tion. This officer found that blood pressure was raised at 10,000 feet from 120 to 200 mm., and suggests that flying may eventually cause arterio-sclerosis and cardiac hypertrophy. He ascribes some fatal falls to fits of unconsciousness, and urges that medical examination in doubtful cases of physical fitness should be controlled by giving the candidate an opportunity to fly as a passenger, the mental equipment of the aviator being almost as important as the physical, so many and confusing are his problems, so rapidly and so appropriately must he meet them. Major Greene exactly shows the need for a specialized medical service such as we are advocating.-The Lancet, London, January 12, 1918.

WILL THE NEXT CHILD BE
BORN DEAF?

An anxious father of a son he states "was born deaf" sends details concerning the life history of his own and of his wife's parents and grandparents, together with a diagram from which we have made. the graph shown. He writes: "I should like to have information as to the probability of my having more deaf children." We shall be glad to transmit to the father any communications our readers may send to us, and we hope there may be a thoughtful expression of opinion suitable

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for publication in THE VOLTA REVIEW. Referring to his diagram, he adds: “Deaf means slightly to moderately deaf, but in no case completely deaf."

LIP-READING CONTEST FOLLOWED
BY MOVIE

The New York School for the Hard of

Hearing, 18 East Forty-first Street, held its annual lip-reading bee yesterday at the Academy of Medicine, on West Forty-third Street. Mrs. Edward B. Nitchie is now principal of the school, having taken up the work of her husband, who died last year. She had been his assistant.

There were difficult and amusing contests conducted between the pupils, who amazed the onlookers by the facility with which they "heard" without ears, enjoying stories and dialogues just by watching the lips of those who delivered them soundlessly from the platform. After the contests the pupils, who ranged from girls and boys to white-haired men and women, got their reward for excellence in the shape of a two-reel motion picture, "Regiment of Two."

Some of the champion lip-readers are: Mrs. J. F. Hammond, Miss Cora B. Forbes, Miss Florence Taylor, Mrs. Milton Towne, Mrs. A. F. Holly, Jr., Mrs. A. W. Peck, Mrs. J. Peyton Clark, Mrs. Frank D. Wilsey, Henry Mela, Mrs. N. G. Mack, Mrs. Roberts Given, and Miss L. P. Turner. There are just as many men as women among the pupils, by the way, and Mrs. Nitchie diplomatically declined to say why there is only one male champion in an even dozen of prize winners.-New York Sun, January 30.

Miss Katherine S. Fowler won the championship for 1917-1918, and Miss A. Bigler won the beginners' championship.

IDEALISM OF A PERFECT

PRODUCT

Esthetic idealism is the ideal of a perfect product. This is one object of our utilitarianism. I do not see why there is not as much idealism of its kind in breeding a perfect animal, or in devising an absolutely exact instrument for measuring a thousand cubic feet of gas, or for measuring exactly the amount of casein in milk as there is in chipping out a Venus de Milo or erecting a Parthenon. In fact, our agricultural education starts off at the beginning of the freshman year by requiring the student to picture in his mind the ideally perfect horse, or cow, or ear of corn, and then to cultivate his observation and judgment by showing exactly where and how far some actual cow or corn falls short of the ideal. This is the "score-card" method of instruction, which might well be adopted by idealists. Of course, a cow is just a cow and can never become a Winged Victory. But within her field of human endeavor she is capable of approaching an ideal. And, more than that, she is an ideal that every farmer and farmer's boy-the despised slaves and helots of Greece-can aspire to. But, most of all, this idealism of a perfect product is the only way of rendering a perfect service to others. The same is true of all other branches of applied science. They are all teachers of esthetic to the common man. And it is only as science gets applied that its idealism gets democratic. Utilitarianism is the democracy of idealism.-JOHN R. COMMONS.

THE "ENEMY LANGUAGE"

As in America, the place of the enemy language occupies a prominent place in educational discussions in Europe. A committee on the English Modern Language Association recently adopted the following memorandum.

It is not possible to give any exact forecast of the commercial relations of England and Germany after the war, but

whatever form they may assume there is no doubt that a knowledge of German and German conditions will be required for commercial purposes. In the future it will be even more necessary than in the past that there shall be in responsible quarters people possessing an adequate. knowledge of German and all that the study of German in the widest sense should imply. . . . The study of German has inevitably suffered during the war, but we are of opinion that to allow any further diminution to take place, or even to accept the present reduced scale as permanent, would be to the national disadvantage.

