The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-08-16
HELEN xHLLER,s EXAMINATIONS
Wins Admission to Radcliffe College Though
Desperately Handicapped.
Trom u, bottom Evtnino Transcript

From the Bottom Evtnino Trdnscript.
Miss Helen Keller. having completed. under
the tutorship OF Merton g. Keith. her prepare
ton for college In three years instead OF In the
four which had been assigned by some OF her
friends for the purpose. went to Cambridge in
June last to take the regular entrance examina-
lions for Radcliffe. She had successfully given
the usual subjects at the preliminary examina-
tion two years ago. and these remained for this
entrance examination. Geometry. algebra.
elementary Greek. advanced Greek and ad-
IL is quite certain that no person ever took q
college examination with so heavy handi-
S aRe na Helen Refers on this OCCASION
AZ all the world knows. she could not see the
examiner. The natural method of commune
eating the questions to her would have 6een TO
sssh au 9 tss ses Miss
Sul ivan does not know Greek or Latin or the
higher mathematics. and while she Is able to
serve Helen by communicating to her printed
Greek and Latin, letter by letter. she could not.
even u she had been so disposed. have given
best by ali concerned TO avoid even the remot,
I'll
institution. who had mover met Helen Keller
able to speak to Rer,who could take The exam:
inaton papers as fast as they were presented
and write them out in Braile characters. the
m uch used by the blind. The questions thus
transcribed by him. were put into Helen's
OF proctor who could not communicate with
her and she wrote out her answers on the
Here, h0wevey. came in one Of the 1 Sdd!:
marked differences between them-very
M, much 81 such hu differences n. as those between
HTts Keller has been arcus
toned nee, t. TIE English system: IN which
nG WITH Th M nn was 1nS ssdan 6ss
to her that he did not write the English Braille.
1t was imp ossible to make any other arrange
w as TIVE writer tR
Pitman stenographer. might use his sense Of
logic and general intelligence, by a tour de
other labor Of ,Hslen Refers Examination.
made FOR. the blind. had been forgotten at
home. andthere was one at hand. on eitherot
time. She worked IN the dark with regard to
the time which remained to her as she went
B Passed the to trumphapy
In every study. In advanced Latin she passed
with credit" In ADVANCED Greek, which her
here. the time and the Brai!!s dIilicuity worked
was in the other studies. is not known: 1t is
only known that she passed them.
Helen Keller is now ready for matrculation
as student Of Radcliffe college. Her passing
of the examinations, especially under such
circumstances. is in itself wonderful achieve
ment. No particle of its severity was abBted
for her because she is deaf dun b and blind. and
no precautions were RENTED because she Ia
known to be incapable of deceit, She sat in total
darkness and alone, without the touch OF any
friendly hand. A slip pricked with unfamiliar
characters was put before her. and her type
writer clicked out its quick and true response
to the hard questions. That was all. VIII any
other human being In such world OF silence
and darkness. ever do as much?
The question may well be asked, will Helen
Keller now take the regular college ,course7
Who will interpret to her the lectures
10 foreign LANGUAGES which she cannot
hear? No one can do this. No lecture,
even in English. can be translated to her in the
manual alphabet as rapidly as It Ia spoken. Her
usual Interpreter knows no foreign tongue,
Who will read to her all the required matter Of
the courses OF reading. none OF which has been
put into raised print? 1t is beyond mechanical
possibility, to give her all this through hei
fingers The obstacles appear insurmountable.
But that is the principal reason why Helen
Keller is inclined to surmount them.