Learning about Annie and Helen

This week, we've been learning all about Annie Sullivan and her student, Helen Keller.

Annie and Helen in Cape Cod, July, 1888. Helen is 8 years old. Annie is 21.




Johanna Mansfield Sullivan or "Annie", as she was known to her friends and family, was born to poor Irish immigrants in Massachusetts. Annie suffered from Trachoma when she was three years old, but her parents could not afford a doctor. Due to the disease, Annie suffered considerable vision loss as she grew up. After her mother died of Tuberculosis, Annie and her brother Jimmie (who also suffered from a tubercular hip), were sent by well-meaning relatives to the Tewksbury Almshouse - a place where poor people were allowed to live when they had no money and no place else to go. Between the terrible living conditions at Tewksbury and the Tuberculosis in his hip, Jimmie soon died. Annie managed to get herself enrolled in a special school - Perkins Institution for the Blind. By this time, Annie was almost completely blind. Luckily, after a series of operations, she regained some of her sight.



Annie's nickname was "Miss Spitfire" when she was a teenager.

 After she graduated from Perkins, Annie was given a job offer by Michael Anagnos, the director of the school. Arthur and Kate Keller of Tuscumbia, Alabama were in need of a teacher for their daughter, Helen. Annie accepted the job.



Annie Sullivan as a young woman,



Helen Adams Keller was born in Tuscumbia, Alabama in 1880. She was a normal enough child until just before her second birthday when she suddenly got sick. Helen was sick for weeks, and the doctor wasn't sure that she'd survive.

 


Modern map of Alabama with Tuscumbia labelled. The town of Tuscumbia still exists today!



Helen did indeed survive her illness but her senses of hearing and sight did not. Helen became deaf and blind. Without any sounds on which to base her speech, Helen soon lost the words she'd been learning. Helen lived another five years in her dark, silent, and lonely world until 1887, when Annie Sullivan came to her house to be her teacher.

Annie and Helen during Helen's years at Radcliffe College.

Our class learned all about Annie Sullivan and Helen Keller through a fantastic biography: Helen Keller's Teacher by Margaret Davidson.

We learned how Annie began teaching Helen the manual alphabet (or 'finger spelling') and how Helen eventually made the connection between the concept of water and the word spelled into her hand.

 



Helen Keller as a young woman

Helen went on to accomplish great things in her life. She became the first deaf-blind person to graduate from college. She became a world famous author and activist who wrote articles, stories, and even an autobiography. She learned to speak and became famous as a lecturer. Helen and Annie even put together an act based on her lectures and toured with the Vaudeville theatrical circuit!





Annie and Helen visited many countries. Here they are in India!







To wrap up our study of Helen Keller, we watched The Miracle Worker to compare the events of the movie with those in the book. Our class was amazed at Helen's bad behaviour at first, but were relieved to see her have the opportunity to learn manners.



We even learned finger spelling! Here's a guide for you to try out at home: