THE GLOBE. WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 29, 1879.

Globe, Volume XXI, Issue 1776, 29 October 1879, Page 2

THE GLOBE. WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 29, 1879.

A very interesting paper, with reference to the Deaf and Dumb Institution to he founded in New Zealand, has lately been laid upon the table of tho House. The correspondence opens with a letter from the Agent-General, in which he informs the Colonial Secretary that he has engaged a Mr. "Van Asch as teacher, and that that gentleman will leave for New Zealand about the end of October. The choice of a teacher has devolved upon the AgentGeneral and Messrs Abbott and Kennaway, and they have, in [an enclosure, given fully the reasons which led to the choice of Mr. Asch. It appears there are two systems of teaching deaf - mutes, namely that known as the French system and that known as the German system. The French system, or the dactyl system, deals mainly with systematised signals. The German system teaches its pupils " to converse by means of articulate sounds and to understand by lip reading, i.e., by interpreting the movement of the lips of speakers to the exclusion of all signs except natural ones." It is a cardinal point with the teachers of this latter system that systematized signals must Hot be used in connection with it—the patients taught in this manner are, for instance never allowed to talk on their fingers. They follow the movements of the lips of those with whom they converse and they may be taught to speafk quite clearly so that there is no difficulty in understanding them, It is self-evident that the facility that a patient well advanced in this system enjoys in communicating with his fellow creatures is something very far in excess of that enjoyed by a person merely taught to converse by finger-talking. Indeed under the German system, when a patient has succeeded in thoroughly mastering all the details, the terrible misfortune under which he labours is minimized as far as possible. And the result of this easy converse with their fellows is twofold. Firstly these deaf mutes are not so likely to shun the society of those who are not deaf, and they do not, by seeking principally the companionship of those who are afflicted in like manner with themselves, aggravate the disadvantages under which they labor. And, secondly, their general education can be carried to a far higher pitch that can be attempted under the French system. The professors of the German system assert that their method is applicable to all children who are not idiots. But Sir J. Yogel and his coadjutors are not thoroughly convinced of the truth of this assertion. While completely endorsing all that can be said in favor of the German system as applicable to children of fair intelligence, they seem to think that " there may bo intelligences low in their nature, but above tho level of the idiot, to whom the effort of learning by the German system would bo so great that it would bo more merciful to use tho French system to furnish them with the littlo information they are ever likely to be able to acquire." Turning then to the French system, it may be stated generally, as mentioned above, that it relies principally on tho use of systematized signals, although its masters teach articulation and lip reading'as an accomplishment. As, however, they only devote half an hour or an hour a day to it, the result in this direction that they obtain is very small. In fact it appears to Sir Julius that " the followers of the French system have adopted what they call the combined system as a means of meeting the growing feeling in favor of the German system." He and his coadjutors are of opinion that the German system is by far more perfect than tho French one, and that to bo carried to perfection it must be taught pur et simple, with no admixture whatever of the teaching of finger talking. Still

tbey think that the "French system j cannot altogether be dispensed with for pnpils of an unusually low order of intelligence. Bnt each should he kept apart; and in mercy and humanity to the child, the Gorman system should be used where it can." Snch has been the result of the enquiries made by Sir J. Vogel and Messrs. Abbott and Kennaway, and they have wisely taken steps to at once secure the introduction of the German system into New Zealand. The wisdom of this is at once apparent The foundation of a Deaf and Dumb Institution commences a new era in connection with deaf-mutes in New Zealand, and it is above all things desirable that the most perfect system available should at once obtain a firm foothold. The difficulty that the German system has found in making any headway in England is mainly attributable to the fact that the French system had become firmly established there, and the improved system found at once an opponent fixed on the ground which it wished to work. In reply to advertisements issued from the Agent-General's Office for applicants to take charge of the institution, seventeen names were received and only one of these, namely, Mr Asch, taught the German system. Twenty years ago this gentleman came over from Germany, and the introduction of the system in England has been mainly attributable to a Mr Ackers, a wealthy gentleman, whose only child lost her hearing in infancy, who has thrown himself enthusiastically into the cause of promoting the use of the system, and has established a college for training teachers. It will be seen, therefore, how slowly this more perfect system has been working its way in the Old Country owing to the previous existence there of the rival system, and it is well for our deaf-mutes that the Government have determined to start at once in the right direction. For those not found capable of mastering the German method teachers will be found to impart the French method, but those of our deaf-mutes who are of Javerage intelligence will at once start under the system which has been found to render the condition of those laboring under this terrible affliction as happy as human ingenuity and patience can make it.