Blog by Vanshi | Digital Diary

Championing the Blind  The American Foundation for the Blind AFB, despits being a relatively new organization had already made significant strides. A New Partnership  They established a unified Braille code set up a Braille printing press to increase book availability and assisted blind individuals in finding employment. By joining forces with the AFB, Helen and Anne would not only work on a cause close to helen's heart supporting the blind but also secure a steady income. In return the AFB gained prominent advocated to amplify its mission. Making a Big Impact  Helen's name proved to be a powerful asset. At their first fundraiser, she and Anne raised &21,000. Their efforts led President calvin coolidge to agree to become the AFB's honorary chairman Helen hosted fundraisers at har home spoke in churches and addressed town halls to educate the public about blindness. After three years of intense work it was time for a well deserved break. New Books and New Challenges  Helen sought to focus on writing and enlisted editor Nella Braddy Henney's help her first book my Religion was published in 1927, following by Midstream. My later life in 1929. However the latter did not achieve the same popularity as her earlier works as readers were more intersted yher childhood than her adult life. Amid these challenges Anne's deteriorating eyesight led to surgery to remove her right eye in 1929. Consequently polly accompanied Helen to washington DC. Where she successfully persuaded congress to allocate &75,00 for the printing of additional Braille books. This marked the first federal support for a blind related program in the US.  A New Ally and a Heartbreaking loss Helen's influential continued to grow and she forged a friendship with president Franklin D. Roosevelt. She advocated for the blind urging him and other legislators to take action. Her efforts contributed to the signing of the social security Act in 1935, which provided unemployment insurance retirement funds, and support for children and the disabled including the blind.

Voicing her views  Helen also wrote an article titled 'I Must speak for the Ladies'  Home journal. In the piece, she informed readers about an eye infection that mother could transmit to their newborn. The solution was straightforward _ special eye drops for the babiles.  Preventable Blindness The eye drops were inexpensive, but not all parents could afford receive the drops would become blind. Helen had once believed that blindness couldn't be prevented, but she now understood that this wasn't true. Learning that so much blindness could have been avoided made her angry. Helen realized the link between blindness and poverty and wanted to understand the challenge faced by those living in poverty. She visited their neighbourhoods and spoke with workers and immigrants to learn more about their lives. She was determined to find ways to help because she believed in the importance of improving others lives.  A New Influence  Throughout her life, Helen learned from many people and one of the most influential was john Macy, who edited her book. Helen came to admire john and when he married anne in 1905, she moved in with them. John a socialist, believed that wealth should be shared more equally among all people, not concentrated among the rich. Helen and Anne enjoyed john lively political discussions with friends, and Helen was inspired by his ideas. By 1909, she joined the socialist party, eager to learn and advocate for equality. During this happy period, Helen published two more book with John's help and often enjoyed bike rides with him loving the thrill of going fast.

The Breakthrough Moment While most children her age were learning in classrooms, Anne realised that helen wasn;s quite ready for that . Without a sufficient vocabulary, Helen couldn't grasp lessons effectively. The challenge was figuring out the best way to teach her the essential words. Although Helen's behaviour had improved she was still very energetic. Anne knew that traditional clasroom settings wouldn;t suit her teaching style. Instead she aimed for Helen to learn by exploring her environment.  learning Through Exploration The world became their classroom and their indoor time was filled with playful activies. One of their favourite games was a version of hide- and- seek, where Anne would hide specific objects for Helen to find. Outdoors they enjoyed long walks, where Helen learnt about nature and her surroundings. she felt crickets and their chirping legs, experienced the hatching of a baby chick and explored new plants as they grew from the soil. One of their cherished spots was keller's landing an old dock on the Tennessee River about two miles from ivy Green at keller's landing they played in the mud building dams digging lahes and creating mountains. while helen enjoyed these activities she didn't realise that Anne was subtly teaching her geography through play.  Learning to Read Anne was prepared to teach helen how to read, starting with familiarising her with the letters of the alphabet. she created paper cards with raised letters and placed them on top of objects they representsd like b-o-x'' on a box. Helen initially didn't grasp the concept so Anne hand on a new card and spelled out the leter ''a'' on Helen's other hand. Helen understood immediately and learnt the entire alphabet by the end of the day. Anne then introducced words. she had a book with raied letters and placed helen's fing er on the word ''c-a-t'' while spelling it out in Helen's other hand. Helen was excited to recognise the word. soon, they turned reading into a game, racing to find words from the book.

