Mr Eugene C. Vining, an instructor at the Perkins Institute for the Blind, was hired by Radcliffe College to assist with Helen's entrance examinations. Mr Vining was responsible for copying the exam papers into American braille. This was necessary because the college, in the interests of integrity, would not permit Helen's teacher to help her; Mr Vining was a total stranger to Helen. The math portion of the exam proved especially challenging to Helen, since she had only learned the algebraic symbols in English braille, but Vining copied them into American notation. Helen asked Vining for a copy of the symbols using the American notation, and did her best to learn this new system before the exam. It was very difficult, but Helen did not complain. She writes:
But I do not blame any one. The administrative board of Radcliffe did not realize how difficult they were making my examinations, nor did they understand the peculiar difficulties I had to surmount. But if they unintentionally placed obstacles in my way, I have the consolation of knowing that I overcame them all.
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