June 27 is the birthdate of Helen Keller. Elementary education will never be complete without learning who Helen Keller is and her remarkable contributions.Keller was known to be a brilliant blind and deaf lady who has achieved more than any other typical lady of her time.
No wonder, that on this day, her birthday, a contributor of The Mighty, Holly Bonner, pays tribute to the lady who paved way for people with disability such as blindness and loss of hearing to have a mark in society. Helen Keller was born in Tuscumbia, Alabama to Arthur Keller and Kate Adams. Her father was a retired Army Captain while her mother took care of her as much as she could. When Helen was a baby, she contracted "acute congestion" and doctors suggested that this possibly came from scarlet fever and meningitis. It left Helen, blind and deaf all her life.
Losing her sense of sight, did not stop her from achieving a lot of things in her life, being the smart girl that she was. She learned to use her remaining senses in understanding the world around her. With the challenges of her situation came the tantrums and it was said that some of it were pretty epic.
She had several teachers, but the teacher who went to stick it out with her was Annie Sullivan, from the Perkins School for The Blind. Through it all Sullivan exercised utmost patience in handling Helen's tantrums and rages. She was able to teach her so many things and one of which is finger spelling. She also taught her more of the things around her, even in a simple learning experiences like splashing water on her palms with the use of a water pump.
Here are a few reasons why Helen Keller get all the praises from all over:
She is literally brilliant. She mastered the alphabet at 10 years old, and even learned to use a typewriter. At 16 she was at preparatory school. The year was 1904, Helen was the first deaf and blind to graduate college and she was a cum laude at Radcliffe College.
An "OG" feminist, Helen Keller became an advocate for the disabled. She spoke her mind and was active in issues regarding women's right to suffrage and birth control. Even with her disability she was well known as an independent thinker. She has authored 12 books, and countless articles. He first biography was written back when she was in college.
Helen Keller was also what we can call a frequent flyer. She has flown over 39 countries in between the years 1930-1950 and because of those visits, blind schools were established as well as rehabilitation centers. Helen was also an activist and was very passionate about it, specifically wanting to help those people who became blind and disabled during the World War II.
Going back to the onset of her life, she tried to understand and made sense of the world around her. Now, because of Helen Keller, the world has become more aware that people who are disabled can do more than just exist in this world. Truly, her birthdate is to be celebrated.
Here is a re-enactment of one of her brilliant speech. Be inspired!