The Breakthrough Moment While most children her age were learning in classrooms, Anne realised that helen wasn;s quite ready for that . Without a sufficient vocabulary, Helen couldn't grasp lessons effectively. The challenge was figuring out the best way to teach her the essential words. Although Helen's behaviour had improved she was still very energetic. Anne knew that traditional clasroom settings wouldn;t suit her teaching style. Instead she aimed for Helen to learn by exploring her environment.  learning Through Exploration The world became their classroom and their indoor time was filled with playful activies. One of their favourite games was a version of hide- and- seek, where Anne would hide specific objects for Helen to find. Outdoors they enjoyed long walks, where Helen learnt about nature and her surroundings. she felt crickets and their chirping legs, experienced the hatching of a baby chick and explored new plants as they grew from the soil. One of their cherished spots was keller's landing an old dock on the Tennessee River about two miles from ivy Green at keller's landing they played in the mud building dams digging lahes and creating mountains. while helen enjoyed these activities she didn't realise that Anne was subtly teaching her geography through play.  Learning to Read Anne was prepared to teach helen how to read, starting with familiarising her with the letters of the alphabet. she created paper cards with raised letters and placed them on top of objects they representsd like b-o-x'' on a box. Helen initially didn't grasp the concept so Anne hand on a new card and spelled out the leter ''a'' on Helen's other hand. Helen understood immediately and learnt the entire alphabet by the end of the day. Anne then introducced words. she had a book with raied letters and placed helen's fing er on the word ''c-a-t'' while spelling it out in Helen's other hand. Helen was excited to recognise the word. soon, they turned reading into a game, racing to find words from the book.

There were schools for the blind and the deaf, but none were near the Keller's home in Alabame. With Helen being both blind and deaf, finding a suitable teacher seemed nearly impossible. One day, Helen mother discovered a book by Charles Discovered a book by Charles Dickens tlrled American notes. In it, Dickens described a remarkable women named Laura Bridgman 1829-89 who like Helen, was both blind and deaf had received an education. Laura Bridgman became the first person who was both blind and deaf to learn language. After contracting scarlet fever at the age of two laura lots her ability to see hear smell and most of her sense of taste.

Initially Helen depended entirely on her mother for support she would sit in kate's lap when her mother was seated and cling to her skirts when kate moved. As went about their day Helen explored her surroundings with her hands gradually learning to navigate the house and grounds at Ivy Green. Without sight or sound Helen relied on taste smell and touch to make sense of entitlement. She developed her own methods of communication shaking her head meant No while a nod singnified yes to indicate Go she would push and to say come she would pull Helen also used her knack for imitation to express herself. For instance, to request bread she would pretend to cut and butter it and to ask for ice cream she would mimic making it and shiver to show she was cold. 

Helen Keller's sudden loss of sight and hearing was a profound turning point in her young life. The vibrant world she once knew because silent and dark. Leaving her to navigate her surroundings through touch and intuition. Despits this her resilience and inner strength began to shine through. Her family's initial distress transformed into a determined effort to understand and support Helen 's new reality. They began to adapt their interactions creating a loving environmental where Helen could still experience the world in her own unique way. During this challenging period, helen's mother kate became increasingly attuned to her daughter's needs. The realisation that Helen could not longer see or hear marked the beginning of a profound journey for the keller family. This period of adaptation and the quest for effective communication methods laid the groundwork for Helen future achievements.

                                    A NEW APPROACH TO DISCIPLINE For the next few days, Anne struggled to teach helen who would throw a tantrum each time things didn;t go her way. While helen;s family had tolerated this behaviour, Anne needed toput an end to it. one morning at breakfast, Anne decided to take a firm stand. helen had poor table manners touching other' plates and grabbing food indiscriminately. that day anne refused to let helen touch her plate. helen persistently tried to get her way and when anne continued to refuse helen threw herself on the floor in a tantrum. Distreeed by the scene, helen family left the room at anne request with just anne present helen continued her tantrum for nearty two hours battling over the use of a napkin and a spoon. Eventually, helen gave in and finisahed her own breakfast, accepting anne's discipline.

                                    A NEW APPROACH TO DISCIPLINE For the next few days, Anne struggled to teach helen who would throw a tantrum each time things didn;t go her way. While helen;s family had tolerated this behaviour, Anne needed toput an end to it. one morning at breakfast, Anne decided to take a firm stand. helen had poor table manners touching other' plates and grabbing food indiscriminately. that day anne refused to let helen touch her plate. helen persistently tried to get her way and when anne continued to refuse helen threw herself on the floor in a tantrum. Distreeed by the scene, helen family left the room at anne request with just anne present helen continued her tantrum for nearty two hours battling over the use of a napkin and a spoon. Eventually, helen gave in and finisahed her own breakfast, accepting anne's discipline.

                             Dark Beginning  Helen keller was born on June 27, 1880 in Tuscumbia Alabama a quaiont town in the north western part of the state. she entered the world in a charming two-room cottage adorned with vines and climbing flowers. This cottage was part of the keller family estate, which helen's grandfather had purchased years earlier. The eastate was lovingly  called Ivy green due to the english ivy that cloaked the main house, trees, and fances. Helen's father, arthur, was a warm and outgoing man who enyoyed telling stories and hosting friends for extended stays at ivy green. he hailed from a family with deep southern roots and had a notable connection to American History being related to the renowned General Robert E. Lee. Arthur also served as a captain in the confederate army during the civil War.