By Alexandra Dryjanski
5/2/2012
Helen Keller: An inspiration
Helen Keller was born on June 27, 1880, in
Tuscumbia, Alabama.
Her father, Arthur Keller, was an editor and also had fought in
the Confederate Army. Her mother, Kate Keller, stayed home with
Helen.
When Helen was 19 months old, she was very sick and developed a
severe fever. She survived her illness and her fever which left her
deaf and blind. When Helen was seven years old, her parents got a
suggestion from Alexander Graham Bell and contacted a school for
blind to find a teacher for Helen.
Anne Sullivan was hired to help Helen. Anne helped by teaching Helen
letters, how to behave, and how to talk. Anne showed Helen what
letters were and what things were. One example, Anne taught Helen
the word water by using a water pump. Anne wanted Helen to fill up a
pitcher. When Helen felt the water running on her hands Anne taught
her the letters W-A-T-E-R.
Anne also taught her how to have good behavior. For example, Helen
was eating everyone’s food off their plates with her hands. Anne
pushed her to sit down and use her fork. Anne kept Helen’s arms to
herself. Anne taught Helen how to talk by placing Helen's hands on
the lips and throat so Helen could feel the sounds.
Helen’s accomplishments were going to college, reading and writing
in Braille, and writing her own book. Helen went to Radcliffe
College. Radcliffe didn’t want her to attend. Helen didn’t care
about their thoughts so she attended there anyway
She graduated in 1904 and learned five different languages. She was
the first deaf-blind person to receive BA degree.
Helen had two typewriters. One was regular and another one was
Braille. She used a typewriter to write books, letters, and
articles. Anne changed the college books to Braille and Helen read
the book. Helen wrote her first book called, “The Story of My Life,"
which she while in college.
Helen was important to other people with disabilities because she
inspired people. She showed that Deaf and blind people deserved
respect. She helped support various Deaf-Blind programs. Helen
inspired people with disabilities because she was persistent. One
way she showed persistence was when she applied to college. Another
way was when she learned letters, words, and sentences. Anne kept
showing her more letters, words, and sentences and Helen kept
wanting to learn more and more.
Helen showed that it doesn’t matter if person has a disability. She
showed that if a person works hard and has persistence, that person
can make it. She founded an organization in 1915, "Helen Keller
International;" which was dedicated to preventing blindness and
teaching people how to live well. The organization printed books and
music in braille and these books helped blind people so they could
understand and learn new things.
Helen Keller inspired everyone. Some people thought she wouldn't be
able to do anything like normal people do. Despite her disabilities,
she was exactly like normal person but only just deaf-blind.
Works Cited:
Allott, Robin. "Helen Keller: Language and Consciousness." Percepp.
Web. 2 May 2012. <http://www.percepp.com/hkeller.htm>.
Forrest, Ellen. Helen Keller. Tuscon: Learning Page, 2005. Print.
"Helen Keller." Spartacus Education. Web. 2 May 2012. <http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/USAkeller.htm>.
Keller, Helen. The Story of My Life. New York: Bantam, 1990.
Print.
"The Life of Helen Keller." Grace Proucts. Web. 2 May 2012.
<http://www.graceproducts.com/keller/life.html>.
Miracle Worker. Dir. Nadia Tass. Perf. Hallie Kate Eisenberg and
Alison Elliott. Disney, 2000. Youtube.
"Mission and History." Helen Keller Int'l. 2012. Web. 02 May
2012. <http://www.hki.org/about-us/mission-and-history/>.
Also see: Helen Keller:
Success through persistence
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