In 1960, Borghild Dahl was at a school to talk about her new children’s book. But author had lost her sight in 1958 and the students were more interested in that. Their questions that day would lead Dahl to write a memoir, Finding My Way, about life after blindness.
—–Editor: Britt Aamodt Producer: Britt Aamodt Editorial support: Emily Krumberger Mixing & mastering: Chris Harwood
Transcript
MN90 Intro: Welcome to MN90: Minnesota History in 90 Seconds.
Narrator: Early 1960, Borghild Dahl had spent her life lecturing to young people, for many years a teacher in Twin Valley, Minnesota. So then why was this classroom of students making her so nervous?
Because it was her first talk after going blind. She couldn’t see faces, only hear bodies shifting in seats. Borghild had been born with impaired vision. Yet that hadn’t stopped her from becoming a teacher and children’s book author. But around 1958, her sight gave out completely.
She was at the school this day to give a talk on her newest book. But the students, whom she asked to shout out questions, as she couldn’t see raised hands, were more curious about was like being blind. Those questions would lead Borghild Dahl to write her next book, Finding My Way, about life after blindness.
MN90 Outro: MN90 is produced by AMPERS, diverse radio for Minnesota's communities, made possible by funding from the Minnesota Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund. Online at mn90.org.