s later started a school near Hamburg. In 1778, at
the instance of the state, he moved to Leipsic, his school thus being
the first public school for the deaf to be established. He was also the
author of several books on the education of the deaf. Heinicke was
instrumental in bringing the oral method into favor, and in many
respects, so far as its present use is concerned, may be said to be its
father. He was in fact one of the greatest teachers of the deaf, and the
influence of his work has been felt in no small measure in America.

In France, too, there were great names, though they were late in
appearing; Pere Vanin, Rousset, Ernaud, de Fay, Pereire, Abbe de l'Epee,
Abbe Deschamps, and others.[162] Of these Vanin, Pereire, Deschamps, and
de l'Epee are the most notable. Vanin about 1743 instructed some
children by means of pictures and a manual alphabet. Rodriguez Pereire,
a Portuguese Jew, had several pupils at Bordeaux before the middle of
the eighteenth century, and though his methods were kept secret for the
most part, he appeared to have met considerable success, in 1749 giving
an exhibition before the Academy of Sciences. Abbe Deschamps in 1779
published at Orleans a work on the instruction of the deaf, largely
favoring the oral method. It is to Charles Michel abbe de l'Epee,
however, that is given the highest reverence of all the initial workers
for the deaf, being the founder of the first regular school, and
receiving nearly equal distinction for his impression on early methods
of instruction--this being especially true in respect to America, where
his influence in the introduction of the sign language has been greater
than any other man's. The abbe had become interested in two deaf orphans
in Paris, whom he attempted to teach, and in 1755 established a school
near the city, conducting it at his own expense. This proved a success,
and he decided to give his whole life to the instruction of the deaf. He
wrote several works on their education, the chief one being "_La
Veritable Maniere d'Instruire les Sourds et Muets_," published in 1784.
The achievements of de l'Epee were soon far-famed, and the people were
taken with their novelty. Many honors were offered him, and his work was
brought to the notice of the French Academy and approved. In 1791 his
school was adopted by the state. The successor of abbe de l'Epee was
abbe Sicard, and the work continued to flourish in France.

Not long after de l'Epee and Heinicke