734 DEAF AND DUMB familiar. His Cours d> instruction, under the guise of an account of his method with Massieu, develops his principles and processes ; it reads 'like a philosophical romance. He was the "painter of syntax and the poet of grammar." His Theorie des signes is an ideological vocab- ulary, with descriptions of pantomime inge- niously devised to express the full sense of each word, sometimes accompanied by less tedious abridgments for common use. Since his death, in 1822, the Paris institution has suffered at times from directors utterly ignorant of the art, but has preserved much of its prestige. Its physicians, Itard, Meniere, and Blanchet, have done much for aural surgery. The first named founded in 1838 a classe de perfectionne- ment for the higher education of select pupils, which was the first step made in any institu- tion beyond the primary branches. The baron de Gerando, a member of its council of admin- istration, was the author of a valuable history of the art and of a sketch of methods, entitled De V education des sourds-muets (1827). The introduction of deaf-mute education into the other countries of Europe was in general effect- ed by persons trained by Heinicke or De 1'E- p6e, or by their disciples, and presents little of general interest. In America, as early as 1793, appeared an essay " On Teaching the Deaf to Speak," by Dr. W. Thornton of Philadelphia. In 1811 one of Braidwood's grandsons attempt- ed to establish a school, first at New York and then in Virginia ; but he was unsuccessful. Finally, an inquiry into the number of the deaf and dumb in Connecticut was made by Dr. M. F. Cogswell of Hartford, whose daughter ha'v- ing become deaf, he was hesitating whether to send her abroad. Discovering an unex- pectedly large number, he enlisted the coopera- tion of several other gentlemen of Hartford in the project of establishing a school there. One of these, the Kev. T. H. Gallaudet, seemed pointed out for the active initiation of the work by his rare talent, force of character, tact, and amiability, and deep religious feeling. Accept- ing the duty, he embarked on May 25, 1815, for England, to acquire the art of instruction. Both at London and at Edinburgh the exorbi- tant terms imposed by the Braidwood- Watson family repelled him ; and having met Sicard and his pupils in London, he finally accepted their invitation to Paris. Here he received every facility and assistance ; and on his re- turn in August, 1816, he prevailed upon Lau- rent Clerc, one of Sicard's most distinguished pupils and most valued associates, to accom- pany hun. On April 15, 1817, the Connecticut asylum was opened at Hartford with seven pu- pils, and within a year had 33. Congress soon made it a donation of a township of wild land, the proceeds of which now form a fund of $339,000 ; in acknowledgment, the name of the school was changed to the American asylum, it being expected that it would suffice for the whole country for a long period. But other schools were soon called for, and the asylum has long been practically limited to the New England states. Gallaudet remained at its head for many years, and when he was com- pelled by ill health to retire his warm interest and influence were felt until his death in 1851. A monument was erected to his memory by contributions of the deaf and dumb throughout the country, and from designs by the deaf-mute artists, Newsam and Carlin. Two of his sons have devoted themselves to the same work, the Eev. T. Gallaudet, D. D., of New York, and E. M. Gallaudet, LL. D., of Washington. The New York institution was chartered on the very day the Hartford asylum was opened. At first Watson's book was taken as the guide, and articulation was taught, but with such un- satisfactory results that in 1830 a thorough re- organization was effected, and two teachers were obtained from Paris and Hartford to introduce the French system. The French teacher, M. Leon Vaisse, after four years returned to Paris ; the other, Harvey P. Peet, LL. D., served as principal from 1831 to 1867, and built up the institution into the largest and one of the most efficient in the world. His name is worthily borne by his son and successor, Isaac Lewis Peet, LL. D. This institution has had among its professors many men since eminent in other walks of life. The Pennsylvania institution was started in 1820 by Joseph Seixas, but its system was soon remodelled by Clerc. The Kentucky institution was established in 1823 by J. A. Jacobs, who devoted to it a life of rare benevolence. Other schools rapidly fol- lowed. In the United States, the deaf mute is regarded as entitled to a share in the free school system, as fully as his hearing brothers and sisters. The state, finding it neither eco- nomical nor convenient to educate him, as it does them, in the nearest public school, sends him to a special institution adapted to his ne- cessities ; but he is not therefore to be consid- ered a charity pupil. Provision for the educa- tion of the deaf is made by legislative enact- ment in every state except perhaps Nevada, and by the general government in the District of Columbia, and in behalf of those whose fathers are in the army and navy. Most of the institutions are controlled by trustees appointed by the state ; a few are private corporations, mostly, however, deriving their entire income from annual legislative appropriations. The term of instruction allowed is very generally seven years ; and high classes have been estab- lished, beginning at Hartford and New York in 1852, and now existing also in the Ohio, Illinois, Indiana, and District of Columbia in- stitutions. The Columbia institution at Wash- ington in 1864 obtained from congress a col- legiate charter, and has graduated 19 young men with the degree of B. A. and 1 with that of B. S. In Canada, the first school was opened at Montreal in 1848, by the Koman Catholics ; there are now five schools, of which that at Belleville, Ontario, is under government control. In nearly all the American institutions an im-
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