Page:Gallaudet and his school.djvu/14

 Gal.—Thank you; I will look him up. Good day.

(Exit Gallaudet.)

—Gallaudet's school-room in Hartford.

—Gallaudet, Laurent Clerc, Dr. Cogswell, Mr. Woolbridge and seven pupils.

''Pupils are seated at desks, except Alice Cogswell, who stands before a blackboard with Gallaudet instructing her from sentences on the board. Clerc is busy going from desk to desk to correct pupils' slates. New pupils may enter from time to time.''

(Enter Dr. Cogswell and Mr. Woolbridge. Gallaudet sends Alice to her desk and goes to meet them.)

Cogswell—Good day, Gallaudet; how are things going?

Gal.—Very well. We now have seven pupils and I have applications for more. That girl over there entered yesterday. Her name is Sophia Fowler. (They all turn toward the class; Gallaudet beckons to Clerc who comes forward.) Here, doctor, is Mr. Laurent Clerc whom I induced to leave France and come to America with me. (Introduces him also to Mr. Woolbridge—they nod to him and Clerc retires to his work.

Cogs.—Mr. Clerc is a deaf-mute, I believe?

Gal.—Yes. He was a pupil in the Paris institution and after his graduation became one of Sicard's assistants. He has had the benefit of the teaching himself and has also had experience as a teacher, so I consider we are fortunate in securing him.

Cogs.—How about his knowledge of English?

Gal.—As soon as he had accepted my offer to come to America, I began instructing him in English and he gave me lessons in signs. This we