"Failures Become Victories If They Make Us Wise-Hearted" - Helen Keller

"...Let us not forget the treasures which the swift years have laid at our feet—the strength, the sense, the courage to meet difficulties and overcome them. Nothing else matters very much. To keep on trying in spite of disappointment and failure is the only way to keep young and brave. Failures become victories if they make us wise-hearted."

-Helen Keller, in a 1921 speech she gave at the reunion dinner for Wright-Humason School, sharing memories of past classmates and her time spent at the school

You can enjoy the entire speech, and many other examples of her wonderful writing as well as thousands of historical photographs, artifacts, press clippings, and film clips via the digitized Helen Keller Archive.

A group photograph taken in 1895 of the first class of the Wright Humason School for the deaf, NYC. Helen Keller is at the far left of those seated in the first row. She holds Anne Sullivan's left hand with her right hand. All of the women are wearing long dresses with fitted waists, wide skirts, gigot (puff) sleeves, and high ruched necklines. The men are wearing jackets and neckties.