Helen Adams Keller was born June 27, 1880 in Tuscumbia, Alabama to Arthur H. and Kate Adams Keller. The birth took place in the "annex" of Ivy Green, the Keller's Estate.
Helen's father was a captain in the Confederate Army, an attorney, and a farmer. He was the editor and publisher of a weekly newspaper called The North Alabamian. Helen's mother was descended from the Adams family of New England.
Helen was born a healthy, normal baby until she was stricken with a severe illness at age nineteen months which left her blind and deaf. Her parents took her to see many doctors and specialists including Alexander Graham Bell when she was six years old.
Anne Mansfield Sullivan came to Tuscumbia on March 3, 1887 to teach Helen. This was Annie's first teaching assignment. Although Annie married John Macy, she still stayed with Helen until her (Annie's) death in 1936.
The cottage next to Ivy Green where Annie & Helen stayed when Annie first came to Tuscumbia. Helen had been spoiled by her parents. Annie first task was to teach Helen to obey.
Until she was 10 years old, Helen could only communicate with sign language. She started taking lessons from a deaf teacher and by the time she was 16, Helen could talk well enough to attend school. In 1904, Helen Keller graduated cum laude from Radcliffe.
In 1954, Ivy Green, located on a 640-acre tract of land, was made a permanent shrine and is included in the National Register of Historic Sites. See my photo gallery for pictures of the parlor in Ivy Green. Most of the furniture is from the Keller family. Annie Sullivan and Helen's room is upstairs at Ivy Green.
Every weekend in June and July, William Gibson's "The Miracle Worker" is performed at Ivy Green and produced by the Helen Keller Property Board.
The Miracle Worker
I have seen "The Miracle Worker" many times on TV (who can forget Patty Duke's award-winning performance!) and at community theatres. I was surprised, however, at the emotions that this play evoked when sitting in the backyard of where the familiar events took place.
We all know the story of Helen Keller and her "Teacher." In June and July of every year, the Helen Keller Property Board sponsors William Gibson's production of "The Miracle Worker." Thousands of local actors and actresses try out for the play. There are two sets of actresses playing Annie and Helen. After seeing the performance, one can see why--the play is physically demanding. Annie's scenes with Helen are like a tug-of-war. Both actors were sweating from the exertion and the audience was panting along as well.
We were lucky; the night we went the weather was perfect. The set is beautifully decorated, with flowers and plants growing contentedly around the "house."
All the actors were superb in their roles. Besides the two main characters, I was particularly taken with Helen's mother, played by Ashley Rickard. She expressed her love for Helen with a quiet dignity and grace that warmed our hearts. The children from the blind school were so convincing that I had to ask someone during intermission if they were really blind!
I was prepared to be a little bored during this play. Quite the opposite occurred, however. I was fascinated with the quality of performances and the haunting presence of being in the place where it actually happened. As the play ended, triumphant that Helen had learned the word, w-a-t-e-r, and what it meant, the audience was audibly sobbing. There were no dry eyes in the cast or audience as show ended.
If you're within driving distance of Tuscumbia, make sure you get to this production. I guarantee you, you won't be disappointed. The home and gardens are open to the public Monday through Saturday, 8:30 a.m. until 4:00 p.m. and on Sundays from 1-4:00 p.m. For more information, you may call (888) 329-2124 or (256) 383-4066.
Every weekend in June and July, William Gibson's "The Miracle Worker"is performed at Ivy Green and produced by the Helen Keller Property Board. The annual Helen Keller Festival is a weeklong event held the last weekend in June at Tuscumbia's Spring Park and in downtown Tuscumbia.
