Anne Sullivan

Great Lives

The Editorial team

   We all know the famous blind-deaf woman - Helen Keller. A lot of credit goes to her, but some of us may overlook her teacher's dedication. Anne Sullivan spent 49 years of her life with Helen Keller.
Sullivan was born on 1866 in Massachusetts, U.S.A. Sullivan's parents were uneducated, unskilled and impoverished immigrants from Ireland escaping from The Great Potato Famine. She lost her eyesight due to trachoma at the age of 8, and she persuaded for admission in The Perkin's School for the Blind to an inspector at her alms-house. She graduated from there at the age of 20 as the topper of her class. She was invited to become Helen's teacher and she did so when Helen was only seven. Sullivan evolved from a teacher to governesses, and then from a companion to a friend. Since she had her own eye defect, she could understand Helen's loneliness, fear, frustration and her isolated world of darkness. Helen was unable to understand teachings, if done as to any other child.
   Anne didn't give up; she tried teaching Helen with on her methods; and it worked. Ignoring the advices that her doctor gave in taking care of her eyes, she kept reading various books for Helen despite the harm caused to her eyes. Anne felt that teaching Helen was a type of second chance to replenish her own childhood and the chances she missed. In fact, Helen and Anne were children, growing up together. The word which drew the connection between the locked cell of Helen and with the outer world was water. A month later after Anne's arrival, Helen had a sudden confusion between mug and milk which she related with drink. Anne took Helen to the water pump and pumped water over her hand. All this happened in a cottage, a bit far from Helen's house. Anne Sullivan remained Helen's companion and friend for the next 50 years.

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   We all know the famous blind-deaf woman - Helen Keller. A lot of credit goes to her, but some of us may overlook her teacher's dedication. Anne Sullivan spent 49 years of her life with Helen Keller.
Sullivan was born on 1866 in Massachusetts, U.S.A. Sullivan's parents were uneducated, unskilled and impoverished immigrants from Ireland escaping from The Great Potato Famine. She lost her eyesight due to trachoma at the age of 8, and she persuaded for admission in The Perkin's School for the Blind to an inspector at her alms-house. She graduated from there at the age of 20 as the topper of her class. She was invited to become Helen's teacher and she did so when Helen was only seven. Sullivan evolved from a teacher to governesses, and then from a companion to a friend. Since she had her own eye defect, she could understand Helen's loneliness, fear, frustration and her isolated world of darkness. Helen was unable to understand teachings, if done as to any other child.
   Anne didn't give up; she tried teaching Helen with on her methods; and it worked. Ignoring the advices that her doctor gave in taking care of her eyes, she kept reading various books for Helen despite the harm caused to her eyes. Anne felt that teaching Helen was a type of second chance to replenish her own childhood and the chances she missed. In fact, Helen and Anne were children, growing up together. The word which drew the connection between the locked cell of Helen and with the outer world was water. A month later after Anne's arrival, Helen had a sudden confusion between mug and milk which she related with drink. Anne took Helen to the water pump and pumped water over her hand. All this happened in a cottage, a bit far from Helen's house. Anne Sullivan remained Helen's companion and friend for the next 50 years.

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