People and interests

During Malm’s time, Porvoo was a bustling school town of 3 000 residents. Malm became acquainted with many influential locals, including J. L. Runeberg with whom he became friends and had discussions for years through written notes. Their discussion topics ranged from the general way of the world to the social status of the deaf. Malm also used a pen and a paper to have discussions with other hearing people. Sometimes he used a writing slate although he disliked it, because it made your hands and clothes dirty and even looked ugly.

Malm lead a lively social life in Porvoo. Some of his local acquaintances knew at least some sign language or individual signs, so socialising must have been fairly easy. Malm also had great language skills. In addition to sign language, his repertoire included Swedish, Finnish, German, French and English. At the school for the deaf in St Petersburg, Malm had had written discussions with the headmaster in English, and the headmaster had first taken Malm for an Englishman.

In Turku, working at the new school was rewarding, but life otherwise must have been less than blissful. The social circles did not receive Malm as well as in Porvoo. He tried to approach locals by writing, but with poor success. His brother Gustaf Emil assisted him as an interpreter at the theatre and other events.

Malm’s interests included crafts, swimming, natural sciences and astronomy. His fascination with astronomy remained a passionate hobby throughout his life. For example, Malm was seen explaining a forthcoming solar eclipse to one of his students. As for botany, he wrote a small booklet describing the most common and useful plants. He also played chess.

Malm was interested in physics and mechanics, and his bookshelf included physics-related books with abundant notes. He combined this knowledge with his craft skills and built himself floating waterskis. The story tells that he used them both at the Porvoonjoki river and the River Aura. He also tried to build himself a dirigible balloon, but this attempt failed.

Malm took an interest in photography. In those days, it was a rare hobby and the materials needed to be prepared by the hobbyists themselves, which required an understanding of chemicals. Among Malm’s notes, there are chemical-related price enquiries, recipes and notes where Malm discusses technical issues with photographers. Based on the notes, the conclusion can be made that he was highly acquainted with the topic.

Malm was socially aware and progressive. He read foreign newspapers and was especially interested in the governmental affairs of foreign countries He also sent social initiatives to Turku-based professor Efving regarding women’s and disadvantaged people’s status as well as girls’ education. Together with his brother, he founded a people’s library in Turku.

Malm was religious, and his writings about prayer and how prayer is heard paint a picture of a religious mindset. Malm was also interested in the thoughts of Swedish philosopher and mystic Emmanuel Swedenborg he read in Swedenborg’s book ’Läran’.

Malm’s all-round persona is also manifested in the fact that his remains include a book on phrenology, a science that infered human characteristics based on an individual’s head shapes. Phrenology has been considered a quasi science, but it was popular in Malm’s days.