Plentywood herald. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1908-current, 1936-03-19
Hea1AL
0&AutY
THE DEVOTED FRIEND OF MAN
80. soOHsA 0s SO


In this highly complex and rushing
modern world, the blind find it in
c~reasingly difficult to make their way
about; especially in cities, where the
street crossings are so hazardous that
even people who are in full possession
of their faculties are sometimes
manned or killed. 1t has been found
that dogs can be sc trained that they
make ideal guides for these unfortun-
ate people.
There is a school on a country es-
tate near Morristown, N. j., where
German shepherd dogs are trained to
perform this useful task. For this pur-
pose, female dogs are superior to
males, and make more satisfactory
guides, because they are more gentle
and eager to please, neither are they
as quarrelsome with other dogs as the
males.
This school which is called "The
Seeing Eye" was formerly operated in
Switzerland by Mrs. Eustice. But in
1929 Mrs. Eustice moved her dogs to
New Jersey and associated herself
with Morris Frank, a blind man who
had gone to her school in Switzerland
and had obtained a dog guide. Frank
had been blind for four years. During
that time he was not only lonely and
miserable, but greatly handicapped in
getting about, for his life was always
in danger, when alone on the streets.
Frank is from Tennessee and had
attended Vanderbilt University. Since
he has had Buddy (his dog guide) she
has been his constant companion, and
has travelled more than $4,000 miles
with him. AS soon as he returned TO
America with her she guided him
safely through New York traffic. He
spends his time in helping other peo-
pie who are blind, largely through the
school, "The Secret Eye" of which
Mrs. Eustice is president and he the
vice president.
When one of these dogs is sold to a
blind person, the purchaser must be
taught how to handle his new helper.
1t takes five years Of training to
make a proficient head instructor III
THE Seeing Eye" 1t requires three
months of teaching to develop a dog
as a competent guide, and one month
to teach a person how to use his dog.
Not all blind people seem able to adj
apt themselves to dogs as guides, 50
the masters have to be carefully chos-
en- as well as their canine guides.
The head of the scientific division OF
'The Seeing Eye" is Elliott E. Hum
phry, a man of vast experience in
handling dogs. This breed of shepherd
dogs that are trained to guide the blind
have no wolf blood. They have been
bred for centuries to care for sheep.
They love to serve man and guard his
possessions.
A director of a state institution for
the blind says: Il have kept in close
touch with the work done by each of
the dogs of the institution, and in ev-
cry instance she has done much more
than serve as a pair of eyes for her
master. l do not know of a single case
in which the use of a faithful dog by
her owner, has not resulted in certain
physical changes, changes of attitude
and improvement of morale, which are
striking"
"The Seeing Eye" provides a dog,
including the masters training and
maintenance at school headquarters,
for less than the actual cost of supply
ing the dogs. Such a loss to the school
nevertheless acts as a protection to the
blind, as it eliminates the possible es-
t~ahlishment of commercial schools
which might seek to exploit the blind.
The training of these guide dogs be-
gins when they are ID months old.
Each dog wears a stiff leader harness
around her chest and shoulders, and
from this a stiff handle is extended to
reach her masters hand so hat he can
feel her every movement. The first
thing she has learned is to obey. She
has also learned to disobey if the oc-
casion demands. Although the dog fol-
lows her masters directions of left
right and forward she is continually
on the lookout for danger"
Ito be continued)