The Rogerenes: some hitherto unpublished annals belonging to the colonial history of ConnecticutBolles, John R. (John Rogers)
History
The Rogerenes: some hitherto unpublished annals belonging to the colonial history of Connecticut
Bolles, John R. (John Rogers)
Rogerenes -- History
Mr. Whipple had never heard of the schools in Europe where the
deaf are taught articulation and lip-reading; but, at length,
noticing that Enoch would sometimes attempt to repeat a word, if
he was looking directly at the speaker’s mouth, the thought
occurred to the father that perhaps every word had a shape, and
that by learning the shape of each letter, as moulded by the
mouth, the boy might be taught to imitate it. The task was begun.
Every moment Mr. Whipple could spare,—for he was a poor man, and
besides his own family there were some orphan children depending
upon him,—he devoted to teaching his little son. It was
astonishing what progress was made. Other members of the family
also acted as teachers, and as Enoch grew towards manhood, he was
not merely on par with his associates, but acknowledged by all to
be a superior youth. He could read, could write a nice hand, and
for deciphering poor penmanship there was scarcely his equal for
miles around. He could also talk. To such perfection was his
instruction carried by his energetic father that this deaf man has
done business with strangers, bought goods of merchants, etc., and
has gone away without leaving a suspicion of his infirmity.
As has been seen, the efforts of Mr. Whipple did not end with
teaching his own son. He made many successful experiments with
other deaf mutes, which led to the founding of The Home School for
the deaf at Mystic.
After Jonathan Whipple had passed his seventieth year, his
faculties remained unimpaired, and he was as indefatigable in his
efforts to improve the condition of the afflicted as when his
theory was first put in practice. His life was a useful and
beautiful one; not a struggle to gain wealth or to win fame; but
simply to do good. His declining years were cheered by the
knowledge that he had wronged none and bettered many.—_Abstract
from Life of Jonathan Whipple in “Men of Mark.”_
Presentation of facts belongs to the historian; but the effect and
uses of the information thus afforded is for the reader. We have
collected and set in order such attested facts as we have been able
to discover relative to the history of the Rogerenes, of which sect
the people of Quakertown are the only distinct representatives of
the present day.
* * * * *
If at the end of this history it should be asked: “How can the
Rogerene sect be described in briefest terms?” we reply:—
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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