Peter Pan and Helen Keller

[Hannah Grippo]

My students and I were looking through some of Helen Keller's letters. We were actually searching for exchanges with Alexander Graham Bell, but in the dig, I stumbled across a familiar name - Maud Adams! I read this lovely note by Ms. Keller:

"My dear Miss Adams: I thank you for the pleasure you gave us last Thursday night. We were delighted to meet the most cleverest boy that ever was, and the sweet lady who makes him also the realest of boys. "Peter Pan"' is the loveliest fairy tale that I have lived in since my body grew up. My spirit avoids "the ignominy of growing up" as anxiously as did Peter, and so far I have successfully kept a home in Never-never-never Land. I hope my adult tasks and burdens will never cast anchor on me. Truly you and Mr. Barrie have given us to drink of the fountain which Ponce de Leon sought in vain. We can never forget the pleasant chat with you and Miss Boynton, and the roses which you put in our room shall always smell sweet. I am sending a picture for you and one for Miss Boynton, also a copy of my book. Mr. and Mrs . Macy send their kind regards to you and Miss Boynton. With best wishes, I am, Sincerely yours, (Signed) Helen Keller Wrentham, Massachusetts, December tenth"

I love finding connections between my favorite people, so a Barrie and Keller (she is one of my heroes) is a real delight! I know Helen Keller loved going to the theatre and I've enjoyed reading her responses to specific plays or just going to a play in general. I would have loved to discuss Peter Pan, novel or play with her!

[Crocodile]

I just wondered how a blind/deaf person could attend a play.

[Hannah Grippo]

Helen Keller loved theatre. She felt vibrations with her feet, but also her Teacher (and other friends) would finger-spell to describe a production to her. I'm sure there's more to this (she would meet actors afterward for instance), but if you read her writings, you will find beautiful descriptions of different plays that she attended. Many deafblind people experience such form of arts as long as they have their rightful accommodations. For instance the lawyer/activist Haben Girma is deaf/blind, but is is part of a theatre group among other arts. It's a common misconception that people with hearing and seeing impairments can't experience the theatre.