Theimportantstepinmyeducationwaslearningtoread.

    AssoonasIcouldspellafewwordsmyteachergavemeslipsofcardboardonwhichwereprintedwordsinraisedletters.Iquicklylearhateachprintedwordstoodfora,anact,oraquality.IhadaframeinwhichIcouldarrahewordsinlittlesentences;butbeforeIeverputsenteheframeIusedtomakethemis.Ifoundtheslipsofpaperwhichrepresented,forexample,"doll,""is,""on,""bed"andplacedeaameonitsobject;thenIputmydollonthebedwiththewordsis,on,bedarrangedbesidethedoll,thusmakiehewords,andatthesametimecarryingouttheideaofthesentehthethingsthemselves.

    Oneday,MissSullivantellsme,Ipihewirlonmypinaforeandstoodinthewardrobe.OntheshelfIarrahewords,is,in,wardrobe.Nothingdelightedmesomuchasthisgame.MyteacherandIplayeditforhoursatatime.Oftehingintheroomwasarrangedisentences.

    Fromtheprintedslipitwasbutasteptotheprintedbook.Itookmy"Readerfinners"andhuntedforthewordsIknew;whenIfoundthemmyjoywaslikethatofagameofhide-ahusIbegantoread.

    OfthetimewheoreadectedstoriesIshallspeaklater.

    ForalongtimeIhadnularlessons.Eveudiedmostearlyitseemedmorelikeplaythanwork.EverythingMissSullivantaughtmesheillustratedbyabeautifulstoryorapoem.Wheneveranythingdelightedoriedmeshetalkeditoverwithmejustasifshewerealittlegirlherself.Whatmanychildrenthinkofwithdread,asapainfulploddingthroughgrammar,hardsumsandharderdefinitions,isto-dayoneofmymostpreemories.

    IotexplainthepeculiarsympathyMissSullivanhadwithmypleasuresanddesires.Perha