46 GARDINER GREENE HUBBARD 



tion, but simply to direct attention to the magnitude of the work 

 that has resulted from those efforts. Last yeax there were more 

 than 5,000 deaf children in the schools of the United States learn- 

 ing to speak and to read from the lips. There were over 3,600 

 pupils who were taught by the oral method alone, without resort 

 to alphabets or the sign language. The percentage of pupils 

 taught by speech since these early efforts of Mr Hubbard's has 

 gone on increasing, increasing, increasing, until we know now 

 with absolute certainty that the time will come when there will 

 no longer be any deaf or dumb in this country, for all shall be 

 taught to speak without resort to spelling or the French sign 

 language. The instrumentalities through which this wonderful 

 change has been effected are largely the Clarke school at North- 

 ampton, Mass., and the organization of a society to promote the 

 teaching of speech to the deaf, known as the American Society. 

 There are three great results that were originated by the move- 

 ment of 1864 : First, the teaching of speech to the deaf; second, 

 lowering the age of instruction to the deaf (at that time no at- 

 tempt was made to teach deaf children under 12 years of age), 

 and last, but not least in importance, the employment of women 

 as teachers of the deaf. Before that time the instructors were 

 largely men; but the necessity of teaching speech to the very 

 little child led to the employment of women. This fact and the 

 improvement in the methods have been the secret of success in 

 teaching speech to the deaf, and the work is now largely in the 

 hands of women. 



The American Association to Promote the Teaching of Speech 

 to the Deaf is represented here tonight by its Vice-President, Miss 

 Caroline A. Yale, LL. D., who is also the Principal of the Clarke 

 School at Northampton, which sprang from Mr Hubbard's move- 

 ment of 1864. Mr Hubbard has passed away, but he has 

 breathed his spirit into us. In this work of teaching speech to 

 the deaf there are hundreds of Mr Hubbard's friends. They are 

 organized into a society, and they are working and accomplish- 

 ing the result at which he aimed. The leader of this movement 

 is with us tonight and will tell us something of the work. I in- 

 troduce to you Dr Caroline A. Yale. 



Miss Yale: Among all the interests of Mr Hubbard's life, 

 possibly none extended over a longer period or was more deeply 

 rooted in his rich nature than his interest in the education of 

 the deaf. In this, as in many other departments of his activity, 

 he seemed possessed of prophetic vision. In his own little child's 



