The Birmingham age-herald., 1916-02-29
"Wonderul Helen Keller the Girl Who Found The
 Blue Bird Is Coming 10 XlSit Us Savs Miss Rittenbgrrv
By DOLLY DALrYMPLE
NIss ALMA RITTENBERRY

K HISS ALMA RITTENBERRY is MI one of those nice, loyal splendid LV4 citizens of Birmingham who is always affiliated with something that is for the city's uplift and betterment, her latest enthusiasm being the Helen Keller lecture, which will take place at the Biiou theatre next Friday evening, March g.
 As chairman of the committee for the lecture she has had the cordial cooper alton of many of Birmingham's leading citizens. and with Mrs. w. w. Bussey. president of the Birmingham Association for the Blind. under whose auspices Miss Keller is coming to visit us. Miss Rit- tenberry has done valias4. work and the result of her efforts will undoubtedly be a capacity house at the lecture on next Fri day evening.
 In speaking with Miss Rittenberry yes terday in regard to Miss Keller's visit which is of unbounded interest 10 all Ala bamians since she is one of it's most honored and distinguished daughters, she said:
 Such lot of good things are coming to Birmingham right now! We have just had the Boston Opera company, the Min neapolis orchestra, both of which drew crowded houses of Birmingham's culti- vated, appreciative people; tomorrow evening we have Fritz Kreisler, the worlds most renowned violinist, and Fri day night Birmingham will hear for the first time Alabama's most distinguished daughter Helen Keller She was born in the beautiful old historic town of Tus- cumbia. From a little girl two years of age, inflicted with the misfortune of losing her hearing, sight and speech, she is today part of the republic, and is looked upon with great difference by all classes and creeds. Personally, she IS charming to meet. woman of great intelligence, power and brilliance, she has keen sympathies and strong emo tions.
 "So much has been written about Helen Keller that it is difficult to say what is best, but in Georgette Leblancs (Mrs. Maurice Maeterlincl1) book, The Girl Who Found the Blue Bird in which she pays tribute to both Anne M. Sullivan (Mrs. Macy), and to Helen Keller, when she visited them in their New England home a few years ago, nothing more beautiful has been said than the follow ing:
 Such an atmosphere of simplicity per- vades this house that it seems quite nat ural to me to form part of this gracious and charming household as long as hossi- ble, and when we go back to the parlor, preceded by Helens vigorous step, find it difficult to believe that I am only set ting foot in it for the second time. One might live at Wrentham without making any change in the house.
 There are two forces in this house that keep watch like benevolent god desses-Anne Sullivans intelligence and her goodness. To them Helen owes her life; it is they that created her anew. Imprisoned in silence, isolated from the world, she was little animal, wild and insentient. struggling in the darkness. Anna's heart and brain came to set her free, and Helen cannot do without them now. The two forces that gave her life ensure her present quiet content. The thought fills me with admiration and ex- plains the sense of wei being that steals over me,
 "'I see them, those two guardians of the sacred prison into which they un- wearyingly pour daylight, space and joy. I breathe them as one breathes the in- cense in a church, and I find the same quietude Except for Anne Sullivan's in- telligence and goodness, Helen would still be what she was at first, a living nulltv.
 'Of course, you have read that eX- quisite fairy story, The Blue Bird of Maeterlinck' which has become, almost a household classic, with it's strange and elusive blending of childhood and ----------~-~-~----~ Arthur Abbott, Miss Ethel Abbott, Miss Mabel Abbott, Miss Kate Little, Miss Mary Phillips, Miss Pearl Taylor Miss Viola Lehman and Mrs. l.. E. Tidwell.
 Miss Myrtle Love, who has been the guest of friends in the city, has re- turned to her home in Huntsville.
 Mrs. Allen Durham will leave Thursday to be the guest of MT. and Mrs James L. Coleman in Mobile.
 Miss Doris Moughon will leave tomor- row for Mobile, where she will spend the season with Miss Elizabeth Me- Alpine.