Show On Monday the famed blind and deaf educator celebrates her 80th birthday that night a Broadway audience will applaud a child actress who portrays Miss Keller at 7 — a role that required a youngster to understand what many adults never do Helen Keller as she appears today and below Patty Duke who learned to portray her as a blind deaf child in “The Miracle Worker' By ISABELLA TAVES international leader in the rehabilitation of the handicapped To try to understand the inner agonies of Helen Patty began researching into those early years Research was nothing new to the youngster In 1958 she won $32000 in the during a performance of the Broadway play One nightMiracle Worker” an electric cable broke loose backstage struck a bar and broke another cable making a terrific racket People in the audience jumped and the dog category on the TV quiz show “The $61000 Question” But the bits Patty collected on Helen’s first years didn’t give much basis for characterization Only one fact gave Patty an insight into Helen the child: as a baby she had been precocious At ten months Helen had been able to say “howdy” and had pointed to the tea table and said “tea” Earlier than that she was able to say “water” and was fascinated by shadows Following her tragic illness she grew up physically strong and healthy but her adoring parents thought her mind was gone and consequently spoiled her by giving in to every whim and tantrum Patty says: “I decided that whatever approach I took to Helen as this difficult child it had to start with the fact that she had an eager mind that she had been very active” In the beginning it was so like a game that Patty didn’t mind giving up afternoon dancing and swimming sessions with her friends After school she would go to the apartment of her manager John Ross and pretend to be blind by closing her eyes and stumbling around the apartment She would in the play let out a yelp popular-musi- But Patty Duke who acts the role of a blind and deaf girl didn’t flinch Even members of the east had the eerie feeling that Patty really hadn’t heard a sound Patty explained to me: “All I did was to squeeze the little dog I was holding That’s why he yelped Everybody thought it was the noise which had seared him But it was me” In the theater this is called “staying in character” It’s also proof that Patty Duke is the outstanding child actress of the day Certainly the part she interprets is one of the most difficult ever demanded of a child She is called upon to play young Helen Keller who lost her sight and hearing as a result of illness at 20 months Helen also was believed to have suffered serious brain damage though in fact she had merely shut herself off from a world she couldn’t understand It was up to Patty to dramatize this tormented withdrawal — and also to show how under skillful guidance Helen began to emerge as a person who would go on to become one of the most famous women of our time an seven-year-o- Wick deodorants are too slow some aerosols too weak freshen just for the moment hut Florient really kills bad odors fast! So economical too —it lasts and lasts No wonder more women buy Florient fnan any other air deodorant 4 fragrances: Floral Spice Mint Pine Direct-Actio- Drug n Stops Backache For Thousands -- Fast! Quick Relief May be Had when Backache is Due to Kidney Impurities is now a combina-tio- n of drugs with direct There 1 diuretic action to help keep t'1 kidneys clear of acid 7" :I ppnwSw ' cite ' wattes which so often cause nagging stab-- T hing back pains mild full-dimensio- PHOTOGRAPH ld nal c BY RICHARD CHECANI w bladder irritation getting up nights — even muscular pains — The drugs in DeWitt’s new'vj'v'' formula give more positive relief than ever before! So elTective you even see they're at work— when “the blue comes through" With kidney function improved De Wilt’s days helps you have more pain-fre- e more restful nights j t n ‘i DelVITT'S PILLS DRIVE - i r w ' ' t i jjjllllilp Why bo nvrvctjs obcuf - r 5 Now jou can enjoy pmwi solid food without a svorry In the Dental world PLRMA-CRI- P Powder anchors plates llrmly comfoitrtly l( r iwmis 4 Holme tasteless tie t i y jr-ti- c Enrh :gi v I It Po-ph- - Cu flcrpnce Mi's 'r-- ' K v- u f ''iff -- a ' tt - - " X - t ‘ AA-- J l' ‘ - - IH i V r gjj ' - x ’ ‘ Jt ' immm lilllll T i r -- I s V " : ££ i’Y V'p --A " £ rs 'v j I 1 mIM aWaMp t “ I ' ' f |