The answer to this question depends very much upon the time the pupils are under instruction. If they go out with an imperfect enunciation, without having thoroughly mastered articulate speech; if they go out understanding with difficulty, from the motion of the lips, what is said to them; I think that very many of them, after some years, will be found using the pencil as the best, the surest, and most agreeable way of communicating their thoughts; and I think the number of these will be increased or diminished in proportion to the time employed in education. It is unreasonable. to think that a pupil in six or seven years of instruction could become so proficient in the use of the vocal organs as to find in them a source of pleasure and satisfaction, and so continue their use when he has a thought to convey or a wish to communicate. The majority of all such cases will eventually be found relying upon written language in expressing their thoughts and feelings.

But how will it be with those who have been longer under instruction; who have succeeded well in the school-room; who have become quite proficient in the use of the vocal organs; who articulate correctly and distinctly? Is there any danger that these, after they have passed out from under the influence of teachers, and have met new faces and attempted to read from untried lips, will be found depending upon written language? Yes; some even of this class, after they have gone out into society, and have met the difficulties which must inevitably surround the deaf-speaking person, will let their articulation slip away, and substitute for it the ever-present pencil. And why is this? Simply because articulation is to them unnatural, distasteful-bringing no joy, no satisfaction. There is no sweet harmony of sound, which fills the soul with joy and gladness; no pleasure from the rise and fall of voice, which the hearing ear brings to us. And besides, there is in the mind of every sensitive deaf-speaking person the fear that their speech is imperfect; that their articulation is strained and unnatral; that their voice is harsh and unpleasant. The ear is of no aid in modulating the voice; they are without any means of knowing whether their speech is correct or not, excepting the look of blank amazement or surprise which they see on the faces of their auditors. Hence there is a reluctance to enter into conversation, a shrinking from the use of articulate speech; and so, in some cases, there may be a time of complete disuse of the vocal powers.

But it is unnecessary to continue this subject further. We all agree, perhaps, that there is a proportion of the deaf and dumb to whom articulation will prove of lasting benefit; hence it should have its place in every institution, and should be supported by all those who have the best interests of the deaf-mutes at heart.

The reading of papers was continued.

MR. BANGS read a paper, entitled "Articulation in the Michigan Institution," as follows:

ARTICULATION

IN THE

MICHIGAN INSTITUTION.

BY EGBERT L. BANGS, A. M.

The art of instructing the deaf and dumb is pre-eminently an experimental one. It is not at all strange that different instructors are attracted to different lines of experiment, and it is to be expected that different methods of instruction will have their advocates, and that a great variety of results will be attained in different institutions. While all are working for the same great object, viz.: the education and consequent elevation of the deaf and dumb, all will not work out problems bearing upon the general question, in the same manner. There is, therefore, a peculiar propriety in a convention of instructors of the deaf and dumb, in comparing both the methods of instruction practiced, and the results attained in different institutions.

For the past two years, particularly, the question of articulation has been a prominent one, and it is the object of the present paper to state, very briefly, what has been done in the department of articulation in the Michigan Institution during that time. It is only by a vast number of inductions that a new principle can be established, and it is only by a comparison of experiments that the best method of instruction can be ascertained.

We will state, somewhat in detail, the character of the material in our articulating class of the last year, giving the names of the pupils and such other particulars concerning them as may seem worthy of mention. This seems the more necessary for the reason that there is a wide difference of opinion as to what class of pupils are suitable candidates for such instruction.

1.-Mary Ella Smith: lost her hearing when three years of age; has been taught some in common schools, but mostly by her mother at home; can read the lips and speak so well that many persons conversing with her would not suspect her deafness; has been in an institution for the deaf and dumb only one year.

2.-John B. Mead: became deaf at the age of four years; can read the lips pretty well, and speaks so well that everybody can understand him; has been in the institution seven years, and in the articulation department two years.

3.-Clarissa Penn: can read the lips pretty well, and can talk so well that her words would be understood by most persons and by all acquainted with her; has been in school six years, and in articulation two years.

4.-Anna Hyland: became deaf at nine years of age; talks very plainly and reads the lips some; has been in school four years, and in the articulating class two years.

5.-Marian Cronch: became deaf when ten years old; speaks pretty well; can probably learn to read the lips of her friends at home, and perhaps those of other people; has been in school three years, and in articulation two years.

6.-Sidney Rector : became deaf at seven years of age; can read the lips some, and has improved in distinctness of utterance; has been in school six years, and in articulation two years.

7.-James Simpson: has gradually lost his hearing; cause unknown; can read the lips, and converse pretty well; his voice is improving; has been in school three years, and in articulation two years.

8.-Delos Simpson: a brother of the foregoing, has always been partially deaf; can read the lips, and can converse pretty well; has a weak voice; has been in school four years, and in articulation two years.

9.-Cœnburg Hess: lost his hearing at eight years of age; can read the lips and speak so well that he can converse with great ease with his friends and acquaintances at home; has been at school three years, and in articulation one.

10.-John W. Foote: became deaf at eight years of age; improves pretty rapidly; can talk pretty well, and can read the lips of friends. at home so well as not to use writing in communicating with them; has been at school three years, and in articulation two years.

11.-John R. Lewis: became deaf when ten years old; talks very plainly in speaking all common words; has weak eyes, and has not learned to read the lips very much; has been in school three years, and in articulation two years.

12.-Orvilla Gatchell: is only partially deaf, and learns to talk by hearing more than by lip-reading, but can also read the lips. pretty well; has been in school two years, and in articulation two years.

13.-Edward Van Damme: became deaf when one or two years old; his voice and utterance are both improving; can speak a large number of words distinctly; has been in school six years, and in articulation two years.

14. Frank Andrews: was perhaps born deaf; is improving in voice and utterance; with friends at home communicates more by speech and lip-reading than by writing; has been under instruction four years, in articulation two years.

15.- William Ranspach: became deaf at six years; is improving in tone of voice, in utterance, and in lip-reading; has been in school three years, and in articulation two years.

16.-Levi Murray: became partially deaf when less than a year old; improves in talking and in reading the lips; has been in school five years. and in articulation two years.

17.-Irving Miller: partially deaf from birth; learns by hearing as well as lip-reading; utterance not very distinct, but can be understood at home and by acquaintances; has been in school one year, and in articulation one year.

18.-Ernst Dorman: became deaf at two years of age; is improving some in distinctness of utterance and in reading the lips; has been in school two years, and in articulation two years.

19. Frank Loranger: became deaf when two years of age; can read the lips pretty well and talks so as to be understood by his friends at home, but probably not by most people; has been in school four years, and in articulation two years.

20.-Henry Friedrich: became deaf when seven years old; improves in pronunciation and can read the lips some; has been in school four years, and in articulation two years.

21.-Emma Lambert: became deaf when a year old or less; is improving some in tone of voice and utterance, and can read the lips a little; has been in school five years, and in articulation two years.