Anne sullivan biography video of albert
Anne Sullivan
Teacher and companion of Helen Keller (–)
This article is about the teacher and companion of Helen Keller. For other uses, see Anne Sullivan (disambiguation).
Anne Sullivan Macy (born as Johanna Mansfield Sullivan; April 14, – October 20, ) was an American teacher best known for being the instructor and lifelong companion of Helen Keller.[1] At the age of five, Sullivan contracted trachoma, an eye disease, which left her partially blind and without reading or writing skills.[2] She received her education as a student of the Perkins School for the Blind.
Soon after graduation at age 20, she became a teacher to Keller.[2]
Childhood
On April 14, , Sullivan was born in Feeding Hills, Agawam, Massachusetts, United States.
The name on her baptismal certificate was Johanna Mansfield Sullivan but she was called "Anne" or "Annie" from birth.[3] She was the eldest child of Thomas and Alice (Cloesy) Sullivan, who had emigrated from Ireland to the United States during the Great Famine.[4]
When she was five years old, Sullivan contracted the bacterial eye disease trachoma, which caused many painful infections and over time made her nearly blind.[2] When she was eight, her mother died from tuberculosis, and her father abandoned the children two years later for fear that he could not raise them on his own.[2] She and her younger brother, James (Jimmie), were sent to the run-down and overcrowded almshouse in Tewksbury, Massachusetts, today part of Tewksbury Hospital, and their younger sister, Mary, was left to an aunt.
Jimmie had a weak hip condition and then died from tuberculosis four months into their stay. Anne remained at Tewksbury after his death and endured two unsuccessful eye operations.[citation needed]
In , as a result of reports of cruelty to inmates at Tewksbury, including sexually perverted practices and cannibalism, the Massachusetts Board of State Charities launched an investigation into the institution.[5] The investigation was led by Franklin Benjamin Sanborn, then chairman of the board, and Samuel Gridley Howe, founder of the Perkins School for the Blind in Boston.[citation needed]
In February , Sullivan was sent to the Soeurs de la Charité hospital in Lowell, Massachusetts, where she had another unsuccessful operation.
While there, she helped the nuns in the wards and went on errands in the community until July of that year, when she was sent to the city infirmary, where she had one more unsuccessful operation. She was then transferred back to Tewksbury under duress.[5] Instead of returning to the facility for predominantly ill and insane patients, she was housed with single mothers and unmarried pregnant women.[citation needed]
In , during a subsequent inspection of Tewksbury by Franklin Benjamin Sanborn, now State Inspector of Charities, Sullivan implored of him to allow her to be admitted to the Perkins School for the Blind, in Watertown, Massachusetts.
Within a matter of months, her plea was granted.[5]
Education
On October 7, , Sullivan began her studies at the Perkins School.[2] Although her first years at Perkins were humiliating because of her rough manners, she managed to connect with a few teachers and made progress with her learning.[2]
While at Perkins, Sullivan befriended Laura Bridgman, a graduate of Perkins and the first blind and deaf person to have been educated there; Sullivan learned the manual alphabet from Laura.
During her time there, she had a series of eye operations that significantly improved her vision.[6] In June , graduating at age 20 as the valedictorian of her class, Sullivan stated:
"Fellow-graduates: Duty bids us go forth into active life. Let us go cheerfully, hopefully, and earnestly, and set ourselves to find our especial part.
When we have found it, willingly and faithfully perform it; for every obstacle we overcome, every success we achieve tends to bring man closer to God and make life more as He would have it."[2]
Career
The summer after Sullivan had graduated, the director of Perkins School for the Blind, Michael Anagnos, was contacted by Arthur Keller, Helen Keller's father, who was in search of a teacher for his seven-year-old blind and deaf daughter.[2] Anagnos immediately recommended Sullivan for this position and she began her work on March 3, , at the Kellers' home located in Alabama.[2] As soon as she arrived, she argued with Helen's parents about the Civil War and over the fact that they had owned slaves.[7] At the same time, she quickly connected with Helen.
