Broken Silence Part 2
Description
The original catalog description provided by the Ford Motor Company reads as follows: “Children too small to come on streetcars are brought in busses under care of police department.” Bus stopping in front of house, policeman going to door, escorting child to bus - children entering school, bus stopping in school yard, policemen helping children from bus - woman talking in classroom. “Training the hand and the eye. Teaching imitation and self-control.” Children sitting around table playing with blocks. “A good test of total deafness.” Children sitting on chairs in circle around teacher, another woman coming up behind children and ringing hand bells, children paying no attention. “First step in teaching a deaf child to speak. He learns to control the breath by blowing out the candle.” Children and teacher blowing out candles. “He watches the teacher’s mouth and repeats what is said.” Teacher and student practicing in mirror. “Could you read the lips?” “‘Sound’ to a deaf child means vibrations. ‘Music’ to him means rhythmic vibrations as expressed in marching or dancing. ‘Feeling music.’” Children feeling piano and bass fiddle, marching in circle. “A bit of rhythm from Alabama.” Negro girl dancing. “Discovering her voice. The vibrations of the voice resemble those of a stringed instrument.” Teacher placing child’s hand first on bass fiddle then on her throat. “Learning the names of objects by watching the teacher’s lips.” Teacher and students in classroom, teacher naming object, student raising hands and pointing out named objects - teacher saying word, student writing it on blackboard. “Physical education. Developing the body as well as the mind.” Children dancing around piano. “Future Captains of Industry.” Children in classroom - boys in wood shop. “A most valuable training for any home.” Girls in kitchen learning to bake. “Advanced classes. The work here now approaches that of a child who hears.” Children in classroom reading from books. “America -- ‘My Country ’Tis of Thee.’” Children singing, saluting. “The End.” “He must learn to write as well as lip read and speak.” Teacher saying and showing objects to boy who in turn writes it on blackboard. “Some good lip reading.” Teacher giving instructions, children carrying them out. “Language. What time is it?” Teacher and children working with clock. “Geography lessons. Some more good lip reading.” Teacher and students working with globe - teacher naming different locations, students writing them on blackboard. “A close acquaintance with fractions.” Students putting fractions on blackboard as the teacher says them. [1921]
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