LATE MR VAN ASCH.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 14156, 7 March 1908, Page 10

LATE MR VAN ASCH.

DISTINGUISHED DEAF-MUTE TEACHEK. (Fkou Oim Own Correspondent.} GHHISTOHUKCH, March 6. Mr Gerrit Vin Asch, formerly principal of tho Deaf Mute Institution at Sumner, died in Holland on Wednesday. The first intimation of his bad health was received on Tuesday, by his son, Mr H. C. D. Van A'6ch, and yesterday a cable announced the death, which was due to hemorrhage of the brain. The deceased gentleman was a, .Hollander by birth, and was in his seventy-second year. His life was devoted to the study of how to overcomo and to minimise the affliction of deafness and to sain experience in the various methods of teaching and training deaf miitcß ho visited several of the jnost important schools in and especially those for articulation and lip-reading in Germany. In 1859 he introduced the pure articulation system into England, where he carried on a private establishment for the education of deaf mutes in a suburb of Manchester, avoiding all signs and finger language and employing spoken language and iip-readinjr only as a means of instruction and communication. Later he removed his school to Barnet, Herts, and afterwards to London. He arrived in New Zealand in 1879, and settled in Sumner, where,- "under engagement to the Government ot New • Zealand, ha established the school for deaf mutes, which he controlled with conspicuous success for over a quarter of a century. He left on a world tour in 1906. visiting England ' and the' Continent, and lie was expected back in the Dominion next September. He leaves a widow, five sons, and four daughters. .