Helen Keller was born on 27th June 1880 inTuscumbia in Alabama. Her father, Arthur H. Keller, was a descendant of CasparKeller who was a native of Switzerland. He was a captain in the confederatearmy. Helen’s mother was Kate Adams who was Arthur’s second wife and was manyyears younger. At the age of nineteen months, Helen became very ill with brainfever. When the fever subsided, Helen was left blind and deaf forever. Helen wasquite eager to learn. Despite her handicap she had learnt some crude signs ofcommunication and also how to fold the clothes etc. later, she showedexceptional capabilities for learning and very soon could learn to read, writeor even speak. She had voracious passion for learning, knowledge andexploration.

Like Wordsworth, she learnt to find solace in nature and itspeaceful serenity. Her power of observation was commendable. How beautifullyshe has described the details of her observations! Even those with eyes andears cannot describe as beautifully as she has done. Natural beauty wasabundant around her house. The Keller homestead was quite near a rose- bower.Its old fashioned garden was the paradise of her childhood. Before MissSullivan's arrival, this garden was the place where Helen went to find comfortand hide her hot face in the cool leaves and grass. Helen felt extremely happyin that garden of flowers, wandering happily from spot to spot. She couldrecognize each vine and plant by touching them.

Helen was a prodigy child since her early childhood!However, the challenges she faced were quite arduous---as if Nature had planneda special obstacle course for her to help her bring her best out! After beingrendered blind and disabled in hearing and speaking, Helen's frustration tolearn more and more about life mounted very high. Her hearing disabilitycombined with visual disability made the teaching and learning morechallenging. Helen was a very industrious girl; she always did her best tolearn. She had such a natural, innate passion for learning which alwaysmotivated her. Manual alphabet, reading, arithmetic, etc., all were formidablechallenges for her initially, but Helen overcame them. The most arduous of allof them was learning to speak. Learning to speak is almost an impossible taskfor those who have hearing disability. So Helen had to work very hard.She had to repeat each word and sentence many times for the right tone andpronunciation. She practiced untiringly. At times she became discouraged andweary too, but she never gave up. She faced all the difficulties courageously.Her courage and perseverance are source of inspiration for all mankind!