7 Things to Know About Laura Bridgman

I recently began reading a book that I picked up at a library sale last summer, called Helen and Teacher by Joseph P. Lash. Within the first few pages, I learned about the woman whose education paved the way for Helen Keller’s fame. Here are seven facts about Laura Bridgman:

1. Laura Bridgman (1829-1889) was the first deafblind person to become famous, many years before Helen Keller (1880-1968).

2.  Like Helen Keller, Laura Bridgman became deaf and blind from a childhood illness, but she also lost her senses of smell and taste.

3. Samuel Gridley Howe, director of the Perkins School for the Blind,  figured out how to communicate with Laura through a method developed by silent monks.

4. Samuel Howe was the husband of Julia Ward Howe, who composed the “Battle Hymn of the Republic” during the Civil War.

5. Charles Dickens met Laura Bridgman and wrote about her in American Notes. 

6. Helen Keller’s parents read Dickens’ story about Laura Bridgman, and this is how they came to contact Perkins and met Anne Sullivan, Helen’s teacher.

7. Helen Keller and Laura Bridgman met at Perkins, in Watertown, MA, where Bridgman made her home. Keller was eight years old, and Bridgeman was 59. By that time, Bridgman had fallen into obscurity.

So there you have it, seven interesting facts about Laura Bridgman. It’s amazing that the human mind, even when cut off from the critical senses we rely to communicate, is able to adapt and overcome these barriers. If it weren’t for Laura, Helen Keller may never have learned to communicate and become one of the world’s major sources of inspiration.

Ann Silverthorn is a blogger who also writes about a wide variety of topics in numerous genres, including non-fiction, fiction, poetry, travel, and grant writing. She’s currently on a seven-things kick and presents seven-point content about a variety of topics. These seven points are easy to remember and share with your friends when the conversation wanes.

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