Editor's Preface

2 min

This book is in three parts. The first two, Miss Keller's story and the extracts from her letters, form a complete account of her life as far as she can give it. Much of her education she cannot explain herself, and since a knowledge of that is necessary to an understanding of what she has written, it was thought best to supplement her autobiography with the reports and letters of her teacher, Miss Anne Mansfield Sullivan. The addition of a further account of Miss Keller's personality and achievements may be unnecessary; yet it will help to make clear some of the traits of her character and the nature of the work which she and her teacher have done.

This book has three parts. The first two, Miss Keller's story and extracts from her letters, give as complete an account of her life as she can provide. She cannot explain much of her education herself. But an understanding of her education is necessary to understand what she has written. So it seemed best to add the reports and letters of her teacher, Miss Anne Mansfield Sullivan, to her autobiography. A further account of Miss Keller's personality and achievements may be unnecessary. Yet it will help clarify some of her character traits and the nature of the work she and her teacher have done.

For the third part of the book the Editor is responsible, though all that is valid in it he owes to authentic records and to the advice of Miss Sullivan.

The Editor is responsible for the third part of the book. But he owes all that is valid in it to authentic records and Miss Sullivan's advice.

The Editor desires to express his gratitude and the gratitude of Miss Keller and Miss Sullivan to The Ladies' Home Journal and to its editors, Mr. Edward Bok and Mr. William V. Alexander, who have been unfailingly kind and have given for use in this book all the photographs which were taken expressly for the Journal; and the Editor thanks Miss Keller's many friends who have lent him her letters to them and given him valuable information; especially Mrs. Laurence Hutton, who supplied him with her large collection of notes and anecdotes; Mr. John Hitz, Superintendent of the Volta Bureau for the Increase and Diffusion of Knowledge relating to the Deaf; and Mrs. Sophia C. Hopkins, to whom Miss Sullivan wrote those illuminating letters, the extracts from which give a better idea of her methods with her pupil than anything heretofore published.

The Editor wishes to express his gratitude, and that of Miss Keller and Miss Sullivan, to The Ladies' Home Journal and its editors, Mr. Edward Bok and Mr. William V. Alexander. They have been unfailingly kind and have allowed the use of all the photographs taken expressly for the Journal in this book. The Editor also thanks Miss Keller's many friends who have lent him her letters to them and provided valuable information. He especially thanks Mrs. Laurence Hutton, who provided her large collection of notes and anecdotes; Mr. John Hitz, Superintendent of the Volta Bureau for the Increase and Diffusion of Knowledge relating to the Deaf; and Mrs. Sophia C. Hopkins, to whom Miss Sullivan wrote those illuminating letters. The extracts from those letters give a better idea of Miss Sullivan's methods with her pupil than anything previously published.

Messrs. Houghton, Mifflin and Company have courteously permitted the reprinting of Miss Keller's letter to Dr. Holmes, which appeared in "Over the Teacups," and one of Whittier's letters to Miss Keller. Mr. S. T. Pickard, Whittier's literary executor, kindly sent the original of another letter from Miss Keller to Whittier.

Houghton, Mifflin and Company have kindly allowed us to reprint Miss Keller's letter to Dr. Holmes, which appeared in "Over the Teacups." They have also allowed us to reprint one of Whittier's letters to Miss Keller. Mr. S. T. Pickard, Whittier's literary executor, kindly sent the original of another letter from Miss Keller to Whittier.

John Albert Macy.

Cambridge, Massachusetts, February 1, 1903.