Saddle bridge spectacles with dark grey lenses such as these were typical of the kind of eyeglasses that Anne Sullivan would have worn. Photograph circa 1890. Gift of L. Katzen, photo courtesy of the Museum of Vision, San Francisco, California.
Helen passed the Radcliffe entrance examinations and entered the college in 1900. She was a great success. And it was Anne's help that made it possible. She manually signed all the class lectures to Helen. She also signed all the texts and books that were not brailled. Anne's eyes suffered greatly. Helen says in her biography Teacher: Anne Sullivan Macy that Anne had to consult an ophthalmologist. When he discovered that Anne read to Helen at least five hours a day, he exclaimed:
Oh my God! That is sheer madness, Miss Sullivan. You must rest your eyes completely if Miss Keller is to finish her course.
The smoked glasses shown here are typical of the ones Anne wore periodically. Interestingly, no pictures have been found showing Anne wearing her spectacles.
