DEAF AND DUMB IN ENGLAND

Grey River Argus, 3 February 1917, Page 8

DEAF AND DUMB IN ENGLAND

ORGANISING FOR ACTIVE SERVICE. LONDON, November 75. It may be that the war will pee * i.] nnother'weird and unique developivi-nt ! — an officer, perhaps, leaping v pr the parapet, cheering his men onvv^rH by violently waffffing- his fingers ;uvi sig naeling his orders by the deai-;-n;i-dumb system. Even the deafl w\n i the dumb are unwilling to admit rh it they cannot serve in some military or seI mi-military capacity, and some, hundreds of London men -who are int.r tunate enough to have no bearing or speech are determined to show that nhey can do most of the things that a , soldier docs, as well as any, one. I Already, nearly 1000 men, completely deaf pr dumb, or both, but found in wind and limb, are enthusiastically drilling, and thpir ambition -is to ! prove that they are fit to be jncor ' porated with local vohmtep- corps. \ Many are men of fine physique. :ind j they feel that under their, own officers, they could do a good dral of useful I work. The Royal Association in Aid 1 ol 'the Deaf and Dumb is equally enthusiastic, and is arranging for men , to be trained in various parts of London through the medium of signs. Mr. F>> G. Barns, of the Residential School for the Deaf and Dumb, TTomc-rton. is also unwilling to believe that no good j ti<;e can be ninde of men whose af- ! fliction does not affect their physical capacity. "The deaf and dumo," no sain. % 'can march, drill, dig trenches, and shoot as well as anyone. There are even situations in which their deafness increases their efficiency. When, for instance, orders have to be. given from 3 distance, and the voice can't be relied on to carry so far, the deaf aye usually better at picking up signs quickly ,than men with hearing. Several completely deaf men have been drilling with volunteers for some time, and have been no hindrance to thp others. Hartv can pick up the orders merely from the movements of the instructor's lips. "We are now arranging For the deaf and crumb to be trained in various parts 'of London by •instructors who understand them and know the language of sign? "^eforf long we hope to arrange a parade, »r. tint the man may be inspected by someone from the War Office. We shayy expect to show that there is no reason why the deaf an ddumh should reason why the deaf and dumb should movement. They would be lceenlv disappointed if they were left out. side."