The Portland Gazette

The mode of instructing the Deaf and Dumb, adopted by the French teachers, and particularly by the Abbe Sicard, is one of the most singular and extraordinary inventions of modern times. We do not allude to the facility with which they acquire a knowledge of letters by the alphabet of fingers.

This, though a great improvement, is of far less importance than the language of signs, which is taught, in a high degree of perfection, and fully understood and practised by the pupils.

For a few weeks past, Mr. Gallaudet, the principal of the Institution in Connecticut, has been at Saratoga and Ballston, accompanied by one of his pupils, George Loring, of Hingham, Massachusetts, a lad of about eleven years of age.—This boy lost his hearing and sight of one of his eyes, when about two years of age, by the scarlet fever. He has been more than a year at the Asylum. The quickness of his comprehension, the facility with which he acquires knowledge, the sprightliness of his mind, and the amiable cheerfulness of his disposition—the strong affectionate attachment which he uniformly discovers towards every thing connected with the situation and improvement of his unfortunate associates, as well as the prosperity of the Asylum, render him a most interesting and agreeable companion. During a short residence at Ballston, we had frequent opportunities to witness his very extraordinary advancement in several branches of education.

He writes with great ease and rapidity, and his hand-writing is very handsome. He also showed a very competent knowledge of the principle of grammar. Other things might be enumerated: but our object is more particularly to notice the language of signs.

This language is adopted to all the common concerns of life. The instructor, without a single word or letter, by mere signs calculated to express ideas, performs the task in so clear and accurate a manner, as to convey the subject he has in view with perfect distinctness and precision to the pupil, and the instruction is received by him in the same clear and perfect manner. For example—

Mr. Gallaudet, by signs only, would express to Loring a sentence on any indifferent subject—and which might be suggested by any of the by-standers,—containing, as the case might be, fifteen, twenty, or any given number of words, the communication being made all at once—and Loring would immediately write it down, almost invariably with the most exact correctness. Many of these sentences were of such length, as would frequently have perplexed an ordinary amanuensis, possessed of the faculty of hearing, had they been repeated to him at length, and at a single time. But this deaf and dumb lad was scarcely ever, even in a single instance, mistaken in his recollection, or under the necessity of enquiring whether he recollected correctly.

The advantages of this unwritten as well as unspoken language, to persons who possess not the power of speech or of hearing, are incalculably great. By the use of the finger-alphabet, they are able to converse, on common occasions, and on ordinary subjects, with ease and facility. But to be able to receive, and communicate ideas of the greatest importance, as well as of considerable complexity, is an advantage of much greater importance.

To such a degree of perfection is this language of signs already understood in the Connecticut Asylum, that the religious exercises are performed, in the presence of the school, in that manner. It is not easy to imagine a more interesting, or a more solemn spectacle, than must be exhibited, on such occasions, by this school, when engaged in the worship of God, and mingling their devotions in a dumb, but intelligible and highly expressive language.

Although there is, in their prayers and intercessions, neither voice nor sound; although they do not, like the mother of the ancient prophet, move, even their lips in their pious addresses to the Throne of Grace, may we not humbly but devoutly hope, that these addresses ascend like the morning and evening incense, and are graciously accepted by Him, who hears the ravens when they cry, and who with infinite condescension, causes the Deaf to hear, and the dumb to sing.—N. Y. Adv.