Annie Sullivan

Sullivan and Keller

Johanna (Anne) Sullivan Macy or Anne Mansfield Sullivan Macy was born on April 14, 1866 in Feeding Hills, Massachusetts. She was born to Irish immigrant farmers Thomas Sullivan and Alice Cloesy. Jimmie Sullivan, her brother, was crippled from tuberculosis. She had a hard life growing up; living in poverty and suffering physical abuse by her alcoholic father and at the age of five, trachoma struck Anne, leaving her almost blind. Two years later, her mother died and her father abandoned his children to an orphanage in Tewksbury where her brother died shortly after. The orphanage had no educational facilities but there, she prospered.

On the third of October, 1880, when she was fourteen years old, Anne went to the Perkins Institute for the Blind. After regaining her eyesight from many operations and graduating as class valedictorian in 1886 from the school, she began teaching Helen Keller. Keller was seven years old when Sullivan first arrived, and she was very undisciplined. She was blind and also mute. Annie Sullivan taught her and tutored her through classes.

After Miss Keller's formal education, Anne Sullivan continued to assist Miss Keller by accompanying her on her travels and to various lecture tours. After Helen's graduation from Radcliffe college, Anne married a young Harvard instructor named John Albert Macy in 1905. Those three lived together until 1912 when the Macy's separated.

Sullivan and Keller were always trying to to give lectures and raise money for the American Foundation for the Blind. However, they were often too charitable and therefore had to supplement their income. The pair tried to produce a movie called Deliverance, but it was unsuccessful. They had better success on the vaudeville circuit. Annie Sullivan passed away on October 20, 1936. But she was greatly remembered for the good things that she did for Helen and her family.

Annie Sullivan is my hero because she was hardworking and didn't let her guard down when others tried to discourage her. I would describe her as a brilliant and wonderful woman. She was great teacher and i admire that. :-)