little cousin lately. She is about fifteen months old, and

already understands a great deal. In response to questions she

points out prettily her nose, mouth, eye, chin, cheek, ear. If I

say, “Where is baby’s other ear?” she points it out correctly. If

I hand her a flower, and say, “Give it to mamma,” she takes it to

her mother. If I say, “Where is the little rogue?” she hides

behind her mother’s chair, or covers her face with her hands and

peeps out at me with an expression of genuine roguishness. She

obeys many commands like these: “Come,” “Kiss,” “Go to papa,”

“Shut the door,” “Give me the biscuit.” But I have not heard her

try to say any of these words, although they have been repeated

hundreds of times in her hearing, and it is perfectly evident

that she understands them. These observations have given me a

clue to the method to be followed in teaching Helen language.I

SHALL TALK INTO HER HAND AS WE TALK INTO THE BABY’S EARS. I shall

assume that she has the normal child’s capacity of assimilation

and imitation. I SHALL USE COMPLETE SENTENCES IN TALKING TO HER,

and fill out the meaning with gestures and her descriptive signs

when necessity requires it; but I shall not try to keep her mind

fixed on any one thing. I shall do all I can to interest and

stimulate it, and wait for results.