Library Collections: Document: Full Text

I do not doubt that I could have trained Laura to express her thoughts, to a considerable extent, by vocal signs; but it would have been a most rude and imperfect language; it would have been indeed a foolish attempt to do, in a few years, what it took the human race generations and ages to effect.

Some persons, who are familiar with teaching the deaf mutes, have expressed their opinion that Laura already uses language with greater ease and precision than children who have about the same degree of knowledge, but who are merely deaf and dumb. I believe this is true; and it confirms what I think might be inferred a priori, viz., that the finger language should be used as much as possible, in teaching the mutes, rather than the natural signs, or pantomime. I am aware that I am treading on delicate ground; that the subject involves very nice metaphysical considerations, and has an important bearing upon the whole subject of deaf-mute instruction, of which I by no means pretend to be a competent judge; nevertheless, I trust I shall not be deemed presumptuous, if I throw out such thoughts as Laura's case has suggested, in the hope that they may be of some service to others.

The language of natural signs is swift in the conveyance of meaning; a glance or a gesture will transmit thought with lightning-like speed, that leaves spoken language a laggard behind. It is susceptible, too, of great improvement, and, when highly cultivated, can express almost every variety of the actor's thought, and call up every emotion in the beholder's mind; it is like man in his wild state, simple, active, strong, and wielding a club; but spoken language, subtle, flexible, minute, precise, is a thousand times more efficient and perfect instrument for thought; it is like civilized man, adroit, accomplished, well-trained, and armed with a rapier.

But it is too late to discuss the comparative merit of vocal language, and the language of natural signs, or pantomime; all the world, except the deaf mutes, use the first; the mutes are clearly in the minority, and must yield ; the majority will not talk to them in the language of natural signs; they must, therefore, make themselves as familiar as possible with arbitrary language, in order to commune with other minds; and to enable them to have this familiar communion, is, I believe, the principal object aimed at in all good schools for the deaf and dumb. But I understand that the educated deaf mutes, generally, are little disposed to talk in alphabetic language; that there are very few of them who, after they leave school, make much use of it; and that, moreover, they are not fond of reading, although they have learned to read, and understand what they read, pretty well; they prefer to use the natural signs as a medium for the reception and communication of thought, because they are most intimately associated with, and suggested by the thought. If a deaf mute wishes to say to you, He is my friend, he hooks his two fingers together; the thought of his friend instantly and spontaneously connects itself with this sign; and if he is obliged to express it to you, he can do so only by translating this sign into the finger language, and spelling the words, He is my friend. Now, it seems to me both feasible and desirable to make the finger language so familiar to him, so perfectly vernacular, that his thoughts will spontaneously clothe themselves in it. Why are words in the finger language so familiarly connected with thought by Laura Bridgman? because she could use but few natural signs, or but little pantomime, and she has been prevented, by her teachers, from using even that little, so that the current of her thoughts, forced in a different direction, has worn for itself a channel, in which it flows naturally and smoothly.

Common children learn a spoken language from their mothers, brothers and sisters, and companions; and it becomes their vernacular. They go to school, and learn to substitute for these audible signs certain printed characters, so that, when they see them, they shall suggest the audible signs; that is, they learn to read; but they never read with pleasure until the sight of the printed words suggests easily, and without effort, the audible signs. Persons who have learned to read late in life, or who are little accustomed to read, pronounce every word aloud as they go along; if they are a little familiar with reading, they merely move the lips without uttering the audible signs; and it is only when very familiar with the mechanical process, that the eye glances along the page, and the mind takes in the sense rapidly; but even then it is doubtful if the sight of a word, for instance, horse, does not immediately suggest the audible sound, rather than the picture of the animal. At any rate, it is very important that a familiar use of the written signs of audible sounds should be had early in life, in order that reading may be pleasant or profitable afterwards.

Deaf-mute children, of their own accord, make a few natural signs; they learn some others from imitation, and thus form a rude language, which, on going to school, is amplified and systematized, and which is used with their companions and teachers, until it becomes their vernacular. They learn, at the same time, to use common language in their classes; that is, they learn to read, to write, and to make sentences by spelling words with their fingers; but this does not become to them vernacular; they are like seeing children learning a foreign language; they read, write, and speak in it to their teacher, but the moment they are out of school, they resort to the language of natural signs, -- of pantomime. When they go away from school, they will not speak in the arbitrary language of signs any more than common children will speak in French, when they can make themselves understood by others; they will not read common books any more than other children, imperfectly acquainted with French, will read in French books. Now, as, to oblige a common child to learn French, I would place him in circumstances where he would be required to use it continually, so I would place the dumb child in such circumstances that he would be obliged to use the finger alphabet, writing and reading, until the language should become to him vernacular; -- until the thought of a horse, for instance, should instantly be associated in his mind, not with the motion of his two forefingers imitating the ears of the animal, but with the word horse. Laura has been thus placed by nature; were she only deaf and dumb, she would acquire by imitation the natural signs used by others, and use them herself; but, being blind she cannot see them, and her teachers carefully abstain from giving her any.