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Sarah Fuller To Alexander Graham Bell, May 3, 1890

Creator: Sarah Fuller (author)
Date: May 3, 1890
Source: Library of Congress


Introduction

Helen Keller’s desire to learn how to speak was a great publicity coup for the oralist movement led by Alexander Graham Bell. If a deaf-blind girl could learn to speak intelligibly, then regular deaf children could undoubtedly learn to communicate orally. In reality, however, Keller’s speech never became intelligible to more than a few close friends. Indeed, Sullivan and Keller communicated via the deaf manual alphabet (fingerspelling) for the rest of Keller’s life.



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Newton Lower Falls,
May 3, 1890.
Keller, H.

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My dear Mr. Bell,

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My constant round of care has prevented me from sending reports of Helen's progress to you. She has not yet acquired the power to sound all of the elements perfectly, but her speech is fairly intelligible. She is fond of talking and I think it better to allow her to use speech as freely as she likes, and to correct mispronunciation as one would in the case of a little hearing child, just learning to speak, rather than to insist upon having every sound correctly given, every time she attempts to express a thought. She has, as you know, a wonderful knowledge and use of language and she delights in asking questions and relating incidents, and when one considers that she has had but nine partial lessons in articulation, her ability to speak is almost marvelous. I have been interrupted at nearly every lesson, by visitors and have not had an opportunity to meet her more than twice during the week so that we have not accomplished what might have been done, could I have devoted more time to her. To show you what she can do, I send a copy of her verbal account of a visit she made to Dr. Holmes. She gave this to my cousin, while sitting in his lap, to rest after an inspection of his books, pictures, stationery etc. When she began to speak, I had no idea that she could or would attempt to pronounce the words she employed and did not think of writing what she said, but after a moment on this I was interested to note her language and you will see the result in this. You shall have a copy of a letter that she wrote to me on being told by her teacher that I had asked her (Miss Sullivan) to write out a statement of what led Helen to wish to speak. Miss Sullivan thought I should prefer to have Helen's account and so told her of my request. No other hint or word was given to Helen and the letter is all Helen's -- Pardon this hurriedly written note.

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How soon do you go to your summer home? I shall send your reports next week. I am greatly obliged to you for allowing me to see them.

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Sincerely yours,
Sarah Fuller

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