Helen Keller Courage in the Dark

Helen Keller Courage in the Dark

Chapter 1 Helen Keller was born on June27, 1880, on a farm in Alabama. Mr. and Mrs. Keller were thrilled with their beautiful, healthy baby. But then something terrible happened. When little Helen was a year and a half old, she became very sick. She had a high fever. Her parents were afraid that she would die.

A few days later, the fever was gone. But something was still very wrong. Little Helen could no longer see or hear. The illness had left her blind and deaf. The Kellers'sweet little girl became a wild child. She kicked and scratched her parents when they tried to touch her. She yelled and screamed in a loud voice. How else could she let anyone know when she was hungry or tired or afraid?

Mealtime was terrible for the Keller family. Helen stuck her hands into everyone's food. She threw things across the dinner table. Helen did whatever she wanted. Her parents could not make her behave.

Once, Helen woke in the middle of the night. Since she could not see, she thought it was morning. Mrs. Keller tried to put her daughter back to bed. But Helen insisted on getting up and getting dressed. Then she went into the kitchen. Though it was nighttime, she screamed for her breakfast.

Helen's parents did not know what to do. They wanted to help their little girl. But how? They did not know any blind or deaf people. They did not know where to turn for help. One day, Mrs. Keller heard about Dr. Chisholm. He was a special eye doctor in Baltimore, Maryland. Some of his patients were blind and deaf, just like Helen. For the first time, Mrs. Keller felt a little bit of hope. Maybe Dr. Chisholm could help Helen. The Kellers took their daughter to Baltimore right away. Dr. Chisholm could not cure Helen. But he told the Kellers not to worry. He said that even a blind child could learn many things. He sent them to Washington to meet Alexander Graham Bell.