WhenIbeganmysedyearattheGilmanschool,Iwasfullofhopeaerminationtosucceed.ButduringthefirstfewweeksIwasfrohunforeseendifficulties.Mr.GilmanhadagreedthatthatyearIshouldstudymathematicsprincipally.Ihadphysics,algebra,geometry,astronomy,GreekandLatin.

    Unfortunately,manyofthebooksIneededhadnotbeenembossedintimeformetobeginwiththeclasses,andIlackedimportantapparatusforsomeofmystudies.TheclassesIwasinwereverylarge,anditossiblefortheteacherstogivemespecialinstruissSullivanwasobligedtoreadallthebookstome,andinterpretfortheinstructors,andforthefirsttimeinelevenyearsitseemedasifherdearhandwouldnotbeequaltothetask.

    ItwasnecessaryformetowritealgebraaryinclassandsolveproblemsinphysidthisIcouldnotdountilweboughtabraillewriter,bymeansofwhichIcouldputdowepsandprocessesofmywork.Icouldnotfollowwithmyeyesthegeometricalfiguresdrawnontheblackboard,andmyonlymeansofgettingaclearideaofthemwastomakethemonacushionwithstraightandcurvedwires,whichhadbentandpointedends.Ihadtocarryinmymind,asMr.Keithsaysinhisreport,theletteringofthefigures,thehypothesisandclusion,thestruandtheprocessoftheproof.Inaword,everystudyhaditsobstacles.SometimesIlostallcearayedmyfeelingsinawayIamashamedtoremember,especiallyasthesignsofmytroublewereafterwardusedagainstMissSullivan,theonlypersonofallthekindfriendsIhadthere,whoakethecrookedstraightandtheroughplacessmooth.

    Littlebylittle,however,mydifficultiesbegantodisappear.Theembossedbooksandotherapparatusarrived,andIthrewmyselfintotheworkwithrenewedfidence.A