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What the Mother of a Deaf Child Ought to Know by John Dutton Wright
page 23 of 69 (33%)
the skillful operations now performed by oculists, and, as the sight is
of such increased importance to a deaf child, the greatest care and
watchfulness should be given to his eyes. Do not let him sleep, or lie,
facing the sun, or any other powerful light, but throughout his life be
careful that all his use of eyesight be under conditions of ample and
well-directed light. Supposing that the simple tests referred to
heretofore have shown that the eyes, as optical instruments, are
sufficiently perfect, our efforts need to be to train the brain to take
cognizance of, and to interpret the impressions transmitted to it by the
eyes. We shall not be able to improve the working of the eye by our
efforts, but we can educate the brain.

Color and form make the earliest appeal to the child's eyes, and we can
use them for our educational play. The duplicate set of worsted balls of
the seven primal colors can be increased to include easily
distinguishable shades. The child can be sent on entertaining voyages
of discovery around the room with a ball of a certain color to find
other objects similar in color in the rugs, books, chairs, dresses,
ties, etc.

A game to develop observation of form can be made by collecting a group
of objects of varying shapes in a pile on the floor or a low table;
mother picks up some one of the objects, directs the attention of the
little one to it, and after he has observed it somewhat she puts it back
in the pile and moves all the objects about till they are well mixed up.
Ask the little fellow then to pick out the object mother held in her
hand a moment before. When he can do this by sight without difficulty,
have him shut his eyes, place an object in his little hands, teach him
to feel it over carefully, take it from him, and, while his eyes are
still closed, place it once more in the pile. Let him then open his eyes
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