302 INTERNATIONAL CONGRESS OF EDUCATION. 
¢¢ In Tuscumbia, Alabama, there lived a little girl who lost her sight and her power of 
aearing, before she was two years old. She retained her power of feeling, and the use 
of the sense of smell and of touch. After a few years a statement of her case was sent 
to an institution in Boston, where similar defects received special attention. A young 
lady began, in that institution, a special course of study, with the purpose of teaching 
his little girl in Alabama. She commenced the instruction of her pupil just before she 
was seven years old ; she is now thirteen. That teacher, Miss Sullivan, and her pupil, 
flelen Keller, are with us to-day; and they will be happy to show you some of the 
cemarkable results of the adaptation of methods of instruction to defects under very 
lifficult conditions. 
«« Miss Keller is a great reader, a ready writer, and has begun the organization of a 
public library for the community at her home. 
«¢ Miss Sullivan will show how she communicates with her pupil, and Helen Keller will 
speak to you.” 
Miss Sullivan said : “¢ Miss Keller does not know what she is to do; I will let her read 
irom my lips.” Placing Helen's fingers upon her lips, Miss Sullivan repeated slowly : 
i Will you recite a few phrases of the ¢ Psalm of Life’ ?” Miss Keller answered promptly 
and distinctly, « Yes, with pleasure.” Miss Sullivan then conducted her to the front of 
“he platform, and Helen recited the lines quite distinctly. 
The Chairman said: “You saw that Helen read from the lips of her teacher with her 
ingers. She has been trained to carefully observe by touch the movements of the lips 
in talking, and thus she understands what is said. She has also been taught to read 
movements of the hand. 
In answer to an inquiry, ‘How was the first communication made to Miss Keller ?” 
Miss Sullivan replied : ** I did not begin by teaching her to speak. She had used a man- 
nal alphabet, and means of spelling by hand for three years before she learned to speak. 
[ began by giving her an object—a doll that I had taken with me from Boston for the 
purpose. I thought I would begin with the word doll, for she seemed to be pleased with 
he doll. I took the doll up and made the motions d-o-l-1, in her hand, and showed her 
she doll. Then I got her to make those same motions herself. When she understood 
-hat word, I took other words, short ones of one syllable, nouns, one after the other. I 
worked with her in that way about sixteen days before she understood that everything 
had a name. That came to her suddenly. I had given her the word mug, and when- 
aver I spelled mug to her she would raise the mug to her mouth as when drinking. It 
securred to me that she was confusing the word mug with what the mug might contain. 
The impression of the contents was stronger to her mind than the vessel. So I took her 
out to the pump one day, and had her hold her mug under the spout; as the water 
gushed out I spelled water on my fingers, and she caught the idea, and raised herself 
up. The idea seemed to come to her suddenly, and she turned to the nurse, who was 
holding her little baby cousin, and put her hand on the baby with a little nervous action 
and said, *“ What is this ?” I spelled the word baby, and then she dropped to the ground 
and patted it, and I gave the word ground. On the way back to the house she wanted 
1» name for everything, and I gave it to her; and she never forgot a word that she learned 
that day. 
The Chairman requested Miss Sullivan to name the books that Helen Keller has 
read, and to state those which she likes best. 
«T will ask her by reading from my lips,” said Miss Sullivan. ¢ Will you tell our 
‘riends what books you have read, and which you like best ?” 
Helen read the question with her fingers on Miss Sullivan’s lips, and answered : 
«¢ I have read many, many books, and it is rather hard to tell which books I like best. 
[think I like © Little Lord Fauntleroy,” ‘ Little Women.’ ¢ The Vicar of Wakefield.’ and 
‘When the Ship Comes Home.” ”’