It was the beginning of a year relationship: Sullivan evolved from teacher to governess and finally to companion and friend.[8]
Sullivan's curriculum involved a strict schedule, with constant introduction of new vocabulary; however, she quickly changed her teaching method after seeing it did not suit Keller.[2] Instead she began to teach her vocabulary based on her own interests, by spelling each word out into Keller's palm;[9] within six months this method proved to be working, since Keller had learned words, some multiplication tables and the Braille system.[2]
Sullivan strongly encouraged Helen's parents to send her to the Perkins School, where she could have an appropriate education.
Once they had agreed Sullivan took Keller to Boston in and stayed with her there. Sullivan continued to teach her bright protégée, who soon became famous for her remarkable progress.[10] With the help of the school's director, Anagnos, Keller became a public symbol for the school, helping to increase its funding and donations and making it the most famous and sought-after school for the blind in the country.
An accusation of plagiarism against Keller greatly upset Sullivan; she left and never returned but remained influential to the school.[2]
Sullivan remained a close companion to Keller and continued to assist in her education, which ultimately included a degree from Radcliffe College (now part of Harvard University). In , Sullivan and Keller went on a lecture tour under the auspices of the Y.W.C.A.
that brought them to the stage at the Mabel Tainter Memorial Building in Menomonie, Wisconsin, on January 22, During the hour-long presentation, Sullivan, identified as Mrs. Macy in the newspaper account, described her work with Keller, followed by Keller's talk on "Happiness".[11]
Personal life
On May 3, , Sullivan married Harvard University instructor and literary critic John Albert Macy (–), who had helped Keller with her publications.[12] When she married, Sullivan was already living with Keller as her personal teacher, so Macy moved into the household of both women.
However, within a few years, the marriage began to disintegrate. By , they separated, though Macy is listed as living as a "lodger" with them in the U.S. Census.[13] As the years progressed after their separation, Macy appears to have faded from her life, and the two never officially divorced.
Biography video for kids Her ashes were placed at the National Cathedral in Washington, D. Despite the physical strain on her own limited sight, Sullivan helped Keller continue her studies at Radcliffe College in Sullivan's curriculum involved a strict schedule, with constant introduction of new vocabulary; however, she quickly changed her teaching method after seeing it did not suit Keller. Online books Resources in your library Resources in other libraries.Macy died in of a heart attack.[14] Sullivan never remarried.
Awards
In , Sullivan and Keller were each awarded honorary fellowships from the Educational Institute of Scotland. They were also awarded honorary degrees from Temple University.[15] In , Keller was awarded an honorary degree from Harvard University,[12] and in the director's cottage at the Perkins School was named the Keller-Macy Cottage.[2] In , Sullivan was inducted into the National Women's Hall of Fame.[16]
Death
Sullivan had been seriously visually impaired for almost all of her life, but by , she became completely blind.
On October 15, , she had a coronary thrombosis, fell into a coma, and died five days later[17] at the age of 70 in the Forest Hills neighborhood of Queens, New York, with Keller holding her hand.[18] Keller described Sullivan as being very agitated during her last month of life, but during the last week, she was said to return to her normal generous self.[19] Sullivan was cremated and her ashes interred in a memorial at the National Cathedral in Washington, D.C.[20] She was the first woman to be recognized for her achievements in this way.
When Keller died in , she was cremated as well and her ashes were interred alongside those of Sullivan.[21]
Media representation
In the film Deliverance she is played by Edith Lyle. Sullivan is the main character in The Miracle Worker by William Gibson, originally produced for television in , in which she was portrayed by Teresa Wright.[22]The Miracle Worker then moved to Broadway and later was produced as a feature film.
Both the play and the film featured Anne Bancroft as Sullivan.[23]Patty Duke, who played Keller on Broadway and in the film, later played Sullivan in a television remake.[24]Blythe Danner portrayed her in The Miracle Continues and Roma Downey portrayed her in the TV movie Monday After the Miracle ().[25]Alison Elliott portrayed her in a television movie.[26]Alison Pill played her on Broadway in the short-lived revival, with Abigail Breslin as Keller.
In , the United States Postal Service issued a commemorative stamp, honoring Sullivan and Keller.[27][28]
References
- ^Herrmann, Dorothy. Helen Keller: A Life, Alfred A. Knopf, New York, , p. 35; ISBN&#;
- ^ abcdefghijklmMcGinnity, Seymour-Ford, & Andries,
- ^American Foundation for the Blind ().
