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The Story of My Life

by Helen Keller

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Who is Mr. Vining in The Story of My Life?

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Because Miss Sullivan was not allowed to read the examination papers for her entrance into Radcliffe to Helen, Mr. Eugene C. Vining, who (like Miss Sullivan) is from the Perkins Institute, was hired to copy the test papers into braille. 

Because Mr. Vining was a stranger and could only communicate with Helen in braille, the authorities felt that he would be a more objective conduit to Helen than Miss Sullivan would. The proctor of the exam was also a stranger.

When Helen studied for the exams, such as the algebra exam, she found herself wasting much time on the practice tests because she only learned the English braille in mathematics and they were in the American. So she notified Mr. Vining and he found some examples in American notation, which he forwarded to her. However, she still struggled with some very complicated examples.

Anxious about the exams the following day, Helen and Mr. Keith went to the college a little before the examination began and Mr. Vining clarified the symbols more fully to her. Nevertheless, Helen struggled with the algebra and geometry exams, although she did pass.

After receiving the results stating that she passed, Helen wrote a letter of explanation to Mr. John Hitz, telling him of the difficulties she experienced with the signs on the mathematics exams, as well as some parts of other exams because she had to type on a typewriter and was not able to read back what she had typed. She did this in order to help future blind students. 

Perhaps, if you would send a copy of this to the head of the Cambridge School, it might enlighten his mind on a few subjects, on which he seems to be in total darkness just now....

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