By age 10, Helen had mastered Braille as well as the manual alphabet and even learned to use the typewriter. By the time she was 16, Helen could speak well enough to go to preparatory school and to college. In 1904 she was graduated "Cum Laude" from Radcliffe College. The teacher stayed with her through those years, interpreting lectures and class discussions to her.

Helen Keller, the little girl, became one of history's remarkable women. She dedicated her life to improving the conditions of blind and the deaf-blind around the world, lecturing in more than 25 countries on the five major continents. Wherever she appeared, she brought new courage to millions of blind people.

http://www.helenkellerbirthplace.org/helenkellerbio/helen_keller_birthplace2_bio.htm

After college Helen’s dad had died causing it to be a very sad time in Helen’s life. A few weeks later John and Anne had a beautiful, colorful, wedding. This was one of Helen’s most joyful moments. All three of them moved to a beautiful home on the West Coast. Helen decided to be a lecturer and a writer even though Anne and the others said she should be a teacher and pass on what Anne taught her.

Helen wrote 14 books. The Story of My Life won a Pulitzer Prize and a Newberry Award. Helen also went around the world lecturing to people. Later she went to talk to the government about making more books for the blind. Eventually the government listened to her and made more books with braille.

Soon John had died, and Helen and Anne were the saddest they’d ever been. A year later Anne died. Helen cried for weeks and weeks. Anne and Helen were together her whole life and now Helen felt alone. A few years passed and Helen learned how to whisper. She wished Anne could hear her speaking now. Another month passed and Helen could speak more clearly. Helen died a few years later in 1966, at the age of 88.

http://www.pocanticohills.org/womenenc/keller1.htm

Never bend your head. Hold it high. Look the world straight in the eye.

Helen Keller

Many persons have the wrong idea of what constitutes true happiness. It is not attained through self-gratification but through fidelity to a worthy purpose.

Helen Keller

http://www.quotationspage.com/quotes/Helen_Keller

Many more in-depth information on Helen Keller can be found at: http://www.rnib.org.uk/aboutus/aboutsightloss/famous/Pages/helenkeller.aspx

A timeline of Helen Keller's life can also be found at: http://www.rnib.org.uk/aboutus/aboutsightloss/famous/Pages/helenkeller.aspx

Being blind and deaf did not stop Helen Keller from living a remarkable life. Her story gives hope to people around the world. People around the world admired Helen Keller.