We don't often know or appreciate how
events or actions in our lives impact others. The work of one East Hampton
native, Joel West Smith, had a life changing impact on thousands, one
being a young lady from Alabama, Helen Keller. At the age of 2, Helen
fell ill and was struck blind, deaf and mute. Blinded himself in
1860 at the age of 23 during a July 4th celebration by a prematurely
exploding cannon, Smith started a remarkable career by entering the
Perkins Institute for the Blind in Boston. His exposure to other
sightless people awakened his ambitions for a life of achievement and
drove from his mind the fear of a helpless existence. Within 6 years
he rose to a supervisory position; later assisted in the
administration of the London Academy of Music for the Blind and went
on to help found the Royal College for the Blind in England. In 1872,
Smith began a European tour to study teaching methods in schools for
the blind, concentrating on methods used by the blind to repair and
tune pianos, which became an important vocation.
Smith also
developed of an improved system of Braille writing which simplified
and made far less tedious the reading and writing by the sightless.
He invented the first typewriter for Braille "letters" and
helped found, and later managed and published The Mentor, the
first magazine for the blind in America. During Smith's management of
The Mentor,
Helen Keller was inspired to learn to speak, an accomplishment which,
according to Ms Keller's teacher Anne Sullivan, "singly
justified its existence."
Remembered by few today, Joel West
Smith's indomitable spirit has served an inspiration to thousands and
impacted us all in ways unimaginable 100 years ago thorough enactment
of legislation such as American's with Disabilities Act.
His family home is now Spencer Funeral Home on Main Street. He lies
today in Lakeview Cemetery amongst the many great men and women who founded our Town and contributed their talents to make a better world.
No comments:
Post a Comment