"Anne Sullivan Macy Biography". Archived from the original on April 2,
- ^McGinnity, Seymour-Ford, & Andries,
- ^ abcAmerican Printing House for the Blind (). "A Brief Exit from Tewksbury – Anne's Formative Years (–) – Helen Keller Kids Museum".
. Archived from the original on July 3,
- ^American Foundation for the Blind (). "Anne Sullivan Macy Biography". Archived from the original on April 2,
- ^Nielsen, Kim E. (). The radical lives of Helen Keller. New York: New York University Press.
ISBN&#;.
- ^The life of Helen KellerArchived December 31, , at the Wayback Machine, Royal National Institute of Blind People, last updated August 14, Retrieved December 30,
- ^"Teaching Helen – Anne as Teacher (–)". . Archived from the original on February 28, Retrieved February 27,
- ^Wallace, Arminta.
"Anne Sullivan, the Irish-American who taught Helen Keller to speak". The Irish Times.
Anne sullivan biography video of albert She and her husband lived with Keller in a Massachusetts farmhouse. Sullivan's brother Jimmie died just months after they arrived there, leaving Anne alone. Her ashes were placed at the National Cathedral in Washington, D. October 20,Retrieved February 27,
- ^"Helen Keller Is a Favorite Here," The Dunn County News, January 27, , p. 1 accessed on April 13, , ?terms=%22Helen%20Keller%22&match=1
- ^ abLash,
- ^In the census, Keller was 38 years old and listed as head of her household in Queens, New York.
Sullivan, age 52, is listed as living with her as a private teacher. John, age 44, is also listed as living with them, as a "lodger", with the occupation of writer/author.
- ^"Dr. John Albert Macy Dies". . The Baltimore Sun. August 27, p.&#;2. Retrieved October 20,
- ^Herrmann, pp.
–53
- ^"Anne Sullivan (Anne Sullivan Macy)". National Women's Hall of Fame.
- ^Nielsen, p.
- ^Herrmann, p.
- ^Nielsen, p.
- ^Wilson, Scott. Resting Places: The Burial Sites of More Than 14, Famous Persons, 3rd ed.: 2 (Kindle Locations –).
McFarland & Company, Inc., Publishers. Kindle edition.
- ^"Becoming Helen Keller".Anne sullivan biography video of albert hall After refusing several marriage proposals from him, she finally accepted. Retrieved February 27, Be the first one to write a review. Metropolitan Museum Cleveland Museum of Art.
. October 20, Retrieved October 20,
- ^Teresa Wright (I) at IMDb
- ^Anne Bancroft (I) at IMDb
- ^Patty Duke at IMDb
- ^"Roma Downey also stars in CBS movie 'Miracle'". Deseret News. November 15,
- ^Alison Elliott (I) at IMDb
- ^"Helen Keller and Anne Sullivan".
National Postal Museum. Retrieved December 24,
- ^Hotchner, John M. (March 30, ).Anne sullivan biography video of albert einstein Open Library American Libraries. After isolating Keller from her family in order to better educate her, Sullivan began working to teach Keller how to communicate with the outside world. Search the history of over billion web pages on the Internet. When we have found it, willingly and faithfully perform it; for every obstacle we overcome, every success we achieve tends to bring man closer to God and make life more as He would have it.
"Readers respond to Helen Keller stamp designs". Linns Stamp News. Retrieved December 24,
Bibliography
- Tewksbury Almshouse patient records
- McGinnity, B. L., J. Seymour-Ford, and K. J. Andries. "Anne Sullivan". Perkins School for the Blind. February 14, Accessed February 14, Anne SullivanArchived November 7, , at the Wayback Machine.
- Lash, Joseph ().
Helen and teacher: the story of Helen Keller and Anne Sullivan Macy. New York: Delacorte Press.
Razzies: Uploaded by associate-caitlin-crowley on May 20, Humiliated by her own ignorance, Sullivan had a quick temper and liked to challenge the rules, which got her in trouble with her teachers. It was the beginning of a year relationship: Sullivan evolved from teacher to governess and finally to companion and friend. Sullivan's story lives on through film and theatrical productions.
ISBN&#;.
- Nielsen, Kim E. (). Beyond the miracle worker: the remarkable life of Anne Sullivan Macy and her extraordinary friendship with Helen Keller. Boston: Beacon Press. ISBN&#;.