1890.03.28 English

Malling-Hansen

THE ROYAL INSTITUTE

FOR THE DEAF-MUTE

COPENHAGEN

28 March 1890

Dear friend[1] ! On Sunday morning the 16th of March “Nationaltidende” published an article that was very pleasing to all friends of Volapük[2]; apart from sympathetic introductory remarks, it reproduced some of the statements in “Le XIX Siecle” [3] concerning the importance of Volapük in connection with the translation of works of international value – in this case my article in “Nationaltidende” [4] concerning flue and children’s weight increase.

Provided it is not meant to be an editorial secret I would be very grateful to know, whenever it is convenient , whether it is of its own initiative that the honourable editorial office of “Nationaltidende”, or one of the members of the editorial staff , has set out these sympathetic comments about Volapük. Up until now the press has remained so cool, to say the least, in relation to the Volapük endeavours that it would appear as a light in the darkness if my question could be responded positively.

Otherwise it should be added that I have received not only Siecle’s translation but a total of 10 such translations from different European papers and journals, and I am expecting more.

Let me use this opportunity to express my joy over the thoroughly funny, excellent, witty and perfectly splendid article in “Nationaltidende”, the morning edition of March 26, concerning the remarkable second parliamentary hearing on the deaf-mute issue. I take it you know the author? Please convey to him my most grateful thanks; it was very pleasant to have such a refreshing gust of genuine humour after this period of awfully choking strain that – in spite of much goodwill from many supporters of Venstre[5]- has brooded over the endeavours to promote the cause of the deaf-mute.

Yours faithfully

R. Malling-Hansen

[1] CB: Yet another letter for his close friend Collin. Edgar Collin was a journalist and a theatre critic and wrote in daily papers such as “Nationaltidende” and “Dagbladet”

[2] JMC: Volapük is one of the artificial languages created in the 19^th century. RMH was one of the most influential proponents for Volapük in Denmark, and he himself was very proficient in the language.

[3] CB: Must be a French magazine or journal (“The 19^th Century”)

[4] CB: Yet another – at least to me! – unknown article by RMH. Apparently he has related his measurements concerning “Children´s Weight Oscillations” to a flu epidemic at the school. This constitutes yet another research task for us friends of RMH !

SA: This article must be identical to the one that was translated into Volapük and printed in the journal “Timapenäd Volapük” 1889 no 9. The title of the article in Volapük was “Influenza e vätaglofam cilas”. RMH also corresponded with the editor of this journal, Jens Bayer.

Incidentally, this period also saw the unfolding of RMH’s very last effort for the cause of the deaf-mute. The proposal that he wrote on behalf of a public commission was finalized in Parliament, and the result was that RMH’s visions about a coordination of all the institutions for teaching of the deaf-mute under one joint overriding plan became reality. The state took over the responsibility for the Keller Institutions and at the same time a new institute was established in Nyborg. All deaf-mute pupils would henceforth be summoned to Fredericia in order to attend a preparatory pre-school, after which they would be channeled to various schools in accordance with their hearing ability and cognitive capacity, the purpose being to adapt the teaching as well as possible.

[5] JMC: Political party founded in 1870 on a radical platform in opposition towards the landed gentry and the National Liberal Party. It has roots back to a previous party representing poor and middle-income farmers (“Bondevennernes Selskab” founded in 1846). Venstre was a left-wing party until 1905, when internal conflicts led to a break-up in factions, and “Det Radikale Venstre”was founded, increasingly leaning towards a right wing position.