HARD OF HEARING.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVI, Issue 180, 1 August 1935, Page 8

HARD OF HEARING.

WORK IN WELLINGTON. LIP-READING CLASSES. N.Z. SECRETARY RETURNS. After three and a half months' work in Wellington with the branch there of the New Zealand League for the Hard of Hearing. Mrs. (i. A. Hurd-Wood, honorary organising secretary to the Xew Zealand body, returned to Auckland this morning. It was only five weeks ago that she managed to arouse sufficient interest to be able to establish lip-reading classes in Wellington.

"It has been very uphill work," Mrs. Hurd-Wood said. "In fact. I consider that whilst in the capital city I have put \x the hardest work of my life. At the end of the first month 1 wius tempted to return to Auckland and let the branch fade out of existence, but.thanks to an introduction from the Auckland Rotarians I was invited to address the members of the Wellington Rotary Club. From that time things began to move -slowly at first — but for the support of this influential body of men and the publicity given by the Press I doubt if we would have made any headway in Wellington.

"Classes in lip-reading were inaugurated live weeks ago. The number of students lias steadily increased, and we now have 2S, who are divided into three groups; they are most enthusiastic. Inquiries arc constantly coming to hand. Social activities have also a place on the programme. Trip of Acoustical Engineer. "Our honorary acoustical engineer, Mr. T. R. Clarkson, who has been abroad and collected much valuable data, returned recently from his trip and was promptly transferred to Wellington," said Mrs. Hurd-Wood. "Our disappointment was keen. Prior to Mr. Clarkson's return we had furnished rooms of our had all in readiness for going ahead and collecting the aids to hearing. We, at headquarters, have had a disappointment and a check to our plans, but Auckland's loss is Wellington's gain.

"We have a list of influential people on the hoard of governors and they are sponsoring the appointment of Miss M. Eggleton, a former student and an excellent lip-reader. She has also received all tuition in lip-reading in the league and has been trained as a teacher. Miss Eggleton joined the league in March, 1032, and has been trained by Miss E. M. Ash, of Auckland, principal teacher of the league. Miss Eggleton's appointment as temporary teacher to the Wellington branch is to take effect from September (!. She is herself hard of hearing and during her tuition has been an active worker on behalf of the league. She is an excellent lip-reader. Social Importance Of League. '■The executive is composed of active members and two young women, one of whom is hard of hearing, have conjointly undertaken the responsibility for the office of honorary secretary. As in Auckland the league secured free accommodation for one year for lip-reading classes and social activities. A member of the Wellington Rotary Club followed the example of the Auckland Foresters' Lodge, in helping in this way to further the work." Mrs. Nurd-Wood stressed again the social importance of the work. She snid that one had to come into close contact with the hard of hearing to realise their social handicap. That tended to make them very sensitive lest they should misunderstand what was said to them. The result was that they were n])t to draw into themselves, and the task of the league was to make them realise that their Handicap could be overcome.