The Deaf Mute Howls

by Albert Ballin

Originally published in 1930,  The Deaf Mute Howls  flew in the face of the accepted practice of teaching deaf children to speak and read lips while prohibiting the use of sign language. The sharp observations in Albert Ballin’s remarkable book detail his experiences (and those of others) at a late 19th-century residential school for deaf students and his frustrations as an adult seeking acceptance in the majority hearing society.

        The Deaf Mute Howls  charts the ambiguous attitudes of deaf people toward themselves at this time. Ballin himself makes matter-of-fact use of terms now considered disparaging, such as “deaf-mute,” and he frequently rues the “atrophying” of the parts of his brain necessary for language acquisition. At the same time, he rails against the loss of opportunity for deaf people, and he commandingly shifts the burden of blame to hearing people unwilling to learn the “Universal Sign Language,” his solution to the communication problems of society. From his lively encounters with Alexander Graham Bell (whose desire to close residential schools he surprisingly supports) to his enthrallment with the film industry, Ballin’s highly readable book offers an appealing look at the deaf world during his richly colored lifetime.

Genres: Nonfiction

135 pages, Paperback

First published September 29, 1998

Reviews

[Shomeret · Rating 3 out of 5]

When I read an excerpt from The Deaf Mute Howls in the anthology Angels and Outcasts, I decided that I wanted to read the entire book. The deaf author Albert Ballin (1867-1933) sounded so inventive. Apparently, he never thought of himself that way. According to Douglas Baynton, who wrote the introduction, Ballin was disappointed with his life and its limitations.

Albert Ballin was a man who pursued a career as an artist and later as an actor in Hollywood. He believed that deaf sign language could be the mode of communication between directors and actors while in the process of making the movie during the silent film era. He even thought it possible that signing could become the universal language that would be understood throughout the world. This would involve a major paradigm shift. A population on the margins of society would move into the center. I feel that Ballin was a true visionary. Baynton says that Ballin had outsized aspirations. Most people do have smaller dreams. It seems to me that expectations tend to be shaped by background. If you are always surrounded by people who think you will accomplish nothing, you are delighted if you are able to prove them even slightly wrong with a small accomplishment that may only feel significant to you. If on the other hand, you come from a background of wealth and privilege as Albert Ballin did, you might think that you have the power to accomplish absolutely anything. Yet when it came to the promotion of signing for use by hearing individuals, Ballin was a movement of one.

The oralist movement that brought about the complete banning of sign language in deaf instruction arose in the late 19th century, and was in direct conflict with Ballin's efforts. When I read the excerpt in Angels and Outcasts I was baffled by Ballin's friendly relationship with Alexander Graham Bell who was a key figure in the oralist movement. Baynton solved the mystery. Ballin and Bell were both in favor of mainstreaming the deaf. They both thought that there should not be separate instruction of the deaf or a separate deaf culture. That was the basis of their positive interaction.

Yet Ballin wanted to mainstream signing. He thought that sign language should be taught to all students. He wanted to see a future in which deaf sign language is a lingua franca that facilitates communication between people who don't have any spoken language in common. Ballin calls hearing people learning how to sign in order to communicate with the deaf "the Bridge of Signs" which is really a marvelous image.

Despite his brilliance, Ballin couldn't manage to see or understand any perspective except his own. This is why he didn't realize that his dream of one universal sign language was impossible.

For my blog version of this review see my February 2013 post "The Bridge of Signs: The Vision of Deaf Writer Albert Ballin" at http://www.maskedpersona.blogspot.com

[Annie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Found this book very interesting! He has a great sense of humor. I love his friendship with Alexander Graham Bell and how he noticed Bell's strong opinions of how deaf people should be educated. Bell thought the deaf should be taught to speak no matter what. No signing should be allow because it really seperates them from the hearing world. Perhaps Bell had been shun by a deaf person whom he really liked and felt that all deaf people should learn to speak so they won't form this secret society of their own. This is just my opinion.

Was amazed how Ballin was able to communicate well in expressive cultures such as Italy and France area. He tried to push upon an universal sign language so everyone can communicate. It would work but somehow it's not going to as long as people can hear they will talk. What about the blind? They need sound communication too.

If you are interested in Deaf culture and want a perspective from a deaf person this is a great book to read! Keep in mind that it was written in 1880s right when Graham Bell was developing the telephone so hearing aids and technology didn't even exist back then.

[Trinity Bigelbach · Rating 2 out of 5]

DNF
just not for me

[Kaitlyn · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was a little hard to read at times just because it was for class, but it was actually pretty interesting learning about his life and diving a little deeper into the deaf community