Remarks upon the education of deaf mutes : in defence of the doctrines of the second annual report of the Massachusetts Board of State Charities and in reply to the charges of the Rev. Collins Stone.

  • Howe, S. G. (Samuel Gridley), 1801-1876.
Date:
1866
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Remarks upon the education of deaf mutes : in defence of the doctrines of the second annual report of the Massachusetts Board of State Charities and in reply to the charges of the Rev. Collins Stone. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by King’s College London. The original may be consulted at King’s College London.

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    at their several homes whenever it is possible. Thej are thus subjected to ordinary family and social influences, and are trained to live in and take part with ordinary society, and not trained to become members of a special class or caste. The establish- ment is successful; and blind persons who have been, familiar with both modes of living,—asylum life and common life,—prefer the latter. It would doubtless be so with mutes if the exper- iment were fairly tried; for all the reasons and con- siderations in favor of such a system apply with even more force to them than to the blind. The flrst direct charge which the Principal brings against Dr. Howe is, that he makes an offensive classification of deaf mutes. We object to Dr. Howe's placing, as he does, the four hundred deaf mutes of Massachusetts among the dependent classes. (Rep. p. 29.) And again, (p. 30,) This offensive classification pervades the whole Report, &c. He would be blameworthy indeed who should, eve n Jjy careless use of language, give just cause of offence to a class of unfortunates who need all our sympathy and kindness. But we shall show that by no fair construction of the Report can such a charge be sustained; and moreover, that if the language of the Directors of the Hartford school, and of the Principal himself, were construed as he