. Blind Deaf . teacher, Miss Mame Heflybower. In 1902,when under Mrs. E. Moore-Barrett, the followingwas said of him: Born deaf and blind, but very re-cently gained enough sight to distinguish brightcolors. He has been under instruction so short atime that his mental status has not been exactlydetermined. Doctors say he is idiotic ; but if a boywho was born deaf and blind can locate soap on ashelf above his head (he smelled it), managessomehow to get it down, gets a pan, takes soap,pan and water to the hydrant, and indicates bytwirling his hands that he wants water let on,stirs the soap in the
. Blind Deaf . teacher, Miss Mame Heflybower. In 1902,when under Mrs. E. Moore-Barrett, the followingwas said of him: Born deaf and blind, but very re-cently gained enough sight to distinguish brightcolors. He has been under instruction so short atime that his mental status has not been exactlydetermined. Doctors say he is idiotic ; but if a boywho was born deaf and blind can locate soap on ashelf above his head (he smelled it), managessomehow to get it down, gets a pan, takes soap,pan and water to the hydrant, and indicates bytwirling his hands that he wants water let on,stirs the soap in the water (using his teachershand!) and proceeds to blow soap bubbles, isidiotic, what are the rest of us? Edgar is bestdescribed as an imp incarnate. His most markedcharacteristic is doing exactly the opposite of whathe is told to do, and which he thoroughly under-stands. For instance, Mrs. Barrett taught him herown sign for bread,— the manual b on his knew it perfectly well, but would not use it. 18. He finally made it correctly, but immediately made Theit with his fingers on every part of his face except Blind-Deafthe lips, but as he did not get the bread, conde-scended to make it correctly. How the doctorscan make this the act of an imbecile is not appar-ent. Their reasoning- seems to have been, Certainacts are characteristic of imbeciles. Edgar per-forms these acts. Therefore Edgar is an may be professional, but certainly it is notlogical, as it omits Edgars nine years of total dep-rivation of all opportunities of gaining- knowledge,he never having had the least training, even incommon decency. I am glad to say that ProfessorTracy, of Toronto University, and Dr. Murdoch,superintendent of the Western Pennsylvania Schoolfor the Feeble-Minded, could not concur with theprofessional opinion, the former holding the casenot proved, the latter doing practically the same,and adding : Defects in the natural senses maygive rise to conditions simulating imbecil
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