<P> Itard has been recognized as the founder of "oral education of the deaf; the field of otolaryngology; the use of behavior modification with severely impaired children; and special education for the mentally and physically handicapped ." </P> <P> While Victor did not learn to speak the language that Itard tried to teach him, it seems that Victor did make progress in his behavior towards other people . At the Itard home, housekeeper Madame Guérin was setting the table one evening while crying over the loss of her husband . Victor stopped what he was doing and displayed consoling behavior towards her . Itard reported on this progress . </P> <P> When looking at the association between language and intellect, French society considered one with the other . Unless cared for by friends or family, the dumb routinely ended up in horrible, ghastly conditions . However, around 1750, something different was happening in Paris . A French priest, Charles - Michel de l'Épée, created a school to educate the deaf - and - dumb . His institution was made into a National Institute in 1790 . This new interest and moral obligation towards the deaf - and - dumb inspired Itard to nurture and attempt to teach Victor language . "He had Locke's and Condiallac's theory that we are born with empty heads and that our ideas arise from what we perceive and experience . Having experienced almost nothing of society, the boy remained a savage ." </P> <P> Throughout the years Itard spent working with Victor, he made some gradual progress . Victor understood the meaning of actions and used what twentieth - century writer Roger Shattuck describes as "action language", which Itard regarded as a kind of primitive form of communication . However, Itard still could not get Victor to speak . He wondered why Victor would choose to remain silent when he had already proved that he was not, in fact, deaf . Victor also did not understand tones of voice . Itard proclaimed "Victor was the mental and psychological equivalent of someone born deaf - and - dumb . There would be little point in trying to teach him to speak by the normal means of repeating sounds if he didn't really hear them ." </P>

Who was the first feral child studied by social scientists in 1798