When Lakehill seventh-grade English teacher Julie Riggs was asked to recommend a favorite biography for an upcoming newspaper article, she had no idea of the impact her review of “The Story of My Life” by Helen Keller would have.

But across town, Mrs. Robert W. Ivey read the review and sprang into action, convinced fate had intervened.

She had a long association with the family of Phillips Brooks Keller, Helen's younger brother, who once lived in the White Rock area. Ivey's mother attended school with Helen Keller's sister-in-law, Ravinia.

When Ivey was a girl, she had the opportunity to meet Helen Keller and remembers being impressed with her achievements and her work for the American Foundation for the Blind.

Seventh-grade students, who have been reading “The Story of My Life,” recently had an unexpected treat when Ivey paid a visit to Lakehill Preparatory. She presented the group with a framed photograph taken in 1918 of Helen Keller with her mother and brother.

She also donated a book titled “Helen Keller: Selected Writings” to the Lakehill Upper School library.

In addition to the photo, the class received a video documentary made in 1954, when Helen Keller was 24 years old. It shows her speaking and contains one of the few records of Anne Sullivan, Keller's lifelong teacher, speaking.

It is filled with newsreel footage of Keller's world travels visiting schools for blind and deaf children as well as scenes of Keller going about her daily routines.

The film is introduced by Patty Duke, the star of the first “The Miracle Worker” movie. Ivey also presented Riggs with “To Love this Life,” a book of inspirational quotes by Helen Keller.

Ivey and her husband, who is blind, have maintained a long association with the AFB. The items she gave to Lakehill had been given to her by the organization.

Ivey said she had been wondering what to do with the memorabilia, and that when she read Riggs' article, she knew her treasures found a good home.

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Seventh-grade class President Haley York greets Mrs. Ivey.

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Teacher and book reviewer Julie Riggs with donor Mrs. Robert W. Ivey

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Students surround Mrs. Ivey.

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