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Education - Project Material
Blind people have travelled with dogs as companions and protectors for thousands of years, but, as far as is known, the first man to scientifically train dogs to guide the blind was Herr Johann Klein, founder of the Institute for the Training of the Blind in Vienna, who published a book on their training and use in 1819. It was not until 1916 that a special school for educating selected dogs to guide the blind was established in Germany to help cope with the rehabilitation of the mounting number of men who were blinded in World War 1 (1914-1918). By 1925 the success of this school, which had been adopted by the German Red Cross, became known in other parts of the world. It was chance, which bought Guide Dogs to Australia. Arnold Cook, a Western Australian boy, lost his sight through a rare disease at the age of 18. Arnold studied at the University of Western Australia and went to England on a Scholarship. Whilst there he heard about the Guide Dog Association of Great Britain and decided to apply for a dog. Arnold returned to Western Australia in 1950 as a lecturer and soon other blind Western Australians, hearing about the Guide Dog, were anxious to have such a dog themselves. A year later in 1951, the first Guide Dog Association in Australia was formed in Perth. The first Training Centre was a humble affair, consisting of two old bogey cars joined together by a roof. In 1957 the Guide Dogs Association established a National Guide Dog Training Centre in Kew, Victoria. In that same year, 1957, the Apex Clubs of Adelaide and Unley issued an invitation to potential supporters to meet. At this meeting it was decided to form a State Association. By 1962 nine Guide Dogs were working in South Australia and the first Guide Dog was assigned to a country district. The Guide Dog is an important part of the Association's history
but it is not the only part. The Guide Dog is just one mobility
aid that the Association provides free to blind and vision impaired
people in the community. We also teach the correct use of the long
cane and electronic travel
aids. In 1965, preliminary work commenced with electronic
travel devices and Long
Cane training was first piloted in 1969.
History of Guide Dogs in Australia Morris Frank was the inspiration for the introduction of guide dogs mobility in the U.S.A. The inspiration for Guide Dogs to Australia was a gentleman named Arnold Cook and the state where it all started was Western Australia. Arnold Cook was born on May the 5th 1922. When Arnold turned 18 he contracted Retinitis Pigmentosa which is a hereditary condition. Arnold dealt with his loss of vision with great courage. He learnt how to read by using Braille. In 1944 he entered the University of Western Australia and graduated in the Bachelor of Arts with Honours in Economics in 1947. Due to his University results Arnold was awarded a Hackett Scholarship to study in England. In 1948 he enrolled at the London University School of Economics. Arnold found it extremely difficult to travel around the city of London amongst the population of 7 million people, compared to the quieter city of Perth, Australia. Arnold heard of the Guide Dogs for the Blind located in Leamington Spa. He was to apply for a guide dog at a new school located at Exeter. He was excited by the idea of having a dog to help him travel more independently around the busy city of London, and for the companionship a dog provides, as he found it quite lonely in the big city. Arnold graduated from university in 1950. He was offered a position as a lecturer in Economics in Western Australia. Arnold and his Guide Dog Dreena returned to Perth in August of that same year. Arnold and Dreena familiarised themselves around the city streets of Perth. Arnold Cook was so determined to pass on his knowledge that he opened discussion with Mrs Constance Gibbon, secretary and Mr Gerald Keall, Honorary Solicitor, of the Braille Society of Western Australia, with the idea of starting a Guide Dog school in Perth. Arnold, Gerard and Constance then approached a The Honourable James A. Dimmit with the idea of starting a training centre. Mr Dimmit then called on the help of some friends, Mr Sam Clarkson who was a member of the Rotary Club of Fremantle, and the Western Australian Kennel Club president Mr P.J. O'Neill. It was on the 4th of January 1951, the Guide Dogs' Association of Western Australia was officially formed. In 1953 a gentleman named John Stokes became the instigator of a national involvement of APEX and 1953 was the year of reorganisation and expansion of the Western Australian Association. Guide Dogs Association for SA and NT was established on December 5th, 1957 by the Unley and Apex Rotary Club of Adelaide. Guide
Dogs Australia was formed in 2001 Guide
Dogs Australia brings all Guide Dogs Schools throughout Australia
together to share PR and Marketing resources for Australia wide
fundraising activities.
The earliest recordings of a cane as a mobility aid dates back to biblical times where people who were blind used a staff or walking stick to help them find their way. In the 1860's a blind Englishman, John Metcalf, found his way around by using a cane, so long it was almost up to his hat. This was the instrument which foreshadowed the principle of using the White Cane as a mobility aid. The instigation of the White Cane in more recent times came about in the 1940's during World War II when large numbers of newly blinded soldiers began to arrive at a Hospital in Pennsylvania. Dr Richard Hoover saw the need for these soldiers to be able to travel independently and instigated the idea of using the white cane as a symbol to indicate the person using it was vision impaired. He also devised a range of techniques to be taught with the cane for safe 'foot travel'. Instructors, known as 'Orientation and Mobility Instructors' were engaged to teach techniques to blinded soldiers. In the 1950's more instructors were trained to meet the needs of those blinded by the Korean War. In 1960 Boston College became the first university to offer a course in Orientation and Mobility and in 1961 Western Michigan University offered a Masters in the profession. It was at this time that training in the use of the White Cane became available to all people with vision impairment, not just those in the Armed Forces. The knowledge of the profession of Orientation and Mobility spread to Australia, Great Britain, France, Brazil, South Africa and a number of other countries in the 1960's. It was at this time that the 'White Cane' became an international symbol of vision impairment. The long White Cane is the most effective and efficient mobility aid devised for safe independent travel and is used by the majority of people with vision impairment.
THE COSTS ARE HIGH The cost to train a puppy with the potential to become a Guide Dog is in excess of $25,000 - a cost we can only afford with the generosity of the community. To bring a Guide Dog Puppy into the Guide Dog family 8 weeks to 1 Year 12-16 Months 16-17 Months Follow up Visits TOTAL COST $25,000
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