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Tenth Annual Report Of The Trustees Of The Perkins Institution And Massachusetts Asylum For The Blind

Creator: Samuel Gridley Howe (author)
Date: 1842
Source: Perkins School for the Blind

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119  

"July l2. Mr. Reed and daughter arrived, Lucy recognised them, but did not express much at seeing them. She staid with her sister about ten minutes, then left her, and did not return to her again for more than an hour; she was not at all excited, and perfectly indifferent to them. They came to take her home: this was a severe trial to all of us, particularly to Laura, who loves her very dearly."

120  

"This evening while packing Lucy's trunk, I carried her to it, and made signs to her that she would carry it away, and she seemed distressed. It was very evident to me that she did not want to go, although her friends interpreted her signs to the contrary. She made the same distressed noise that she always has made when in trouble, and ran away from me and went to her room. After a little while she became quiet and went to bed, but it was evident she was very much excited, and the excitement did not appear to her teachers and friends here to be joy at the idea of going away, but sorrow."

121  

"July 13. This morning, at half past five, Lucy left us. I went to her and put on her shawl and bonnet, carried her to Laura, and told her she was going. Laura put her arm around her neck and kissed her affectionately while Lucy who seemed unmoved, remained passive. Laura said, 'Lucy do not hug me, sorry.' I then motioned to Lucy to put her arms around Laura, she did so, and Laura was very much affected. Lucy, however, did not show any outward marks of grief or sorrow this morning, that I could observe, although I watched her very closely. After she was ready to go she went down into Lurena's room and insisted on being galvanized, she clung to the tins and it was with great difficulty I could force her away. She went into the parlor, found Lurena and shook hands with her, then turned and came down stairs with me very quietly, and left me and went to her father. She manifested but very little emotion all this time.''

122  

"Gave Laura a lesson in writing; at twelve gave her a lesson in arithmetic for the first time this term. She asked me, 'Why do you teach me to cypher?' I told her Lucy was gone and I had more time. She replied, 'Will you teach me to cypher all days?' Yes, if I have time. 'I am very alone, because Lucy is all gone.' I asked her what is 'all gone,' she said, 'Lucy will not come back more.'"

123  

I may add, that Laura was not the only one to sorrow for Lucy's departure, and she is not the only one who would hail her return with joy.

124  

S. G. HOWE.

125  

APPENDIX D.

126  

JULIA BRACE.

127  

JULIA BRACE is the well known blind, deaf mute, who for seventeen years has attracted the attention of numerous visiters -sic- of the American Asylum at Hartford. She was born June 13th, 1807, with all the senses. She was rather a bright but quick tempered child; she went to school and learned to spell and read words of two syllables; she was taught to say her prayers, but also to swear. When four years and five months old, she was attacked violently by typhus fever, which in the course of a few weeks destroyed entirely the organs of sight and hearing; and left her such a total wreck, that it was for a long time doubtful whether she could survive.

128  

As is usual in such cases of sudden deafness, she continued to use speech so long as she could recollect the position of the different parts of the mouth and throat; but this could not have been very long, and she gradually relapsed into total silence.

129  

She was received into the Asylum for the mutes at the age of eighteen years, and continued an inmate until she came here.

130  

An attempt was made to teach her arbitrary language, but it was not successful. She learned, however, some of the conversational signs of the deaf and dumb, and these added to the more strictly natural language, which she herself could use, enabled her to make many of her wants understood; and must have been of great service and comfort to her.

131  

The following extracts from an account of her, published by the Rev. Mr. Woodbridge, and from the remarks of Doct. Spurzheim, are interesting.

132  

"She has a strong feeling of propriety. After her illness she was unwilling to wear clothes, and would pull them off violently. At length her mother took one of her frocks and tried it on her sister with a view of altering it for her. Julia took the frock and put it on herself. Later she cried for new clothes and became fond of dress. She would take care of her sisters, and hold and attend them while they were infants, but when young she refused to take care of either of her twin brothers. Later she was kind to her brothers and sisters, and when she received a present, was alwasy -sic- fond of sharing it with them. If it was an orange, it was divided very exactly into equal portions; if a apple, which she knew to be more common, she used less care."

133  

"When any mischief was done, she would often administer immediate punishment. At one time, while giving the children their bread and milk, the bowl was broken: in imitation of what she supposed would have been done by her mother, she whipped the little offender. But feeling of her eyes immediately, and finding that she was crying, she took her into her arms and endeavored to soothe her with kindness and caresses.

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