GENERAL MEETING. ie 
1. Let us teach deaf children to think in English, by using 
English in their presence in a clearly visible form. 
2. Let us teach them to speak by giving them instruction in the 
use of their vocal organs. 
3. Let us teach them the use of the eye as a substitute for the 
ear in understanding the utterances of their friends. 
4, Let us give them-instruction in the ordinary branches of edu- 
cation by means of the English language. 
5. And last, but not least, let us banish the sign language from 
our schools. 
If it were our object to fit deaf children to live together in adult 
life and hold communication with the outside world as we hold 
communication with other nationalities than our own, then no bet- 
ter plan could be devised than to assist the development of a special 
language suitable for intercommunication among the deaf. 
But if, on the other hand, it is our object to destroy the barriers 
that separate them from the outside world and take away the isola- 
tion of their lives, then I hold that our energies should be devoted 
to the acquisition of the English language as a vernacular in its 
spoken and written forms. With such an object in -view we should 
bring the deaf together as little as possible and only for the pur- 
pose of instruction. After school hours we should separate the deaf 
children from one another to prevent the development of a.special 
language and scatter them among hearing children and their friends 
in the outside world. 
The subject being presented to the Society for discussion, Mr. 
E. M. GauuavupeEt spoke, in substance, as follows: 
I have listened with great interest to the remarks of Mr. Bell 
this evening, and am ready to agree in many particulars with the 
views he has so well presented. 
I am, however, compelled to differ with him at several points; 
and as these involve matters of vital importance in the treatment 
of the deaf, I will beg the indulgence of the Society for a short 
time, while I attempt to show to what extent some of Mr. Bell’s 
views are erroneous. 
In proving the generally received opinion that the vocal organs 
of persons deaf from infancy are defective, to be a fallacy, Mr. 
Bell declared that difficulties encountered by such persons in 
acquiring speech are wholly external to themselves, and that all 
