Elena Adams Keller was born a normal healthy child in Alabama, June 27, 1880 in a beautiful, wealthy family. She was a year and a half when, after acute inflammation of the brain and stomach, she lost sight and hearing. A beacon of hope for the Keller family was Charles Dickens’ American Z-Notes, which told about one deaf mute, educated. Her name was Laura Bridgeman, but her teacher was no longer alive. The father took his daughter to Baltimore to the famous optometrist, but he could not help and
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Elena Adams Keller was born a normal healthy child in Alabama, June 27, 1880 in a beautiful, wealthy family. She was a year and a half when, after acute inflammation of the brain and stomach, she lost sight and hearing. A beacon of hope for the Keller family was Charles Dickens’ American Z-Notes, which told about one deaf mute, educated. Her name was Laura Bridgeman, but her teacher was no longer alive. The father took his daughter to Baltimore to the famous optometrist, but he could not help and advised to contact Alexander Graham Bell, a famous physicist and inventor. Mr. Bell encouraged the parents, expressing confidence that the girl could be taught and advised to apply to the Perkins school for the deaf-mute, where Laura Bridgeman still lived. His father wrote there and was recommended a teacher, Anna Sullivan. “Creating a miracle,” so called Anna Sullivan famous American playwright William Gibson. And Elena Keller, who will become a famous writer, will write in one of her books: I will never forget my teacher. She did a miracle. My hearing and sight were taken away, but I began to speak to God. He did not allow my soul to be taken away.” Elena recognized people’s moods by touching their faces, which is no less wonderful than the ability to see. She could think, compare, imagine, remember, feel. At the age of eight, the girl, along with her teacher, is already studying French, German, Latin, Greek, at nine she reads books on astronomy, at 11 years old she takes care of deaf-blind five-year-old boy Tommy Stringer, organizes a fund and collects money for his training, writes business letters. At 13, he began reading Caesar’s War of Gallic in Latin and helped establish a public library in his city. At the age of 17, she successfully passes the entrance exams to Radcliffe College, after which she received a bachelor of arts degree. She was the first deaf-blind to receive higher education. First, Elena saw and heard through her teacher’s eyes and ears, then through her independent reading, her habit of thinking and catching the subtlest vibrations of the world. She read a lot, but of all the books she read, she loved the Bible the most. With the help of Braille, and then a typewriter with the same typeface, Elena Keller was able to express her feelings, opinions and observations about a world that was amazed by her achievements. She was a friend of Mark Twain and Alexander Graham Bell. Dating Charlie Chaplin, Bernard Shaw, Evelyn Sid, "listened" with her fingers to the violin of the great Yasha Heifetz, and Chaliapin sang for her, pressing her mighty chest. She spoke to the kings and queens of Europe and the four presidents of America, but never lost touch with those whose well-being and improvement she considered her calling and purpose in life: serving the deaf and blind. In 1933, at the age of 53, Elena gave her first speech to an audience. Elena Keller received higher education and became a talented writer. One of her books, My Religion, has been translated into many languages. She wrote her own books, mastering five types of relief printing. She worked for the National Committee for the Prevention of Blindness. She went around the country with public appearances, raising the problems of physically handicapped people. She wrote articles, took part in rallies, attended schools in England, France, Germany, Italy - trying to attract public attention to people with special needs. She worked for 44 years at the American Foundation for the Blind: she participated in the organization of a special department for the deaf-blind. She spoke in the U.S. Congress with support for a project to establish a national library service system for the blind under the patronage of the Library of Congress. This bill became law in 1931. She took an active part in the campaign for the adoption of the law on the provision of pensions for the blind, deaf and mentally retarded (such a law was passed in 1963). Keller’s scientific and journalistic activity lasted 65 years. During this time, she wrote more than 10 books: "The Story of My Life", "My World", "Optimism", "Diary", "Teacher Anna Sullivan - Macy" and others. Many of the household details we find in Elena Keller’s books seem to come from another world. Here she is, another girl, at the World's Fair, and she's allowed to touch all the exhibits, even hold a $100,000 diamond. At the Boston Museum of Art, she can touch all the statues, she listens to the play of outstanding musicians, touching their instruments, she is on time to order printed in convex font necessary for college books. During her life on Broadway there were performances about her. About Elena Keller was filmed documentary "Non-Received", which received the highest American award - "Oscar". The playwright W. Gibson dedicated his famous play “The Wonderworker” to E. Keller and her mentor A. Sullivan. The foundation that bears her name is world famous. Thanks largely to her, the hearingless and blind ceased to be outcasts of society. Many years after they met Mark Twain said that in the 19th century there were two truly great people – Napoleon and Elena Keller. Having lived a long and useful life, this unique woman died on June 1, 1968, bequeathing her entire fortune to improve the lives of deaf-blind people.