[Greater-Baltimore] National White Cane Day marks 50 years

[William Borner]

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Richard Hoover, often referred to as the “Father of the long cane technique,” developed the successful cane technique to replace the short wooden cane.
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It was 50 years ago this month that President Lyndon Johnson signed National White Cane Day into law in 1964.

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Richard Hoover, often referred to as the “Father of the long cane technique,” developed the successful cane technique to replace the short wooden cane. The long white cane became the international symbol for individuals who are blind.

Hoover was recruited by a U.S. Army Hospital to rehabilitate blind veterans when he realized that the loss of independent mobility was a major barrier to recovery. The long cane allowed veterans to regain their independence and their dignity.

After the war, he moved to Baltimore and became a world-renowned ophthalmologist at Johns Hopkins and eye doctor and board member of the Maryland School for the Blind. He taught thousands of mobility instructors his techniques and set up the first wrestling tournament among schools for the blind that have continued for the last 40 years. He was in the vanguard of his profession and his vision is still relevant today.

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