Chapter 13 – Originators of Orientation and Mobility
Training
Images from as early as the 13th century exist, proving that people who were blind/visually impaired have been traveling with dogs and canes for a long, long time.
Jacob Birrer (Germany) 1840
People Germans pre-dated everyone in the dog
guide business (WW I). Dr. Samuel Gridley Howe (1800’s) - Founder
of Perkins School f/t Blind Sir Francis Campbell (1800’s)- Teacher @
Perkins who was blind. Informally taught O&M. Emigrated to England and founded the Royal Normal College and Academy of Music for the Blind.
W. Hanks Levy (1800’s)- Originator of Touch Technique, but was “out of step”
The Seeing EyeFirst formal mobility training in the U.S. 1929 (Dorothy Harrison Eustis, Morris Frank)
More people Dr. Richard Hoover – Former teacher @ Maryland School for the Blind,
part of initial War Blind Program @ Valley Forge Army Hospital, originator of the in-step Touch Technique @ Valley Forge Army Hospital (Battle of the Bulge, Dec. 1944 - Jan. 1945. 17 blind soldiers arrived in one day.) “People say blind people in this country do a good job of getting around. I don’t think they do a good job. I think they do a hell of a poor job.”
Warren Bledsoe – Son of John Bledsoe ( John studied under Michael Anagnos, who taught Anne Sullivan, & was superintendent of Maryland School for the Blind), also part of initial War Blind Program @ Valley Forge, perfected Hoover’s techniques, used the blindfold to train trainers.
Russ Williams – Lost his vision after the Normandy invasion, student @ Valley Forge and Avon, instructor at Valley Forge, chief of the program @ the Hines V.A., and “father” to several techniques we use today, including: Guide Technique, Hines Break, Protective Techniques, use of sound clues, projecting a line of direction, use of Touch Technique all the time (was previously prohibited indoors), diagonal to Touch Technique in the stairwell.
Places Valley Forge Army Hospital – site of original
War Blind Program. Housed veterans of the European Theatre of war (Hoover, Bledsoe, Williams were all instructors here.)
Dibble Army Hospital - same as Valley Forge, served veterans from the Pacific Theatre.
Avon Army Hospital - abandoned the cane and taught use of “facial vision.”
Hines V.A. - 1st V. A. Program. Started when Army “let go” of the War Blind Program.