Thursday, 23d. This day entred to school Joha Edge son to the
above named Mr. Sam: Edge, he is a lad about 14 years of age and is both
deaf and dum.[1]
Saturday, 25th. This afternoon I went and took a walk in the wheat field and under a tree I filled all my pockets of as fine walnuts as ever I eat, But so hard shell that I was oblidged to have a hammer to breack them.
Sunday, 26th. After Breackfast I took a walk 3 Miles to Mr. Edge's, the dum lad's fathers where I dined and drank some grogg and returned home in the afternoon, at night I had a small Congregation of Negroes, learng their Catechisim and hearing me read to them.
Sunday, July 3d. At home all the forenoon, in the afternoon went to see One Mr. Richards an Overseer and his wife where I eat plenty of honney out of the Comb, it being taken out of a Beehive in a tree in the woods last night.
Freiday, 8th. After school houres I went two Miles to see the Taylor who made my Cloaths he being a Brittoner but married to a Buckskine,[2] and I found his wife and Daughters drinking tea, at which I joyned them, The Taylor not being at home.
Tuesday, 12th. Sold the spelling book that I bought Onbd. the Planter 25th May last, and got the same money for it that I paid for the Christian Monitor and it.
Saturday, 16th. This afternoon the Colonel finished the cutting down of His wheat which cost of wages to hired people £23 : 10 Curry besides their victualls and drink.
Monday, 18th. This morning entred to School Lewis Richards. Same day I put on a pair of new shoes made in Fredericksburgh of Eng- lish calf leather the price of them 12/6 Curry. Same day gave one pair of old worsted stockins for 22 foot of Gum plank 10 Inch broad and one thick to make me a Chest.
Tuesday, 19th. On Freiday 15th."Inst. John Edge the Dumb lad left the school at 6 pm and has not returned since. Wednesday, 20th. On Monday 4'." Inst. at 6 pm William Pattie left the school and has not returned since.
Munday, 25th. Nothing remarkable. Jno. Edge returnd. to school.
Sunday, August 7th. This afternoon meeting accidentaly with a Gentleman here who was on his way to London I wrote my wife a few lines by him having wrote her fully 14th June last but having omitted to
- ↑ Nothing in the diary surpasses in interest the entries relating to John Edge. He was, in fact, so far as is known, the first deaf mute instructed in America. No instance so early occurs in Dr. Alexander Graham Bell's " Historical Notes concerning the Teaching of Speech to the Deaf," in the Association Review for February, 1900, and sub- sequent numbers. John Boiling of Cobbs, Virginia, the first American deaf mute to receive an education, was sent to John Braidwood's school in Edinburgh in 1771, and did not return till 1783. What methods Harrower used, we can only guess. It is highly improbable that he knew those of Braidwood, who carefully kept them secret ; and Cobbs was far away. For subsequent details of Harrower' s experiment, see the entries of July 19 and 25, 1774, March 18 and May 20, 1775, but especially the letter of December 6, 1774.
- ↑ I. e., American.
