SCHOOL FOR DEAF.

Press, Volume LIX, Issue 17700, 28 February 1923, Page 4

SCHOOL FOR DEAF.

RETIREMENT OF MR J. E. STEVENS.

The education of tbi decf in New Zealand has, fojr many years, been in the hands of the Education Department, and has been considered a very successful and necessary undertaking. Until about two years ago the whole of. the work was done at Sumner, where children from all parts of the Dominion were taught under a special system by specialists. Visitors from all parts of the world have visited the institution, amongst those of recent years being the late Mr Graham Bell, the inventor of the telephone, and, in all eases, the results of the teaching have always compelled the admiration of those investigating the work. The system produced speech from the apparently dumb, and has been spoken of as one of the finest in existence.

Through a long period of thirty-six years, Mr J. E. Stevens has carefully studied the science of speech as applied to the deaf, and the__rnagnifi>.ent results obtained are largely due to his influence as director. Mr Stevens is severing his connexion with the work to-day, and leaves with Mrs Stevens to-morrow for England, where he hopes to enjoy the benefits of his well-earned superannuation. Born at Bluff, Mr Stevens was educated at the Clyde Public School, under his father, and at the Otago Boys J High School, winning both junior and senior provincial scholarships. He joined the School for the Deaf in May, ISB7, and on the retirement of the late Mr G. van Asch, in March, 1906, was appointed director. At that time there were only 43 pupils, and only 55 had been admitted. Up to the present time, 560 cases have been admitted, all of whom, with the exception of 12 who left before he joined the staff, have been under his tuition.

Mr Stevens's special work in teaching of speech to the deaf has given him a wide knowledge of the science, and he has been recognised by the Education Department as an authority on all matters connected with the mechanism of speech. He has at different times given public lectures in different parts of the Dominion, and .his special knowledge of the subject has been freely given to teachers and others interested in the of speech defects. His writings subject are well-known, and ho has been consulted by persons from all parts of the Dominion with regard to the correction of stammering in the treatment of which he has met with marked success. His work amongst the deaf is-so well-known that his name is a household word in deaf circles, not only in the Dominion, but ,also throughout the world. In 1913 he visited and Australia, and made a special report to the Education Department regarding the methods in use in the numerous schools he visited in Great Britain, France, Holland, Germany, Italy, and Australia.

During the last few years, the Education Department, on the recommendation of Mr Stevens, has extended the functions of the School for the Deaf by inaugurating special day classes in Auckland, Wellington, and Dunedin, for partially deaf children, and for children who have lost their hearing after hearing spooch, thus saving the long journey to Sumner. The teachers for these classes- have been specially trained at Sumner by Mr Stevens, and the general direction of the classes was undertaken by him. Mr Stevens- has also persuaded the Department to establish, in each of these towns, a special class where deaf adults can be taught the art of lipreading. With the assistance of Mr J. M. B. Crawford, 8.A., who is succeeding him as director, he has given a similar course in Christchurch at the Progress League's rooms, thus restoring, in some measure, these unfortunate people- to social life and intercourse. Mr Stevens has played a large part in the training of the present splendidly efficient staff of the School for the Deaf, and has the satisfaction- of knowing that the work he has been so long connected with will continue under their care. His skill and the esteem in which he has always been held by his pupils is testified by the hundreds of grateful lethas received from ex-pupils and their friends.

Besides his work amongst the deaf, Mr Stevens has made a study of the feeble-minded", and has reported to the Department upon hundreds of cases that have been brought under his notice.

As nothing pains the pupils and those connected with the school so much as the use of>the words, "School for Deaf Mutes," one of the first recommendations made by Mr Stevens to the Department was that the official designation of the institute should be "The School for the Deaf." By this name it is now always known. Outside his own profession Mr Stevens earned some reputation as .a speaker and elocutionist, and during the last two years has represented Canterbury in telegraphic chess matches. He has a high opinion of chess as an intellectual pastime, and would like to see it taught in schools, holding that it is fully as useful in training the faculties as any branch of mathematics.

Mr Stevens is retiring by his own. wish, his request to do so being acceded to by the Department with considerable reluctance. His life's work is a triumph of enthusiasm and painstaking effort, and besides being a credit to the Borough of Sumner, is also a page in ilie history of education that New Zealand may well be proud of. Of the scholars who have passed through the school, many now hold responsible positions in the various centres of the Dominion; and scores of others, by their ability to read lip movements and give expression to their thoughts by intelligent speech, (though stone deaf), owe the system and its exponents life-long gratitude for the pleasures which the teaching has opened up for them.