Thomas Stringer

Thomas Stringer (July 3, 1886 – October 11, 1945) was an American carpenter. Deafblind from a young age, Stringer was brought to the Perkins Institution for the Blind through the fundraising of Helen Keller. He was well-regarded at the school for his carpentry skills, which he used to help support himself after graduating from Perkins in 1913.

Biography

Thomas Stringer was born on July 3, 1886, in Washington, Pennsylvania. He became blind and deaf after being infected with spinal meningitis at age two or three. His mother died soon after his illness, and his father placed him in a hospital in Allegheny. Keller used creative means to raise tuition for Stringer to attend Perkins: when her dog Lioness was killed by a policeman, her letter to a benefactor recounting the tragedy was published widely, which led to people sending in donations to purchase her another dog. Instead, Helen donated the money to a fund established by Perkins director Michael Anagnos to support Stringer. After learning to walk, dress, and feed himself, Stringer was taught to recognize words fingerspelled into his hand. Stringer graduated from the grammar school in 1903.

By age fifteen he was installing shelves and steps at the Perkins kindergarten; he was called upon to replace worn window-cords and replace broken locks.

Stringer spent twenty years at Perkins, graduating in 1913. Stringer died at age fifty-nine on October 11, 1945.