movements, mimic actions,
pantomime, postures--and to carry a close shade of meaning, even the
shrugging of shoulders, the raising of eyebrows and the expression of
the face--all appealing graphically to the accustomed eye. The signs of
which it is made up are partly natural, and partly arbitrary or
conventional; and the whole system as now practiced has been codified,
as it were, for experienced users. By the deaf it can be employed
rapidly and with ease, and is readily and clearly understood. Many of
them become such masters of this silent tongue that it may be used with
grace, warmth and expressiveness.[547]

RISE AND GROWTH OF THE ORAL MOVEMENT

This system of signs, however, has not been looked upon with favor by
all parties. The "sign language" is said to be a foreign language, known
and understood by only a very small part of the population, standing as
a great barrier to the acquisition of language used by people generally,
and tending to make the deaf of a class apart or "clannish." In its
place in the schools would be substituted what is known as the "oral
method," and speech and lip-reading would be used as the means of
instruction. It has been sought thus to give all the schools over to the
oral method, and summarily to drive out the sign language.[548]

Though the system of signs has been used in America as the prevailing
method from the beginning, it cannot be said that speech-teaching had
not been employed at all in the early days. Several schools had started
out as oral schools,[549] and in others speech had been employed to a
greater or less extent.[550] But in none of the schools had the oral
method been retained to the exclusion of all others.

In time, however, attempts were made to secure the adoption of a pure
oral system. Attention was called especially to Germany, which had long
been known as the home of this method, and it was sought to introduce
it into America.[551] In 1843 Horace Mann and Dr. Samuel G. Howe visited
that country, and on their return reported in favor of the oral method,
though no change was then brought about.[552]

A few years later the matter was further agitated, and in 1864 an effort
was made to have an oral school incorporated in Massachusetts, but
without success. A small oral school was then started at Chelmesford in
1866, which after a short time was removed to Northampton, having been
very liberally endowed, and becoming known as the Clarke School. In 1867
the