Similar convictions prevail in some quarters of Germany, apparently. Regarding the teaching of English in German schools, the Mannheim Gazette asserts:

The modern languages occupy a prominent position in our real schools and higher real schools (Oberrealschulen). No narrow minds will demand their curtailment because of our unpleasant experience with the French and the English. On the contrary, the knowledge of these languages is absolutely necessary to us, especially that of English. Ignorance of a foreign language or of a foreign nation is not an element of strength, but of weakness. Besides, Germany has no intention of isolating herself from the rest of the world when the war is over. She does not want to wage war after war. She strives more than ever to penetrate into the world. . . . The modern languages ought to be given more, not less, time than heretofore.-From Education for January.

Mr. Irving S. Fusfeld, an instructor in Gallaudet College, has been appointed assistant editor of the American Annals of the Deaf, to take the place of Mr. Allan Bradshaw Fay, who died in 1916. For many years this valuable publication has been admirably and conscientiously edited by but a single individual, Dr. E. A. Fay, who is held in the highest esteem by the entire profession. That he should manage to edit the Annals all these years without the aid of an assistant is a marvel.-North Dakota Banner, November 1.

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SOUND PERCEPTION IN DEAFMUTES*

To the Editor:

A usable amount of sound perception in deaf-mutes is of more frequent occurrence than is generally recognized. This is because neither physician nor layman clearly understands how slight a degree of hearing can be utilized for educational purposes. A child that cannot hear speech at short conversational distances will not spontaneously learn to speak, and is classed by the medical profession as a "deaf-mute." Many children, properly so classed by physicians, have, nevertheless, a sufficient power of perceiving sound to profit by special instruction adapted to train the brain to associate ideas with the imperfect sounds that can be perceived. This is possible because, by the laws of sound, the intensity with which the ear is affected varies inversely as the square of the distance, and a child who cannot hear a word spoken at a distance of a yard may be able to hear it at a distance of an inch, since the impression on the ear would then be 1,296 times as great, and if the sound was twice as loud as when spoken at a yard the effect would be 2,592 times as great.

During the past twenty-four years 35 per cent of the deaf children that have been brought to me for training in speech have possessed a sufficient degree of residual hearing to profit by the auricular training which we give. Probably a third of the pupils in the State institutions for the deaf throughout the country could be trained to understand spoken language through the ear if given the opportunity

to learn.

Not only could their brains be trained. to associate ideas with the sounds of speech, but by the conducting of some of the auricular exercises before a mirror, with special reference to articulation, a greatly improved and more natural speech could be secured from the pupil.

There are many cases in which medical and surgical skill can secure for a

* From The Journal of the American Medical Association, January 5, 1918.

deaf child at least a slight power of perceiving sound, though normal hearing cannot be attained. These slight powers of hearing, if properly used educationally, can be made of great service to the child. At present, in the majority of cases, no use is made of them. The physician should exert his influence to have the child receive the proper auricular training. JOHN DUTTON WRIGHT,

I Mount Morris Park, West, N. Y.

The Central Institute for the Deaf, St. Louis, Mo., offers courses in lip-reading for the adult deaf which may begin at any time from September to June. Special arrangement may be made for courses throughout the summer months. The regular course of instruction consists of 40 lessons, which provide for a thorough study of the underlying principles of individually at first, but the student is placed, lip-reading. Instruction in this course is given

as soon as deemed advisable, in a small group with two or three other students. This course may be completed in two months under the most favorable conditions, but the student is advised to spend at least three months at the work. At the end of this time he should have a thorough understanding of the principles of phonetics as applied to lip-reading and should be in a position to gain proficiency through the practise afforded by his ordinary daily intercourse. A normal training course for teachers is also conducted.

Mr. John A. McIlhenny, President of the U. S. Civil Service Commission, is calling attention to the need for war work in Washington of thousands of stenographers, typists, general clerks, cataloging, filing and indexing clerks, draftsmen, inspectors, etc. Detailed information may be secured at any post-office or custom house in the larger cities.

Captain Wallace Foster, of Indianapolis, the well known friend of deaf soldiers and the "flag man," is preparing for publication a "Patriotic Instructor for the American Citizen," that is highly indorsed by leading educators and that will prove invaluable in awakening a true conception of patriotism and in stimulating a stronger love for our country.

"We are what we imagine, and our deeds are born of dreaming. Europe acts today epics that little children in their play conjured and statesmen murmured in their creeds."-Percy Mackaye.

