Did Helen Keller Fly a Plane?
Even though documentation of both Helen Keller and her awe-inspiring story of education exists, many people stand by their belief that her and her story were faked.
Here are the facts.
Born on June 27, 1880, Helen Keller became blind and deaf at the age two following illness. In an attempt to control her subsequent unruly behavior, her parents hired a private teacher, Anne Sullivan, in 1887. Sullivan began teaching Helen to associate objects with words through finger spelling -- drawing the letters into Helen's palms. After significant resistance from Keller and her failure to associate objects and words, Sullivan moved Keller to a private building away from the family residence. It was there that the famous recognition of water scene occurred.
Throughout the 88 years of her life, Keller accomplished many seemingly unattainable tasks, including speaking, teaching, and, of course, the infamous flying of a plane.
In 1946, Keller and a companion traveled to Europe to speak on behalf of the American Foundation for the Overseas Blind. It was during this flight that Keller took control of the plane. Interviews with the pilot and crew reveal an incredibly confident woman flying a plane "steadily and calmly."
St. Francis High School
2130 W. Roosevelt Road, Wheaton, IL 60187
Phone (630) 668-5800
Fax (630) 668-5893
Phone (630) 668-5800
Fax (630) 668-5893
