Keller As A Child
Keller was born on June 27, 1880 in Tuscumbia, Alabama. Her dad is Arthur H. Keller and her mother is Katherine Adams Keller. Helen hand two older step brother's and was the first of two daughters born to Arthur and Katherine. Keller's father had proudly served as an officer in the Confederate Army during the Civil War. Keller's family was not particularly wealthy and earned income from their cotton plantation. When Keller was born her senses her sight and hearing. She started speaking when she was six months old, and she started walking when she was at the age of one. When the war was over the family moved to Memphis, Tennessee. Her birth place is Ivy green. In the year 1882, Keller got struck with an illness called "Brain Fever." After the fever broke, Keller's mother Katherine noticed that when the dinner bell rang Keller didn't even budge to go to dinner and, when you wave your hand in front of her she wouldn't do anything. This is how Keller became blind and deaf. Then the family went to go meet with Dr. Alexander Graham Bell, the telephone inventor. Dr. Alexander recommended contacting Michael Anagnos. He was a director of Perkins Institution for the Blind in Boston. Captain Keller writes to Anagnos, requesting a teacher for Helen. Anagnos contacts his star pupil Anne Sullivan. Anne was working with Keller; they were beginning sign language. Anne had very bad eyesight, she was not completely blind. But she was not deaf. Anne makes the “miracle” breakthrough, by teaching Helen that “everything had a name.” Anne's first word that she taught Keller was W-A-T-E-R. She spelled the word into Keller's hand. Helen and her family spend time at Fern Quarry, the Keller's cottage is about 12 miles from Tuscumbia. There she rides a pony named Black Beauty, she goes to barbecues and takes hikes in the woods with Anne and her sister Mildred. Helen spends the winter in New England, and she gets to experience snowstorms and icy cold. The experience sticks with Keller, and inspires her to write a story several years later. Helen's first school is Perkins Institute. Keller was the guest student there. Helen's second school is Wright-Humason. Keller and Anne had to travel to New York City so she could attend there. Keller loved Central Park, and sailing on the Hudson river. Keller also visited West Point, Tarrytown, and the home of Washington Irving, including taking a walk in the "Sleepy Hollow." February 1896, her good friend and a principal financial backer, Mr. John P. Spaulding, dies. August 19, 1896, Keller's father Arthur dies. Keller's 3rd school is Cambridge. At the midterm, her mother took her out of Cambridge and lined up a personal tutor, Mr. Mertin S. Keith. Mr. Keith was teaching her algebra, geometry, Greek and Latin, usually for just a few hours a day.Helen is notified that she has passed the entrance examinations and that she has an open invitation to attend Radcliffe. She decides that she could use another year of personal instruction with Mr. Keith, and that she will start at Radcliffe in the fall of 1900. September 1900,
Helen becomes a member of the freshman class of 1904 at Radcliffe. In Keller's first year, she studies French, German, history, English composition and English literature. In history Keller studies the whole period from the fall of the Roman Empire to the eighteenth century. September 1901, It's Keller's second year at Radcliffe, she studies English composition, the Bible as English literature, the governments of America and Europe, the Odes of Horace, and Latin comedy, with the class in English composition being her favorite. September 1902, It's Keller's third year, she studies economics, Elizabethan literature, Shakespeare, and the History of Philosophy. Keller's first book The story of my life, was published in March. The book was best sellers for a 100 years. July 1908,she writes and publishes The World I Live In. June 1921, Keller's mother Katherine dies. April 1930,Keller, Anne, and Polly travel abroad, visiting Scotland, Ireland and England for over six months. August 26, 1932 Anne's husband John Macy dies in Pennsylvania. June 1933, Keller, Anne and Polly return to Scotland. October 20, 1936
Sullivan Macy Keller's teacher dies. December 1955, Keller's book, Teacher is published. March 21, 1960 Polly Thomson dies. October 1961,
Helen suffers her first stroke and retires from public life. June 1, 1968 Helen Keller passes away in her sleep.
Helen becomes a member of the freshman class of 1904 at Radcliffe. In Keller's first year, she studies French, German, history, English composition and English literature. In history Keller studies the whole period from the fall of the Roman Empire to the eighteenth century. September 1901, It's Keller's second year at Radcliffe, she studies English composition, the Bible as English literature, the governments of America and Europe, the Odes of Horace, and Latin comedy, with the class in English composition being her favorite. September 1902, It's Keller's third year, she studies economics, Elizabethan literature, Shakespeare, and the History of Philosophy. Keller's first book The story of my life, was published in March. The book was best sellers for a 100 years. July 1908,she writes and publishes The World I Live In. June 1921, Keller's mother Katherine dies. April 1930,Keller, Anne, and Polly travel abroad, visiting Scotland, Ireland and England for over six months. August 26, 1932 Anne's husband John Macy dies in Pennsylvania. June 1933, Keller, Anne and Polly return to Scotland. October 20, 1936
Sullivan Macy Keller's teacher dies. December 1955, Keller's book, Teacher is published. March 21, 1960 Polly Thomson dies. October 1961,
Helen suffers her first stroke and retires from public life. June 1, 1968 Helen Keller passes away in her sleep.