When and how did helen keller learn to speak? How did she feel when she spoke to her mother and little mildred after arriving home in tuscumbia?
Answers
.It was in the spring of 1890 that Helen Keller learned to speak. The impulse to utter audible sounds had always been strong within her. She used to make noises. She kept one hand on her throat while the other hand felt the movements of her lips. She was pleased with anything that made a noise. It was her urge to feel the cat purr and the dog bark. She was entirely dependent on the manual alphabet. But she was determined to use her lips and voice. Friends discouraged her. But the story of Ragnhild Kaata inspired her to succeed. In 1890, Mrs. Lamson returned from Norway and came to see Helen Keller. She told her of a deaf and blind girl named Ragnhild Kaata. Mrs. Lamson had taught her to speak. Helen resolved that she too would learn to speak. Miss Sullivan took Helen to Miss Sarah Fuller. She offered to teach her herself. Miss Fuller passed Helen’s hand over her face and let her feel the position of her tongue and lips when she made a sound. She was eager to imitate every motion and in an hour had learned six elements of speech: M, P, A, S, T, I. Miss Fuller gave eleven lessons in all. She was filled with delight and surprise when she uttered her first connected sentence. She uttered ‘‘It is warm.’’ They were broken and stammering syllables. But they were parts of a human speech. Miss Sullivan’s untiring patience and devotion helped her to progress towards natural speech.
Helen had learnt to speak. At last, the happiest moment of her life arrived. The train stopped at the Tuscumbia station. The whole family stood at the platform. Her mother pressed her close to her trembling with delight. Every syllable that Helen uttered delighted her. The little Mildred seized, kissed her hand and danced. Seeing his daughter uttering audible sentences, he expressed his pride and affection in a big silence.
.It was in the spring of 1890 that Helen
Keller learned to speak. The impulse to
utter audible sounds had always been
strong within her. She used to make
noises. She kept one hand on her
throat while the other hand felt the
movements of her lips. She was
pleased with anything that made a
noise. It was her urge to feel the cat
purr and the dog bark. She was entirely
dependent on the manual alphabet. But
she was determined to use her lips and
voice. Friends discouraged her. But the
story of Ragnhild Kaata inspired her to
succeed. In 1890, Mrs. Lamson returned
from Norway and came to see Helen
Keller. She told her of a deaf and blind
girl named Ragnhild Kaata. Mrs.
Lamson had taught her to speak. Helen
resolved that she too would learn to
speak. Miss Sullivan took Helen to Miss
Sarah Fuller. She offered to teach her
herself.