Question

How did helen begin to learn french and latin seriously?

Answer 1

Helen began studying French with Madame Olivier, a French lady who did not know the manual alphabet and who was obliged to give her instructions orally. Helen could not read her lips easily so her progress was much slower than German. But she managed to read 'Le Medecin Malgre Lui' again. In the French course she also read some of the works of Corneille, Moliere, Racine, Alfred de Musset and Sainte-Beuve. She liked Moliere and Racine best. In case of Latin, she had never taken a course of study with the idea of preparing for college before. Her studies in Latin began in earnest when she received her Latin copy in braille so that she could recite with other girls. However, her imperfect speech became an impediment and she found out that she could not make class notes or write exercises. But she wrote all her compositions and translations at home on the typewriter. But Miss Sullivan laboured with Helen daily and spelled everything into her hands with infinite patience.