2. How important is a
teacher to you? Does your
teacher reach out to you in
whatever way he or she
can?
3. Helen Keller
Helen Adams Keller
(June 27, 1880 –
June 1, 1968) was an
American author,
political activist,
and lecturer. She
was the first deaf
blind person to earn
a Bachelor of Arts
degree.
4. She was born in
Tuscumbia, Alabama
on 27th June, 1880.
Her father, Arthur
H. Keller, was the
editor for the North
Alabamian, and had
fought in the
Confederate Army
during the American
Civil War
5. At 19 months she suffered "an
acute congestion of the stomach
and brain (probably scarlet fever)
which left her deaf and blind. Helen
was a very bright child. She became
very frustrated because she
couldn't talk. She became very
angry and began to throw temper
tantrums. The family knew they had
to do something to help her.
6. The most important day she
remember in all her life is the
one on which her teacher, Anne
Mansfield Sullivan, came to her.
She was filled with wonder
when she consider the
immeasurable contrasts
between the two lives which it
connects.
8. On the afternoon of that
eventful day, she stood on the
porch, wondering, expectant and
she guessed that something
unusual was about to happen, so
she went to the door and waited
on the steps. She did not know
what future held of marvel or
surprise for her.
9. She was like the ship at sea in
a dense fog, when it seemed as
if darkness shut you in, and you
waited with beating heart for
something to happen. ”Light!
Give me light!” was the
wordless cry of her soul, and
the light of love shone. She
felt approaching footsteps.
10. The morning after her
teacher came, she lead her
into her room and gave her a
doll. Miss Sullivan slowly
spelled into her hand the
word “ d-o-l-l.” She was at
once interested in this finger
play and tried to imitate it.
12. In the days that followed,
she learned to spell in this
uncomprehending way a great
many words. But her teacher
had been with her several
weeks before she understood
that everything has a name.
13. Earlier in the day they had a
tussle over the words “m-u-g”
and “w-a-t-e-r.” Miss Sullivan
had tried to impress upon her
that “m-u-g” is mug and that “w-
a-t-e-r” is water, but she
persisted in confounding the
two. She became impatient at
her repeated attempts.
14. In the still, dark world in
which she lived there was no
strong sentiment or
tenderness. She felt her
teacher sweep the fragments
to one side of the heart, and
she had a sense of
satisfaction that the cause
of her discomfort removed.
15. They walked down the path to
the well-house, attracted by the
honeysuckle with which it was
covered. Someone was drawing
water and her teacher placed
her hand under the spout. As the
cool stream gushed over one
hand she spelled into the other
word water, first slowly, then
rapidly.
16. Suddenly Helen felt a misty
consciousness as of something
forgotten-a thrill of returning
thought; and somehow mystery
of language was revealed to her.
She knew that “w-a-t-e-r”
meant the wonderful cool
something that was flowing over
her hand.
17. The living world awaken her
soul, gave it light, hope, joy set
it free! She left the well-house
eager to learn. Everything had a
name, and each name gave birth
to a new thought. As they
returned to the house every
object which she touched
seemed to quiver with life.
18. I learned a great many
words that day. I do not
remember what they all
were; but I do know that
mother, father, sister,
teacher were among them-
words that were to make the
world blossom to me.
19. Everything has its wonders,
even darkness and silence, and I
learn, whatever state I may be in,
therein to be content.
Helen Keller