For Deaf-mutes

In a little church in Cincinnati one night last week sat 80 pious Negroes and whites. On the platform stood a man singing in a slow, quavering tenor: "Wha-at a friend we ha-ave in Jesus. ..." Near him were half a dozen men and women whose features rhythmically moved in quickly-changing contortions. Their arms rose and fell, their fingers wiggling in concerted movement. Only sound in the church was the creaky tenor voice. When the hymn ended, the gesticulations of the half dozen people ended and the audience --So deaf-mutes--broke into spirited applause. The pastor of Cameron Methodist Episcopal Church of the Deaf, Rev. August H. Staubitz, arose. With lightning fingers he signaled his flock that they were about to behold a lecture on the Passion Play of Oberammergau, for which each of them had paid 10-c-. The lights went out save for one beam from a shaded lamp near the screen. The lecturer began flashing magic lantern slides, explaining them in a booming voice. An interpreter, his hands flickering continuously in the beam of light, translated at top speed. Across the screen flew scenes from the Passion Play. When he uttered a guttural German name the lecturer interposed: "That's rather difficult, Mr. Read." But Interpreter Read's nimble fingers swiftly hurdled the obstruction and the lecture went on until the deaf-mutes had learned all about Oberammergau.

Hearing lectures and sermons in "signs" and watching choristers "sign" their hymns in unison is fairly common for U. S. deaf-mutes in urban centres. In Manhattan there are three congregations for them, Catholic, Episcopal and Jewish. Once a week Jews attend services supervised by Mrs. Tanya Nash, widow of a rabbi, who provides guest rabbis and interpreters. Because deaf persons cannot understand a person whose face or hands they cannot see, the parts of the Jewish ritual in which the rabbi's back is turned on the congregation have been eliminated. Catholic deaf-mutes in New York, Philadelphia and Baltimore are in charge of a kindly, white-haired Jesuit named Rev. Michael A. Purtell. Father Purtell holds weekly services in the three cities, runs a newspaper called The Catholic Deaf-Mute, confesses, marries, baptizes, buries and supervises the social activities of a flock of 1,500.

Special services for mutes are given in Chicago by Methodist Rev. Philip J. Hasenstab and Rev. Henry S. Rutherford, who alternate in carrying their work throughout the Midwest. In San Francisco Lutheran Pastor Charles Jaetner conducts services twice a month. Jews, Catholics and Protestants in Atlanta may attend special deaf-mute services every Sunday at St. Mark's Methodist Church. In Dallas deaf-mutes meet weekly in the First Baptist Church. Mrs. Clara E. Hemphill is the leading sign language teacher of that city. Her great concern is to persuade Episcopalians to provide mute services because she believes the austere ritual of that church is especially beautiful in sign language.

Deaf-mutes are fond of Hymn-signing, in duets, quartets or ensembles, and accomplished ones gain dramatic effects by signing such hymns as "Lead Kindly Light" with eyes, hands, arms and bodies moving in unison. In saying the Lord's Prayer each one signs himself at the end with his initial. To say "God" one simply points the right forefinger to heaven. "Christ": touch left palm with middle finger of right hand, right palm with left middle finger, extend arms to suggest a figure nailed to a cross. Some mutes indicate "Amen" by placing the palms together as if in prayer. Others use the same symbol as "men": hand to forehead as if about to tip the hat, thumb and forefinger touching the head, the other fingers crooked.

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