[Nfbf-l] Oct. 15

[Kirk]

Dwight, thanks for the trivia aboutg White cane day! KH




Kirk Harmon
1138 Evening Stroll Lane
Jacksonville, FL. 32221

Florida Disabled Citizens for Progress, Inc.
President & CEO
PH: (904) 783-9896
Cell: (407) 473-2176

" Turning Hope into Reality"!
----- Original Message ----- 
From: <MisterAdvocate at aol.com>
To: <nfbf-l at nfbnet.org>; <nfbf-leaders at yahoogroups.com>
Sent: Tuesday, September 14, 2010 12:43 PM
Subject: [Nfbf-l] Oct. 15





NATIONAL WHITE CANE  SAFETY DAY
OCTOBER 15,  2010
President Lyndon B.  Johnson first proclaimed National White Cane Safety
Day in 1964 with these  words, “A white cane in our society has become one 
of
the symbols of a blind  person’s ability to come and go on his own.  Its use
has promoted  courtesy and special consideration for the blind on our
streets and  highways.  To make our people more fully aware of the meaning 
of the
 white cane, and of the need for motorists to exercise special care for the
 blind persons who carry it, the Congress, by a joint resolution has
authorized  the President to proclaim October 15 of each year as White Cane 
Safety
 Day.”
Where did the White  Cane come from?  There are references in the Bible in
Deuteronomy and in  Ancient Greek Mythology about giving a staff to a blind
man.  It is known  that in Scotland in 1800 blind men used a stick or cane,
but it is not clear  how they used it.  In 1874, a man named Levy in England
came up with the  first organized cane system.  His system was not truly
practical.  A  man carried a stick that was very tall.  He would hold it
straight up and  down.  He then would move it from side to side and walk 
very
slowly.  Levy did talk about extending the cane forward when looking for
drop-offs.
In the 1890’s a man  named Robinson, also in England, came up with another
method.  He had a  man hold a metal cane.  The person would hold the cane
straight up and  down also.  He would then swing the cane back and forth 
like
the pendulum  of a clock.  This was not a very practical system, however,
his idea of a  metal cane was very innovative.  He also noticed that roads
were crowned  in the middle, that people tend to go to the right as they 
walk,
and that  people pick up information through their feet.
During World War I  the British rehabilitated their war blind at St.
Dunstans. They used a fairly  modern technique that had the person holding 
the
cane forward and using a  side-to-side movement.
In the period  between the World Wars, the Lions Club advocated for laws
protecting the  visually impaired from motorists.  They provided white canes
with red  tips so that the visually impaired pedestrian could be clearly
identified.  The red and white color for canes still is used today.
Veterans blinded in  WWII were the inspiration for the development of
lightweight canes and travel  techniques still used today.  The basis of 
modern
Long Cane travel came  from the Army and a remarkable man named Richard
Hoover.  Most of his  techniques are seen today in the cane travel many of 
you
have been  taught.

THE CANE  SONG
(To the tune of “My  Favorite Things”)

Traveling downtown  or out in the ‘burbs
Crossing the street  and finding the curb
If you’re still  wondering, please let me explain
These are the  things I can do with my cane.
I use it when  finding a street intersection
Establishing  landmarks and object detection
Please don’t be  thinking these tasks are a strain
These are the  things I can do with my cane.
I used to crash  things
Sometimes smash  things
End up black and  blue
But now with my  cane
I’m no longer in  pain
And feel like I’m  all brand new!
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