The Story of My Life – Helen Keller-Summary-Chapter 19

 The Story of My Life – Chapter 19

Difficulties at the Cambridge School

When Helen Keller began her second year at the Cambridge School, she was full of hope and determination. According to the plan made with Mr. Gilman, she was to devote most of her attention to Mathematics. Her subjects included Physics, Algebra, Geometry, Astronomy, Greek, and Latin.

However, she soon faced several unexpected difficulties. Many of the books she needed had not been embossed in Braille on time, and some important equipment required for her studies was also unavailable. Since the classes were large, the teachers could not provide her with individual attention. As a result, Miss Sullivan had to read all the books to her and interpret the teachers’ instructions. For the first time in many years, Helen felt that even her devoted teacher was struggling to meet all the demands of her education.

Mathematics was particularly difficult. Helen needed a Braille writer to solve problems and record her work. Since she could not see the diagrams drawn on the blackboard, she had to create geometric figures herself using wires fixed on a cushion. She also had to remember the labels, hypotheses, constructions, and proofs entirely in her mind. Every subject presented challenges, and at times she became discouraged and lost confidence.

Gradually, conditions improved. The embossed books and necessary equipment arrived, and Helen resumed her studies with renewed enthusiasm. Yet Algebra and Geometry remained troublesome. She had little natural aptitude for Mathematics, and the diagrams were especially difficult for her to understand. It was only later, under the guidance of Mr. Keith, that she gained a clearer understanding of the subject.

Disagreement Between Mr. Gilman and Miss Sullivan

 

While Helen was making progress, a disagreement arose between Mr. Gilman and Miss Sullivan. They had originally agreed that Helen would take five years if necessary to prepare for college. However, her excellent examination results convinced Miss Sullivan and some other teachers that she could complete her preparation in only two more years.

 

Mr. Gilman initially accepted this plan, but later argued that Helen was working too hard and should remain at the school for three additional years. Helen strongly disagreed because she wanted to enter college with her classmates.

When Helen fell slightly ill on November 17, Mr. Gilman became concerned and claimed that she was overworking herself. He altered her programme of study in a way that would have prevented her from taking her final examinations with her class. The disagreement eventually became so serious that Helen’s mother withdrew both Helen and her sister Mildred from the Cambridge School.

Study Under Mr. Keith

After some delay, arrangements were made for Helen to continue her education under the guidance of Mr. Merton S. Keith. Helen and Miss Sullivan spent the winter in Wrentham with friends, while Mr. Keith travelled there twice a week to teach her Algebra, Geometry, Greek, and Latin.

Later, when Helen returned to Boston, Mr. Keith taught her five times a week. He carefully explained difficult concepts, corrected her written exercises, and patiently guided her through each subject. Miss Sullivan continued to interpret his lessons.

Helen found private instruction much more effective than classroom teaching. There was no confusion or rush, and her tutor had enough time to explain difficult topics thoroughly. As a result, she learned more quickly and efficiently.

Although Mathematics remained her most difficult subject, Mr. Keith succeeded in making it interesting. He broke complex problems into simpler steps and trained her to think logically and carefully. Helen greatly admired his patience, kindness, and understanding.

The Radcliffe College Entrance Examination

On June 29 and 30, 1899, Helen appeared for the entrance examinations for Radcliffe College. The first day included Elementary Greek and Advanced Latin, while the second day covered Geometry, Algebra, and Advanced Greek.

The examinations presented new challenges. The college authorities did not allow Miss Sullivan to read the question papers to Helen. Instead, the papers were transcribed into Braille by Mr. Eugene C. Vining of the Perkins Institution. Since he was unfamiliar with Helen’s method of communication, he could assist her only through Braille.

The language papers posed little difficulty, but the Mathematics papers were extremely challenging. Different Braille systems used different mathematical symbols, and Helen had studied Algebra using English Braille, whereas the examination papers used American Braille notation. Although she tried to learn the new symbols before the examination, she still found many of them confusing.

