Early Letters of Helen Keller

Miss Sullivan began to teach Helen Keller on March 3, 1887. Helen wrote the following letter to her cousin Anna (Mrs. George T. Turner) only three-and-a-half months after the first word was spelled into her hand:

Tuscumbia, Alabama, June 17, 1887

helen write anna george will give helen apple simpson will shoot bird jack will give helen stick of candy doctor will give mildred medicine mother will make mildred new dress

(no signature)

By September, Helen's writing skills have improved somewhat, as seen in this letter to the blind girls at the Perkins Institution in south Boston:

Tuscumbia, September, 1887

Helen will write little blind girls a letter Helen and teacher will come to see little blind girls Helen and teacher will go in steam car to boston Helen and blind girls will have fun blind girls can talk on fingers Helen will see Mr anagnos Mr anagnos will love and kiss Helen Helen will go to school with blind girls Helen can read and count and spell and write like blind girls Mildred does cry prince and jumbo will go to boston papa does shoot ducks wit gun and ducks do fall in water and jumbo and mamie do swim in water and bring ducks out in mouth to papa Helen does play with dogs Helen does ride on horseback with teacher Helen does give handee grass in hand teacher does whip handee to go fast Helen is blind Helen will put letter in envelope for blind girls

good-by
HELEN KELLER

Only two months later, Helen has improved on her grammar, as revealed in this letter to Dr. Alexander Graham Bell:

Tuscumbia, November, 1887

Dear Mr. Bell.

I am glad to write you a letter. Father will send you picture. I and Father and aunt did go to see you in Washington. I did play with your watch. I do love you. I saw doctor in Washington. He looked at my eyes. I can read stories in my book I can write and spell and count. good girl! My sister can walk and run. We do have fun with Jumbo. Prince is not good dog. He can not get birds. Rat did kill baby pigeons. I am sorry. Rat does not know wrong. I and mother and teacher will go to Boston in June. I will see little blind girls. Nancy will go with me. She is a good doll. Father will buy me lovely new watch. Cousin Anna gave me a pretty doll. Her name is Allie.

Good-by,
HELEN KELLER