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The Blind And The Deaf, 1900

Creator: Alexander Graham Bell (author)
Date: 1906
Publisher: Government Printing Office, Washington, D.C.
Source: Available at selected libraries

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195  

In the present census the proportion of the population reported as deaf and dumb (unable to speak at all) is less than one-half of that returned in 1890 (648 to the million in 1890, 321 to the million in 1900). (Diagram 1.)

196  

In explanation it may be said that many thousands of persons who belong naturally to the class "deaf and dumb" are reported, or rather reported themselves, in the present census as able to speak; so that it is obvious that the increased activity in articulation teaching in our schools for the deaf is responsible for a considerable portion of this result. It is doubtful, however, whether this explanation alone is sufficient to account for the great difference between the two censuses in this respect; and it is possible that there may have been an overestimate of the deaf and dumb in 1890 or an underestimate in the present census, or perhaps both suppositions may be correct.

197  

The returns of the 1890 census were based upon the reports of the enumerators alone, without verification by correspondence with the deaf persons, as in 1900, or by correspondence with physicians, as in 1880. It is therefore probable that erroneous returns, similar to those discovered in 1880 and 1900 through correspondence, exist uncorrected in the returns for 1890.

198  

On the other hand, several thousands of circular letters of inquiry, sent out to the addresses of persons reported as deaf by the enumerators of the present census, failed to bring any reply, in spite of repeated requests for information. These cases were therefore thrown out of the investigation as resting upon insufficient evidence. They may represent erroneous returns; but, on the other hand, it is possible that the enumerators were correct, and that the deaf persons reported belonged to illiterate families unable to respond by mail.

199  

Whatever may be the deficiencies of the present census, the information actually compiled is authoritative so far as it goes, because it is based upon statements made by the deaf persons themselves, or by parents, guardians, or friends intimately acquainted with the condition of the deaf persons considered.

200  

In addition to the "deaf and dumb" returned in 1890, 80,616 persons, or 1,287 per million of population, were reported as "deaf but not dumb," so that the whole number of deaf returned in the 1890 census was 121,178, or 1,935 per million of population; whereas, in the present census, 89,287 deaf are reported in all, constituting a ratio of 1,175 per million of population, and the number able to speak (including those who speak well and those who speak imperfectly) is 64,918, or 854 per million.

201  

Table I shows the number of deaf and dumb re- turned at each census since 1830 and the ratio per million of population, the figures for the present census including only those of the deaf who are "unable to speak at all."

202  

Table I. -- Number of deaf and dumb and the ratio per million of total population: 1830 to 1900.

203  

DEAF AND DUMB.
CENSUS. Total population Number. Ratio 1,000,000 of population
1830 12,866,020 6,106 475
1840 17,069,453 7,665 449
1850 23,191,876 9,803 423
1860 31,443,321 12,821 408
1870 38,558,371 16,205 420
1880 50,155,783 33,878 675
1890 62,622,250 40,592 648
1900 75,994,575 24,369 321

204  

Table II shows the "deaf from childhood" of the present census compared with the "deaf and dumb" of former censuses.

205  

Table II. -- Comparison of deaf from childhood in 1900 with deaf and dumb of former censuses: 1830 to 1900.

206  

CENSUS. Number. Ratio per 1,000,000 of population
1830, deaf and dumb 6,106 475
1840, deaf and dumb 7,665 449
1850, deaf and dumb 9,803 423
1860, deaf and dumb 12,821 408
1870, deaf and dumb 16,205 420
1880, deaf and dumb 33,878 675
1890, deaf and dumb 40,592 648
1900, deaf from childhood (known) 50,296 662
1900, deaf from childhood (estimated) 51,871 682

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-SKIPPED PAGES 69-86-

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TABLE XX. -- Number and present of deaf taught speech in special schools for the deaf in the United States for specific years.

209  

NUMBER TAUGHT SPEECH.PER CENT TAUGHT SPEECH.
YEARTotal schools.Total pupils.Total.Wholly or chiefly by oral method.Wholly or chiefly by auricular method.Total.Wholly or chiefly by oral method.Wholly or chiefly by auricular method.
1857201,721------
1863222,012------
1866242,469------
1867242,576------
1868272,898------
1869303,246------
1870343,784------
1871384,068------
1872364,253------
1873384,252------
1874444,892------
1875485,309------
1876495,711------
1877495,711------
1878496,166------
1879516,431------
1880556,798------
1881551,019------
1882557,155------
1883587,169------
1884617,4822,041--27.2--
1885647,8012,618--33.5--
1886668,0502,484--30.9--
1887697,9782,556--32.0--
1888738,3723,251--38.8--
1889738,5753,412--39.7--
1890778,9013,682--41.3--
1891779,2324,245--46.0--
1892807,9403,9241,581-49.419.9-
1893798,3044,4852,0568054.024.70.96
1894828.8254,8022,26010954.425.61.24
1895899,2525,0842,57014954.927.71.61
1896899,5545,2432,75216654.928.81.74
1897959,7495,4982,46616256,435.61.66
189810110,1395,8173,67211657.436.21.14
189911210,0876,2374,08912861.840.51.27
190011510,6086,6874,53810863.042.81.02
190111811,0286,9885,1477363.446.70.66
190212310,9527,0174,8886364.144.60.58
190312811,2257,4825,43310066.648.40.89
190413312,5347,6015,50815467.248.31.36

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