are empkived), and the writing method 

 (in which writing is used instead of speech or signs), 

 and the manual alphabet method (in which every 

 word is to be spelled upon the fingers or written). 

 Between the advocates of the different systems a 

 contmual battle is being waged, but it is curious 

 to note that, no matter what is the system employed 

 to give instruction to the deaf mute, he almost in- 

 variably resorts to the manual alphabet, and the 

 language of- gesture, as the only expedient means of 

 communicating with those who are similarly 

 afflicted. 



Xow while the child is at school, all goes well. 

 He is cared for, looked after, and educated, but 

 what is he or she to do when ejtch leaves the 

 .school. Imagine yourself, dear reader, turned out 

 into the world to earn your living without the 

 power of speech. Both sexes must earn their liv- 

 ing, and, to their everlasting credit be it said, both 

 sexes do earn it a great deal better than the average 

 normal person does. Handicapped and all as the\ 

 are, they nevertheless do nobly in the battle of 

 life. Onlv partially educated, minus two important 

 senses, in these days of fierce competition, when 

 all one's energ}' of mind and body is necessary to 

 make a success in life, they yet win their way upwards. 



Under the Ora! method, the deaf mute is taught to 

 form the letters with his lips, and to speak the 

 sounds audibly, with slight help from the manual 

 alphabet. He, of course, then becomes intelligible 

 ti> the ordinary hearer by sound, and his brother 

 mute understands him by reading the movements of 

 his lips. Under the Silent system is grouped the 

 sign-manual method (in which signs and manual 



THE ADULT DEAF MUTE. 



But here, now, we enter upon a new phase of the 

 work. It would be a cruel shame if the boy and 

 girl on leaving the primary school wexe to receive 

 no more assistance, and to have no more fellowship 

 with their kind. The need for something more has. 

 given rise to Adult Deaf and Dumb Missions, which 

 are in character benevolent, educational and reli- 



few ^out^• Wsiles Institution for tie Blind and Deaf and Dumb Sydney. 



