(Johanna) Anne Sullivan By: Taylor Wesolowski

Anne Sullivan was born April 14,1866. She was born in Feeding Hills, Massachusetts. When Anne was little she was a trouble maker.

Anne Sullivan caught a disease called trachoma when she was 5. Her brother and herself got sent to the poorhouse. A few months later Anne’s brother died.

Her life got difficult when her mom died. She had 4 brothers and sisters. Before Anne and her brother went to the poorhouse, Mary and Jimmie, her siblings were sent to live with their aunt and uncle.Thier family was catholic but they were not religious.

In 1880 Anne went to The Perkins Institution for the Blind. She got put in a sewing class with 9 year olds and she was 14. In a different class everyone laughed at her because she could not spell some simple words.

In 1887 Anne was 21 and she met Helen Keller. Helen called Anne ‘’ Teacher.’’ Anne taught Helen by spelling words into her hand. Her teaching was so great Helen learned over 100 words in 3 weeks. Anne taught most of her lessons outside. She lived with Helen and her family.

In May 1888 Anne, Helen and Helen’s mom went to Washington D.C. and they met president Grover Cleveland. They were joined by Alexander Graham Bell. Alexander Graham Bell and Mark Twain were 2 of their supporters.

In 1904 Anne and Helen bought a farm in Wrentham, Massachusetts. They bought the farm so Helen could go to The Perkins Institution for the Blind.

Anne had to stop working in 1916 because she got tuberculosis. When they traveled they wanted to have a 3 rd person because 1 time Anne got sick.

Not long before Anne died Helen taught her the braille letters she forgot. She died October 20 th, 1936 and she was 56.

To this day some of her letters still exist.