E.—l2.

EEPOET UPON STATE EDUCATION.

National Aid. (3.) There are no Federal institutions in Switzerland: but in some cases, as at Frienisberg (Berne) and Hohenrcin (Lucerne), the establishments are administered at the sole expense of the respective cantons. Those at Moudon (Vaud) and Geneva (town) are private institutions, but receive bursary pupils from the cantonal Governments; and the others, including those at Zurich, Riehen, St. Gallon, Berne, Aarau, Zoringcn, Baden, and Geneva, have been founded, and are maintained, by benevolent societies ; but the several cantons, in which the respective establishments are situated, accord to them small subsidies. (4.) There are three Royal deaf-mute institutions in Italy, but only the one at Milan is maintained solely by the Government, and it receives an annual grant of about 9O,OOOlire ; the other two, one at Genoa and the other at Naples, with nine other similar institutions, merely receiving State subsidies. But, nevertheless, many children who ought to be instructed are not educated for want of means. 1 (5.) In Prussia, as I am informed by Dr. Treibel, the Director of the Royal School at Berlin, in addition to it and a normal college for training teachers annexed, both supported entirely by the State, there are thirty-four schools provided for out of the State purse, and seventeen by towns, villages, or associations, or by legacies, or private persons ;~ and the arrangements are such that in several of the German States, as in the United States, all deaf-mutes receive special instruction. 3 (6.) The institutions in Belgium are all private ones, except one at Ghent, maintained by the province of Brabant; 1' and to these the Government give considerable subsidies from time to time. Aid is also granted in all individual cases requiring it; so that all deafmute children, unable to pay, can enter a school and have the entire cost of education, board, and clothing defrayed by the provinces and the communes, except in the case of the provinces of Brabant and Namur ; 5 and these public contributions are now regulated by a law of the 14th March, 1876. (7.) The schools in the United States are voluntary, but the Government is most liberal in supporting them. 0 "Deaf-mute instruction is gratuitous for all classes, as well for the rich as for the poor; 7 and it is the only large country in which such arrangements arc made that all deaf-mutes can be instructed." 8 But, apart from any question of State frugality, such indiscriminate liberality seems quite unnecessary; and, moreover, tends to weaken the feelings of parental duty and personal self-reliance. Indeed, one of the ablest workers in the cause said, at a recent conference, " One of the commonest fallacies of the parents of deaf children, and particularly of those who belong to the poorer classes, is that they ought to be released from the expense of procuring board for their deaf children, and send them to asylums where everything will be gratuitously provided for them. Now, this is plainly a pauperising system as regards the parents, and a demoralising one as regards the children." 3 IV.—METHOD. There are three methods 10 of teaching deaf-mutes, namely: (1) "Pure oral" (German or lip-reading) ; (2) "Manual" (French or silent); 11 and (3) "Combined."

Switzerland.

Italy.

Germany.

Belgium.

United States.

" Pure oral." " Manual." " Combined."

' See C.E., p. 166. 2 See also " Beitriigo zur Geschichto und Statistik des Taubstummen-Bildungswesens in Prenssen" (hereafter termed Beitriige), p. 112, and compare with Dr. H.'s figures, p. 183. For notice of it see Q.R., Jan., 188C, p. 31. 3 See also Dr. H., p. 183, for further details ; and also paper by M. Schontheil as above, and " Revue Internationale," &c, as above, Feb., ISBG, p. 271. 4 See— (a) " Inspector General's Report, 1883 " (hereafter termed I.G. rep.), p. 4 ; (b) S.G.; and (c) " Institut Provincial de Sourds-Muets du Brabant," " Revue Internationale," as above, Feb., 1886, p. 275. * See T.C., pp. 32 and 83. e See Amer. Commr. Rep. on Education, 1885, Government Printing Office, Washington; and for laws of New York State see " Eighteenth Annual Report of New York Institution," 1885 (hereafter termed N.Y. rep.), pp. 43-47. ' Dr. T. Gallaudet, of New York, see T.C., p. 214. 8 Dr. H., p. 183. Noto also Denmark, Norway, Sweden, and Nova Scotia. (a) C.R., pp. ICS and IG6 ;

(b) Times, 2 and 17 Sept., 1884; and (c) N.Z. rep., 18S6. 11 Mr. Van Praagh, see Q.R., p. G. See also Mr. Pitch's memorandum on Dr. (now Sir) C. Brown's Rep., p. 77. 10 See, for instance— (a) Conference paper as above of 10 Jan., 1878, p. 7, and (6) 0.K., pp. 4 and 19. For clear definitions see Amor. Com. liop. on Eduoation, 1884, for ISB2-83, p. 192 ; (c) Article on " Lip-reading," by .Mr. Van Praagh, Q.R., Jan., 188G, p. 4 ; and paper by Mr. Van Praagh, on " The Pure Oral, or German, System : How to Ensure and Maintain its Success," Proceedings, London Conference, July, 1885, p. 79 ; (d) Paper, " Since 1881," by Dr. Buxton, read at London Conference, July, 1885, see Proceedings, pp. G and 7 ; and (e) Paper "On Teaching Language to Deaf-mutes," by Itev. T. Arnold, p. 34. See also paper by him, written for Paris Congress of French Teachers of Deaf-mutes, Aug., 1885, Q.R. July, 188G, p. G9. 11 "I'll speak to thee in silence."—Cymb., act v., sc. 1. See espec. a curious and bijou work, "The Manual Alphabet," by Professor Gordon, Washington, New York, and Chicago: Brentang Bros., publishers, 1886; and also " The Manual Alphabet as a part of the Public School Course."—A.A., Oct., 188G, p 233.

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