If You Give Me Three Days of Light: The Best Collection of Helen Keller

Chapter 32 The Teacher's Story (9)
Mrs. Keller cleverly added: "What she defeated was not others, but her own violent habits." After finishing speaking, the two looked at each other and smiled.

Perkins Institute for the Blind

Towards the end of Anne's first summer at the Kellers, Anne received a letter from Laura from the Perkins Institute for the Blind.She came downstairs with the letter and read it to everyone at lunch.Before she finished reading, Mrs. Keller interrupted her excitedly: "Teacher, will Helen be as good as what she wrote in the future!"

By the end of August, Helen had learned 8 words. In October, she was able to write letters in Braille to blind children at the Perkins Institute for the Blind.At the end of the year, Annie took her to the circus.Helen asked thousands of subtle and unique questions about the animals in the circus, and Anne spent day and night looking for these answers everywhere.In order to satisfy Helen's exuberant curiosity, Anne was really busy like a spinning top.

In June of the following year, Anne received a letter from Mr. Annanus, the principal of the Perkins Institute for the Blind.He said that he has been paying attention to Helen's progress these days.He hoped that Anne could bring Helen to the graduation ceremony to honor the Perkins Academy for the Blind.

After Anne finished reading the letter, she frowned and thought deeply.Yes, in the past year, she has achieved a lot, but will the public think of her as a gifted child or a deformed child?Is Helen ready to face so many strangers?Would too much sympathy destroy her?

Finally, Anne made the final decision.She believes that the current Helen can read, write, answer people's questions, and be independent.This concludes their first year of study, and it's time to show it off!

Anne and Helen set off at the end of the month and took the northbound train to Boston.Once off the bus, they headed straight to the Perkins Institute for the Blind.After Helen greeted Principal Ananos politely, she couldn't wait to turn to Annie and asked, "Where are those children? Where are they?" She has been communicating with the students of the Perkins Institute for the Blind for several months. , in Helen's mind, they have long been her good friends, and she is eager to see them!
Annie smiled: "Come on! I'll take you there."

She took Helen to a large playroom and said, "Look, Helen, they're here waiting for you." She pushed Helen forward, and Helen melted eagerly into the surroundings of her new playmates.

The next day, Mr. Ananos invited Annie to his office for a private chat."What are your plans for the future?" he asked.

Annie said slowly: "I have no plans yet. The past year has been like a whirlwind, blowing my head away. I haven't had time to think about the future yet."

Mr. Ananos asked: "Then have you considered keeping Helen here for a while?"

Seeing Annie frowning, he hurriedly explained: "Oh, of course you have to stay. Annie, don't worry, you are very good at educating children."

Annie replied indifferently: "Thank you for your kindness, but we don't intend to stay. If you invite us to pay a short visit, we will be happy to accept it."

"why?"

"Mr. Principal, do you know? Helen has been looking forward to visiting Laura for a long time. She thinks they are both blind, deaf and dumb, and they should be good friends. I took Helen to find Laura this morning. The exuberant Helen almost scared Laura to death. As soon as Helen got close to her, she became inexplicably nervous and irritable, and waited until Helen left to stabilize her emotions and calm down. In fact, this was because Laura’s life circle was too narrow Because of the reason, she only lives in her own small room, not connected with the outside world, I don’t want Helen to become like that, it will trap her.”

Mr. Ananos finds Annie's ambitions absurd and perplexing. "Annie, you should face the reality, don't blindfold yourself and deceive yourself. Think about it, what else can you expect from them? It is impossible for Helen's health to return to normal. It’s just sad, she is not a healthy ordinary person after all.”

