Letter from M.C. Migel to Robert Moses, New York City Parks Commissioner, requesting the rerouting of trucks that were disturbing Anne Sullivan Macy's recovery, May 1935. Full transcript of letter shown below.
By 1933, Anne's eyesight had deteriorated still further. Once again, the three women traveled to Scotland to help Anne gather her strength. While in Scotland, Anne suffered from an outbreak of carbuncles, a serious skin condition, further undermining her health. She was admitted to a hospital shortly after their return to the United States. During her stay in the hospital, Alexander Woollcott, drama critic and radio announcer, came and read to her. Influential men sought to come to her aid.
The letter in this image was written in 1935 by M. C. Migel to Robert Moses, the New York City Parks Commissioner. Migel requested the rerouting of trucks that were rolling loudly past Anne and Helen's Forest Hills home. Anne was convalescing, and the noise and vibrations caused by the trucks were interfering with her recovery. The trucks were quickly rerouted.
Nella Braddy Henney quoted Anne as follows in her biography Anne Sullivan Macy:
I feel wretchedly conscious of the dreadfulness of age. Is any old person really happy I wonder. Of course they pretend to be, but if they ever remember what they were like once they must shudder inwardly. I hate growing old. Only youth and life at the full tide are beautiful. A less brutal deity would have decreed that life should end with the offspring, as the moth dies in the splendour of its beauty when it has laid the eggs of future moths.
Full Transcript of Letter
Letter from M.C. Migel to Robert Moses
May 29th 1935
Hon. Robert Moses, Chairman,
State Council on Parks,
80 Centre St., New York City.
Dear Commissioner:
As I have only had the pleasure of meeting you once, you will probably not remember me -- but Senator Wagner, Governor Al Smith and Judge James A. Foley can tell you all about me.
I am writing to enlist your kindly interest for a very dear friend of mine, who is a national character, and whom you must, naturally, know -- Helen Keller.
Her teacher, Mrs. Anne Sullivan Macy, had practically lost her sight until recently, when after an operation for cataract, some vision was restored to her, and she is now convalescing.
Their home is at 7,111 Seminole Avenue, Forest Hills, L.I., corner of Fife Street.
It seems that in the Park you are creating in Forest Hills, a continuous stream of loaded trucks passes their house, going through Seminole Avenue daily -- and owing to their weight, etc., cause the house to shake and tremble -- and this is retarding Mrs. Macy's recovery.
Mrs. Macy, as you probably know, is also nationally known and beloved.
I am wondering if you would be good enough to order the re-routing of these trucks for a month or two, until Mrs. Macy recovers -- having them go through another street instead of Seminole Avenue; I believe the next street, Colonial Avenue, would be just as accessible.
Regretting to trouble you, and hoping you will find it possible to accede to this request under the circumstances, believe me
Sincerely yours,
MCM/ALB
