The Portland daily press., 1901-02-20
HELEN KELLER IS PROGRESS
Unusual Ability In English shown by
the Deaf, Dumb, and Blind Girl.

bridge, Mass, Feb, l6.-Ono Of the
most interesting things about the ne
term which has just begun at Radcliffe
College is the progress OF Helen Keller,
the deaf, dumb and blind girl, who is .
student here. She has 30 distinguish ed
herself In her English work that she has
been promoted in the middle Of the year
to course open only to the brightest
students, that called English - in the
college catalogue.
The English course which Miss Keller
elected when she entered college was in
itself more advanced than most freshmen
take, but now only after half q year at
It's exercises her instructor pronounces
her quite fit to go up higher. In the
words of the profe ssor himself: 1--WE
can teach her nothing more in this
GLASS;" The course which Miss Keller
has outgrown is English 92 conducted In
Radclitfe by Charles Townsend Copeland,
who has ex pressed the opinion that MISS
Keller possesses abilities far above the
average in the matter of English oom-
in permitting Miss Keller TO enter
English IL Radcliffe has done something
almost unprecedented. The higher
course Is a very difficult one, ana mas al
most never been taken here by girl SO
young as Helen Keller, not to take into
aoooun nt at aIl the fact of the blind girls
handicaps. The course In question 10
conducted both in Harvard ana kaucliife
| by John Hays Gardiner and is open only
to such students as have shown unusual
ability in the matter OF English ana nave
| finished course 22 with high mark.
The work OF the course includes various
kinds of writing, and the lectures deal
with such problems OF expression as
arise In the GLASS productions, and in the
development of good English prose
style. Miss KelIer's style has always
been excellent. From the time when she
first began to write she has written easily
| and well. In the matter OF literary and
classical allusions she il very apt and es-
pecially excels in analytical treatment OF
a subject.
panied by her friend, Miss sullivan, who
| Sits close eside her and tells her In the
manual languages whatever the instructor
may be saying. In none OF the lectures
are any notes taken. This girl carries on
| In her head the facts with which her
fellow students NIL their note BOOKS.
Perhaps the most remarkable work
done by Miss Keller comes In connection
| with the history course given py FroI.
Archibald Cary Coolidge. The latter is
very interesting, but rather discurslve,
tleCturer ana Ne CONoEo III VIC yOtsA VIZ
| mendous amount of ground. That any
student could pass good examination
an the substance of his lectures without
having had the benefit OF exhaustive
notas and careful review would be mar
vel ali by itself. Hut this lie only one
of the many remarkable things Helen
Keller is accomplishing.
Miss kelIer's work does not In the least
prevent her from taking an active part In
| the social life Of the college. She particu-
larry delights In hearing stories and one
or two girls have learned the sign Ian
i Ruage that they may entertain her. She
is yice-presidnt of her class and attends
ali the functions given by her classmates.
At a recent GLASS luncheon she even re-
sponded TO a toast, winning great ap'
plause by her maiden speech. But the
best thing that can be said OF her is that
she ia rsdisntly happy in her college
career. With some anxiety her friends
have been Watching to see whether the
college days, so long looked forward TO,
might not perhaps bring in realization
something OF disillusion. Nothing of the
kind has hap pened however.
"She Is the bapDiest girl l have evei
seem" one OF these trends remarked.
And anybody who should see the blind
girl as she goes from one leoture room e
another would be inclined emphasically
to echo this superlative.