Born more than 100 years ago, Helen learned to speak and read and write. Those may not sound like great accomplishments. But Helen Keller was both deaf and blind.
Imagine that your ears are stuffed with cotton. You can’t hear anything—not even someone shouting. A blindfold covers your eyes. You can’t see anything, either. Your world is dark and silent. This was Helen Keller’s world.
When Helen grew up, few deaf people learned how to speak. There were very few schools for deaf and blind children. Few blind people learned how to read and write. Helen Keller not only did both, but also did much more. She wrote several best-selling books. And she gave lectures around the world. She showed that her handicaps had not held her back. Above all, she gave hope to other people who, like her, could not hear or see. |