The Waterbury Democrat., 1932-11-11
Helen Keller
 Here Nov 20
Mrs John L. Geist Arrang- ing for Appearance

Mrs John L. Geist has been
 named general chairman for the Waterbury Women's Club Com
 mittee which is sponsoring the
 coming of the world famous deaf
 blind woman, Helen Keller, to
 Waterbury, November 20.
 Helen Keller has travelled the
 world over inspiring the seeing public in giving the blind their greatest need -, opportunity. As
 she states, '.the blind do not need
 charity, but an opportunity to rub
 shoulders with seeing people. =
 carry on as seeing people do. in so far as they can. Recently Miss
 Keller journeyed to Jugo Slavia to have an audience with King Alex landersin the interest of the blind 1, of that country. The invitation for that visit came through a rep- resentative of the country during the World Conference on Work for
 the Blind held in New York last year under the auspices of the American Foundation for the Blind. A story of that visit ap- pared in the January issue of one
 under the heading, A King at My Y pAASCAbAPSs H LllO cIA kACtC &AAASo
 Keller gives a graphic description
 of the preparation for this visit
 and of her keen enjoyment of the
 beauty of the country. she
 giimpses her world through the
 highly developed insight imparted to her through her keen senses of feeling, taste and smell.
 In speaking of her first impress sion of her royal host, the King.
 Miss. Keller states, "Of course we
 were all terrified. Immediately
 there flashed into my mind all that
 I have heard and read about kings.
 I pictured a big aw-inspiring per-
 sopage surrounded by all sorts of
 regal trappings, but I was soon set. at ease. My teacher, who can be counted upon t6 keep her presence
 of mind in any emergency, was
 busily spelling into my hand, and
 she kept repeating, There is no
 need to fear. He seems to be a nice pleasant man And 1t turned
 out that she was correct. His Majesty was cordial and informal. and after shaking hands with us
 bade us to be seated. He sat
 down himself, his interpreter at hfs right hand and we in front of him. I sat in the center with Mrs Macy on my right so that 1t would be convenient for her to spell into my hand everything that was going on. By this means she could com municate with me as quickly as seeing and hearing persons com municate by conversation. At my left sat my secretary. Miss Polly Thomson. who IS also an expert in the manuel alphabet. Instead or two eyes and ears of normal per- son, | had four of each, so was able to keep up with the very mo- ment on everything that was hap pening, and was able to take full part in. the e0nversation.
 Miss Keller Explained to the King that her visit was made es7 pecially to seess His Majesty 's l school for the siShtless In Defnun. She told the King how grateful shed was for his personal interest. in the | sigFtless. She also told him that | what he did for the blind of his l country he did for the blind Of the l world by setting a kingly example. | She further stated that blindness knows no. nationality, that all of | the sightless of the world are unit | ed in the brotherhood of darkness: And the King replied that her visit would inspire him to try to do even more for those of his peo- pie who were without sight.
 Miss Keller not sonly strives 70 gain the attention and the assist | ance Of Kings in assisting those who live in darkness, but seeks !