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Sixtieth Annual Report Of The Trustees Of The Perkins Institution And Massachusetts Asylum For The Blind

Creator: Michael Anagnos (author)
Date: 1891
Source: Perkins School for the Blind

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SOUTH BOSTON, May 13, 1891.

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Editor of the ADVERTISER.

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DEAR SIR: -- Will you please publish, in your paper, the enclosed list of the friends who have sent us money to help educate our dear little Tommy? I am very grateful to all the kind people who are working for the dear little fellow, and so are all of his friends. I think it is very beautiful to see the little children whose own lives are full of sunshine and love, trying to bring light and gladness into Tommy's heart. I hope you will tell them all that the best thing in the world is to love everybody and try to make them happy.

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From your little friend, HELEN KELLER.

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SOUTH BOSTON, May 13, 1391.

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Editor of the BOSTON POST.

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MY DEAR MR. GOODRICH: -- It will make the friends of little Tommy very grateful if you will have the enclosed list printed in the Post. And will you please tell the loving little children and their friends, who are working for Tommy, that he is as happy and playful as a little kitten. He has found out that the world is full of loving friends, so he climbs into everybody's arms, and is quite content if his friends love him. He has learned to walk and to feed himself, and to get into all sorts of mischief when his teacher is not watching him. I am sure the little boys and girls who have been helping to make little Tom's life happy will be glad to hear that he has a bright intelligent face, and two dimpled and baby-like hands. I hope the children who see and hear will continue to work for him until his fund is completed, and education has filled his soul with light and music. From your little friend,

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HELEN A. KELLER.

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SOUTH BOSTON, May 13, 1891.

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Editor of the CHRISTIAN REGISTER.

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MY DEAR MRS. BARROWS: -- I know that you must be one of baby Tom's friends, and so you will glad to publish in the Christian Register the enclosed list of those who have sent us money for his fund. And will you please tell the readers of your paper that little Tommy is very happy and playful in his new home. He very soon discovered that the child's garden was a pleasant place to grow in; but he was too small and weak to grow all by himself, so he reached up his little hands and climbed right into our arms. He has not learned any words yet, but he is finding out about things, and some day it will flash into his mind that everything has a name. Then he will be happier than any king. I wonder how all the beautiful words came to be! I suppose God thought about language, so it grew. I remember perfectly the first embossed book I ever saw. I was very much puzzled by the queer feeling of letters. I was like Tommy then, and I could not imagine what wonderful secrets there were hid away in the pages of a book. Think what joy is waiting for little Tom! I hope loving little children, and all those who love to see them good and happy, will continue to take an interest in "Baby Tom," and see that the little human plantlet has everything it needs in order to grow. Lovingly yours,

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HELEN A. KELLER.

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SOUTH BOSTON, May 13, 1891.

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Editor of the BOSTON TRAVELLER.

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MY DEAR MR. WINSHIP: -- You will make a little girl very happy by publishing the enclosed list in the Traveller. I am sure that kind-hearted people will be glad to hear that so much money has been given towards dear little Tommy's education. I knew that everybody would wish to help Tommy when they knew his sad story. It is so very pitiful to be blind and deaf and small and helpless all together. But people are so kind and gentle with "Baby Tom" that he does not think there is any unkindness in all the world. I hope loving little children and their generous friends will continue to work for Tommy until his fund is completed. From your little friend,

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HELEN A. KELLER.

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SOUTH BOSTON, May 19, 1891.

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To the Editor of FOREST AND STREAM: -- Will you please thank the kind gentlemen who sent me the money for little Tommy, and tell them that they have helped make two children very happy? It seems beautiful to me to think that the death of my brave, loving Lioness should be the means of bringing so much happiness into the life of our dear little Tommy. I feel very grateful to the friends, far over the seas, who are taking an interest in baby Tom's education. Some day I hope I shall see each one of the dear friends whose names you sent me, and then I shall thank them myself. I enclose the receipt for the money. Thanking you, dear editor, for your kindness, I am your loving little friend, HELEN KELLER.

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Throughout these letters, as well as in the rest of her correspondence, Helen gives abundant evidence of choice thoughts and healthy aspirations, of mental vigor and a fine sense of fitness, of astonishing versatility and intellectual keenness, of unconquerable energy and unalloyed satisfaction in laboring to smooth the pathway of life for her fellow sufferers.

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The total amount of money thus far subscribed for Tommy's benefit through the united efforts of all his friends is $1,636.31, which sum will suffice to pay his expenses for about two years. In pleading the little boy's case and striving to enlist public interest in him, Helen was actuated by the highest motives and stirred by the noblest impulses. She often disclosed such unexpected resources of reasoning, combined with an uncommon depth of feeling, and rose to such fervor of appeal, as to surprise and overwhelm her hearers or correspondents, and to make herself fairly irresistible. There burns in her soul a quenchless zeal and an absorbing desire to snatch away from the jaws of misery and ignorance all afflicted children, and to lift them up to the fellowship of men. Her life writes out the perfect law of love, not in verbal terms, but in deeds that reveal all its depth and breadth and height. Of the many flowers that bloom on her heart and beautify it, sympathy with all sufferers and eagerness to be of service to them are the finest and most fragrant.

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