Written by: Aaradhya Prasai - 2027001, Grade V
Posted on: 14 October, 2020
Helen Keller was born in 1880 in Tuscumbia, Alabama. When she was 19 months old she could not hear and see because of mental fever. Anne Sullivan, her teacher, was appointed by the Kellers to teach Helen, and she took her task seriously. Anne had a strong empathy with the child's frustrations, as she herself had once been blind, but had her eyesight restored by the surgery. Ann began teaching Helen how to communicate in sign language. She slowly learned everything. In the beginning, it was hard work, as Helen still didn't really understand the concept of words. After this, Helen felt more confident and was determined to learn the motions for all the familiar objects in her world. Helen attended many schools specifically for blind and deaf students and learned several methods of communication, including touch-lipreading, Braille, typing, and fingerspelling. She first attended the Perkins Institute for the Blind in 1888 (the school where the family had been referred to Ms. Sullivan). Helen quickly excelled at her studies and became an ambassador for the school, helping them to secure prominence in the teaching of the blind. Helen received many honors and awards for her work, including the Presidential Medal of Freedom, from President Lyndon in 1964. Helen was a very brave girl who died peacefully in her sleep at 80 years old. She teaches us to overcome our difficulties in life with great determination. From her life, we can learn to be positive.
(From the monthly reading book: What is love? An excerpt from Helen Keller’s Biography.)