Anne understood Mr. Ananos's sincerity and concerns, but she had to convince him. "I know she is blind, deaf, and dumb, and I also know that she will never fully recover. These physical defects force her to live apart from normal people, but you may be right when you say that she is different from normal people. Yes, but what I want to say is that from a certain point of view, she is the same as a normal person. Although she is physically handicapped, she has her own internality just like you and me. Just like you are Anano Mr. Si, I am Annie, and she is Helen. Like other normal people, she has her own character and ambition, please don’t worry, I believe that there is no unparalleled road, and where there is a will, there is a way.” Annie was full of enthusiasm. Hope to finish this sentence with piercing eyes.

forever
Annie was right, she did it, and Helen did it too. In the next few years, the struggle between Anne and Helen achieved brilliant results.With extraordinary achievements time and time again, people from all walks of life have brought affirmation and reputation to Helen. In the spring of 1890, Helen became the second deaf-mute person in history who could use her mouth to speak.Yes, she may be born without seeing, deaf but not hearing, but she is no longer dumb and speechless.

When she was 12 years old, Helen announced in a very firm tone: "I will go to college in the future, Harvard University!" Yingjie competition?There was only one person who supported her challenge without hesitation, and that was Anne.

In the autumn of 1900, Helen successfully entered the Radcliffe College of Harvard University.Annie accompanied her to classes and interpreted the professor's lectures for her in sign language. Four years later, she was among 4 other girls standing in the ranks of graduates to receive her college diploma, a thick piece of paper that is priceless.So far, Helen Keller has graduated from the world-famous Radcliffe College.At the same time, she also became the most fully educated blind and deaf person in the world. "

Helen's reputation grew day by day, and she became a household name.But only few people notice that beside her, there is often a slender lady who is willing to hide behind the scenes in obscurity and never complains.A columnist asked Anne to write something about herself.But she doesn't want to expose herself, she wants to play the role of "teacher" forever.She declined and said: "My life is my own private matter, so you don't need to worry about it." The "teacher" and Helen have always lived a fulfilling life like this.

Later, Helen became a writer, and she described the life forms and psychological evolution of the blind and deaf in books, magazines, and newspapers.She has written a lot about the difficulties faced by the blind and the deaf.Then she and her teacher toured the United States to give lectures, inspiring the public to understand the plight of the disabled.

Years are like water, time goes by.Annie, who has always been full of energy, gradually feels powerless after spending many years with Helen. One day in 1920, she finally resisted the urging of aging, and sadly said to Helen: "I can't go with you to this speech, so find someone else to go!"

Helen's teacher is getting old, and now she is blind in both eyes.

Annie thought to herself, "Do it again!".She went to the doctor, and the doctor kindly told her: "Please don't be sad. In the past, when it was time to rest your eyes, you didn't rest and used your eyes too much. You have read so many books for Helen, and now I'm afraid you will have to pay the price. Okay." After you have been educated in Braille, relying on your outstanding knowledge of Braille, you will not feel lonely in the dark world, and you can read to your heart's content."

Annie's heart was pierced. "No! I hate Braille, I can't accept it, I want eyes, I want light." But this time, Anne's efforts failed in vain.Annie's eyes were completely blinded.

For Helen's sake, Annie tried her best to lift her spirits.But when Helen was away, she couldn't help telling her friends: "It's so hard to laugh these days. What I think of is Anne who walks freely, rides through the water, stays up all night, and can see everything." ...I hate this old, useless body. I'm flabby, blind, and tired. I lie to myself, I don't think I can carry this old body anymore, I'm tired."

Her friend persuaded: "Annie, how can you do this! Helen can't live without you, and you can't leave us either."

But time flew by and ruthlessly took away the rest of Anne's life. On October 1936, 10, Anne Sullivan passed away.

Anne devoted her whole life to helping Helen break free from the shackles, pursue the independence of mind and nature, and return to basics. Now she leaves Helen to face the reality alone. I took care of it.

Helen misses relying on her teacher, and wanted to give up working alone several times. Whenever she was slack and frustrated, a soft warning would remind her: "Helen, the teacher doesn't like you like this. If we give up halfway, then our previous efforts will be destroyed. It will all fail." The kind whispers supported Helen to endure the pain, slowly rebuild her will bit by bit, trim her life goals, and work hard.She worked tirelessly, lit the flickering torch of life, and illuminated the beacon of the disabled.She laughed heartily and cherished the mysterious endowment of life.

Anne Sullivan repaid her hard work all her life, and it was not in vain. She cultivated the immortal wonder of the 20th century——Helen Keller.

(End of this chapter)