THERE ARE OTHERS

A teacher in a State school for deaf children writes: "Now that I cannot secure copies of THE VOLTA REVIEW for September and October, I deeply regret that I failed to renew my subscription and membership when it expired in June. I did not renew it because I believed I could read the copies on file in the school; but only one copy is taken and I have never been able to locate it. So I enclose $2 and ask you to replace my name on your list of members."

"THE RAINDROP" MOST IN DEMAND

A most prominent national deaf figure who recently died was Dr. James H. Logan, of Pittsburgh, north side, who succumbed to pneumonia December 9, at the age of 74. That he was no "Dry-as-Dust" character, like many another scholar and scientist, would joyfully be testified to by thousands of deaf children, past and present, who have reveled in "The Raindrop," compiled by him. It is the book most in demand in our school, and although a dozen new volumes were got the recent fall it is seldom found on the library shelves. Taken all in all, he was one of the really great deaf men of all time, and if it were not for his great modesty and quietness of character none of our time would be more widely known.-The Michigan Mirror, Feb

ruary.

HALIFAX SCHOOL FOR THE DEAF

Yesterday afternoon the Directors of the School for the Deaf, in Halifax, considered and promptly accepted a most generous offer made by the governors of Acadia College through the president, Dr. Cutten. Last week Mr. Fearon visited Wolfville to make enquiries, where he was received by President Cutten and the professors with the greatest kindness and sympathy, and ample accommodation was at once offered for about 60 pupils, with the promise of more if necessary. Practically all the privileges of the college were included, such as workshops, library, recreation grounds, etc., and Mr. Fearon was directed to convey to the governors of Acadia, through Dr. Cutten, their high appreciation of the great kindness.

This relieves the directors of the Halifax School for the Deaf of a great present responsibility, as it will require at least six months to put the school building in Halifax in the condition in which it was previous to the explosion. Immediate steps will be taken to recall the pupils now at their homes all over the Provinces and Newfoundland, and to begin lessons at Acadia College, which, as every one knows, enjoys one of the most beautiful and finest sites in Canada.

The directors at the meeting were: President

Forrest, Senator Power, Hon. G. E. Faulkner, Dr. Frank Woodbury, C. R. Hoben, C. C. Blackadar, and Superintendent Fearon.-From The Acadian Recorder, Halifax, January 23.

BOOKS RECEIVED

"The Beginner's Book" is the fourth in a series of books Miss Upham has contributed as an aid in the education of the deaf. All are so finely illustrated and printed and are so practically helpful that the profession should feel indebted to her. As the author states in the preface: "The basic idea of this book is an appeal to the child's self-activity. The child's instinctive love for doing things should serve as an incentive in his learning to read." There is a vocabulary of more than 400 words, and the phonetic drills are based on the Northampton charts.

From Toyko Ro-a-Gakko, Tokyo, Nippon, an attractively bound set of 23 reproductions of photographs showing the pupils at play, in the class-rooms, at work, etc., and illustrating work done. 60 pages; 6 by 9.

Eye Hazards in Industrial Occupations: A Report of Typical Cases and Conditions, with Recommendations for Safe Practice. Being Publication No. 12, of the National Committee for the Prevention of Blindness. New York, November, 1917. 146 pages; 6 by 9.

Talking Gloves for the Deaf and Blind: Their value to men injured in the present war. By Harold T. Clark, Cleveland, Ohio, November, 1917. 24 pages; 6 by 9.

The William Terry Touch Alphabet: For use by the deaf and by the deaf and blind. With a brief sketch of the achievements of Dr. William Terry during fifteen years of total blindness and deafness. By Mary T. Clark and Harold T. Clark, Cleveland, Ohio. Second edition. 16 pages; 6 by 9.

Comments on the William Terry Touch Alphabet. 4 pages; 6 by 9.

From the Washington records of the Marine Corps come the assertion that only one boy in five among those recruited in quiet neighborhoods has the acuteness of hearing possessed by the average dweller in a noisy town. The rejections on the ground of defective hearing were in the ratio of five to one in favor of "city ears." The surgeons and scientists assume that the quiet of country districts tends to weaken, through disuse, the nerves in the ear, while the constant clamor of the city really keeps the aural nerves responsive.-From Popular Science Monthly, January.

Ask your physician to subscribe for THE VOLTA REVIEW. It may help to broaden his views on the value of lip-reading.