VOLTA BUREAU, 'The, Washington, D. C., for the increase and (Effusion of knowl edge relating to the deaf, ‘%as founded and endowed by Alexander Graham Bell (q.v.) in 1887. It was the outgrowth of extensive re searches he engaged in during the years 1878 83, to determine the causes of deafness and to what extent the human race is susceptible of variation by selection. The bureau derives its name and its endowment from the fact that the Volta prize, created by Napoleon, was con ferred by France upon Dr. Bell for the inven tion of the spealcing telephone. The 50,000 francs received was invested in laboratory equipment and experiments that resulted in the invention of the phonograph-graphophone. From his share of the amount received from the sale of the fundamental patents of the talking-machine industry, and for discovering and giving Graphonic art commercial practi cability, he set aside the sum of $100,000 as an endowment fund "for the increase and diffu sion of knowledge relating. to the deaf?' Housed in a building of classical architecture, the Volta Bureau was the property of its trus tee, Alexander Melville Bell, and his successor, Charles J. Bell, from 27 June 1887, until 1909, when, at the suggestion of its founder, it was presented with other property to The American Association to Promote the Teaching of Speech to the Deaf, an association founded and en dowed by Dr. Bell in 1890. In furtherance of. its primary purpose, the Volta Bureau has printed, or repnnted, and freely distributed, in the form of leaflets, pamphlets or books, several hundred thousand contributions to linowledge in the hope that persual would senre to broaden views concerning the deaf. It has
published a few boolcs that it sells at cost or less. It maintains a fireproof reference library, and is endeavoring to include in its unique col lection of literature relating to the deaf a copy of every book, periodical, pamphlet and leaflet relating to any phase of deafness and published in any part of the world during any period. Among its other functions, the Volta Bureau serves as a world's clearing-house, or medium of exchange, between the schools and the vari ous associations of the deaf in all parts of the world. It distributes among foreign schools and associations the reports and literature of American schools and associations and vice versa. It also serves as a bureau of informa tion for parents and friends of deaf children, for physicians, otologists, the clergy, and all who desire available information concerning any phase of deafness. For the benefit of its members the association maintains a teachers' agency at the Volta Bureau, where parents, school officials and others who are members may secure names and addresses of available teachers, free of charge. The Volta Bureau publishes The Volta Review; The Speech and Speech-Reading Magazine, an illustrated monthly periodical presenting helpful essays on live subjects of vital interest to thinking men and women working to promote the welfare of the deaf and for the betterment of humanity.