Helen Keller And Little Annie
Posted: Friday, March 07, 2008
by Michael Kocis
http://www.prescottlmt.com
Over the past week I've had the uncomfortable pleasure of hearing three separate women bitch, moan, and complain about how their lives weren't going the way they should.
Money problems, men problems, work problems, and self-induced problems.
In each case, I took advantage of their momentary pause to inhale, to ask a question, " Have you ever heard of Helen Keller ?"
Some of you may have heard the name Helen Keller ( the blind lady who did something ), perhaps you've seen the movie "The Miracle Worker" based on her life. There was even a remake, though I think the original black & white captured the true feel of the time which she lived.
I believe Helen's story wasn't even the "real" miracle, and only once was it alluded to in the movie. Her teacher was asked how she was so sure that the intense, sometimes harsh, unrelenting treatment towards Helen could possibly help. To which Miss Sullivan quickly replied, "Because I've been there."
And that is the true miracle. You see, many years before, this young girl stricken with a rare illness was abandoned along with her younger brother and sent to what was then an insane asylum. The young girl known as "Little Annie" was locked in the basement dungeon. The doctors felt she was hopelessly insane and there was nothing they could do for her.
An old nurse started taking her lunch into the dungeon and eating outside Annie's cage. She felt perhaps she could communicate some love and hope to the little girl, but Annie gave no indication that she was even aware of her presence.
One day the elderly nurse left some brownies outside the cage and upon returning the next day saw they were gone. From that day on the nurse would bring brownies and soon the doctors began to notice a change in Little Annie. She was eventually moved upstairs and over time this "hopeless girl" was told she could leave the institution. That little girl was Anne Sullivan.
She did not leave right away, instead she decided to stay and help others until she was asked to help another little girl named Helen. Yes...Helen Keller influenced millions of people all over the world, she graduated college, learned to read and write, to speak and was even an entertainer on stage.
One of my favorite quotes from Helen is:
"The only thing worse than being blind is having sight but no vision."
So when I hear people complain about their life, men or women, I know it's real to them. I know they truly feel bad about ....whatever ? Hell, I've even sung the "Why Me" song. But thinking of Helen and Little Annie really puts things into perspective, at least for me.
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More commentsIncredible, I had no idea this was the history behond Annie, two completely remarkeable women, but it doesn't end there. There was Annie's nurse. What I wonder was her story. How far does the chain of change go back I wonder. Marvelous article.Thank You Leah, and Yes..I was thinking the same thing, who was the elderly nurse ? Her name may never be known. And her Mother ? or Aunt, or Sister ...who influenced her ? Personally, I believe the "chain of influence" goes all the way back, roughly 2008 years ago. To the birth of " The Perfect One"
Yep, I agree.
hi Michael, the miracle worker has always been one of my favorite movies, the original, and i watched it with my kids-they weren't too interested, may have been too young, but the lessons were learned when i first saw it as a young girl. ann bancroft. i try to think as you were saying, it's just hard at times. i get caught up, and then i remember i could be in jail, be terminally ill, paralyzed, and on and on, and it makes my troubles look small. thanks for a good article, and for adding the info about annie. i never knew that, but now am glad i do, best regards, sue thomHi Sue, I'm glad you enjoyed this, and I must tell you something very , very strange just happened. As I was walking through my living room on my way back to write this, a short piece came over the news. A recently found photo, over 100 years old was just discovered of Helen Keller with Anne Sullivan. They said it may be the oldest photo of her, and the only one of her holding a doll. Thank you again Sue.
Hi, Michael. Great article. Helen Keller was one of my favorites too. And like most, I didn't know the story behind the story. Your article reminds me of our discussion in Sunday School class today when we talked about 'spare the rod and spoil the child' type thinking. My class is all old-school; most of us believe in a well placed smack on the bottom of any mis-behavor. Sometimes it takes a few hard-knocks to learn truly good advice. Keep up the good work. SEGHi Sandra, glad I could spread the "story behind the story" I've always been fasinated with who or what is behind the famous success stories we all hear. I've yet to find one, well known person, that wasn't heavily influenced by a lesser known person. You be careful there young lady, cause you know, there are some liberals out there that would accuse you of child abuse for whoop'n a kids butt.
HI Michael, thank you for sharing the information on Annie, I two am curious about the nurse. Thank God for unknown angels, huh? Thanks for the reminder of keeping things in perspective. God Bless you, my friend!Thanks Teresa, I knew you'd like this piece.
I was unaware of Annie Sullivan's background and I thank you for sharing this. Yes, we are so spoiled and don't know how lucky we are to live in this day and age with so many opportunities around us. I think that it's almost fashionable to complain about something. Thanks for the history lesson that holds lessons for us today.Thank You Mary, what you said, about it "almost being fashionable to complain about something" does seem to be the standard today. I wonder where are the Helen Kellers and Anne Sullivans of today ? I hear people rant and rave about Hillary or Oprah and to me....what have they done. Nothing, nothing in comparison to these two truly great women. But that's a whole different article. I'm glad I could be, even a tiny part of spreading their story. Michael
Michael, ironically, this week I read the story of Helen Keller and Helen Keller's Teacher to my 8-year-old which then created interest to bring out the b/w version of the video. She and Annie Sullivan have always been my role models since I was a child and am pleased that my daughter was moved as well. Thanks for sharing and "opening our eyes."Glad you enjoyed it Judy, I haven't watched the movie in awhile, but everytime I do, it's like the movie stops at that point when Anne makes that comment about having been through it herself. Good to hear you watched it with your 8 year old too.
What's interesting to note is that Helen's true accomplishments were as a rebel rouser, an activist and lecturer: a suffragist, a pacifist. Even though she advocated socialism, she did so because she saw a glass ceiling not only for the blind but women as well. I love her honesty and ability like Mary Harris Jones (Mother Jones) to give big, abusive institutions a piece of her mind, and then some. Long live the Helen Keller's of the world! I look to my father's mother as a role model too. She who no one gave any crap to. God bless honesty and protection of the rights of the minority of any race, color, creed, religion, sex. I'll close with a quote. Peace out! "I was appointed on a commission to investigate the conditions of the blind. For the first time I, who had thought blindness a misfortune beyond human control, found that too much of it was traceable to wrong industrial conditions, often caused by the selfishness and greed of employers. And the social evil contributed its share. I found that poverty drove women to a life of shame that ended in blindness."Interesting addition Jeff, I thank you. I have heard that Helen was a bit of a rebel rouser ( haven't really heard that term since Duane Eddy) and she was also a "ham" on stage. I've thought, "where are these amazing people today ?" Is it we have no Helen Kellers, or Anne Sullivans anymore ?....I bet their out there, but the majority of information consumers prefer the Brittany's and Oprahs of the world. What a wasteful shame.
You opened your article with your compalint against women who...'Bitch, moan and complain" I wonder if Jesus would validate the problems we have or would He carefully tend to their hurts leaving them with a loving and gentle reminder of where the focus might be re~directed. When He said "Marth, Martha" I can hear a tone of a loving brother ..not condemnation but rather that He understood how important it was to Martha to do a good job and yet He explained where Mary was doing it right.Often, for me, validation for how I feel is enough. Then, knowing someone cares to listen helps me get my eyes back where they belong.~ Debera UHW
Unfortunately this story is NOT a true story. Read Ann Sullivan's biographies and you will find she was never insane. And she escaped Tewksbury at the age of 10 and went to the Perkins Institute for the Blind. There she learned how to be a teacher and when she graduated she accepted a job teaching Helen Keller. There were no brownies and she did not make friends with the staff at Tewksbury. She did however make some friends with some of the people who lived there.
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