Page 222 - The Story of My Lif

In Geometry, my chief difficulty was, that I had always been accustomed to

reading the propositions in Line Print, or having them spelled into my hand; and
somehow, although the propositions were right before me, yet the braille
confused me, and I could not fix in my mind clearly what I was reading. But,
when I took up Algebra, I had a harder time still—I was terribly handicapped by
my imperfect knowledge of the notation. The signs, which I had learned the day
before, and which I thought I knew perfectly, confused me. Consequently my
work was painfully slow, and I was obliged to read the examples over and over
before I could form a clear idea what I was required to do. Indeed, I am not sure
now that I read all the signs correctly, especially as I was much distressed, and
found it very hard to keep my wits about me….

Now there is one more fact, which I wish to state very plainly, in regard to what
Mr. Gilman wrote to you. I never received any direct instruction in the Gilman
School. Miss Sullivan always sat beside me, and told me what the teachers said.
I did teach Miss Hall, my teacher in Physics, how to write the American braille,
but she never gave me any instruction by means of it, unless a few problems
written for practice, which made me waste much precious time deciphering
them, can be called instruction. Dear Frau Grote learned the manual alphabet,
and used to teach me herself; but this was in private lessons, which were paid for
by my friends. In the German class Miss Sullivan interpreted to me as well as
she could what the teacher said.

Perhaps, if you would send a copy of this to the head of the Cambridge School, it
might enlighten his mind on a few subjects, on which he seems to be in total
darkness just now….

TO MISS MILDRED KELLER

138 Brattle Street, Cambridge,

November 26, 1899.

…At last we are settled for the winter, and our work is going smoothly. Mr.