Teen Leads Fight to Save Helen keller House

Teen Leads Fight to Save Helen Keller House
Submitted by Ray on May 12, 2010 — Leave a Comment
Teen Leads Fight to Save Helen Keller House
By GREG CERGOL
NBC New York
Updated 6:30 PM EDT, Tue, May 11, 2010
SourceLink:
http://deaftimes.com/usa-l/teen-leads-fight-to-save-helen-keller-house/
Ian Toy has been walking past the crumbling Southold home on his way to
the beach for much of his young life.
"It really is a beautiful home," said the 13-year-old of the boarded up
Bavarian Tudor-style structure built in the 1920's.
From the building's sagging roof and the gaping hole in its back, it's
clear the young architecture buff is focused not on the home's decaying
present but rather on its storied past.
"My mom told me Helen Keller once lived there," said the eighth grader.
Local historians say the deaf and blind woman, once described as the
"first lady of courage," spent the summer of 1936 in the Southold
home with her long time teacher, Ann Sullivan. It was their last summer
together. Sullivan died in the fall of that same year.
The home remained in private hands until the 1960's when Suffolk County
took ownership. It has been under the Suffolk's watch, said county
legislator Edward Romaine, that the home fell to "wreck and ruin."
It is scheduled for demolition this summer.
That's where young Mr. Toy came in.
Last month, after learning of Keller's connection to the home, Toy
sheepishly asked his mother if he could try to save the home.
"He said, mom, I've been thinking about it for a couple of weeks; but, I
didn't know what you would think," remembered mom Claire Kennedy.
"I was all over it," said Kennedy,"I said, 'Ian- go for it!'"
Toy responded by setting up a "Save the Helen Keller House" Facebook
page that now has over 1200 friends. He also drew up an on line
petition, now signed by more than seven hundred people. And Toy began
e-mailing anyone connected to Keller or the home, even soliciting a
response of support from Keller's great niece.
Tuesday, Toy took his effort a step farther. He addressed the Suffolk
County legislature, urging lawmakers to stop the demolition and restore
the home.
"How do we want to be remembered? asked Toy of the legislators. "I want
to be remembered as someone who took care of my community and
contributed to preserving our past."
"From the mouths of babes, so to speak, comes the wisdom we should have
been listening to all along," said Romaine afterward. "Save your
history."
Romaine is now working to find upwards of four hundred thousand dollars
in county funds to rebuild the home. In addition, the town of Southold
may add the Keller home to its landmark preservation list, according to
Toy.
"I would like it to be a museum for the deaf and blind," said the teen,
as he stared out at the ruins he believes is the finest house on his
street.

Ms. Kathy's email
Visual Impairments Specialist
Westminster E S
http://lee.ebrschools.org/kathynicholslee
http://www.kathyskids.org
http://mskathy.proboards30.com
http://mskathyskids.blogspot.com