This is the story of a child who became completely deaf and blind before she had learnt to talk. Because of her own courage and also that of her wonderful teacher she learned to talk and write. She was able to go to school and College and to live a full and happy life.

Helen was born in 1880 in a small town in the southern U.S.A. At 18 months, when she was beginning to talk, she suddenly became terribly ill and very nearly died. when she recovered she was completely deaf and blind.

It is very difficult for a deaf child to learn to talk. babies learn by hearing other people talking. But the deaf child cannot hear anyone so how can she know what talking sounds like? Many deaf people learn to lip read, and they become very clever at understanding what people are saying by watching them. But Helen could not see what other people were doing. She remembered a few words she had known before she was ill, for instance, she went on calling water 'waa-waa'. But she had to make signs for most things. she would shake her head for 'no', and nod for 'yes'. pull meant 'come', and a push, 'go'. But ofcourse she could say very little like this, and she depended entirely on other people. Yet Helen had an active mind and a clever brain, and wanted to do and say everything any other child would. She used to get into...