Susanna Elizabeth Hull

“ By education they can understand and be understood by the hearing in the interchange of intellectual thought: through it they acquire a love of God, and have a reverence for his laws stamped upon their hearts. They gain a mother-tongue, and become rational and moral beings. They are, in fact, by it made capable of comprehending anything portrayed to their observation, either by the agency of sign, or written, printed, or spoken language. ”

“ Ingenious men, in our own and other countries, knowing the human mind to be a quality of the soul by which it understands, without being dependent upon matter or any particular function but the brain, have long since practically demonstrated, that in itself the conformation of the mind of an uneducated deaf and dumb child actually differs in no one respect from that of an uneducated hearing child ”

“ The first object of the instructor must be the imparting of language, it matters not (unless as concerns their physical health) whether it be articulate, manual, or written language; but a medium of receiving and conveying ideas must be obtained. "This channel of communication established, and a copious knowledge of words acquired, the art of the instructor would be little more difficult than that of ordinary education." ”

“ The more artificial a man becomes, says Kingsley, the nearer he approaches the condition God intends him to occupy. To rise above surrounding circumstances is man's peculiar privilege, distinguishing him from the beasts that perish.
Though it would be folly to call deafness an advantage, and artificially taught articulation preferable to the ear-taught emissions of the ordinary speaker, it is, at least, wisdom to strive after an end so desirable, to attempt an accomplishment so advantageous. ”

“ Doubtless, it was a great thing for Laura this nature-prompted exertion of her voice. Her many deprivations may have rendered the use of articulate language on her part a most tedious and perhaps distasteful acquisition; or I cannot help thinking her instructors would have seized this opportunity of establishing between her and themselves that most rapid of all means of communication For others, who have not her disadvantages, the lesson will bear a closer reading. Since God has given them voices, and He gives nothing in vain, are not we bound to train those voices to the best of our ability? ”

“ A very instructive story is related of Laura Bridgman, the poor American girl who early lost the senses of hearing, sight, smell, and taste. "Not being able to speak, she was formerly apt to use the organs of speech in making odd noises, disagreeable to people about her. When told of this and encouraged to be silent, she asked, 'Why, then, has God given me so much voice?' Her guardians took the hint and gave her a place to play in, for some-time every day, where she could make as much noise as she liked, hearing none of it herself, but enjoying the exercise to her organs of sound." ”

“ Every human faculty is dependent on exercise for its development; labour is man’s means of support in himself, as in the world around him. The neglect of any power, mental or bodily, is its destruction—destruction of itself alone, if it be an unimportant, of the whole body if it be a vital function. ”

“ She can read with readiness words not exceeding two syllables in ordinary type; has commenced geography, a source of great pleasure to her, and acquires the names of countries and places with little more difficulty than any other child. She amuses herself with reading children's stories, and composing tales of her own and writing them on her slate. ”

“ Suffice it, that, convinced of the greatness of the work, inspired by a desire to forward it, encouraged by the success obtained, and knowing how few are ready to undertake it, I have already assumed the charge of another child similarly afflicted, and have ventured to make known my readiness to undertake a labour which, arduous as it may be, is so beneficial in its results, so rich in its reward.
"C'est des difficultés que naissent les miracles." ”

“ I said that the nature of the language was unimportant, except as regarded the physical health of its employer; but that point in itself is worthy of consideration.
Two facts in the physical condition of the deaf and dumb point the instructor to articulation as the best means towards a higher end. They are—
1st. No naturally born deaf child was ever known to be deficient in any of the vocal organs.
2ndly. The constant cause of death among such persons arises from diseases in the lungs and other organs which might have been strengthened by the salutary exercise of speech. ”

“ Shut out from the enjoyments of social intercourse, debarred as they are from so much which makes life’s pathway less rugged, there yet lies within their reach, if we will but hold it out to them, the wide field of literature. ”

“ She shows a great taste for drawing, which I have endeavoured to cultivate, knowing what a resource it is for those situated as she is; but owing to her weakness of vision she has not yet made much progress. Drawing, however has been of great use on my side, often enabling me to illustrate subjects I could not otherwise have conveyed to her mind. ”

“ By intimacy with the affections and associations of the human heart, they become better men and women, more intelligent as citizens, and better capacitated for following and carrying out the divers concerns of active life. ”

“ We see in it the common law of nature, the just judgment enforced: "From him that hath not shall be taken even that which he hath." The gift unemployed becomes a debt, which it may cost a life to redeem. ”

“ They have, moreover, proved that, in regard to good or evil, and the spiritual life to come, he is an accountable being, with full possession of all the intellectual qualifications and attributes of mankind, only in a torpid or undeveloped state. ”