Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1914-02-12
MARvELs At HELEN KELLER.
Large Audience at Methodist Church
SpeIi.Bound by Blind Girl.


Spell. Bound by Blind Girl.
An audience of $50 people sat as if
spell bound in the Methodist church
Wednesday night and heard Helen
Adams Keller, blind and deaf express
lin her own words her feelings when her
soul wasesttherated from its prison
| walls.
| The big audience not only narveled
at what Miss Keller has accomplished
for herself under the tutelege Of her al
most lifelong friend, companion, and
! teacher, Mrs. Anne Mansfield Sullivan
| Macy, but resolved to accept lesson
T, from this blind woman and to thank
an Almighty God for blessings that
We're bestowed upon all who are nor
NAL.
/ 1t was a magnificent testimonial paid
Mics Keller and her teacher by the
audience which braved driving snow
storm to hear the words spoken by the
/; one who has taught, and the one who
! has learned despite her most terrible
affections. Many people We're in at
+. tendance from nearby towns, anxious
/ to hear and see the woman of whom
! so much has been written.
Rev. DR.. r. +. Hurlburt, pastor OF
| the church, introduced Mrs. Macy, who
| told of Helen Keller's life, beginning at
! the time she first knew the blind, deaf
| and dumb girl of 8 years and S months
| in 1857.
| Mrs. Macy told of Helen's early life,
| of her wilful temperament, and her
normality in every way save the lack
of her sight, hearing, and power of ar
ticulation. Mrs. Macy told of the rapid
| ity with which her pupil learned, and
| of the revelation that came over her
! when she grasped the meaning and
! names of certain objects. Remarkable
mentality was displayed from her
childhood up. and even more remark
) BILE was her attempt a few years ago
to learn to speak. This accompli shment
the teacher ascribed TO her pupil alone,
for had il not been for Miss Keller's
insistence that she could learn TO talk.
she never would have been taught, for
no one would have considered it pos
sible.
Mrs Macy prepared her audience for
the Introduction OF Miss Keller by in
forming her hearers what they might
expect. They must not expect 10 hear
ma tural voice. but one that was Ok
necessity mechanical. If the audience
Were able to grasp at least part or
what Miss Keller had to say, Mrs. Macy
thought it should be satisfied.
But those within good range of the
deaf-blind womans voice We're able to
get much of her message. Miss Keller
did not attempt to tell anything OF the
story Of her life. but rather dwelt upon
her feelings at being able to express
her thoughts in words that she hac
never heard. Her sermon was one on
optimism, love for one another. and her
ha&
Miss Keller's voice is. of course, me-
chanical. 1t must be. for she has never
heard human voice. Her mind must
necessarily form the sound that she ut
tiers. and these sounds must come slow
ly and with elaboration. There can be
no imitation of sounds. as normal chill
dren learn to speak. but sounds must
be manufactured as she knows the
words are spoken. Her accent Is not
normal. but at times foreign, resem-
bling the French in many words. But
her accomplishment is wonderful, and
her hearers truly marveled at what she
was able TO DO.
After she had finished her talk Miss
Keller answered questions from the aud
fence concerning herself. her answers
being given afterNfeeling the throat
and lips Of her teacher. who repeated
the questions N2is thru the sense of
touch, with thumb over the larnyx, and
fingers over the7Spsy that Miss Keller
has been able to converse with others,
and her answers We're quick witted.
displaying the keenness of her mental
ity.
Miss Keller is native of Tuscumbia,
Ala. daughter Of Capt. Arthur II. and
Kate Adams Keller. The girl Helen was
born a normal child June 81, 1880. but
at the age of 10 months was bereft OF
her sight and hearing thru Illness. In
1887 Anne Sullivan, herself blind until
she was is, was employed to tutor the
blind deaf and dumb Girl, and has since
been her constant companion and in
structor. Miss Keller entered Radcliffe
College. (the Harvard AnneX,) Cam
bridge, Mass, in 1900. and was grad
uated in 1904 with the degree of A. B.
She has contributed in recent years to
many magazines, and has written sew
eral stories and essays that have
gained wide circulation.
Mrs. Anne Mansfield Sullivan Macy,
Miss Kellers teacher, is the wife Of
John Albert Macy. the author; for
me- instructor in English in Harvard.
ard ct one time associate editor Of The
YOUTHS Companion. Mrs. Macy and
Miss Keller both live at Wrentflam,
Mass.
The Young Married Peoples Bible
Class Of the Methodist Sunday school,
under whose auspices Miss Keller ap-
peared here. not only afforded a Mar
shalltown audience it's first opportun-
ity of hearing and seeing Helen Keller,
but showed a profit Of 5000 on its I'M
dertaking. L. NJ. Osborne was chair
man of the committee from the class
that had charge Of the enterprise.
ENTERTAIN At LUNCHEON.