Geometry was also difficult because she was accustomed to having propositions read aloud or spelled into her hand. Reading them independently in Braille made comprehension harder. In Algebra, she struggled to interpret the symbols correctly and could not easily review what she had typed.

Despite feeling confused, discouraged, and pressed for time, Helen remained determined. She worked carefully through each problem and did her best under difficult circumstances. Although the examination process placed many obstacles in her path, she successfully overcame them.

 

This chapter highlights Helen Keller’s perseverance, determination, and courage. Despite physical limitations, educational barriers, and administrative difficulties, she continued striving toward her goal of entering college and proved that hard work and determination can overcome even the greatest challenges.

Question: What difficulties did Helen Keller face while preparing for and taking the Radcliffe College entrance examinations?

Answer: Helen Keller faced numerous difficulties while preparing for and taking the Radcliffe College entrance examinations. Many of her textbooks and study materials were delayed, and Mathematics was especially difficult because she could not see diagrams and had to visualize them mentally. During the examinations, the question papers were provided in American Braille notation, which differed from the English Braille symbols she had learned. This created confusion, particularly in Algebra and Geometry. Moreover, Miss Sullivan was not allowed to assist her during the examinations. Despite these challenges, Helen remained determined, worked hard, and successfully completed the examinations, demonstrating her courage, perseverance, and strong willpower.

The Story of My Life-Helen Keller-Summary Chapter 18

Helen Keller begins this chapter by saying that she entered the Cambridge School for Young Ladies in Oct. 1896 to prepare herself for Radcliffe.

Once she visited Wellesley when she was a little girl and then her friend by announcing, “Someday, I shall go to college—but I shall go to Harvard.”

She also gave reasons for preferring Harvard to Wellesley that there were only girls there at Wellesley. So going to college became her earnest desire. It persuaded her to enter into competition for a degree, while facing a strong opposition from many of her true and wise friends.

While leaving New York, it was decided that she should go to Cambridge. She considered it the nearest approach to get to Harvard so that she could fulfill her childhood declaration.

She had a plan that at the Cambridge School, Miss Sullivan would attend classes along with her and interpret to her the instructions given.

Her instructors had experience to teach the normal pupils and Helen’s only way of conversing with them was only by reading their lips. Her subjects for the first year were: English History, English Literature, German, Latin, Arithmetic, Latin Composition and occasional themes. She was already well-drilled in English by her teacher, Miss Sullivan. Her teachers came to know very soon that she did not need any special instructions in the subject except a critical study of the books which were prescribed by the college.

She had a good start in French and received six months’ instruction in Latin but she was most familiar with German as a subject.

Then Helen Keller tells us about the drawbacks to her progress. Miss Sullivan could not spelled in her hand everything the books required. It was also difficult to have textbooks embossed (marked) in time for her.

So, she had to copy Latin in Braille, so that she could recite with other girls. In the meantime, her teachers also became familiar with her imperfect speech. She could not make notes in class or write exercises, but she wrote all her compositions and translations at home on her type-writer.

Miss Sullivan accompanied her to the classes each day and spelled in her hand with unlimited patience. She had to look up for new words for *Helen in study hours and read and reread notes and books which were not in raised print. The work was very boring and difficult. The German teacher Frau Grote and Mr. Arthur Gilman (one of the founders of Radcliffe College and founder and director of Cambridge School for Young Ladies. He was pioneer in women’s education.), the principal, were the only teachers in the school, who learned the finger alphabet to give her instructions.

Fau Grote knew Helle’s spellings were hopelessly slow, but she was kind enough to her that she spelled out her instructions to her in special lessons twice a week. She finished Arithmetic that year, reviewed her Latin grammar and three chapters of Caesar’s “Gallic War”. In German, she read partly with her fingers and partly with Miss Sullivan’s assistance. She took greatest delight in German books like: Schiller’s “Lied von het Glocke” and “Taucher”, Heine’s “Harzreise” and so on.

