Page 266 - The Story of My Lif

stronger, these tempests became more violent. As I began to teach her, I was

beset by many difficulties. She wouldn’t yield a point without contesting it to the
bitter end. I couldn’t coax her or compromise with her. To get her to do the
simplest thing, such as combing her hair or washing her hands or buttoning her
boots, it was necessary to use force, and, of course, a distressing scene followed.
The family naturally felt inclined to interfere, especially her father, who cannot
bear to see her cry. So they were all willing to give in for the sake of peace.
Besides, her past experiences and associations were all against me. I saw clearly
that it was useless to try to teach her language or anything else until she learned
to obey me. I have thought about it a great deal, and the more I think, the more
certain I am that obedience is the gateway through which knowledge, yes, and
love, too, enter the mind of the child. As I wrote you, I meant to go slowly at
first. I had an idea that I could win the love and confidence of my little pupil by
the same means that I should use if she could see and hear. But I soon found that
I was cut off from all the usual approaches to the child’s heart. She accepted
everything I did for her as a matter of course, and refused to be caressed, and
there was no way of appealing to her affection or sympathy or childish love of

approbation. She would or she wouldn’t, and there was an end of it. Thus it is,
we study, plan and prepare ourselves for a task, and when the hour for action
arrives, we find that the system we have followed with such labour and pride
does not fit the occasion; and then there’s nothing for us to do but rely on
something within us, some innate capacity for knowing and doing, which we did
not know we possessed until the hour of our great need brought it to light.

I had a good, frank talk with Mrs. Keller, and explained to her how difficult it
was going to be to do anything with Helen under the existing circumstances. I
told her that in my opinion the child ought to be separated from the family for a
few weeks at least—that she must learn to depend on and obey me before I could
make any headway. After a long time Mrs. Keller said that she would think the
matter over and see what Captain Keller thought of sending Helen away with
me. Captain Keller fell in with the scheme most readily and suggested that the
little garden-house at the “old place” be got ready for us. He said that Helen
might recognize the place, as she had often been there, but she would have no
idea of her surroundings, and they could come every day to see that all was
going well, with the understanding, of course, that she was to know nothing of
their visits. I hurried the preparations for our departure as much as possible, and

here we are.