Author’s Preface

My design in writing this book was to give the public a fair idea of life in an institution for the deaf and dumb; and to show what has been done, and can still be done, for those deprived of the senses of hearing and speech. I also wish to disabuse the minds of parents who think their deaf-mute children will not be well cared for and receive benefit in these institutions. I can say from my own experience they certainly are a blessing to the deaf and dumb; for I am myself a deaf-mute and have been educated in one of these institutions.

It is through my life there that I have obtained the material for my story. Most of the colloquies that occur, and a few of the incidents, were merely composed to bring out some important truths concerning the deaf and dumb; but the story itself is founded on facts. The names given to the characters are not the real names of the persons, but most anyone who dwelt in the institution with the writer will, I think, be able to assign to most of the characters represented their proper names.

There is much still to be said on my subject which “the state of my purse” will not permit me to say in this volume. It is my intention, should this meet with success, to write another book on the subject, detailing my life as a teacher in another institution for the deaf and dumb where new methods of teaching, new arrangements, etc., were observed.

This book will, I trust, interest all who read it, and may give to many new ideas concerning this once unfortunate class of human beings.

Crude though the work may be, yet I hope it will be kindly received. With a silent prayer that it may be the means of doing good, I send it out into the wide world.

K. M. F.