Mr. Gilman helped her read English Literature. They read together “As You Like It”, Burke’s “Speech on Conciliation with America” and Macaulay’s “Life of Samuel Johnson”. Her work was made easier by Mr. Gilman’s broad views on history, literature and also by clearer explanations. She found Burke’s speech more instructive than any other book on a political subject.

“Life of Samuel Johnson” was also very interesting for her. She had sympathetic feelings for the lonely man, who lived in poverty in Grub Street in London. In spite of his sufferings, Samuel Johnson had a kind word and always helped the poor and despised (hated). She rejoiced in his success, ignored his faults and wondered as to how they had not crushed or dwarfed her soul. At times, Macualey’s Brilliancy, positivity and his great faculty of making the commonplace (ordinary) event/thing seem fresh and beautiful would make Helen tired also.

She had for the first time in her life the experience of enjoying the companionship of seeing and hearing girls of her own age. She lived with several girls in the house where a famous writer, Mr. Howells used to live. She had all advantages of home life there. She joined them in many of their games. She also took long walks with them.  Video 1 ends

They also discussed their studies and read aloud the things. Some of the girls learned to speak to her.

Her mother and little sister spent the holidays with her. Mr. Gilman also allowed her sister Mildred to study with her in Cambridge and they remained together for six months.

 She appeared in preliminary exams for Radcliff from the 29^th of June to the third of July in 1897. Her subjects were: Elementary and Advanced German, French, Latin, English, Greek and Roman History. She had to devote nine hours and she passed in them and received ‘honours’ in German and English.

Then she proceeds to explain to us the method that was in practice when she took her examinations. The students had to pass sixteen hours. Out of these, twelve hours were meant for the elementary while the remaining four hours for the advanced. At Harvard, the answer sheets were given at nine o’clock and then were brought to Radcliffe by a special messenger. A particular identity was allotted to each student and Helen’s Id. No was 233. As she had to use a type-writer, her Id. No. could not be concealed (hidden).

Since the noise of the type-writer could disturb the rest of the students, she was made to sit in a separate room. All the papers were read to her by Mr. Gilman through manual alphabet. A man was also deputed at the gate to stop any interruption.

Her first paper was of German. Mr. Gilman was to read the paper first thoroughly, then sentences by sentence and she repeated the words after him to make him sure that she understood the word perfectly. The difficulty level of the paper was high. Mr. Gilman spelled to her what she had written and she made necessary changes. At Radcliffe, no one read the papers to her after they were written and she had no opportunity to make any correction in them. She could only make such corrections that she recalled within a few minutes and then she made notes of the corrections at the end of the paper.

After that she mentions two reasons for her ‘no-so-good’ performance in the final examinations as compared to that of her in preliminaries.

The one is that in the finals, no one read the paper to her, and the second was that in the preliminaries she offered subjects in which she was already familiar up to some extent. She had passed several examinations like English, History, French and German in the Cambridge School and those were given to her by Mr. Gilman from the previous Harvard papers.

Then Mr. Gilman sent her written work to the examiners with a certificate that the candidate No. 233 had written the papers.

All the preliminaries were conducted in the same manner. Only one paper was difficult and that was the first one. She remembers that on the day when the Latin paper was brought to them, Professor Schilling came in and informed her that she had passed satisfactorily in German. This encouraged her very much and that made her continue the ordeal with a light heart.

                                         Chapter Over

Points:

Q. How did Helen do in her preliminary examinations?

Ans. She fared well in all of her preliminary examinations except the first one. She was made to sit in a separate room as she had to use the type-writer. Mr. Gilman read the papers, first thoroughly and then sentence by sentence by manual alphabet. She also repeated the sentences after him to ensure him that she had understood each word perfectly. A man was also made to stand at the door to stop any interruption.

Mr. Gilman spelled to her what she had written and she made necessary changes. In this way, she could make corrections. At Radcliffe, no one read the papers to her after they were written and she had no opportunity to make any correction in them. But she passed them satisfactorily.