Helen Keller
by Sonya
Early Childhood
I was born in 1880 in Tuscumbia, Alabama. When I was a baby I had a high fever and then I became blind and deaf. I did not know any thing until Annie came. My family was really sad because they could not communicate with me. I used to walk around the table and eat off everybody's plate. They let me do it and they were used to it. When I got mad, I threw a tantrum. Once I threw a doll.
I Meet Annie Sullivan
Annie was a person who helped me. She was my teacher and she stayed with me and helped me a lot. When I first met Annie, I was a little nervous, but then I felt her doll in her suitcase. She was doing movements in my hand and I was a little afraid of her because I did not know her and I did not understand her. Annie took her doll and put it in the suitcase. I got very made then because she took it away from me. I was not used to people taking things away from me.
Another time when Annie was in her room, I locked her in. I hid the key and my dad had to get her out the window with a ladder. I was mad at her because I did not understand anything.
Another time when Annie was in her room, I locked her in. I hid the key and my dad had to get her out the window with a ladder. I was mad at her because I did not understand anything.
I Know Lots of Things
Annie was trying to teach me to understand my name, colors, my friends, but I did not understand. One day at a well, we were taking a drink and Annie thought of something. She spelled W-A-T-E-R in my hand. I lit up because I knew what Annie meant. Nothing had meant anything to me and now it did. I started pointing to everything and Annie spelled everything into my hand. Then I pointed to myself and Annie spelled H-E-L-E-N. Then I pointed to Annie and she spelled T-E-A-C-H-E-R. I wanted to know my hair color and my eye color. I wanted to know everything.
Lots to learn
When I was seven years old I knew more than 400 words, but there was one important word I did not know. I hadn't laughed for a long, long time. L-A-U-G-H!! Annie taught me this word and I was really happy. Annie also taught me how to T-H-I-N-K, that is the most important thing.
Things that made me happy
When I was a kid I went to the circus. I loved it because I could smell cotton candy, hot dogs and lemonade, but the best part was when I got to shake hands with a bear, feed the elephant, get licked by a leopard and play with the monkeys. One of them even stole the ribbon from from my hair!
Going to shool
I was invited to go to school at the Perkins Institute in Boston, that is the same school where Annie went. I loved the Perkins School because there were so many books in braille, so I could read them myself! Books helped me learn about the world.
Very determined!
Teacher taught me how to talk with my hands, but I decided I wanted to talk like other people and I told teacher to teach me how to talk like other kids. I wouldn't take no for an answer! Annie found me a new teacher in Boston to teach me how to talk. It was so hard. I practiced and practiced and cried and cried. Finally I could make some words and I didn't feel dumb anymore.
Cool things about my life
I went to college and newspapers wrote about me. I became famous because I was blind and deaf but I learned to read and speak a little bit. When I was 12 I got to meet the President of the United States. After college Annie and I gave lectures and traveled to lots of places. I liked to say "Life is an adventure or it is nothing."
sources
Helen Keller by Margaret Davidson
pictures from Kids Info.Bits
pictures from Kids Info.Bits